For the Love of It: Keiths C8 Z06 Build at RSC
Some builds are about parts. This one is about the bond between father and son.
When Keith pulled his black C8 Z06 into RSC HQ in Johnstown, he didn't come alone. His son made the trip with him. The car, the build, and this adventure is just the latest chapters in a story that began decades before the C8 was brought to market.
Where It Started
When Keith Sr turned 9 years old, Corvettes became a way of life for him and his siblings. It started with his older brother's 1972 Corvette - white with a blue interior, chrome bumpers front and back. Keith describes it in such vivid detail like it was yesterday.
"I fell in love with Vettes right from there," Keith said. As he got older, a cousin with more Corvettes than he could count and his brother Larry, who bought an 1984 Corvette that Keith describes as looking like the Batmobile kept the flame alive. "All the electronic displays and the LCD screen - I thought that was the most amazing thing in the world. From there I was hooked."
Keith has been driving Corvettes since he was 16. He is 52 now. With over three decades behind the wheel of various Corvettes you might think it was time for a change, but as any Corvette owner can attest; it was just time for another Corvette.
The Father and Son Connection
What makes Keith's build genuinely different from most of what comes through RSC's doors is who was standing next to him the entire week.
His son & Best friend.
"Having the opportunity to do this kind of stuff with my son and him loving Vettes and loving just cars period is probably the greatest thing," Keith said. "Getting to do it with my best friend, which he is."
Getting the C8 Z06 had a ripple effect Keith didn't fully anticipate. It sparked his son to go out and pick up a C4 of his own. Now they go to car shows together, rallies, cars and coffee on weekend mornings. His son's best memories with his dad include Corvette track days at the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School in Las Vegas, working on each other's cars, and just being in the car world together.
The RSC build was one more entry in their journey together – working together to build the C8 Z06 they envisioned.
Why RSC
Keith did his homework before he picked up the phone. RSC's reputation in the C8 community had reached him before the conversation even started. What closed the deal wasn't just sentiment, instead it was the phone call.
"When I called you guys, you picked up, we communicated. It was literally like picking up the phone and talking to a friend right off the bat. You guys were so welcoming."
That conversation turned into Keith and Keith Jr bringing their car all the way from Philadelphia to Columbus Ohio for a week so that he could “have the guys that made it” put the parts on his C8 Z06. Keith felt “you couldn’t put a price on having it done the right way.”
Keith is not new to carbon fiber or aftermarket modification in general. He has been down this road before with other brands - cloudy finishes, poor alignment, parts that just didn't meet the standard he expected on a car like this. . He knew this build was going to be different from the moment he saw the shop and the parts laid out ready for installation.
"Your stuff here is absolutely beautiful - it's probably the best I've ever seen."
The Build
If your are interested in a build like Keiths Z06, please visit our website or give us a call at 1-800-815-3751 - we are on standby and ready to talk about your build.
Please email sales@racingsportconcepts.com for additional information!
Z07 Front Splitter and Dive Planes
The build starts up front with the Z07 Front Splitter and Dive Planes - a OEM Z07 style carbon fiber front splitter with notches trimmed out for the Z07 Dive Planes (RSCVET3052DP).
Similar to the factory Z07 splitter, the RSC Z07 splitter is a 3-piece design that uses the same factory hardware and existing mounting points on any C8 Wide Body platform - C8 E-Ray, Z06, Z07, Grand Sport, ZR1 and ZR1 X with no modification required.
Note on the Dive Planes; they require slots cut in the front bumper. A stock Z07 front bumper can be purchased with these slots pre-cut, or if you have Z06, E-Ray, Grand Sport or ZR1 (without ZTK Aero Kit) you can cut the slots yourself using the drilling template included with your order.
If you just want the Z07 Style look without the dive planes you can check out our Z06 Splitter part number: RSCVET3044.
Z07 Front Splitter & Dive Plane Package: https://www.racingsportconcepts.com/collections/corvette-c8-z06-carbon-fiber-parts/products/corvette-c8-z07-front-splitter-dive-plane-package-carbon-fiber
Z06 Front Splitter (No Dive Planes): https://www.racingsportconcepts.com/collections/corvette-c8-z06-carbon-fiber-parts/products/corvette-z06-z07-front-splitter-carbon-fiber
Mirror Covers
Carbon fiber mirror covers installed as a direct replacement - not an overlay (RSCVET3003). Clean, flush, and finished to the same standard as every other piece on the car.
Mirror Covers (C8 Wide body): https://www.racingsportconcepts.com/collections/corvette-c8-z06-carbon-fiber-parts/products/corvette-c8-mirror-covers-carbon-fiber
GTZ Side Skirts
RSC’s unique full length side skirts take the OEM look to a step further (RSCVET3047). The “GTZ” side skirt is longer and wider than the factory Z06 style side skirt. The added length and width make the car feel lower and wider while also providing additional protection from rock chips cast off the front tires.
This is a product that photos don’t quite do justice, customers consistently tell us they had no idea how much they’d love the GTZ Side Skirt until they saw it on their car – the difference over the shorter Z06 style side skirt is subtle but impossible to unsee.
GTZ Side Skirts: https://www.racingsportconcepts.com/collections/corvette-c8-z06-carbon-fiber-parts/products/corvette_c8_z06_side_skirts_carbon_fiber
Z06 Side Skirts: https://www.racingsportconcepts.com/collections/corvette-c8-z06-carbon-fiber-parts/products/c8-z06-carbon-fiber-side-skirts-oem-style-carbon-fiber
Side Intake Vents
Our 6 piece side intake vent package take the details up a notch (RSCVET3058). RSC is one of the only companies to offer this package as true replacement components instead of an overlay for the door handle. This 6-piece package replaces the stock components and utilizes the same mounting locations and hardware. No permanent modification is required. When you see these in the sunlight they really add a new dimension to the side of your C8.
Side Intake Vents: https://www.racingsportconcepts.com/collections/corvette-c8-z06-carbon-fiber-parts/products/side-intake-vents-carbon-fiber-corvette-c8-z06-e-ray
ZR1.2 Wing
Designed in conjunction with former GM Corvette Team members and Formula 1 Aerodynamicists who worked extensively on the C8, the ZR1.2 Wing is a best in class wing for your C8 Z06, Z07, Grand Sport, or E-Ray (RSCVET3061).
The ZR1.2 attaches via the Z07 wing mount system and can easily be fitted to any Z07 car in minutes. No Z07? No Problem. RSC’s proprietary bracket system makes the ZR1.2 Wing compatible with any C8 Wide Body – no zZ7 mount required.
The ZR1.2 Wing anchors the rear of the build and changes the entire stance and presence of the car. It delivers ZR1 style aggression without copying a ZTK Wing and with arguably more appropriate proportions that arguably suit the platform better.
Zr1.2 Rear Wing: https://www.racingsportconcepts.com/collections/corvette-c8-z06-carbon-fiber-parts/products/c8-zr1-rsc-carbon-fiber-wing
Engine Hatch Vents
Keith elected to replace the carbon flash trim around his engine bay with our Engine Hatch Vents RSCVET3007, our Rear Camera Cover RSCVET3030, and our Lower Engine Hatch Trim RSCVET3040. Each of these components is a direct replacement part that utilizes the OEM fastening locations.
Engine Hatch Vents: https://www.racingsportconcepts.com/collections/corvette-c8-z06-carbon-fiber-parts/products/corvette-c8-engine-hatch-vents-carbon-fiber
Rear Camera Cover: https://www.racingsportconcepts.com/collections/corvette-c8-z06-carbon-fiber-parts/products/rear-view-camera-cover-for-corvette-c8-carbon-fiber-by-rsc
Lower Engine Hatch Trim Piece: https://www.racingsportconcepts.com/collections/corvette-c8-z06-carbon-fiber-parts/products/corvette-c8-carbon-fiber-lower-engine-hatch-trim-piece-c8-z06-e-ray
GTZ Rear Diffuser
The keystone of Keith’s build is our exclusive GTZ Rear Diffuser. The GTZ Diffuser is a two-piece design that extends from the rear axle to clean up air flow and reduce drag (RSCVET3045). As the volume expands and the diffuser ramps up it increases air speed and reduces pressure and lift under your Z06. The aesthetic result is unmatched.
Paired with the ZR1.2 Wing, the GTZ Rear Diffuser completes the rear of any wide body C8 – compatible with the Z06, Z07, Grand Sport with center exit exhaust, ZR1, ZR1X.
GTZ Rear Diffuser: https://www.racingsportconcepts.com/collections/corvette-c8-z06-carbon-fiber-parts/products/corvette-c8-z06-rear-diffuser-gtz
The Reaction
While Keith has been checking on the car throughout the week, when he walked around the finished car for the first time - his reaction was immediate.
"Freaking amazing. Look at that. Oh my god."
He stopped at the wing. He stepped back. He took it all in.
"It looks like it's going 200 mph just sitting there."
That is the moment the team at RSC live for - the moment when our clients see the final product and are left at a loss for words.
The Close
When Keith loaded his RSC Z06 back in the trailer to head home to Eastern Pennsylvania he knew he was leaving with a completely different car than the one he unloaded just a week earlier. His son was there for all of it - the install, the reveal, the ride. With new memories to add to a long list that began over 40 ago with a white 1972 Corvette in a driveway in South Philadelphia.
Thanks for making us a part of your journey gentlemen, it’s been an honor!
