Fan Friday: Al Guagenti's 2026 Arctic White C8 ZR1 Convertible

Lift the rear hatch on Al Guagenti's 2026 ZR1 and you're looking down through a clear engine cover at twin blue high-flow filters, and at an air box signed by the GM engineers who developed the ZR1 and the ZR1X. Al has been around fast cars his whole life, and he doesn't reach for numbers when he describes this one: "Words can not describe how fast this car is.....it's like 'Time Travel.'"

He started young, detailing the muscle cars and classics in his old Jackson Heights, Queens neighborhood, more for the pleasure than the money. From there it was the Marine Corps, then a career with the U.S. Department of Justice that ended in retirement in 2010. Today he's 64, a grandpa to four grandsons, and a member and director of the All American Corvette Club, based across the river in Bergen County, New Jersey. The ZR1 is Arctic White over a Habanero interior, a hardtop convertible with carbon fiber inside and out and a tall rear wing that makes it easy to find on a show field. Al has added a full custom exhaust, a high-flow dual air intake, oversized carbon fiber intakes, a custom strut tower brace and that clear engine cover, and by his numbers the 5.5-liter twin-turbo LT7 now makes more than 1,167 horsepower and 988 lb-ft of torque. The car just got back from Corvettes at Carlisle.

Those numbers start from a very high base. From the factory, the LT7 is rated at 1,064 horsepower and 828 lb-ft, the most powerful V8 any American automaker has ever put into production, and every one is hand-assembled at the Performance Build Center in Bowling Green. Equipped with the ZTK Performance Package, a stock ZR1 runs 0 to 60 in 2.3 seconds and tops out at 233 mph on a closed course. Carlisle suits a car like this one. It's the largest all-Corvette show in the world, and Team Chevrolet brings Corvette engineers and designers out to meet the people who drive what they built. Al's club, meanwhile, has been around since 2000 and runs on a motto that covers every generation from C1 to C8: "I've never seen a Corvette I didn't like."

Thank you for your service, Al, for being such a loyal part of the Corvette Store Online family, and for letting us look under the clear cover. 🏎️

Parts and Gear for a C8 Owner

Whether there's a ZR1 or a Stingray in your garage, here's what looks right on a show field, starting with a piece Al already owns.

C8 ZR1 Corvette Flag T-Shirt — Al's already wearing this one: the crossed flags over the ZR1 script, for the days the car does the talking and you just have to stand next to it. → Shop the ZR1 Flag Tee

C8 LED Illuminated Stainless Steel Door Sills — Full replacement sills in stainless, lit in your choice of color when the door opens, so they catch the eye every time someone leans in for a look. Fits 2020–2026 C8 Stingray, Z06 and E-Ray, and the 2025–2026 ZR1. → Shop the LED Door Sills

C8 Frunk Latch Plate, 2 pc — Brushed stainless with polished trim over the factory frunk latch panel. The frunk is shared across every C8 trim, so it fits a ZR1 the same as a Stingray, and it finishes the frunk off nicely when it's open at a show. → Shop the Frunk Latch Plate

Want to be featured in a future Fan Friday? We'd love to see your Corvette. Head to our submission form and tell us your story — the car, how you found it, what you've done with it, and what it means to you. Great photos make a huge difference, so bring your best shots. We feature a new Corvette every Friday.

Have a question about your order or our website? Reach out to help@carolinaonlineretail.com — our team is ready to help.