Lt5 Black Widow Zr

[BBBAD94ZR1]

ANYONE EVER SEEN ONE IN PERSON?
HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF THE DOUG RIPPLE BLACK WIDOW ZR1.
VERY AWESOME ENGINE, I ALSO POSTED THE TWIN TURBO VERSION OF THE LT5.http://www.zr1netregistry.com/forum/images/smilies/notworthy.gif

http://www.corvettevalley.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=608&cat=523
RAY

[tomtom72]

I remember that from when I went to the NCM this past June. Got a pic of that stuff somewhere. I wonder if some one has one of those somewhere? That TT motor is wild looking but I liked the elegance of the black a bit better without the turbos. Too complicated for my taste but a cool looking motor.

This brings back a nice memory of a very pleasant road trip! It was the first long trip I took with my Z! Brought the car back to it's birthplace. :mrgreen:

:thumbsup: Ray!

[BBBAD94ZR1]

Hey you live right around the corner from me, Im in Millstone. Do you ever go to the Great adventure out car show? Never see any zr1's Maybe this summer we can meet up. Im getting my Zr1 in Feb, 1991, 1800 miles red int. here are some shots.
http://www.corvettevalley.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=604&size=big

Ray:thumbsup:

[tomtom72]

Hi Ray! I'm Tom. :handshak: I don't know where Milstone is but welcome to KOTH! I've only had my 90 since 12/04. I've been hanging with the guys over at CF northeast events section since they go on cruises & it's more fun to go with other peolple than by yourself.

This is cool because there is another new Z owner in NJ who just got his 91(?)Z this week I think. Now there is 3 of us! Mine is not pristine anymore because I use it too much. It was when I got it, only 8800 miles. Now I have chips but I like using it too much, I put almost 6000 miles on it this summer & I was down for two months with injector problems.

I'm down for anything that involves using my Z! :mrgreen: Would love to get together with other Z owners and have some fun! :thumbsup:

Good luck with the new toy, she sure looks sweeeet! That white & black combo is soooo cool looking, IMHO!

:cheers:
Tom

[BBBAD94ZR1]

I should have the by the end of Feb if all goes as planned. I dont plan on mine being a garage queen either. Im going to drive it and enjoy it. We will get together in the spring.:handshak:

See ya
RAY

[tomtom72]

That's gonna be a nice late christmass present Ray!!! :thumbsup:

I can't wait to cruise with you and Jim this summer. :mrgreen:

Hey, Jim, NJZR1, and I are gonna make plans to attend the gathering at BG this spring as soon as we hear about the date. You wanna caravan with us? That would be way cool! I think the gathering is in the beginning of May, but I'm not sure. Anyway think about it because I met a senior member at Kerbeck's Toy for tots run, Garth/ 95 ZR-1/Del., and he asked me if I was going this year and we should do a caravan with Z's from the NE.

Anyway just some food for thought! :thumbsup:

:cheers:
Tom PS this season is gonna be great!!! :mrgreen:

[RICKYRJ1]

I should have the by the end of Feb if all goes as planned. I dont plan on mine being a garage queen either. Im going to drive it and enjoy it. We will get together in the spring.:handshak:

See ya
RAY Good Luck on the new ZR1. I'm sure Feb. cannot come soon enough. I just got mine last week and it snows. I have to check out G.A. in 06. I'm 10 min. east of Freehold but only went to cruise night once this yr. ( no Z at the time )

[BBBAD94ZR1]

Nice we can hook up over the summer. I live in Millstone next to Great adventure. I do all the cruise night at the outlets very big close to 2500 cars. I had a 86 grand national, this summer wil br my new Z. Good luck with yours.
Ray

[ZRWON]

Ray, here are a couple links to info about the Black Widows that might be of interest to you (if you havn't already read them) http://www.corvette.nl/specials/bw.html and
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c4/zr1/blackwidow.html

[BBBAD94ZR1]

Thanks for the links good stuff.
RAY;)

[Kevin]

I've seen black widow #2 in person, amazing car

[BBBAD94ZR1]

NICE.........................
Ray:jawdrop:

[WB9MCW]

found this story on the DRM site itself !!!!

http://www.dougrippie.com/images/widow.gif


The Black Widow Project
In December 1992, at the 40th Anniversary Corvette Show in Palm Springs, California, Doug met Gary Cline the LT-5 Project Engineer for MerCruiser. At first they chatted. Then, as the evening grew longer, they started talking about ideas. Rippie listened and thought. He asked, "Whatta you think?" and "What if?" more than a few times. They agreed that the best idea of all would be to do more than talk.

"I think anyone who’s tops in his field wants to see what he’s created be all it can be," says Rippie. Cline, other MerCruiser LT-5 project engineers, and Lotus engineers who were involved in the project knew their engine was capable of higher performance than it had powering the ZR-1 Corvette. Doug Rippie was a kindred spirit. It was decided to work with him to produce a special LT-5 engine, the DRZ-500, also known as the "Black Engine" because each of the DRZ-500 engines produced was painted with special black paint and the "Black Widow" engine, from the nickname given by Jim Van Dorn to the eight DRM-converted ZR-1 Corvettes that are powered by DRZ-500 engines, one of which he owns.

Black Widow engine #4

http://www.dougrippie.com/images/black_widow_engine_small.jpg





The DRZ-500 engine resulted from the cooperative effort of Rippie, Cline and other MerCruiser engineers, Graham Behm of Lotus Engineering in England and Tim Holland of Lotus Engineering USA, and Chevrolet’s blessing. There were four versions:

405 horsepower DRZ-500s, 1990-92 model LT-5s updated to 1993 specifications
450 horsepower DRZ-500s, 1993 LT-5s, 50-state-legal
475 horsepower DRZ-500s, 50-state-legal
525 horsepower DRZ-500, a full race version

Special precision machining and porting, camshaft installation, and black painting was done at MerCruiser. DRM did the disassembly and assembly as well as calibration and emissions certification. There were only eight DRZ-500 engines produced, between March and July 1993, because production of the LT-5 was due to end in November of that year and time ran out to produce more than eight.

The "Black Widow" ZR-1 s powered by DRZ-500 engines are more than just an examples of why Rippie and his small band of midnight oil-burners are capable of producing. They formed a bridge between the race track and the street for DRM. High performance to Rippie is not only high horsepower. It is a finely balanced combination of power, handling and braking. To match the power of the DRZ-500, Rippie could do nothing less than develop suspension and brake packages for the ZR-1 Corvette with equally outstanding performance characteristics. The results, rave reviews by everybody who’s driven one converted by DRM to be a "Black Widow."

Since the last "Black Widow" was completed, DRM has gone on to convert ZR-1s into even more spectacular performers. The current top-of-the-line is the DRM 600 Corvette ZR-1, a direct descendent of the Black Widows powered by a 385 cubic inch 550hp engine that takes a mere 3.9 seconds to reach 60mph and just 19 seconds to 150mph covering the quarter-mile in only 11.8 seconds at 122mph. ZR-1 s converted to DRM 500 specifications, similar to the Black Widows, are powered by LT-5 engines ranging from 415hp to 475hp.

In August of 1996 a very special DRM LT-5 motor was tested in the desert at over 600 horsepower which produced 493 horsepower to the rear wheels. Everything learned by DRM has been adapted for application to all the ZR-1, LS-1, LT1/LT4 and L98 Corvettes it converts and to Camaros and Impala SSs. "Can you make me one of these.." resulted in a custom built tube frame chassis Corvette using lightweight stock components; "We know you’re the expert..." brings LT-5 factory authorized motor repairs to the DRM shop; and "Our new product would be perfect if we had your input..." creates more R & D opportunities for the Doug Rippie Motorsports team. When customers, vendors and competitors speak...Doug Rippie listens.

Everyone who’s ever driven a DRM-converted Corvette knows they run on the road like DRM race cars run on the track, up front. You only have to press the throttle pedal down or dive into a corner at speed to know that a DRM-converted Corvette is a precision driving machine....A car that responds almost intuitively and makes driving a uniquely exhilarating experience.


Believing that race cars belong on the race track, and not in a museum, DRM sold the car to a client in Switzerland, where it is winning races European circuit.


Race at Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring, 1995

http://www.dougrippie.com/images/hella.JPG

In 1993, R.K.Smith nearly repeated as champion, finishing second only to Elliot Forbes-Robinson in a factory-backed Nissan 300ZX. By now, Chevrolet’s interest was shifting to the new Camaro and DRM followed. Bill Cooper finished the ‘93 season driving the DRM/Dieline Camaro. In 1994 he drove the Camaro to two wins, five poles and five top-five finishes in SCCA’s B class, helping Chevrolet capture the Manufacturers Championship

DRM would not return to SCCA in 1995. Instead Rippie would pursue a career-long dream – to compete in France at the 24 Hours of LeMans. This would prove to be the most challenging task ever undertaken by DRM.

Construction of the race car started in November of 1994 and would be the highest tech, custom bodied, built-from-scratch race car ever to come out of the DRM race shop. It would also be the first time they would race the LT5 power plant. In an effort to stay on schedule, Tommy Sapp and Mike Begley, of Sports Fab in Michigan, joined DRM’s crew for the grueling work schedule. The race car debuted four months later for testing at the 12 Hours of Sebring. After Sebring, testing and development would continue at B.I.R. and in June 1995 Rippie would live his dream by campaigning this car in the 24 Hours of LeMans.

Rippie’s high hopes for a great showing fell prey to the challenges of competing on foreign land. This left DRM with a bruised ego, but champions don’t roll over. While LeMans may not have resulted in the accolades DRM was accustomed to, the company did gain a great deal of invaluable experience. Experience that would allow them to continue to grow and branch out into new endeavors.


Doug testing a Speed Channel Challenge car in Arizona. Nov. 2000

http://www.dougrippie.com/images/doug%20in%20car.jpg



Recently Doug and his crew have been building race cars for the Speed Channel World Challenge series and SCCA T-1 series along with the highly successful DRM C500/RSR and RS street legal cars. Much of the development that goes into our race cars filters down in to the street versions that is truly the core of DRM's business today.



HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED THE ARTICLE............................WB9MCW......... .................

[BBBAD94ZR1]

Good read.
Ray:worship:

[ZRWON]

[quote=WB9MCW]found this story on the DRM site itself !!!!

http://www.dougrippie.com/images/widow.gif
Believing that race cars belong on the race track, and not in a museum, DRM sold the car to a client in Switzerland, where it is winning races European circuit.
DRM would not return to SCCA in 1995. Instead Rippie would pursue a career-long dream – to compete in France at the 24 Hours of LeMans. This would prove to be the most challenging task ever undertaken by DRM.
Doug testing a Speed Channel Challenge car in Arizona. Nov. 2000
Recently Doug and his crew have been building race cars for the Speed Channel World Challenge series and SCCA T-1 series along with the highly successful DRM C500/RSR and RS street legal cars. Much of the development that goes into our race cars filters down in to the street versions that is truly the core of DRM's business today.
HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED THE ARTICLE]

THANKS for the additional info about the Black Widows and DRM Great input...I never tire of reading about this great ERA in Vette History.:thumbsup:

[cwmoss]

Only seen pictures and read articles. Wish I could afford one.:thumbsup:

[ZRWON]

Here's another link to Black Widow info. This one is Van Dorn answering the question, go here http://zr1netregistry.com/ZR1_faq.htm#66 and scan down to "Frequently asked question, QUESTION: What is this ZR-1 "Black Motor I hear about?"