1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

There appears to be two Power/Valet keys out there for our 1990 ZR-1s. Early keys are yellow backgrounds for the emblems while later ones have a black background.


For people with known original keys to your car, can you provide color and VINs? When did the switch happen?


Thanks
Joel

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

My Z is '90 #442. I would call that pretty early. Built October "89.
I have 2 power keys. At least one I am pretty sure came with the car. The second is in an original GM box that I purchased. Both are "D" stamped which is the code for '90. Both also have black checkered on the left and red on the right with a light background. Don't know if I would call it really yellow, but a color that leans a bit towards silvery. Definitely not a black background.:cheers:

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

The background on all keys is brushed aluminum. The 91-91 keys all have a red bowtie on black. The 90 keys have that, but also a gold bowtie with a black outline on red, as per the picture in post one.

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

Thanks for the clarification. The background inside the bowtie you are talking about on both of mine are black.

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

Interesting. I only have one key, and the sticker is missing completely, so I can't add any data points. However I note that the emblem with the gold bowtie matches the engine emblem paint job in my car. Are the engine emblems similarly split in color scheme?

Sent from my moto g(6) play using ZR-1 Net Registry mobile app

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

I sometimes wonder if we tend to over analyze?
Posts like this one raise my curiosity and I get to digging! Not really sure why. I suppose my desire to know.
As I stated above, mine is '90 #442. I am relatively certain one of the power keys I have is original to the car and it has the black background. The second key I have also has the black background, but it is not original to the car as it is still in a NOS box with the ring.
The cam cover emblems on the car both have a yellow background. I also have noticed that the hood and fuel door emblems have yellow backgrounds. I have both of the originals along with a replacement set and they are all the same.
Digging deeper: The emblem on the owners manual has a yellow background. The cover for the video tape in the "Pizza Box" has the yellow as well.
And one more: In the coffee table book which is in the "Pizza Box", there is a photo of the power key. It is not easy to tell, but it appears the background on it might be yellow. I would think this photo would have been taken before the first '90 production car.
To address the 1 or 2 key with new delivery issue: When I took delivery of the '90 I bought new, I am relatively certain I received 2 "Complete" sets of keys. Whether all were delivered with 2 full sets I am not sure. I have heard that they were supposed to have 2 sets, but can not verify that they were.
To sum it up: Do we sometimes look for the proverbial needle in the haystack when we are not sure there is even a haystack?
Remember, we are dealing with the dis-jointed internal operations of a huge multi-national corporation that probably could not care less what color the key was we got with our car!
:cheers:

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

Mine came with the black background with red bowtie for VIN 277, October build car. I purchased an over the counter key which has the yellow and red, that is what got me curious. I am not at home so I can't pull them out right now.


Kenny, as for your comments about GM not caring. I agree 100% as long as the key worked. So it is just my curiosity also as to when the change might have happened. Spare parts would have to be out early to support delivery of the cars.


Hopefully we will get some more really early cars to chime in.


Joel

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

My 90, #1786 has keys as pictured in post #3

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

You have to zoom in, post number 3 is two different 1990 keys.

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

I'm quite sure that there would have been NO '90 cars delivered with the '91+ LOGO. I've seen the '91+ LOGO on keys purchased through GM SPO previously on the correct D blank.

If the 'KEY LOGO' matches the hood/fuel door emblem I'd think it's safe to assume it's likely original or a correctly boxed '90 through GM SPO.

What's odd/unusual is that I actually have a '90 style cylinder with appropriate pinning for the '91+ blank and I'm sure it's a GM production product. Only original bezels are correctly crimped.

'90 cylinder w/'91+ 'H' blank and correct LOGO and 73L0 'knock-out'

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

Seems about right. I figure tge 90 keys with 91 emblem were just replecments that made it into the parts network.

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

I'm not certain of that. My car came with two original keys and both have Black Backgrounds with Red outline bowtie. I have Purchased yellow/gold background ones on the secondary market. This is what drove me to ask the question.

Joel

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

In your SIG there's a '90 #277 mentioned. Is that the car that you suspect came with the later blanks? The thoughts of that happening that early in production are honestly maybe 'beyond' being thought possible.

When was #277 built?

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

Mine is '90# 442. Built Oct. 13, 1989. One of the keys I have I am pretty certain is original to the car. The bowtie is a red outline with a black background.
I don't know the answer to this dilemma. Maybe there is not one?
:dontknow:

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

At nearly 29 years I guess it maybe 'doesn't matter' !!

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

That would be my thought. I doubt that anyone tracked the color of the power key by serial number.
They are so small I have to put my "cheater" glasses on to tell for sure which one it is!!:confused:

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

There certainly is an answer. At some point they stopped making one key and started making the other. Due to the later keys being the black and red, it would make sense that the gold red were the earlier keys.


A curiousity I suppose. But one key is correct and one is incorrect for some cars, despite the fact that they both function.

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

[QUOTE=spork2367;283823]There certainly is an answer. At some point they stopped making one key and started making the other. Due to the later keys being the black and red, it would make sense that the gold red were the earlier keys.

I would think one would not need an extrodinary education to make the above statement.
Would you please enlighten us as to when and with which number car the change was made? I am sure it will relieve stress on a lot of us if you will just release the secret. Not fair for you to be the only one with the answer!
Just for everyone's enlightenment:
Word forms: contrarians
countable noun [oft N n]
A contrarian is a person who deliberately behaves in a way that is different from the people around them.
:cheers:

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

I own VIN 2124 and have owned VIN 2529. These would be in my estimation later cars. Both had the gold inserts. #2529 was judged by NCRS at a regional and national level. No one questioned the gold/red bowtie on the power key. I am not so naive to think that the key design didn't change. I believe the black/red bowtie keys were service replacements made available by GM as the "D" key after the 1990 MY stock expired.

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

huh? I think the contrarian is the guy who contradicted himself... You said, "maybe there isn't an answer." There certainly is an answer. I don't know it, or I would have shared it already...obviously. But it could be discerned through some research. Do I care enough to do it? No, I'm just selling the keys. But in no way would that mean there isn't an answer...which you implied was a possibility.

Re: 1990 Power Key Emblem Color
 

I asked at NCRS Winter Regional last year and nobody had any knowledge about the two colors or differences including Tom Barr. My car is very original, low miles and owned by a collector and both keys with the car were the black red ones with a 277 VIN. So may nevery know for certain. Appreciate everyone's replies.