1990 on Bring A Trailer

[davidijaxson]

There is a 1990 up for auction on bringatrailer.com The auction ends today.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1990-chevrolet-corvette-zr-1-11/?utm_source=dm&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2020-07-21

Current price is $34,000. The car has only 450 miles so appearance wise is almost new.

I guess the low mileage is nice but I would think a few thousand miles would be helpful mechanically just to keep seals and such in better shape. Admittedly I am no mechanic so that is my uneducated opinion.

I hope the car brings top $$$.

[ram_g]

I know there are some very good posts on the steps that new owners should take when converting low mileage collector cars to driving cars (e.g. fluids, tires, injectors, pull and clean under plenum, etc.), but are there any threads or polls that list out or document the specific issues that such cars have actually encountered?

E.g.: on my relatively low miles '91, I was initially happy with the integrity of the secondary vacuum system as I timed the intervals between actuation of the secondary pump as ~5 sec. cold, ~7-8 sec. warm. But with just a few short enthusiastic runs to 7000 rpm (where the secondaries are clearly working, BTW) the vacuum intervals have dropped precipitously to 1-2 sec. cold, 3-4 sec. warm. My hypothesis is that the vacuum seals on the actuators (or some other active component under the plenum?) have deteriorated through lack of use such that when exercised again, they are failing. Either way, I see a plenum pull closer in my future than originally anticipated...

[Reichert]

My experience of actual issues/failures from my 1990 with 19k, stock, barely driven by the previous owner who bough it at auction, now with 27k:


Problems upon delivery:
- Original fuel injectors failed
- Original secondary vacuum solenoid deteriorated/failed
- Stereo amps non-functional
- INF REST warning light (driver's side sensor had corrosion on contact)
- Rear hatch weather stripping separation
- Weak rear hatch hydraulic actuator
- Lumbar bladder pump diaphragms deteriorated
- Blown fog light bulb

Problems that emerged quickly when driving it more regularly:
- Clutch slave cylinder failure (21,500 miles)
- Oil pressure gauge sensor failure (22,500)
- Oil cooler hose leak (23,900)
- Starter solenoid failure (24,400)

Problems I'm still tolerating:
- Lumbar bladders deteriorated
- intermittent LTPWS check light

Of course I did all of the basic preventative stuff you mentioned, including a full under-plenum cleaning/rebuild/re-seal at 24k miles, which fixed vacuum leaks, brittle gaskets, loosely torqued bolts causing oil leaks, etc.

Since then she's been running very smoothly; ready for the next 30 years :)

[TexasZR1]

Don't fear the plenum pull at all. I did, but ultimately it was a very easy job. I probably should have done more while I was in there, but it was easy enough that I stuck with the most pressing issues: The oil leaks due to cover plate bolts that had loosened themselves over time and a failed secondary vacuum switch (secondaries were inoperable).



I know there are some very good posts on the steps that new owners should take when converting low mileage collector cars to driving cars (e.g. fluids, tires, injectors, pull and clean under plenum, etc.), but are there any threads or polls that list out or document the specific issues that such cars have actually encountered?

E.g.: on my relatively low miles '91, I was initially happy with the integrity of the secondary vacuum system as I timed the intervals between actuation of the secondary pump as ~5 sec. cold, ~7-8 sec. warm. But with just a few short enthusiastic runs to 7000 rpm (where the secondaries are clearly working, BTW) the vacuum intervals have dropped precipitously to 1-2 sec. cold, 3-4 sec. warm. My hypothesis is that the vacuum seals on the actuators (or some other active component under the plenum?) have deteriorated through lack of use such that when exercised again, they are failing. Either way, I see a plenum pull closer in my future than originally anticipated...

[Erik]

I understand that this is just the ticket for those of us who have never ventured forth under the plenum. I plan to buy one.

http://www.zr1specialist.com/HAT%20Web/products/plenum%20dvd.htm