German Tuner Fits Modern-Day V-8 in 1959 Chevrolet Corvette
You might expect a German tuning company to focus its attention on
vehicles from Europe, but Pogea Racing GmbH spent the last year working
on this customized 1959 Chevrolet Corvette. At the request of a
customer, the American sports car was upgraded with all-new running gear
from a present-day Corvette.
The biggest transformation is under the Corvette’s hood, where Pogea
Racing installed a 6.2-liter LS3 V-8 from a contemporary C6 Corvette.
Finding that engine somewhat lacking, the tuners added a new air intake,
high-lift camshafts, larger fuel injectors, and loud Edelbrock
exhausts. The engine now produces a claimed 485 hp and 431 lb-ft of
torque, channeled through a five-speed manual transmission. Pogea says
the modified Corvette will hit 62 mph in just 3.9 seconds and is capable
of 179 mph.
The bodywork rides on a custom tube frame designed in partnership
with American company Foose Design. That frame is fitted with adjustable
coilover suspension, and is said to be much stiffer than the original
Corvette chassis. The car’s brakes also have been updated with
modern-day brakes, with 13-inch front discs and 11.8-inch rear discs. In
order to fit wider Bridgestone Potenza tires, Pogea widened the stock
rear fenders by 14.5 inches. The tires wrap around three-piece Pogea
Racing wheels measuring 18 inches front, 19 inches rear.
The completed car was finished in a combination of Ferrari red and
white paints, which is matched by a red interior with white floor mats.
The tuners also saw fit to upgrade the 1959 Corvette with power
steering, air conditioning, an Alpine touch-screen navigation system,
and a three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel.
The price for such an elaborately customized Corvette? A cool €225,000 before taxes, or about $296,000.
You might expect a German tuning company to focus its attention on
vehicles from Europe, but Pogea Racing GmbH spent the last year working
on this customized 1959 Chevrolet Corvette. At the request of a
customer, the American sports car was upgraded with all-new running gear
from a present-day Corvette.
The biggest transformation is under the Corvette’s hood, where Pogea
Racing installed a 6.2-liter LS3 V-8 from a contemporary C6 Corvette.
Finding that engine somewhat lacking, the tuners added a new air intake,
high-lift camshafts, larger fuel injectors, and loud Edelbrock
exhausts. The engine now produces a claimed 485 hp and 431 lb-ft of
torque, channeled through a five-speed manual transmission. Pogea says
the modified Corvette will hit 62 mph in just 3.9 seconds and is capable
of 179 mph.
The bodywork rides on a custom tube frame designed in partnership
with American company Foose Design. That frame is fitted with adjustable
coilover suspension, and is said to be much stiffer than the original
Corvette chassis. The car’s brakes also have been updated with
modern-day brakes, with 13-inch front discs and 11.8-inch rear discs. In
order to fit wider Bridgestone Potenza tires, Pogea widened the stock
rear fenders by 14.5 inches. The tires wrap around three-piece Pogea
Racing wheels measuring 18 inches front, 19 inches rear.
The completed car was finished in a combination of Ferrari red and
white paints, which is matched by a red interior with white floor mats.
The tuners also saw fit to upgrade the 1959 Corvette with power
steering, air conditioning, an Alpine touch-screen navigation system,
and a three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel.
