Pros and Cons of ZR1 ownership

[Blue Flame Restorations]

The only CON I can see is that I keep wanting more of them!!!!

[Jagdpanzer]

Now if you asked my wife she would probably tell you ZR-1s are one of the most maintenance intensive vehicles around.

[pologreenvette]

Originally Posted by mike100

Of all the things that have broken, needed service, or cosmetic enhancement, the actual engine wasn't one of them. The LT5 itself will be the most reliable part of a ZR-1. The rest of the usual failures are all C4, maybe worse since the engine has more power and the car weighs a bit more- which is harder on the chassis, brakes and drivetrain.

Since it is a more premium model, you might find yourself wanting to fix and restore the car a little more than with your LT1 car. It is also going to be more money to purchase, so you will be into the car for about double what the same LT1 car equivalent would cost you. This might sour your experience some, but it could be offset by the unique experience of the extra power.

I actually enjoyed driving my LT1 car just as much, except for when BMW's used to kick my *** from time to time. Basically figure to pay about twice as much as you are now and then decide if you would rather have a C5.

I have no problem paying around 20k for the car I want. I've been in a C5 and, while they are a great car, they don't have the cockpit feel of the C4, which is one of my favorite things about my car. I also don't like the looks as much.
One of the things about the ZR1 that really draws me in is the fact that they are/will be classics, yet they are still fast and generally reliable. Plus I would LOVE to have an LT5 under the hood, everyone says they sound like nothing else

Originally Posted by tomtom72

My best advice would be to finish your studies and then look around for a ZR-1. There is no down side really once you realize that you will be buying an antique. Just come to grips with that fact and you will be okay with whatever money you will have to put into the car to get it back to top condition. That would apply even if you were going to buy a late C6 by the time you graduate and get established in your profession. Any used car...is well a used car, some are just a little newer than others and will afford you some time before you have to start some type of restoration process, but eventually they all need to be "gone thru" in order for them to be "new" again. I can tell you for a fact if you like to use your toys a lot, after you do the needed restoration work to make it "new" again, there is nothing like the feeling of owning a well sorted out sports car. You know what I'm saying? It's the confidence in the car that says, "Drive to California tomorrow? Let's leave now and beat the traffic! I'm ready now, and so is my car!"

Speaking as a rookie C4 owner....you have a major jump on owning a ZR-1 because you will already know all the C4 quirks and how to address them properly and efficiently. I am still learning the C4 and all it's nuances. The ZR-1 part is strictly a matter of learning the LT5. Oh, there is the matter of ZR-1 body parts, they are sort of extinct. If none of that stuff causes you too much concern, then I say you could do much worse in choosing which toy to get yourself! Oh, one more thing about ZR-1's.....this is a bit out in left field too! Owning a ZR-1 is not so much a buying decision as it is a calling. The car speaks to you....even long before you ever sit in one. In your mind's eye you see yourself piloting one down some deserted road at night, and you see yourself grinning from ear to ear by the light from the panel, and you think.... "This is just too cool!" If that happens, well yes, you've got it bad and you have to have one!


Tom

Like I said, I'm okay with paying a little bit of money for the ZR1 because it's a car I'd like to keep for a very long time. Luckily I've already bought my first Corvette at age 20 and it's a C4 so I'm familiar with many of the problems of these cars.
I've definitely been called by the ZR1! I love my car, but when I'm driving it I wish I could crank it to 7000+ rpm. I must have one....



yeah I have it bad

[Fully Vetted]

Yeah, you're toast, Buddy. Finish school, put some cash away and start looking. Finding your Z will not be that difficult. Just be patient and don't compromise. I found the exact year, exact color combo and the mileage I wanted within a month. And they only made 21 in the color combo I wanted so I too was expecting a long search period.

You've already stepped in the right direction seeking advice here. You can't come up with a question that can't be answered here.

Looking forward to seeing your purchase...

[mike100]

Of all the things that have broken, needed service, or cosmetic enhancement, the actual engine wasn't one of them. The LT5 itself will be the most reliable part of a ZR-1. The rest of the usual failures are all C4, maybe worse since the engine has more power and the car weighs a bit more- which is harder on the chassis, brakes and drivetrain.

Since it is a more premium model, you might find yourself wanting to fix and restore the car a little more than with your LT1 car. It is also going to be more money to purchase, so you will be into the car for about double what the same LT1 car equivalent would cost you. This might sour your experience some, but it could be offset by the unique experience of the extra power.

I actually enjoyed driving my LT1 car just as much, except for when BMW's used to kick my *** from time to time. Basically figure to pay about twice as much as you are now and then decide if you would rather have a C5.

[ZZZZZR1]

Pros:
Rare/Interesting/Cool
Fast
Reliable? YES
Great Handling
It's a freakin' ZR1!
Permagrin

Cons:
Hard to find parts? Not hard to find these parts (name a part, we can find it) I drive my cars hard... (these cars are MADE to be driven hard!!!)
Expensive to buy and maintain? (the brotherhood makes it cheaper to maintain with advice and vast owners with parts available)
Hard to find the one I want (must be a 91 or later 6-speed, no red interior, not afraid of high miles) Now is the time to buy, cars are a bargain and it's a buyers market


Some of what I said is my opinion, but the Brotherhood is alive and well here.... It's a buyers market and buy from an owner who cared for it (AND doesn't lie that he drove it hard!)

Buy, drive and enjoy!!!



David

[LancePearson]

Just f.y.i. of the 6939 made and sold, around 5,000 were made and sold as 90-91. When gm cut its engine contract with the manufacturer of its lotus designed engine they then parceled the last 1500 engines out over the 92-95 years at about 450 or so engines/zr1's a year so you are far more likely to find a 90-91 than the others. Just remember, you are thinking about buying one of 6939 ever sold with the fantastic lt5 engine out of about 2,500,000 or so Corvettes ever sold.

Lance P.

[pologreenvette]

Originally Posted by RICKYRJ1

Your a C4 guy why not have the KING of the C4's? I test drove one back in 05 big mistake! Spent the rest of my spare time searching for a ZR-1. Bought one and could not be happier/satisfied more than I am. I have not had 1 issue with my car. Stay on this site and you will see how great the ownership experience will be with this brotherhood. Good Luck with your studies, looks like your parents did a good job, so far

Doesn't sound like too much of a mistake to me! I'm hopefully going to test drive one in the spring, I'm sure I'll be hooked and there will be no turning back.

My Dad was a Corvette guy; he had a 73 with an LT-1 I think. He taught me well

Originally Posted by Fully Vetted

According to Registry website production was as follows:

Polo Green II:

1994 -

39 Total
35 Light Beige
4 Black

1995 -

31 Total
26 Light Beige
3 Black

Obviously, 26+3 is not 31 so there is a little discrepency there but you get the picture.

I'll definitely look for a Polo one first, but it's not a big deal if I can't find one.

Originally Posted by LancePearson

Just f.y.i. of the 6939 made and sold, around 5,000 were made and sold as 90-91. When gm cut its engine contract with the manufacturer of its lotus designed engine they then parceled the last 1500 engines out over the 92-95 years at about 450 or so engines/zr1's a year so you are far more likely to find a 90-91 than the others. Just remember, you are thinking about buying one of 6939 ever sold with the fantastic lt5 engine out of about 2,500,000 or so Corvettes ever sold.

Lance P.

Wow I didn't know that. So the 405hp ones are much rarer then huh? Is the interior of the '90 the same as the '91 or does it have the L98 dash? I'm not sure if I could live with that.... I love my current interior. I really didn't like the interior of an 88 that I test drove.

[LancePearson]

Yes, the 405 hp are but I doubt seriously you could tell the difference between the 375 and the 405. In fact, the first time you get in the car and are comfortable enough to plant your foot on a safe road you will be astonished at how hard the LT5 pulls in each gear. Here's a teaser: I shift from first at 59 mph and around 7,000 rpm, out of second at 92 mph and on up...and when shifting into third the acceleration INCREASES! These engines have 6,939 fans of incredible support. And that's before you tune them to add another 100 to 150 hp!

You also have to remember that GM horsed around with HP numbers all the time...some years they posted low numbers, early sae test numbers, then later sae test stand numbers, sometimes because the insurance industry was screaming about high horsepower, etc, etc. so you can't always believe GM hp ratings. There is one fellow here who claims to Have Lotus dyno reports showing the engines weren't 375 or 405 but something like 443 hp with Lotus running the same test gm used. GM owned lotus then and asked them to design the engine and they did. GM did not have the know how to build that technical an aluminum block with hardened aluminum sleeves engine then but Mercury Marine did in their Stillwater, Oklahoma factory did so they built all the motors, had a contract. When in 91/92 GM started or continued corporately hemoraghing money (fired chairman, ceo, lost more than $20 billion one year) the LT5 engine was very expensive...various numbers but $7-9,000 per engine in the contract price so GM limited it. Sales were less about whether people would buy the zr1 than they were there were only so many engines available.

In 1990-91 these were the most expensive cars ever listed for sale by GM. Mine on the just received window sticker with taxes and title in Texas where it was sold in Dec, 1990 was $72,000 approx. Later, some sold above sticker price when engines were limited, reportedly for as much as
$100,000. There is a book coming called The Heart Of The Beast on the engine's history.

You'll get arguments by the C6 guys who are passionate but many think the LT-5 Dohc v8 is the best engine Corvette has made to date. You can do anything with it you want just like the newer pushrods.

Just drive one once and wind it up through at least three gears. You'll sell your wife, your girlfriend, offer your mom out for service. They are fun to drive and always put a grin on your face. Handling is good though a C6 will have more modern traction control yet the handling is quite sophisticated certainly compared to my C3.

See, this is the kind of stuff you will get involved in. Buy on and you'll learn names like: Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, Marc Haibeck, F.B.I. (Fast Boys Incorporated) who can do amazing things even above and beyond. When they do, modern ZO6's have nothing on these cars for speed I'm told. Search Youtube for the black King of the Hill who runs 11.5 second 129 mph quarter mile times. Want to go 0-60 in 4.4 seconds?
Buy a stock 91 zr1.

My TBSS has a 2008 ls2 415 hp vette engine from gm performance group with a 4:10 rear end in it and my stock 1991 zr1 is way quicker...way more top end as you would expect but it's about the torque, the torque, the torque.

Some go around with permanent grins as owners, called a "Permagrin."

I could go on.

[Fully Vetted]

Originally Posted by LancePearson

...There is one fellow here who claims to Have Lotus dyno reports showing the engines weren't 375 or 405 but something like 443 hp with Lotus running the same test gm used.

If I'm not mistaken I believe Blue Flame Restorations has this document. This is a digitized copy that I keep in my ZR-1 file.