Make Your C8 Corvette a Little Tacky with Fake Velocity Stacks

C8 Corvette gets the classic racing engine look with these non-functional induction accessories.

The C8 Corvette is the hottest car in the American market. That popularity will lead to a huge selection of aftermarket upgrades, some of which improve performance while others improve appearance. Some aftermarket components will appear to add performance without actually doing anything and we already have our first fake performance upgrade for the newest Corvette Stingray.

Made by Custom Cre8ions, these velocity stacks are designed to mimic the high performance intake systems of many classic and modern high performance vehicles. However, they don’t actually do anything other than replace the stock engine cover. In fact, it would take dramatic, expensive changes to the LT2 induction system to make these work at all, but there is no question that they will draw attention at the local Cars and Coffee.

What are Velocity Stacks

If you have seen velocity stacks before, but you weren’t sure what they are, here is a quick explanation. These initially gained popularity during the era of high performance carbureted engines. They mounted to the top of the carburetor and the trumpeted shape smooths the flow of air entering the engine. Smoother air flow leads to greater air flow and that leads to increased power, particularly in high performance, high-revving engines.

When the era of fuel injected performance engines took over, velocity stack systems were created that attached to the throttle body, once again smoothing the air flow into the engine. In these carbureted and fuel injected formats, we are talking about naturally aspirated engines, but there are velocity stack-like attachments for turbochargers and superchargers. However, the classic look of the velocity stacks sticking up from the top of a V8 engine applies to naturally aspirated power plants.

The C8 Corvette Stingray is naturally aspirated, but the throttle body is at the rear of the mid-mounted engine, so these velocity stacks aren’t even in the right place to actually help with air flow.

C8 Corvette Velocity Stacks

The velocity stacks from Custom Cre8ions do create a unique look under the glass engine cover of the C8 Corvette Stingray, but they are purely aesthetic. The “stacks” mount to what appears to be a flat engine cover, so they don’t even move any cooling air across the top of the engine. There is no mention of what they are made of, but they have a list price of $1,495. For $1,495, they had better be built out of high quality metal that will never discolor from engine bay heat.

Frankly, for $1,495, they should provide some sort of performance increase, but in the long run, these velocity stacks are just an expensive appearance upgrade. They are an appearance upgrade that couldn’t possible work without major modifications to the engine and for that reason, we don’t love them.

However, as long as C8 owners like them and buy them, it doesn’t matter what we think, right? Well, it just so happens that the C8 Corvette section has been discussing the article from Motor 1 where these are highlighted and it turns out that new Stingray owners don’t love them, either.

Community Thumbs Down

Forum member “zland” started a thread in the C general section titled “90% of you will regret seeing this…” In reading through the thread, it looks like it is closer to 100% of members who don’t care for these fake velocity stacks for the C8 Corvette.

The first person to comment was “kratedisease”.

Fake *****, fake stacks, fake news…….. I hate fake…

“Dinows33” went so far as to say that people should be embarrassed to run the fake stacks.

I would think you would be embarrassed to put this on your car

“Tom A.” doesn’t like these stacks or the stock look.

Yes I hate the fake stacks but I also hate the stock cover. (Painted ones are ok)

I keep hoping for a better aftermarket one

“Mr. Black” really doesn’t like the look and he doesn’t hold back.

This might be the dumbest thing posted to date in the c8 forum.

These few comments represent pretty much everyone who commented in the thread. A few members pointed out the usefulness of functional velocity stacks. Others suggested ways that velocity stacks could be functional on the LT2. Most people just hated on the look, the price or both.

Click here to head into the forum to share your input on fake velocity stacks on a C8 Corvette.

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