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High-Speed Maneuvers In Predator Performance's Outrageous Twin Procharged 800-Horse CTS-V

Car: 2005 CTS-V
Owner: Dennis and Becky Raybuck
Block: C5R, 427-cid
Compression ratio: 8.2:1
Heads: Air Flow Research LS1 205cc, ported and polished, 2.02 intake, 1.65 exhaust valves
Cam: Comp Cams, hydraulic roller, 222/232 duration at .050, .566/.574-inch lift, 112LSA
Pushrods: Stock
Rocker arms: Stock 1.7 ratio
Pistons: JE forged
Rings: JE
Crankshaft: Callies forged
Rods: Lunati Pro Mod billet
Throttle body: FAST 90mm
Fuel injectors: RC Engineering 40 lbs/hr
Fuel pump: Aeromotive A1000
Ignition: Stock coil on plug
Engine management: Stock tuned by Predator Performance
Power adder: Twin Procharger P-1SC
Boost: 12 psi
Intercooler: Custom Air to Air
Wastegate: Twin Procharger Race Bypass Valves
Exhaust system: TPIS 1.75-inch long-tube headers, Random Technology cats, Corsa cat-back
Transmission: T56 rebuilt by Rockland Standard Gear
Clutch: Luk Gold Series
Driveshaft: Stock
Front suspension: Stock
Rear suspension: Stock with BMR Anti-wheelhop kit, pinion support brace
Rear end: Stock diff, 3.73 gear, posi rebuilt by Rockland Standard Gear
Brakes: Brembo 15-inch 8-piston front, 14.5-inch four-piston rear
Wheels: HRE 546R 19x10.5
Front tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 265/35ZR19
Rear tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 305/30ZR19
Fuel octane: 92
Current mileage: 550

Imagine a world where anything you can dream up could become a reality--such as the ultimate 800hp, twin supercharged family car and weekend road racer. Believe it or not, a candyland for gearheads [akin to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory] actually exists in DuBois, Pennsylvania. In this world of seemingly make-believe, though, it won't require a golden ticket to make your dreams come true. All it took was a little bit of ingenuity and the skills of a seasoned vet for Fabrication Supervisor Chad Vogele to turn Predator Performance owners Dennis and Becky Raybuck's 2005 CTS-V into its flagship EFI hot rod.

Following the opening of the brand-new 39,000 square-foot shop, Predator Performance was looking to aptly display its fabrication and tuning abilities on a new school hot rod. The Raybucks' CTS-V was the perfect canvas for creating a masterpiece meant to mimic the SCCA championship-winning road race cars with a twist. Instead of the race car's solid roller C5R motor, this CTS-V would rely on a more streetable 222/232 duration hydraulic roller and AFR 205cc heads while still utilizing the illustrious C5R block and a 4.00-inch stroke crank to amass 427 cubes. In anticipation of the increased fluid temperatures common to road racing the T56 and rear end were sent out to Rockland Standard Gear where the vital internals were smoothed out and treated to a process that reduces operating temperature and friction. As added insurance, Predator treated the CTS-V to motor, transmission and differential oil coolers.

To draw further similarity to the widebody race car, Specter Werkes body components were installed and painted in Predator's in-house paint and body shop. A heat extractor hood, spoiler, and side skirts were included in the deal as were fender flares to house monster 19x10.5 HRE 546R wheels. The oversized custom wheels also enabled the use of an equally impressive set of 15-inch 8-piston front and 14.5-inch 4-piston rear brakes from Brembo. These high-dollar Gold Series binders provide plenty of clamping force, and when paired with sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 265/35ZR19 front and 305/30ZR19 rear tires bring the modestly sized sedan to a halt in a New York minute. Dealer-installed GM performance shocks, a BMR anti-wheelhop kit, strut tower brace, and pinion support brace are used to firm up the suspension.

Comparisons to the Speed World Challenge race car end there, though, as a more testosterone-filled approach was taken to motivating the Gen III powerplant. In the interest of upstaging a few shops and companies that had developed supercharger kits for the CTS-V, Predator decided to fabricate a twin blower setup. Using two ATI Procharger P-1SC blowers to generate 12 psi of boost was the essence of excess, but therein lies the fun. A custom air-to-air intercooler was fabricated for the pump gas street car, with two built-in Procharger Race Bypass Valves necessary for resolving an idling issue that occurred with only a single unit venting unneeded boost. Low compression (8.2:1) JE forged pistons enable more aggressive tuning with LS1Edit using only 92 octane pump gas, meanwhile Lunati Pro Mod billet rods and a Callies forged crank guard the bottom end of the C5R block. As CNC-ported AFR heads with Manley stainless steel 2.02 intake and 1.65 exhaust valves and a blower cam from COMP Cams are playing gatekeeper, forged internals were a must.

A FAST LSX 90mm intake and throttle body help feed the big gorilla of a motor as do RC Engineering 40-lb injectors and an Aeromotive A1000 fuel pump. Exhalation is performed through TPIS 1.75-inch long-tube headers, Random Tech cats, and Corsa 2.5-inch true dual exhaust. On Predator's Superflow 902 engine dyno, which is usually occupied by championship-winning Hooter's Pro Cup NASCAR race engines, the Gen III thumped out 806 hp at 6,400 rpm and 756 ft-lbs of torque at 5,100 rpm.

With this much power it's easy to spin the tires in First, Second, and Third but it still manages to maintain most of its drivability--believe it or not. Who would have thought something this outrageous would do little more than sit in the showroom let alone run, drive, and function like a stocker. In the words of the immortal Louis Armstrong, "What a wonderful world."