First ZR-1 sale/delivery?

[AustinJohn]

Does anyone know when the first ZR-1 sale/delivery occurred and the build #?

Thanks! John

[QB93Z]

According to the VIN/RPO data that I reviewed to build the database, 1990 #0019 is considered the first ZR-1 sold to the public.

1990 #0001 to #0016 were RPO YE8 and/or WD1 which both refer to Engineering test units

1990 #0017 was designated the "Vehicle Lead Unit" and the "Engineering Lead Unit"

1990 #0018 was a "Chevrolet Advertising Unit"

I do not have any information on the build dates.

Jim

[AustinJohn]

According to the VIN/RPO data that I reviewed to build the database, 1990 #0019 is considered the first ZR-1 sold to the public.

1990 #0001 to #0016 were RPO YE8 and/or WD1 which both refer to Engineering test units

1990 #0017 was designated the "Vehicle Lead Unit" and the "Engineering Lead Unit"

1990 #0018 was a "Chevrolet Advertising Unit"

I do not have any information on the build dates.

Jim

Thanks a million, Jim. That's very interesting info.

I found some info on early 1989 build dates using Search but they were much later in the year. Hopefully someone else has info on the first sale/delivery.

I'm sure folks will be interested as the Anniversary approaches (especially since a number of early buyers are probably already celebrating 25 years). John

[W i l l]

I owned '90 #116 for awhile. It had the steel half shafts. I can't remember at what serial number they started using the standard aluminum half shafts.

Will

[Scrrem]

I owned '90 #116 for awhile. It had the steel half shafts. I can't remember at what serial number they started using the standard aluminum half shafts.

Will

I have #0608 and mine had steel too. I remember reading they went to aluminum around 0632.
Rich

[Dean Nelson]

I bought 418 new and it had the steel and manual air.
now 25 years later they have some rust on them!

I need to drive it more.

Dean Nelson

[AustinJohn]

I bought 418 new and it had the steel and manual air.
now 25 years later they have some rust on them!

I need to drive it more.

Dean Nelson

Did you take delivery in '89 or '90? John

[Dean Nelson]

I ordered in summer of 89 and it came in 10-89.

I remember that Rick Mears got the yellow one and that was VIN 19 , 20 , 21
one of them and that was the first one for public. that story was in Autoweek . along with other story on customers who ordered at MSRP and now the dealer wanted $80,000 to $100,000 for the car and lots of law suits went on.

also G.M. shut down the plant for 4-6 weeks due to slow sales and that made for about 20 less ZR-1's per week, or 120 less cars for 90 and customers than ran to dealers to order it and lots of them did not care what the cost was.

it was nuts at the time.

Dean Nelson

[AustinJohn]

I ordered in summer of 89 and it came in 10-89.

I remember that Rick Mears got the yellow one and that was VIN 19 , 20 , 21
one of them and that was the first one for public. that story was in Autoweek . along with other story on customers who ordered at MSRP and now the dealer wanted $80,000 to $100,000 for the car and lots of law suits went on.

also G.M. shut down the plant for 4-6 weeks due to slow sales and that made for about 20 less ZR-1's per week, or 120 less cars for 90 and customers than ran to dealers to order it and lots of them did not care what the cost was.

it was nuts at the time.

Dean Nelson

Thanks for that lead, Dean.

I did an eBay search for AutoWeek and didn't find your article but did turn up a November, 1989 Keepin' Track Of Vettes with an article "Rick Mears Receives the Very First ZR-1!" and the Spring, 1989 Corvette Quarterly with an article "Indy 500 Rick Mears ZR1" (plus a Dave McLellan Interview on the ZR-1). And then a google search turned up "1990 Rick Mears ZR1 Corvette (http://www.thelingenfeltercollection.com/1990-rick-mears-zr1-corvette/)" in the Lingenfelter Collection which may be a different car as it's red rather than yellow and the description says "This is a one of a kind Shinoda bodied ZR1 Corvette that when added to the collection only had 556 Miles on the odometer."

John

[Dean Nelson]

I have the Autoweek at home in my book.
I will scan it and post it in the A.M.

Dean Nelson

[AustinJohn]

I have the Autoweek at home in my book.
I will scan it and post it in the A.M.

Dean Nelson

Thanks a million, Dean. John

[Dean Nelson]

John, this is from Autoweek 9-89

hope this works.....

Dean Nelson

[AustinJohn]

John, this is from Autoweek 9-89

hope this works.....

Dean Nelson

Came through perfectly, Dean. Thanks! John

[phrogs]

I had 1990 #354 it has Steel halfhsafts.

I also have 1990 #854 it has aluminum.

you see 608 had steel 854 had aluminum.

So somewhere in between there.

Need more 90 owners to chime in to get a good idea of when it happened.

It was cool having steel halfshafts haha :dancing

[AustinJohn]

John, this is from Autoweek 9-89

hope this works.....

Dean Nelson

Dean, the November, 1989 Keepin' Track Of Vettes with its article "Rick Mears Receives the Very First ZR-1!" just arrived and I am attaching a scan. It confirms what you found and adds some further details.

Per the article Mears' car (#18), presented to him on the morning of August 30, 1989, at a special ceremony on the production line (stopped for 45 minutes for the occasion) wasn't the first production ZR-1 to leave the plant. The first was #19 awarded to Rick Hendrick at a banquet the previous evening. Mears was non-production Penske yellow while Hedrick's was black. John

[Dean Nelson]

John,
I did not know about the Hendrick car. But is was #19 and the Mears car is #18.
I assume he did not have to buy it like he now gets the 001 cars each year for 1 mil. bid's!

I guess the new question could be.......what happen to #18.
At one time about 95 or so I think he sold it. If he did.....who has it?

Dean Nelson

[ghlkal]

Dean and John,

Thanks for posting those articles. Very interesting stuff.


Gary

[tccrab]

I had 1990 #354 it has Steel halfhsafts.

I also have 1990 #854 it has aluminum.

you see 608 had steel 854 had aluminum.

So somewhere in between there.

Need more 90 owners to chime in to get a good idea of when it happened.

It was cool having steel halfshafts haha :dancing

1990 #792 a.k.a. "Girlfriend" has aluminum half shafts.

'Crabs