New Member, '91 ZR-1, Marietta, GA

[RussMcB]

I'm happy to say I've joined the ZR-1 community. I've had a soft spot for C4 Corvettes since crewing for Kim Baker in the late '80's in the Playboy, then Escort, Endurance Series. I had planned/hoped to get a Vette at some point in the more distant future, but this one popped up on Craigslist for a very low price ($10,600) so I had to check it out.

It has 63,000 miles and is in basic good shape (that might be a stretch), but most of you would probably call this one very rough. The engine doesn't run smoothly, but I've already got the 'usual' parts to replace and will dive under the plenum soon. "8CAM" (Daily Driver of a ZR-1) lives a whole mile from my house, so I plan to soak up a lot of New ZR-1 Owner knowledge from him.

My car also also needs a paint job. It started life turquoise and, according to the PO, was immediately painted black. That must've been a high quality job, because there is very little (but some) evidence of the original turquoise color. Now, though, it has a lot of scratches and some mostly-finished body work (it was in a minor accident recently). After I get the engine running well, I'll decide what to do with the color. I might do a wrap or Plasti-Dip, just to buy me some time. I'd really like to have a yellow car with black wheels (Kim's fault).

I've owned the car for 2 weeks, and there have been three no-start occurrences, all after leaving the car outside in the cold, wet weather. Fortunately (I guess), it "fixes itself" after a few hours or a day, and it starts right up in clear, sunny weather. I'm debating with myself about whether to definitely find and fix that problem before or after I do the plenum work (injectors, coils & plug wires).

I'm also debating whether or not to remove the secondaries mechanism while I'm in there. What do you think?

Later this year I hope it is running well and looks good enough to take to some track days (will probably buy a second set of wheels/tires for that). I've been an SCCA racer for decades, so I'm anxious to see what this car feels like at Road Atlanta (or more likely, Atlanta Motorsports Park). In 1985 Kim let me drive his race car at Laguna Seca during a Goodyear tire test, but that experience is not very fresh. :-). I'm sure I'll need a racing fix soon. I sold my Spec Miata yesterday to have more money and time for the ZR-1 "project".

[Z06scentair]

Welcome to the club!

I tried to buy this car when it was in Hendersonville NC, could not make it happen.

Good luck with sorting it all out. It should make a really nice car to drive!

[efnfast]

Welcome aboard. -Steve

[JimZRyd]

Welcome Russ!:cheers:

[We Gone]

Welcome & Congrats. I'm just south Of Atlanta look forward to meeting you. I like Yellow with black wheels also. Lets see some pics.

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/1925/Y4SVce.jpg

[Kevin]

I've driven Laguna seca and its magical. No idea what it would be like in our cars. For the no start is consider jumping out the clutch safety switch. Congrats on the car and hopefully you'll consider joking the registry

[A26B]

Welcome Russ, glad to have you aboard. You will find this forum & the Registry a great asset to owning a ZR-1 Corvette. Above that, this is a group of the nicest car enthusiasts anywhere.

[gbrtng]

Why anyone ruins a turq with black paint completely escapes me ... welcome aboard.

[RussMcB]

Thanks, all. Yes, I've already seen that this site is extremely helpful. It probably contributed to me getting the car. I'm sure this forum will both save and waste lots of time.

Those yellow/black cars look great.

Thanks for the suggestion regarding the clutch safety switch.

Jerry, thanks for the phone conversation last week. I received the package a few days ago.

Changing the car from turquoise to black is a mystery to me, too. Now yellow, that I could understand. :-)

I'll join the registry soon, and will post pics later.

[edram454]

Congratulations Russ. I am sure you will have your car running fine in no time. There is much knowledge to be gained on this site. I hope your car treats you well and gives you all the thrills you expect. Welcome to the club.

ed ramos #3028

[Domestic Power]

Welcome Russ, Not sure how bad your paint is but, I bought a 1990 Steel Blue Z in Nov. I would say the paint when I bought it was a weak 5. As of today after compound, polish, sealant and 2 coats of wax I would give it a solid 8. Actually the 1st car I have ever buffed out & I just couldn't believe how much it helped. Just food for thought sometimes elbow grease does wonders. A few pics of the progress !

[8cam]

Hi Russ, it was a pleasure meeting you and always fun to talk about cars. It's great to have another Z close by, and that makes a few in the Atlanta area now. Sounds like a get-together is in order! Let me know when you're diving in and I'll definitely come over. Pulling the plenum isn't nearly as bad as it seems, and will pay big dividends. I really need to pull mine again and just replace every single vacuum thing under there.

[WB9MCW]

Congrats on the nice snag Russ and welcome to the ZOO

[cvette98pacecar]

Welcome to the Club. I will be down in Kennesaw the week of Jan. 26th. Maybe we can get Steve to come up and do dinner at the Marietta diner.

[Paul Workman]

Welcome to the Brotherhood of the Beast!! And, just in time after you have your car squared away, a bunch of us are getting together just north of you to do the Mountain Run #3; a 3-day cruise in NC, GA, and TN with a group of ZR-1 enthusiast. (See MR3 posting for times and hotel info).

Welcome aboard!!

[We Gone]

Welcome to the Club. I will be down in Kennesaw the week of Jan. 26th. Maybe we can get Steve to come up and do dinner at the Marietta diner.

Keep me posted, Robert I will do my best to make it.

[8cam]

Welcome to the Club. I will be down in Kennesaw the week of Jan. 26th. Maybe we can get Steve to come up and do dinner at the Marietta diner.

Keep me posted, Robert I will do my best to make it.

Count me in, great excuse for a get together.

[Vette73]

Welcome Russ, Not sure how bad your paint is but, I bought a 1990 Steel Blue Z in Nov. I would say the paint when I bought it was a weak 5. As of today after compound, polish, sealant and 2 coats of wax I would give it a solid 8. Actually the 1st car I have ever buffed out & I just couldn't believe how much it helped. Just food for thought sometimes elbow grease does wonders. A few pics of the progress !

Just popping around the forum...Compliments to the color of your Z...
Looks great with the contrast of the roof and the black mouldings the 90
Has around it....Ever thought of putting the side decals on front fenders?

You can pick them up ebay for around 55 for the pair...They are self
Sticking.....I picked up my blk/blk 91 the same time you got yours..
I put them on my car last month and they look really good...

Watch those foul shots..:)

Good luck w the 90..

[Paul Workman]

Say Russ, Whar 'bouts in "MAY-retta" Gawjah you be from? (I lived in the Sandy Plains/Shallowford Rd area for 15 years - until '96.) My son lives in the Powers Ferry area now.

Paul.

[RussMcB]

Paul, pretty dang close. I live in the Post Oak Tritt/Sewell Mill/Sandy Plains/Johnsons Ferry area (near Murdock Elementary School). My wife works on Powers Ferry Rd. 8cam lives in this area, too.

Domestic Power - Good advice and your car looks great, but there are a few patches of black primer paint on my black car. Probably wouldn't buff out too well. :-)

After the mechanicals are good, then I'll decide about the exterior. Or maybe after the stereo upgrade. My Vette has a CD and a cassette player (stock) but neither work. Pretty disappointing after I dug out my old, very dusty cassette case and got excited about hearing some tunes from my youth. :-)

[8cam]

After the mechanicals are good, then I'll decide about the exterior. Or maybe after the stereo upgrade. My Vette has a CD and a cassette player (stock) but neither work. Pretty disappointing after I dug out my old, very dusty cassette case and got excited about hearing some tunes from my youth. :-)

I've got the CD/cassette in mine too and haven't tested them. I was thinking about upgrading to a modern head unit just yesterday, but maybe I should borrow a tape and see if it works before I do. Everything else seems to work, would be cool to have a working cassette deck. I wonder if that CrO2 button actually does anything?

[8cam]

Russ brought his car to my place yesterday and he's made a lot of progress with it. Pulls very well, idles and runs pretty much exactly like my car, a bit stronger I think being a 91 with Marc's chip and the secondaries tied off. I've been thinking about that mod, and he just might have pushed me over the edge with it.

Does anyone have the backspace spec handy for ZR-1 wheels? Russ has a set of A molds on his car and we were trying to figure out if they were genuine Z wheels. The offset on the rears seemed a little off.

Glad you came by Russ, the car has a lot of potential. And hey I think we solved at least one of the big rattles!

[RussMcB]

Thanks, Mark. It was good to have you drive my car and give me your impressions. With new injectors, coils, plug wires and Marc's chip, it feels great to me, but I'm comparing it to my Miata daily driver.

I got a real kick out of your Ferrari, too. Very interesting interior, and I've always like mid-engine cars.

Tightening the loose roof bolts helped, I'm sure, but not as much as I thought it would.

[We Gone]

The wheel should have JWL cast in the front. front offset is 56mm

http://imageshack.com/a/img903/3700/7IHS5w.jpg

The rear offset is 36mm and cast in one of the spokes

http://imageshack.com/a/img834/1655/jn2x.jpg

[Tony Davila]

Russ welcome aboard, I'll make sure you get a shout out to attend my 2nd Annual BAma Q this Oct in Enterprise, AL.

Here is a link from last year.
http://www.zr1.net/forum/showthread.php?t=23295

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Hey Russ,

Welcome to the family. I don't know if I am staying or going, but you have come to the right place and the folks here make it hard to leave. All the resources you need are here with the Registry and some of the best folks I have met in my life. Take care and best wishes with your Z.

Aloha,

Craig

[8cam]

The wheel should have JWL cast in the front. front offset is 56mm

The rear offset is 36mm and cast in one of the spokes


Steve, you're the fastest draw on info that I know, thanks! Russ is bringing one back here and he's got it running well. The car apparently had a significant off at some point, but he's got it back on the road and it will only get better.