Can we oblige WILD ABOUT CARS. com?

[XfireZ51]

Here's some correspondence from Bob Gerometta of Wild About Cars regarding my comments on when will they recognize the ZR-1. They're supposed to be about "golden era" muscle cars but also have done articles about an 87 GN.
So I wrote this to him and he kindly and quickly responded.
Anybody got something we should submit?

From: dominic sorresso [mailto:djsorresso@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, February 17, 2014 11:38 AM
To: editors@wildaboutcars.com
Subject: 1990 Corvette ZR-1
Editor,

If you’re going to celebrate the 87 GNX, which is not a Golden Era Muscle Car, why not do something on the car that really started the march back to horsepower.
The 1990 Corvette ZR-1 w 375hp. Nothing even came close. Even today, the Lotus developed/MercCruiser built DOHC is a singular motor for America’s sports car. Nothing like it before or since. It will be 25 years old in ’15 and still can compete w other NA cars of today. Just a thought.

Dominic Sorresso



We celebrate all cars - and what we do in many cases is post the road tests for these vehicles so that people can see what they were saying back in the day. What you see celebrated is merely us talking about what we’ve posted so that people can look it up and download it.

At some point we will get through our backlog of road tests and hit upon the 1990 ZR-1. Of course, if you can scan in any ZR-1 road tests in high quality @300 dpi or better and e-mail the images to us, we will gladly post them and talk about it in No Limits.

I will have our staff research our huge backlog (over 150,000 images) and see if they can pull a road test, but if you have one . . . it will happen a lot faster.

[cvette98pacecar]

Originally Posted by XfireZ51

Here's some correspondence from Bob Gerometta of Wild About Cars regarding my comments on when will they recognize the ZR-1. They're supposed to be about "golden era" muscle cars but also have done articles about an 87 GN.
So I wrote this to him and he kindly and quickly responded.
Anybody got something we should submit?

From: dominic sorresso [mailto:djsorresso@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, February 17, 2014 11:38 AM
To: editors@wildaboutcars.com
Subject: 1990 Corvette ZR-1
Editor,

If you’re going to celebrate the 87 GNX, which is not a Golden Era Muscle Car, why not do something on the car that really started the march back to horsepower.
The 1990 Corvette ZR-1 w 375hp. Nothing even came close. Even today, the Lotus developed/MercCruiser built DOHC is a singular motor for America’s sports car. Nothing like it before or since. It will be 25 years old in ’15 and still can compete w other NA cars of today. Just a thought.

Dominic Sorresso



We celebrate all cars - and what we do in many cases is post the road tests for these vehicles so that people can see what they were saying back in the day. What you see celebrated is merely us talking about what we’ve posted so that people can look it up and download it.

At some point we will get through our backlog of road tests and hit upon the 1990 ZR-1. Of course, if you can scan in any ZR-1 road tests in high quality @300 dpi or better and e-mail the images to us, we will gladly post them and talk about it in No Limits.

I will have our staff research our huge backlog (over 150,000 images) and see if they can pull a road test, but if you have one . . . it will happen a lot faster.

Dom, I think I have three or four. I will look on Sunday when I get home.

[Paul Workman]

I would think the records set at Stockton, and some of the details would be a candidate. I know it is covered somewhat in the book "Heart of the Beast", and elsewhere. Only concern (off the top of my head) would be copyright question...

[Schrade]

I'd like to see THE ZR-1 package model get more 'classic' press too there Dom...

In the end however, I think all of us here don't count on others' input, to like our OWN car!

A few weeks ago, I was at the local Advance, and Tim (counter guy), pointed at me, and said "Chuck over there". The guy he was helpin' wanted to know who's Z was outside.

When someone knows what a Z is, who doesn't have one, I know there's a knowledgeable car guy.

We chatted outside afterward for about :45.

A week or so before, a guy pulled up at the light in a C6 and waved. I don't know if he knew what a Z was or not. I didn't care...

Just my .02 there............................................. .

[LGAFF]

If your talking about old magazone articles, I have an entire CD of them

[XfireZ51]

Originally Posted by LGAFF

If your talking about old magazone articles, I have an entire CD of them

Guys,

Please feel free to communicate w Gerometta directly. Would help to show him there's a large community out there. It's time we do our own promotion instead of waiting for these guys to do it for us.

[-=Jeff=-]

Why not your car?

[Paul Workman]

I'm liking this whole idea. Dom, is there any value to invite him or a reporter to BG? There he could get the feel for the passion we Z nuts have for this car, see cars from mild to wild, and maybe even a super/turbo charged version... Just a thought.

And, your car or =Jeff's= or any number are certainly photogenic as any to be featured on the cover page.

Maybe we should throw the subject on the pile for this Friday nite pizza at HRI?

[XfireZ51]

Originally Posted by Paul Workman

I'm liking this whole idea. Dom, is there any value to invite him or a reporter to BG? There he could get the feel for the passion we Z nuts have for this car, see cars from mild to wild, and maybe even a super/turbo charged version... Just a thought.

And, your car or =Jeff's= or any number are certainly photogenic as any to be featured on the cover page.

Maybe we should throw the subject on the pile for this Friday nite pizza at HRI?

Paul,

Think both of those are good ideas. Let's discuss.

[WydGlydJim]

Ok Guys this is what I sent him..........I think it is a good story, but I may be a little bit biased.


Good Morning Mr. Gulino,
Thanks for your interest. This car actually has an amazing story.
In 1998, the late, great, John Lingenfelter personally prepared a C4 ZR-1 for the "Fastest Street Legal Cars In America" high speed shootout featured by Road and Track magazine. He was asked to bring a C5, which he did, but the C5s were very new then, and he actually wanted to win the event, so he asked the promoters if he could bring a C4 ZR-1. The shootout featured such significant cars as the McLaren F1, Ferrari 550 Maranello, Ruf Porsche CTR 2, Hennessey Viper 600 GTS, Toyota Supra Turbo, as well as the two Corvettes that John prepared. Mario Andretti drove all of the cars.
The C4 that John prepared performed amazingly. The car was naturally aspirated with the 32 valve LT-5 engine specially prepared with 415 cubic inches. As mentioned John wanted to actually win the event, and he almost pulled it off. The ZR-1 clocked a top speed of an incredible 218 MPH!!, which was an amazing feat. It finished just a click behind the $1.5 million McLaren. I have video of that event, and the 1998 August issue of the Road And Track featuring that event.
Which brings us to my car. My car was owned by high speed Junkie Sryantha Weerasuria, everyone calls him SW for good reason. Anyway SW owns Elite Motorsports in Austin Texas, and has held many high speed records in mile events, and currently is running 1400 H.P. Lamborghini Gallardos, with times approaching 250 MPH in the mile. SW purchased the engine that was in the 1998 high speed shootout car from Lingenfelter Performance, and had them install it in my 1994 ZR-1. On 7/19/99 they delivered my car with the engine from the high speed shootout, that went 218 MPH, and it now resides in my street car. Here is almost the most amazing part of the whole story. The car has engine dynoed at 688 H.P. but it is still very streetable. I can drive with the A/C on, and it does not overheat. I even drove it to the Bloomington Corvette show in Champaign Illinois show this past year from Wichita Kansas, which is about 1200 miles round trip, and it averaged 23 MPG on the highway at 75 MPH with the A/C on!!
These 415 Lingenfelter ZR-1s are amazing. It is amazing that they are still relevant in terms of performance 20 years later. As mentioned the LPE 415 ZR-1 cars are quicker 0-150-0 than a new C6 ZR1. Without a supercharger, and with less Cubic inches! One more interesting fact about my ZR-1, is that in Sept. of 2002 John Lingenfelter signed the intake plenum on my car. In October of that same year John had his terrible accident, and was in a coma of which he never recovered, and died about a year later in 2003. This quite possibly could be that very last piece of equipment that John signed. It is very special to me. Although I never met John, I know he was an automotive guru, and his contributions to the pursuit of performance are amazing.
I'll send some more pics.

Thanks
James