95 convertable ZR.5

[RICKYRJ1]

I keep thinking it would be cool to have a 95 black convertable to go with my blk 95 ZR1. If I picked up a solid donor car cheap would it take stupid money to put a LT5 in it? I would leave the body stock and only add the GS fender flares to fit the wider tires. Is this idea taboo in the Z community?

[GOLDCYLON]

Originally Posted by RICKYRJ1

I keep thinking it would be cool to have a 95 black convertable to go with my blk 95 ZR1. If I picked up a solid donor car cheap would it take stupid money to put a LT5 in it? I would leave the body stock and only add the GS fender flares to fit the wider tires. Is this idea taboo in the Z community?

Ricky its not taboo, in fact Phrogs proposed the idea a few months ago.

[tccrab]

Definitely not a Taboo subject.
However, it would be a buttload of work to do and it wouldn't be cheap.
To do it right you'd need a donor ZR1 for all the ZR1 specific stuff.
The mechanical stuff wouldn't be too bad.
All the mounts should be the same.
The electrical stuff would be the tough stuff.
You'd have to tear the dash completely out to transplant all the ZR1 specific wiring.
It HAS been done, there's a few ZR1 'Verts out there.
There's at least one guy here on the forum that has one.

I would think the cheaper/easier way to go would be to cut the roof out of a ZR1. You'd have to stiffen the frame and a roll bar wouldn't be a bad idea.
It would be a mortal sin, though.
You'd have to deal with that all on your own.

TomC
"Crabs"

[gbrtng]

Go for it !

[-=Jeff=-]

Not so sure about replacing ALL the wiring in the car. I think you could get by with not swapping the stock dash wiring as long as the car has C69 A/C

in my 89 when I did the 91 dash conversion, it got a dash from a 1991 ZR-1, the L98 engine harness plugged right in, but the Forward lamp harness was different (lt5 to L98) as I used a 1991 forward lamp harness from a ZR-1

compare all the connector pin outs from a 95 LT1 and LT5 bet it would work

[QB93Z]

Go for it Rick! Don't let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do with your car. I think it would be cool. The LT1 and the ZR-1 were built on the same assembly line. I believe that GM made them as similar as possible.

Jim

[ZZZZZR1]

Originally Posted by RICKYRJ1

I keep thinking it would be cool to have a 95 black convertable to go with my blk 95 ZR1. If I picked up a solid donor car cheap would it take stupid money to put a LT5 in it? I would leave the body stock and only add the GS fender flares to fit the wider tires. Is this idea taboo in the Z community?

Just do it!!!!!!!!!!!

[secondchance]

Originally Posted by tccrab

I would think the cheaper/easier way to go would be to cut the roof out of a ZR1. You'd have to stiffen the frame and a roll bar wouldn't be a bad idea.

TomC
"Crabs"

Quite a few years back when I slammed into highway light pole sideways in my 91Z and the car was being repaired at Roger's Corvette body shop in Maitland, Florida, we, Tim Burke and I, discussed this possibility. I dropped it not because it was technically difficult but decided I still preferred a coupe.

One item that evolved out of this discussion was a convertible "X" frame (a glorified steel channel) was closed off with flat piece to form a box section and installed on the car. For rear attachment point I recall Robbie with Corvette Master's fabricated a sheet metal piece with a bolt welded in.

This mod stiffened the chassis substantially and would be a must especially with ZR-1 convertible IMHO.

Tim now has his own shop right behind Roger's Corvette called Burke's Corvette - the best Corvette body and paint shop as far as I am concerned.

[RICKYRJ1]

My thoughts were to buy a low mileage 95 6 speed convt. with a great body & interior that way money is not wasted fixing them up. I would then maximize my dollars towards the LT5 & install. I know Marc. H. has a 500 hp motor for sale. I would think the car would have to be stiffened up a little to help handle the extra hp.
This is a list, please add if I'm missing something.
1995 black convt.
LT5 motor
wire harness
computer for the motor
Zr1 gage cluster
cover story to tell the wife ( the guys that know me, know what I'm talking about)
$$$$$( stimulus check)
I was thinking about if it would be easier & cheaper to take a real ZR1 and cut the top, but I think I could not do that
PS. If it matters, I would not care if it had AC or not because The top will always be down.
My end goal would to have a 95 convert with the same performance as well as cosmetic mods as my real Z

[GOLDCYLON]

Originally Posted by RICKYRJ1

My thoughts were to buy a low mileage 95 6 speed convt. with a great body & interior that way money is not wasted fixing them up. I would then maximize my dollars towards the LT5 & install. I know Marc. H. has a 500 hp motor for sale. I would think the car would have to be stiffened up a little to help handle the extra hp.
This is a list, please add if I'm missing something.
1995 black convt.
LT5 motor
wire harness
computer for the motor
Zr1 gage cluster
cover story to tell the wife ( the guys that know me, know what I'm talking about)
$$$$$( stimulus check)
I was thinking about if it would be easier & cheaper to take a real ZR1 and cut the top, but I think I could not do that
PS. If it matters, I would not care if it had AC or not because The top will always be down.
My end goal would to have a 95 convert with the same performance as well as cosmetic mods as my real Z

Go for it Ricky, it seems you can never have enough to mod and polish. Id love to see your project come together. Id suggest a 96 because it had the best in the last suspension package available.