Rotary-Engined Corvette Sounds Positively Glorious

The angry weedwhacker noises coming from a C5 Z06 might upset some Corvette fans.

Many an unsuspecting Mazda RX-7 has suffered the ignominy of a GM LS swap. Finally, the tables have turned.

Rob Dahm has shared a series of YouTube videos of him preparing a Chevrolet Corvette for the LS Fest event – by swapping in a Mazda rotary engine. It’s not just any Corvette, either – it’s a C5 Z06. How does it feel, Corvette fanboys?

The latest video starts with Rob having the Corvette towed to a shop to get the intercooler and exhaust piping sorted out. All of the underhood coolant lines are being addressed as well, mostly with braided line. Dahm spares no expense, and with LS Fest already underway, the project has to be done in 48 hours.

Attention to detail is important here, as the car’s engine bay will be receiving more than its fair share of attention at LS Fest. Anyone who has ever tried to get a project car ready for an event understands the grind of working long hours and watching the sunrise from an open garage door.

The job is almost done when an oil line blows off, coating the finely-detailed engine bay in a messy oil mist. Rob replaces the hose, and the engine bay is returned to its previous spotless state. Dahm and the team look exhausted, but 30 hours later, the car is ready to go after breakfast and a quick nap.

Hearing the Corvette run and rev for the first time is unreal. Even the most die-hard rotary aficionado has to admit that the angry lawnmower noises generated by a ported 13B rotary engine seem strange coming from a Corvette. We can’t even begin to imagine how the folks at LS Fest will respond – but that’s a story for another video.

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