C4 ZR1 Killer For A 1/4 The Price: Built By Stay Tuned
The 415 Horsepower C4 Corvette project on Stay Tuned takes everything people dismiss about cheap C4s and turns it into fuel. Host Tony Angelo and the crew set out to build a street-ripping C4 that can hang with, and arguably embarrass, a factory C4 ZR1, all while staying deep in budget territory.
At the heart of the build is a dirt-cheap roller small-block that has already proven itself on the engine dyno. With a budget-top-end kit totaling about $2,850, the combo churned out 415 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. That number alone already edges out the original C4 ZR1’s 405 horsepower, but the real trick is how they deliver it in the car with modern control and reliability.
Holley Fuel Injection On A Classic Small Block
Instead of dropping the engine back in with a carb, the team converts the Corvette to full Holley EFI. A four-barrel style multi-point fuel injection intake goes on, topped with a 1050 cfm Holley throttle body that still works with the factory throttle cable. Underneath, short 42 lb injectors feed each cylinder, controlled by a Holley Terminator X and a dual sync distributor acting as cam and crank sensor.
They add a bronze distributor gear to play nice with the billet cam, wire in an MSD 6A box for spark, and run all fresh sensors and wiring through a custom bulkhead they 3D printed to replace the crusty factory harness pass-through. The engine bay keeps an old-school look with plug wires and a distributor, but it behaves like a modern EFI setup.
Underneath The Car: Headers, Fuel, And Drivetrain
Under the Corvette, the crew fights typical C4 packaging headaches to install ceramic-coated long tube Hedman headers, dealing with dipstick tube issues, tight plug access, and 80s GM compromises. Out back, a 340-liter-per-hour Holley in-tank pump, paired with a D Works install kit, gives the fuel system enough headroom for future power.
A fresh flywheel and Summit street strip clutch go in, backed by a rebuilt pivot ball and a solid Corvette-style power plant frame that ties the transmission and differential together to keep driveline slop in check.
Budget C4, ZR1 Attitude
By the end, the total sits around $13,000, including the $5,000 purchase price of the car, the top-end kit, and the Holley fuel injection setup. In freezing Pennsylvania weather, the open header 415 Horsepower C4 Corvette fires up, idles clean, and rips around snowy roads with the attitude of a budget C4 ZR1 killer. It is loud, responsive, and exactly the kind of home-built hot rod that makes a cheap C4 feel like a proper monster.
If this C4 ZR1 killer build hits close to home, it is worth diving into our own small-block Chevy project as well. We recently broke down our SBC 350 rebuild, covering top-end choices, budget realities, and the lessons learned along the way.
