Interesting Information>>>

[ZR1Vette]

Over on the CF forum, one of the better (knowlegeable) posters (Talon90) set up a spread sheet concerning Vette production by year/C.. I took the sheet and added the ZR-1 info... interesting (well to me anyway )

[tomtom72]

Yes that's cool! We're in the 2% club!

The only other vette with similar numbers is the old C3 LT-1's. I think it's sweet to be so rare, even if nobody but us notices!

[Paul Workman]

I never realized they were quite that rare. Hmmm.... INteresting.

As far as many Vette drivers being oblivious to the ZR-1, that can turn on a dime, apparently (from personal observation)

When Pete Dom and I ran our Zs at the all Corvette get-together last October at US41 Dragway, I noticed the crowd suddenly became aware of 'em - specially after Pete's low 11s run(s). Some memorable comments I heard while sitting in the bleachers watching either Pete or Dom run...

"That's a ZR-1??"
"What's so special about those cars, I mean how come they're so fast?"
(My favorite) "They're not true Corvettes. They have a Mercury Marine engine in them."

That was a fun event; my first "official" drag race. I hope we can get a bunch of "Z boyz" there next year and see if that 2% opens some more eyes!

Interesting chart!

P.

[ZR1Vette]

Just tell everybody it has a motor boat engine and leave it at that

Personally, from my perspective one of the BIG design errors that put the ZR-1 into oblivious main stream (to the non ZR-1 brotherhood anyway) was when GM put the same rear fascia on all C4s as the ZR-1 look. At least the MY1990 have a distinctive look from a standard C4, but from 1991 on GM did the Cuisinart design school approach. BTW...not putting down any ZR-1 post 1990 for this... just wish they took the standard C4 in a different design direction or vice versa.

[tomtom72]

Yea I'm kind of with ya on the design elements being "unified" after the 90 Z. Ya know it's a compliment to the Z and the back end treatment. At least I look at it from the "immitation being the sincerest form of flattery" perspective.

I get a bit of a kick pointing out to other generation owners all the subtle differences on the body panels. Heck even some dyed in the wool C4 guys are unaware of the subtle differences between their C4 and a ZR-1's body. I have found that after pointing out all the subtle changes that some even think that there must have been a cheaper way to cover the rear tires, but that GM really put effort into being subtle.

I do know one thing from a bit of personal experience. I have discovered that the exotic car crowd, like the guys I meet at F-Chat.com events, know more about ZR-1's than alot of other non-ZR-1 C4, C5 & C6 owners. Not to mention the C1 thru C3 crowd.

[vettn71]

Remeber that the 70's LT-1's were pretty much ignored until about 1997 or so, when they became the "next big thing". Same with LS-5's (which I just sold). They languished for years at value in the low twenties and only recently (5 yers or so) have come up in price. It takes a while for special cars to get noticed. Whether they do or not, I traded my 71 LS-5, 4spd, air convertible to get a ZR-1, because it is something special. I may not live long enough to see it recognized as such, but it will stay in the family and my sons can enjoy it (not now, though. They can sit in the passengers seat).

[flyin ryan]

Originally Posted by ZR1Vette

Just tell everybody it has a motor boat engine and leave it at that

Personally, from my perspective one of the BIG design errors that put the ZR-1 into oblivious main stream (to the non ZR-1 brotherhood anyway) was when GM put the same rear fascia on all C4s as the ZR-1 look. At least the MY1990 have a distinctive look from a standard C4, but from 1991 on GM did the Cuisinart design school approach. BTW...not putting down any ZR-1 post 1990 for this... just wish they took the standard C4 in a different design direction or vice versa.

i'm sure your aware, Micheal that the squared off tail light a** end was scheduled for 91 production, but they moved it up, specialty for the ZR-1 introduction in 1990. the whole thing kinda backfired on the General, IMO.