Why no ZR-1 Pacecar?

[Z51JEFF]

Anybody ever think about this?

[Kevin]

Anybody ever think about this?

no zr-1 convertable...

[Jetjock]

I've thought about it a lot and I have only conjecture. I don't know how the selection process works but I'm guessing that whatever company has the car has to pay big bucks up front to have a pace car. They should have done it in 90 or 91 but the drop off in sales in 92 and the financial climate at that time at GM probably took care of any chance for a ZR-1 pace car. They knew in 93 that the ZR-1 was going away, so no point at that time. If you look at the cars from 1990 to 1995, they had a Chevy Beretta, a Cadillac Allante and a Chevy Camaro along with a Chevy Corvette. There was no need for a convertible model as a lot of these cars were coupes. I feel that with all of the money expended on the LT5 motor, they just didn't want to go down that path. My best guess. Of course, it was probably something totally different.

[mike100]

1991 Indy used a viper prototype so they missed that opportunity. I still feel the Viper was the second reason besides price that sales of the ZR-1 tanked.

btw I was at that race and saw the old man drive that Viper around Indy. V10 sounded terrible, but I remember the hype at the time.

[Kevin]

the side pipe vipers always sounded like crap. the firing order on this is all wrong so it ends up sounding like a pair of 5 bangers

[Jetjock]

I talked to a guy that had a Vette and his wife made him sell it and get the Viper. He hated it. It's cramped, noisy for all of the wrong reasons and he burned his legs getting out of it. He had a drop dead gorgeous Z06 and I couldn't believe he let his wife made him sell it. Frankly, they should have used a 93 40th ZR-1 as a pace car. They finally did that with the 50th car. It takes them awhile, sometimes.

[Kevin]

i think viper owners call that "the kiss of the snake"

[Mystic ZR-1]

Why no ZR-1 Pacecar?

Easy answer, they needed a car the racecars could keep up with!

PS: The Vipers with the side exhaust sound like an old flathead Ford with a couple of loose plug wires and a rusted thru muffler...

[USAFPILOT]

race cars couldn't keep up with it

[ZZZZZR1]

race cars couldn't keep up with it

Oh I like that response!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cvette98pacecar]

1991 Indy used a viper prototype so they missed that opportunity. I still feel the Viper was the second reason besides price that sales of the ZR-1 tanked.

btw I was at that race and saw the old man drive that Viper around Indy. V10 sounded terrible, but I remember the hype at the time.

In 91 the Viper only paced the first lap after that it was a stealth that paced the remainder of the race. Dodge was fearful that it would break down.

[cvette98pacecar]

Anybody ever think about this?

All the time, It would look great next to my 98 Pacecar. Which in my opinion is the nicest looking to date. Okay I really like the 06 Z06 but that was never produced. Hey there is my next project.

[Kevin]

All the time, It would look great next to my 98 Pacecar. Which in my opinion is the nicest looking to date. Okay I really like the 06 Z06 but that was never produced. Hey there is my next project.

i've always wanted to stuff a 383 or 427 lsx into on of those

[cvette98pacecar]

i've always wanted to stuff a 383 or 427 lsx into on of those

Now is the time if you need a project I have seen several 40K mile cars for under 25K.

[Kevin]

Now is the time if you need a project I have seen several 40K mile cars for under 25K.

the current "project" on my mind is a track rat. but i've loved the pace car since 2000ish when i saw my first one

there's 3 cars that are on my next to buy list...other then a beater which i'm going to need soon. those are a b2k, an nsx, and other zr-1

[cvette98pacecar]

the current "project" on my mind is a track rat. but i've loved the pace car since 2000ish when i saw my first one

there's 3 cars that are on my next to buy list...other then a beater which i'm going to need soon. those are a b2k, an nsx, and other zr-1

Well, Let me ask you this, would you put a 427 in your ZR1 or buy another ZR1 with the money that it will cost to have someone build the 427?

[Mystic ZR-1]

The '98 Pacecar's paint job looked like it was designed by Mrs Smith's 3rd grade art class after it came back to class after doing crack at recess...

just my humble opinion....

[Kevin]

Well, Let me ask you this, would you put a 427 in your ZR1 or buy another ZR1 with the money that it will cost to have someone build the 427?

my plan is to buy a big cube zr-1 that's already been built. I can't justify spending the time/money to have one built when I can just pick one up for a fraction of the cost.

[Blue Flame Restorations]

The '98 Pacecar's paint job looked like it was designed by Mrs Smith's 3rd grade art class after it came back to class after doing crack at recess...

just my humble opinion....

Gotta agree with that........

[cvette98pacecar]

The '98 Pacecar's paint job looked like it was designed by Mrs Smith's 3rd grade art class after it came back to class after doing crack at recess...

just my humble opinion....

That is amazing because it get nothing but compliments on it. Let me guess you must own a white ZR1?

[cvette98pacecar]

my plan is to buy a big cube zr-1 that's already been built. I can't justify spending the time/money to have one built when I can just pick one up for a fraction of the cost.

That is the perfect case scenario, but what are the chances of getting a 427 ZR1? I guess it would be cheaper to put a Callaway Aerobody on a big engine car than add a big engine to my Callaway.
Okay, I can live with that. Dont know how happy the wife will be! guess her Monte Carlo will have to stay out on the driveway until the garage can be lengthened.

[Kevin]

That is the perfect case scenario, but what are the chances of getting a 427 ZR1? I guess it would be cheaper to put a Callaway Aerobody on a big engine car than add a big engine to my Callaway.
Okay, I can live with that. Dont know how happy the wife will be! guess her Monte Carlo will have to stay out on the driveway until the garage can be lengthened.

it's been a while since I've payed attention to who builds what. I don't even know who builds 427 cube lt5s. I'd be happy with a 415

[cvette98pacecar]

it's been a while since I've payed attention to who builds what. I don't even know who builds 427 cube lt5s. I'd be happy with a 415

I Think Aaron Scott does down in Georgia.

[Z51JEFF]

That is amazing because it get nothing but compliments on it. Let me guess you must own a white ZR1?

I didnt want to offend anybody but a purple car......with YELLOW WHEELS?I sent John Heinricy an email and asked him,said he cant remember if the idea of a ZR-1 Pacecar was ever proposed.I do own a white ZR-1 and it aint got no purple wheels.Just joking now,its your car and thats really all that matters?

[Kevin]

I didnt want to offend anybody but a purple car......with YELLOW WHEELS?I sent John Heinricy an email and asked him,said he cant remember if the idea of a ZR-1 Pacecar was ever proposed.I do own a white ZR-1 and it aint got no purple wheels.Just joking now,its your car and thats really all that matters?

it's actually blue with yellow wheels

[Kevin]

Its got yellow wheels,does it matter?

it's easy to change the wheels....it's not like they're welded on

[Jetjock]

The guy that designed the 98 Pace Car paint scheme was Randy Wittine. He's in the Corvette Hall of Fame. He also did a bunch of others like Nascar, etc. I like it!

[FU]

On the subject of purple. Some one up here in NY had a purple Z with grey interior. At first I thought the it was out and out fugly. The more I saw that car ....it grew on me. Now I'll have to admitt. I plane out right really like that color.
Had an unspoken chance to swap for that car........much regret on both our end's.

[cvette98pacecar]

I didnt want to offend anybody but a purple car......with YELLOW WHEELS?I sent John Heinricy an email and asked him,said he cant remember if the idea of a ZR-1 Pacecar was ever proposed.I do own a white ZR-1 and it aint got no purple wheels.Just joking now,its your car and thats really all that matters?

That is what makes the US a great place. I get to own my Radar Blue Not Purple Pace Car with stickers and Yellow rims while you get to own a ZR1 that is void of color.
Now that is only my opinion.

Just joking I have a project LPE 368 that is going to be white.

[cvette98pacecar]

On the subject of purple. Some one up here in NY had a purple Z with grey interior. At first I thought the it was out and out fugly. The more I saw that car ....it grew on me. Now I'll have to admitt. I plane out right really like that color.
Had an unspoken chance to swap for that car........much regret on both our end's.

If that was a 95 I would have jumped all over that trade. There was only 25 produced.

[Kevin]

That is what makes the US a great place. I get to own my Radar Blue Not Purple Pace Car with stickers and Yellow rims while you get to own a ZR1 that is void of color.
Now that is only my opinion.

Just joking I have a project LPE 368 that is going to be white.

it does look purple though

[FU]

If that was a 95 I would have jumped all over that trade. There was only 25 produced.



"Wouda.... shoulda..... couda" And if my aunt had balls she coulda been my uncle. That is how it go's. We know how that one turns out. It was one of seven cars produced in 95. Amd the car was a SAINT.