Enthusiast or Owner...

[C4Fanatic]

Which are you?

It seems the Z brother/sisterhood is a completely different off-shoot of the Corvette community. Most here know and understand just what the ZR-1 means to the automotive world. It is in no way "just a car".
But what about the run of the mill, base model coupe or convertible?
Someone asked the question over on that "OTher" forum if someone who is just a Corvette "owner" and not an enthusiast, a person who appreciates what the Corvette actually is, aggravates them. I think most in here know the difference and can point one or two examples out at most car shows.
I was surprised by the number of folks who felt that it is just that, that it is "just a car". A totally foreign concept to me apparently.
I have to admit, it does bother me some. I've loved this car since I was a small kid, and I grew up in a MOPAR family. I knew someday I would own a Vette and have been fortunate enough to actually have owned 2, one that I consider the ultimate Corvette.
I love all things Corvette, from the ratty barn find to the current crop of supercars. I seem to feel they are the top of the heap, THE American sports car. They have their quirks, but I'll take them any day over other modes of transportation.
Just my 2 cents, what say you fellow owners of the King of the Hill?

[tccrab]

Neither an enthusiast or an owner.
*sigh*
I'm a waxer.
"Girlfriend" owns me.



TomC
'Crabs

[Pete]

I'm a enthusiast,owner and very very deep hobbiest.

Like you, i loved this car from day one i promised myself one day i will own one.
It never stoped for me from the first day i got her home, from that day on it's been non stop for me,motor has been in and out so many times i forget the number,always trying to improve her from cams to cam timing,porting,big valves,yank secondaries,more porting etc, have not stoped.

Pete

[Paul Workman]

Yeah, what Pete said!

The seed of my passion was sewn by "Route 66", a weekly program about two guys and their adventures encountered while cruising the country along Route 66 in the current year model Corvette. Anybody remember Tod and Buzz?



Then came the 63 "split window coupe" and the hook was set. I still yearn to have one in my garage, and oogle them every chance I get.

I've loved the C4 from the start! Then came the Calloway B2K, and finally the KOTH. What more is there to say beyond the LT5?

I'm a warrior more than a waxer, as are most of the FBI gang of Vette nuts. Sitting behind the wheel and my troubles fade away, drown out by the song she sings and she sings so darn well!

I love your "skunk" ZR-1. Always have from the moment I first saw a picture of it some time ago! A C4 with "Bling & Zing"! Can't beat that!!

P.

[C4Fanatic]

Originally Posted by tccrab

"Girlfriend" owns me.



TomC
'Crabs

Not that THAT'S a bad thing...

[WB9MCW]

Here are some comments I have made about the KOTH on this forum. Pete is always telling me that when I am ready he will be more than happy to take me to the next level beyond stock. Someday I hope to take him up on it.

Welcome to the Zoo - and congrats on the great score at BG - Soon you will learn what we mean about permagrin --being a Z06 owner you no doubt have been there already with that Vette. But now you get to know the grin of the beast and are in the KOTH club. DOHC fever as we call it - it has its own special sound. Nothing like 7000+ RPM's.
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Hey James welcome to the ZOO!

The first ZR-1 I ever saw in motion was the one I bought from a neighbor who now has a special collection of them. He is a true Vette nut and loves to buy/sell Vettes and has a business in it now. For many years he was a barber and in fact my father's barber since he worked several towns away in my dad's town.

I have, like you, and many others here, dreamed about the ZR-1 and only had ever viewed two parked ZR-1's. One at the O'Hare airport (no doubt a pilot owned it) and another at a lunch cafe near by our office. I remember both times thinking someday I would have to have one of these Corvettes because they were so stealth and had the look of a standard vette so I knew they were the "Ultimate Sleeper".

If there is one thing I love to do is surprise someone with a sleeper on the highway. It is always so much fun to see the look on their face as you pull away from them and leave them in the dust. The KOTH is very good at achieving this result. My favorite targets are the Porsche owners. Plenty of them around and they typically have the female on board so it is double the fun to smoke em. Another favorite are the AWD models like the Subu and the EVO. These youngsters driving these need a waxing bad to adjust their attitude. Finally the Mustang - Fbody's and the Mopars these are best of all since they always think they are taking on a regular C4. Usually they have hopped up the ride some and they think they are all that until you introduce them the the ZR-1, soon they ask around to their friends --"This Vette smoked me so so bad the other day I could not believe it -- WTH is a ZR-1???" They met the KOTH and got some "edumacation" the hard way.

Like Jimi Hendrix said >> Are You Experienced!

Another surprise was when I found out that a friend of mine ("Pete" >> http://www.zr1.net/forum/member.php?u=10 ) was a ZR-1 owner now and on the forum. We had not crossed roads for a few years (the Gyro Stand we both used to meet up at had been sold) and now both of us we ZRONERS. Pete btw was a F-Body (Camaro) guy back in the old bench racing days at the Gyro Stand. We used to go over all the times posted in Road and Track and discuss if we really thought those figures were accurate. Since one of the owners of the Gyro stand owned a C4 Vette both Pete and I were jealous naturally. We admitted to each other that someday we would have to own a Corvette as well. That day did come for us but who would have figured we both would end up with the KOTH. See Pete's Drag Vid >> http://youtu.be/SFNFOhGGlR4
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Originally Posted by ittlfly View Post
Thanks guys.....I can see how much knowledge is floating around here that isn't anywhere else. My old man once said (God save his soul) "when you don't know something, surround yourself with folks that do." This sure looks like the place.

That is why I call it the ZOO --
We are the true home of the BEAST
+ the Z in ZR-1 lends itself well
We are a bunch of speed nut lovers with an appreciation of the Corvette.
ZR hyphen 1 >> The original KOTH
The symphony of DOHC @ 7000+ is what is all about.
============

I STARTED WITH AN 84
Then bought the ZR-1
Was not long b4 I sold the 84
Could have kept em both but did not like keeping the 84 outside soooooooo up on the blocks she went and I took a beating but hey that is the way it goes.
Never looked back either more leg and head room in the 92Z and well the luv affair with the LT5 and the DOHC + the HP made it easy to forget the 84.
Had 13.5K in this 84 as well she went well for an 84 (secret was the 3.9 sumthin gear rear end) and loud exhaust etc. but ended up selling to a friend for 7.5K.
Twas my "starter VETTE"
Then came the KOTH
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CONGRATS TRAVIS IF ANY ONE EVER DREAMED OF OWNING A ZR-1 FOR YEARS (I HAVE BEEN FRIENDS WITH TRAVIS SINCE HE WAS 16--IN FACT HE HAS BEEN ON THIS FORUM SINCE THEN --LOOK AT HIS JOIN DATE) AND LOVES CORVETTES AS MUCH AS YOU ~~ THEY DESERVE TO BECOME ONE OF THE PROUD KOTH OWNERS ~~ I KNOW YOU WILL DO RIGHT AND RESPECT THE KING.
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AH HA--- silly me!
You can even see the red in the body work photo!
Very sweet HADI -- now you need to put a ZR-1 badge on the azz so dim wits like me will know it is a KOTH --- LOL
Your right silver is a great Vette color funny the King never did come in that color---
Well that makes your new personal creation a unique rare ZR-1 like none other there!
Congrats on the nice creation!!!

Thanks Bryan,
let me tell you something, i was parking near the lake ,not in this pic. , one 55 years old man came to close to my ZR1 and said you have nice Zr1!! how he knew its ZR1?? i was surprised!
he was talking perfect about American racing cars ,corvette , his english was perfect, ,so i told him are American?? i though he is american!

He said : No i am Czech Man. he told me that he was 24 when he went to USA, and he was sent to the Jail for 30 years when FBI caught him with other drag dealer, he said it was Big Drag operation in USA history ,and he named this operation, and he said its in Internet in some website, but i fogot it!

Anway, there are some ppl with a good Sense to know and recognize C4 vette's to our special Z !
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We took 92 #443 out for a little exercise today and was enjoying the cooler air from Canada. Even though it got to 90f it was perfect weather and low humidity compared to August just last week. Blue sky and nice clouds and no rain to worry about. My kind of ZR-1 day indeed.

We were sauntering northbound on State Route 59 (a two lane) when lo and behold what do we see in the rear view riding on my azz big time?

Yep thats right the new EVO IX MR by Mitsu (and all black too)--No doubt he saw the ZR-1 on the rear but did he know what it meant? My guess is he didn't!

If you read my last story in June it was a Subie that I had encountered-- me being the one behind and the Subie took off from a red light like a bat out of H*** to which I did a nice controlled launch no burnout and once up to abt 25 I nailed it and a quick 1-2 and I was all over the Subie butt. Proved my point that no Subie was going to walk away from the King. The Subie was no doubt very upset and proceeded to go 100 mph which was way to fast for the road and very dangerous. I did not need to be crazy and stay on his butt anymore since we had already proved that the Subie was not really going anywhere anyway and no way was he going to shake the KING if we did not want to let him.

Becoming older you learn these lessons that one you have the proof no need to do it again and again esp if it is going to put you in harms way. And tailing a young Subie driver at 100 on 55mph back roads through blind curves would be just that--a stupid thing to do.

Well I know these little EVO rockets have been getting a lot of press and attention lately so I figure the driver is full of himself and maybe has went up against a C4 already--the way he had been on my AZZ now for two miles this is what I figured.

Time to cloverleaf around on hop onto the big 4 lane divided State Route 12
now. He did back off a car length as we are in the apex.

I thought well I could drop it into 2nd and hammer it and come screaming out of the cloverleaf onto the highway and no doubt that would give me quite the advantage---hmmm-no that would not be so fair even though I figured that is what the EVO kid would have done had I been the one in his rearview.

Well I could drop down to second as the merge is happening and come up to full rpm's quick and hammer hard into 3rd and pull away. This is what I would have done if it was a C5 Z06 on my butt. But hey this is only an EVO I want to be as fair as I can so there is no doubt what was about to happen for both him and myself. So what did I do?

Nothing--- I left it in 3rd and mashed the gas to the floor--now I was way down in the low rpm's so it was a bit of a bog at first but you see this gave the EVO kid the chance to see that I was gettin on it and he did notice.

I see him dropping a gear or two and bringing his rpm's up and the nose of the EVO pops up and all so I know for sure he is into it. I thought well maybe I made a big mistake because my rpm's are still low and #443 is grunting at me "why do you make me work so hard dimwit" yes she does talk to me with growls and moans and such.

Well much to my surprise I hit the sweet spot and Z lady starts pullin hard--You know the head into the head rest and all that hood poppin up biz.
and she pulls hard right up to red line and fast.

I now take a gander in the rear view to see how we have done and much to my surprise the EVO is at least 20 to 25 car lengths back--I mean way back.

In fact I see there was a crotch rocket hammer down pullin the EVO that has hopped into the right lane. My guess is that it is his buddy and he was behind the EVO all the time-- Proly mad he didn't get to be the one on my AZZ all that time and no doubt will tell the EVO buddy that he was in his way and screwed up a good race--LOL

Well we are coming up on 65mph traffic so I let up and it takes these two bozos about a mile to catch up and all traffic is on the hooks for a red light and I think about what just happened.

We waxed and EVO and a crotch rocket both and never even changed one single gear---I did it all in third---from 30mph on the cloverleaf to 95+ all on with one stinkin gear....

I had to think to myself this is why I love this Corvette so much because only the KING is so forgiving as to let one be lazy and not even use your power band to your advantage and yet still hand you a victory.

Sure if it had been a late model Viper or a C6 Z06 and even if I had used all the tricks (which I would have if that had been the case) the results would have been a lot different but this was not that race.

The KOTH made me proud to think {as the bike and EVO are now in the right lane and creeping by me and looking the KING all over real good as we all approach the red light (the right lane has less cars so they got by me and got a good look)} that now they might understand just what the small little insignia "ZR-1" means---

IT AIN'T NO REGULAR C4 CORVETTE BOYZ-- YOU JUST GOT WAXED BY THE KOTH BIG TIME---

As Jimi Hendrix puts it "Are you Experienced"

[OFFICIAL ZR-1 NET/FORUM DISCLAIMER: "We do not promote illegal street racing on the forum and in fact discourage it"]
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So in conclusion I think the love affair with the LT5 and the KOTH does separate us from the typical C4 owner but no doubt there are many C4 lovers out there and no matter what engine they have their Corvette is special to them and not just "Another Car".

Yes there does exist the Corvette owner that looks at the Corvette as just another car. We all know the type. They bought the Vette to impress the girls with and they beat on the Vette hard and do not really take care of it the way they should. And eventually the higher cost of maintaining the Corvette versus other cars drives them to give up the Vette and move on.

To this type of owner it is good that they own a Corvette as a passing fancy because they are not a true Corvette enthusiast but just an "OWNER" and usually just a short time owner at that. We are better off without them anyway. That new Lexus suites them well and their girlfriend will like it better anyway.

[mike100]

As far as the ZR-1 goes, I'm an enthusiast, but I was much less so and more of an owner when I owned my '95 coupe for a year. There's something to be said for being an 'owner', because there is less worry about cosmetics, mod plans, or if the weather will be good enough to drive it- sometimes having a regular car is enjoyable.

I drove the crap out of that car too.

[JThomas]

I consider myself an enthusiast! I have wanted a Corvette since I was a small child. I too grew up a Mopar fan, dad worked for Chrysler. My first Corvette was an '89 coupe. I always liked C4's and I thought that car was the ultimate, and it was an automatic. I would have loved to have owned a ZR-1 back then but could not afford one. The next car was a '97 Coupe, then the '03 Coupe, which was a 6 spd with the Z-51 suspension option. Then I felt GM got the Z06 right, and I purchased my '07 Z06. I told my wife, who was my girlfriend when I got the '89, that the Z06 would be the last Corvette for a while. I lied, and found my '92 ZR-1.

So for now, I have had five Corvettes and have enjoyed them all. We travel with the car, enjoy them with the kids, autocross and rally with them, when time permits with our club members. So, I consider myself an enthusiast, because there could be room for one more. . . . . .

[DaveK]

There are definitely big differences between Corvette owners from what I've seen. You have the guys who are "100% original, let's just sit and gaze at it from afar". You have other's that just want the 'latest and greatest' and an old vette is just an "old car". Others as mentioned before want them to 'impress the ladies' and then there are people who love certain models/years and have zero/little interest in anything else.

I think the real 'enthusiasts' like everything Corvette related - they're the ones with the matching Corvette socks and underwear Usually these people seem to have fallen in love with vettes at a young age and finally worked up to owning one or more.

I don't really count myself in the last group. I fell in love with C3s when I was very young and then again when the C4 came out. The ZR-1 was the icing on the cake and from my perspective 'perfect'. But I'm not really much of a fan of the later models ( I also don't own vette socks or underwear )

A vette buddy of mine said to me that I was way more into my car than he is into his - he owns a 1000hp supercharged C5 - and I think he's right. He'd happily trade up to a C6 Z06 or ZR1 - I on the other hand have little interest in them. If I won a ZR1 in the Museum Lottery I'd sell it and by more ZR-1s

I suspect ZR-1 owners fall mostly into the 'enthusiast' category with a smattering of 'collectors'. The real point though is that people are different, they have different views and see things in different ways - we should celebrate that difference, it's part of being human. We should also remember that it's also something most of our societies are tolerant of, a lot of people aren't that fortunate.



Dave

[HIZNHRZ]

I was ruined early in life. As a kid I helped my uncle pull out his 396 and build and install a 427 for his 67. Life was never the same.

Fast forward 20 years. My first Vette was an 87 coupe. It was my dream car until I started hearing about the LT5. Never really thought I'd be able to own one. It's always been more than just a car.