Driving the ZR-1 - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

ZWILD1 · 09-01-2008

I don't get it I love to drive the Z. But the family doesn't even bother to ask. As a teenager my father had a 77 Trans Am ,I bugged him so much to drive it that he gave it to me and bought a Olds 98. My oldest son Brian did ask to drive my 96 LT1 auto. And I let him as long as the wife was with him. But the ZR1 wow I would have given anything to drive a car like that. As it stands I am the only who can drive it and none of the family are bugging me to teach em . What gives I don't understand. Surely my two sons would want to try.

cuisinartvette · 09-01-2008

Sad but it seems youngsters these days have no interest in the domestics, hot rods, musclecars or the like.
. THings have changed and they like 4 door Hondas and putting spinner hubcaps on Uncle lens beat up maxima so they look dumber in their next drive by. .
More fun for you I guess!

ZWILD1 · 09-01-2008

Well at least the wife likes it. I did try and teach her suppose I should try again. My son Michael and my wife Jane do like going deep into tripple digit speeds they love it.

tomtom72 · 09-04-2008

I usually find that people who I'm old enough to be their father are mostly the only people I run across that even know what a ZR-1 was/is.....usually at cruise-in's only the 'kids' and hard core car guys recognize the Z....most just ask 'what is that!' & how come I didn't get a ZZ4 if the motor blew up...or the best was once a coupla of people pointed at the plenum, and asked if that was a supercharger...I got a chuckle outta that one!

LoTu5 · 09-04-2008

Driving a Corvette in the UK opens nearly everyones eyes and I often get remarks of

" WOW CORVETTE "

Now and then I get " Look it's nightrider "

I then put them straight.

My son loves the car and my dear old dad, in his mid eighties and ex RAF, marvels back to the 40's and WW2 when large piston engines were heard on the aerodromes.

Most people haven't got a clue what a ZR-1 is and i quite willingly pull the hood to show enthusiastic admirers around the car and tell them the story. Even giving away small parts - One such time I pulled into a gas station to fill up. When I came away from the pay booth I saw a young lad with his mum standing a couple of yards away, staring all goggle eyed at my Z. Of course I showed him around the car and then unsrcewed one of the small corvette tyre air caps and handed it to him. I wonder if he will be in the next generation of Vette fans ?

QB93Z · 09-04-2008

A very interesting point has been brought up here.

I grew up in the Sixties when muscle cars were not even called that yet, but they attracted a lot of attention from any young man. My father's experience with cars started with a Model A Ford. So when he got to the stage in life when he could have a car for a hobby, he bought a Model A. My brother and I helped him restore it and we ended up buying two more Model A's to restore. I guess my Dad was pretty happy that his sons took an interest in "his" cars.

Jump to today. I bought a Model A pickup truck and put it away in storage a few years ago. When my son turned sixteen and could get his driver's license, he asked if we could get the Model A out and get it running so that he could drive it. (His other option was to drive the Oldsmobile station wagon.) We worked together on the truck and he drove it proudly around town and to school. Now he drives a Honda and like most young people he personalizes it with mods to tail lights and sound systems.

My son would love to drive one of my Corvettes on a regular basis, but I don't allow it very often. I want him to understand the concept of working for and earning the privilege of having a high performance car, ( I had to wait a lot of years before I could.)

My son has gone to a few car shows with me, but his interest now is in the imports. I wonder if he will think of the ZR-1 as an old man's car?

Jim

z proud · 09-04-2008

well all three of my children enjoys the z

Son 19 drives it . only with me in the car, he has an 94 z28
Daughter 17, goes to cars shows with me....she can not drive a stick, but want's me to will the car to her
Daughter 16 likes driving with the roof off, she also can not drive a stick

key_on · 09-04-2008

Both of my sons (now ages 25 and 21) loved to drive my Z. They are now out on their own and just don't get the opportunity anymore. However, the other day my youngest son stopped by with one of his buddies to borrow some tools. While in the garage, my son was pointing out some of the finer points of the Z. His buddy asked what it was like to drive it. My son stated "you can't describe it ... you just have to experience it." I was so proud.

32valvZ · 09-04-2008

My son is 20 and in the USMC. Whenever he gets home for a few days, the first thing he wants to do is drive the Z. When I had the Z06, that was his favorite. Now I only have an LT1 and the ZR-1, so the ZR is the car he loves! I hope to be able to keep the ZR for a looong time. I also know sooner or later, I'll have another one. I want to pass down all my cars, houses and anything else that I leave on this earth to my son. Someday there will be a generation of people driving 50-60 year old ZR-1's.

djpatrick35 · 09-06-2008

Not all young kids are ricer fans. My stepsons are 19 and 13 (my wife is quite a bit older than me) and the biggest thing the older one says is that he's afraid of the Corvette.

He knows how much it means to me, so he doesn't want to touch it.

Thing is, he's a hell of a lot more respectful than I ever was because when I was 19, I copied my dad's keys to his Corvette and went joyriding in it when he was out of town!

09-01-2008	#1
ZWILD1 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Spring Grove ,Pa. Posts: 258	Driving the ZR-1 I don't get it I love to drive the Z. But the family doesn't even bother to ask. As a teenager my father had a 77 Trans Am ,I bugged him so much to drive it that he gave it to me and bought a Olds 98. My oldest son Brian did ask to drive my 96 LT1 auto. And I let him as long as the wife was with him. But the ZR1 wow I would have given anything to drive a car like that. As it stands I am the only who can drive it and none of the family are bugging me to teach em . What gives I don't understand. Surely my two sons would want to try. __________________ 91 Turquoise Metallic Haibeck 525 #0134

09-01-2008	#2
cuisinartvette Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Fernando Valley, CA. Posts: 896	Re: Driving the ZR-1 Sad but it seems youngsters these days have no interest in the domestics, hot rods, musclecars or the like. . THings have changed and they like 4 door Hondas and putting spinner hubcaps on Uncle lens beat up maxima so they look dumber in their next drive by. . More fun for you I guess!

09-01-2008	#3
ZWILD1 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Spring Grove ,Pa. Posts: 258	Re: Driving the ZR-1 Well at least the wife likes it. I did try and teach her suppose I should try again. My son Michael and my wife Jane do like going deep into tripple digit speeds they love it. __________________ 91 Turquoise Metallic Haibeck 525 #0134

09-04-2008	#4
tomtom72 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL USA Posts: 4,609	Re: Driving the ZR-1 I usually find that people who I'm old enough to be their father are mostly the only people I run across that even know what a ZR-1 was/is.....usually at cruise-in's only the 'kids' and hard core car guys recognize the Z....most just ask 'what is that!' & how come I didn't get a ZZ4 if the motor blew up...or the best was once a coupla of people pointed at the plenum, and asked if that was a supercharger...I got a chuckle outta that one! __________________ 1990 ZR-1, Black/grey, #2233, stock. ZR-1 Net Reg Founding Member #316 & NCM member

09-04-2008	#5
LoTu5 Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: London ,England Posts: 59	Re: Driving the ZR-1 Driving a Corvette in the UK opens nearly everyones eyes and I often get remarks of " WOW CORVETTE " Now and then I get " Look it's nightrider " I then put them straight. My son loves the car and my dear old dad, in his mid eighties and ex RAF, marvels back to the 40's and WW2 when large piston engines were heard on the aerodromes. Most people haven't got a clue what a ZR-1 is and i quite willingly pull the hood to show enthusiastic admirers around the car and tell them the story. Even giving away small parts - One such time I pulled into a gas station to fill up. When I came away from the pay booth I saw a young lad with his mum standing a couple of yards away, staring all goggle eyed at my Z. Of course I showed him around the car and then unsrcewed one of the small corvette tyre air caps and handed it to him. I wonder if he will be in the next generation of Vette fans ?

09-04-2008	#6
QB93Z Join Date: May 2007 Location: Westminster, Maryland Posts: 3,684	Re: Driving the ZR-1 A very interesting point has been brought up here. I grew up in the Sixties when muscle cars were not even called that yet, but they attracted a lot of attention from any young man. My father's experience with cars started with a Model A Ford. So when he got to the stage in life when he could have a car for a hobby, he bought a Model A. My brother and I helped him restore it and we ended up buying two more Model A's to restore. I guess my Dad was pretty happy that his sons took an interest in "his" cars. Jump to today. I bought a Model A pickup truck and put it away in storage a few years ago. When my son turned sixteen and could get his driver's license, he asked if we could get the Model A out and get it running so that he could drive it. (His other option was to drive the Oldsmobile station wagon.) We worked together on the truck and he drove it proudly around town and to school. Now he drives a Honda and like most young people he personalizes it with mods to tail lights and sound systems. My son would love to drive one of my Corvettes on a regular basis, but I don't allow it very often. I want him to understand the concept of working for and earning the privilege of having a high performance car, ( I had to wait a lot of years before I could.) My son has gone to a few car shows with me, but his interest now is in the imports. I wonder if he will think of the ZR-1 as an old man's car? Jim

09-04-2008	#7
z proud Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Pa Posts: 114	Re: Driving the ZR-1 well all three of my children enjoys the z Son 19 drives it . only with me in the car, he has an 94 z28 Daughter 17, goes to cars shows with me....she can not drive a stick, but want's me to will the car to her Daughter 16 likes driving with the roof off, she also can not drive a stick

09-04-2008	#8
key_on Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lees Summit, MO Posts: 102	Re: Driving the ZR-1 Both of my sons (now ages 25 and 21) loved to drive my Z. They are now out on their own and just don't get the opportunity anymore. However, the other day my youngest son stopped by with one of his buddies to borrow some tools. While in the garage, my son was pointing out some of the finer points of the Z. His buddy asked what it was like to drive it. My son stated "you can't describe it ... you just have to experience it." I was so proud.

09-04-2008	#9
32valvZ Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sunshine State Posts: 1,061	Re: Driving the ZR-1 My son is 20 and in the USMC. Whenever he gets home for a few days, the first thing he wants to do is drive the Z. When I had the Z06, that was his favorite. Now I only have an LT1 and the ZR-1, so the ZR is the car he loves! I hope to be able to keep the ZR for a looong time. I also know sooner or later, I'll have another one. I want to pass down all my cars, houses and anything else that I leave on this earth to my son. Someday there will be a generation of people driving 50-60 year old ZR-1's.

09-06-2008	#10
djpatrick35 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Vernon Hills, IL Posts: 262	Re: Driving the ZR-1 Not all young kids are ricer fans. My stepsons are 19 and 13 (my wife is quite a bit older than me) and the biggest thing the older one says is that he's afraid of the Corvette. He knows how much it means to me, so he doesn't want to touch it. Thing is, he's a hell of a lot more respectful than I ever was because when I was 19, I copied my dad's keys to his Corvette and went joyriding in it when he was out of town!