Original BlackWidow is for Sale

[tccrab]

'92, Red, DRM500 475hp package, BlackWidow #6
$44,999.00

BuyAVette's got a posting over on that site who's name we shall not mention.

I'm going to buy another $20 worth of lotto tickets.
Wish me luck guys.

'Crabs

Here's the blah blah blah from their website:
Bright Red exterior, Black leather interior, both glass and painted tops included. 475hp LT5 DRZ500 "Black Engine" engine, 6 speed manual transmission, 4.09 posi rear-end. Factory features include dual power sport seats, Bose Gold CD/Cassette stereo, electronic climate control, FX3 Selective Ride and Handling suspension, power windows, power locks, power steering, power brakes, power mirrors, power antenna, tilt, cruise control, ABS, traction control. RARE, RARE, RARE!! Here it is -- the be-all end-all of C4 ZR1's! Originally developed to be the successor to the LT5, the "Black Engine", as it came to be known, was produced by Mercruiser, and then sent to Doug Rippie Motorsports (DRM) for reassembly and tuning. The Black Engine included reworked camshafts, cylinder heads, intake, and throttle body for a hefty 70hp gain over even the higher-powered 1993-95 ZR1's. DRM topped off this package with the newly developed Borla catback exhaust system, high-performance clutch, coil-over shocks, and other minor suspension modifications. The engines and intake manifolds were then refinished in a black crinkle finish, hence the name Black Engine. Unfortunately, lagging sales spelled out the end of the C4 ZR1, and just 8 ZR1s (all of which already had owners) were fitted with these modifications. This two owner example shows a clean Carfax, 19,932 miles, and a TON of documents, records since new, and DRM-related literature. We might also mention that this is the ONLY Doug Rippie car painted in the desirable Bright Red! This car's paint is in very good to excellent condition, with a deep shine. ZR1-specific windshield is present, complete with its stealthy radar detector cutout, and typical light de-lamination of the coating. Glass top is in very good to excellent condition, showing no cracks or de-lamination. Weatherstripping on the A and B-pillars is in very good condition, showing just a few typical hairline cracks, and soft rubber. Window sweeps are in similar condition, with no cracks. Hatch seal looks to be original and is still very soft, showing the typical splits in the lower corners. A set of 1993-95 painted GM ZR1 wheels have been added, and are in very good to excellent condition with no curb rash or other flaws. Correct Goodyear Eagle GS-C tires are still mounted, showing an average of 5/32nds tread depth remaining in the front, and an average of 4/32nds in the rear. The interior of this 1992 Corvette Doug Rippie Black Widow ZR1 shows soft factory leather seat covers in very good to excellent condition, very good to excellent condition door panels, and a very good condition steering wheel and center console. Other additions to this car include DRM-installed 4.09 gears, exterior door handle scratch guards, mudflaps, door sill covers with the ZR1 logo, plush C4 logo floor mats, and a car cover. Included literature and other items consists of the original owner's manual portfolio (complete with unused keychain), VHS tape, delivery system cassette tape (sealed), Music System Sampler cassette tape, ratchet for the removable targa tops, April 1994 issue of Motor Trend (featuring a test drive article on a DRM car), June 1996 issue of Corvette Fever (featuring an article on the DRM engines), a photo of all 8 Doug Rippie Black Widow ZR1s taken in front of the National Corvette Museum, "Trends" 1 page article from the January 1994 issue of Motor Trend, miscellaneous copies of Doug Rippie-related articles from various publications, color copy of one page in Corvette Milestones regarding the DRM cars, The Heart of the Beast hardbound book (the definitive book for the C4 ZR1), Doug Rippie parts catalog, invoices for the modifications performed to the car by DRM, copy of an article detailing Jim Van Dorn's (owner of DRM #8) experience in letting Motor Trend use his DRM car for their test feature, a list of contact information for other Doug Rippie ZR1 owners, two sets of keys, and all records since the car was new. Subframe is corrosion-free. Chances of us getting our hands on another one of these cars anytime soon are slim to none -- act now, because once it's gone, it's gone! 19K Miles. Our Price: $44,999 or 10% down with payments as low as $787/month W.A.C.

[Kevin]

love the black widow cars...but $45 isn't going to happen

hum no mention of the coil overs that car should have, or the 12 disk cd changer

[cvette98pacecar]

Originally Posted by Kevin

love the black widow cars...but $45 isn't going to happen

hum no mention of the coil overs that car should have, or the 12 disk cd changer

Kevin, I had recently spoke with Doug Rippie about the black widow cars as my Aerobody Callaway was done during the same time period. Here is what I came to find out about the Black widow cars.
They are powder coated black, All 8 cars are different no two have the same mods, engine components vin# are stamped on the car.
That it. So personally for that money I would rather have a 415 car.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by cvette98pacecar

Kevin, I had recently spoke with Doug Rippie about the black widow cars as my Aerobody Callaway was done during the same time period. Here is what I came to find out about the Black widow cars.
They are powder coated black, All 8 cars are different no two have the same mods, engine components vin# are stamped on the car.
That it. So personally for that money I would rather have a 415 car.

I first heard about the black widow cars in 99 or 00 and I've seen black widow #2 more then a few times, love that car and hope to own it some day. I saw it for the first time that I remember with it's dymags on and now I want it even more. According to Jim VanDorn #6 should have:
465hp



Equipment: 1g Coil Over Shocks, 4.09 Gear, 94/95 ZR-1 5-spoke wheels.



Notes: Only '92 produced. Car currently has closed to 16,000 miles. Interior upgraded audio sound system and remotely operated CD 12-disc changer.


Don't get me wrong I love what the black widow cars are, I love what they represent and I'd love to own any one of the 8, but $45,000 for any zr-1 seems a bit high considering what the TT car went for. Should the market be higher, yes. Is it, no.

[tf95ZR1]

Originally Posted by Kevin

According to Jim VanDorn #6 should have:
465hp

Flywheel? That would be about 390 rear wheel. Humm....

Originally Posted by cvette98pacecar

So personally for that money I would rather have a 415 car.

Or Franks's 420. Hope my Mega numbers hit!

[Daniel_Mc]

That's Dr Jackson's old car he sold it back in the day for GS #802 that was a DRM 480 conversion. He always had a thing for sound systems in his cars. The BW to have IMHO would be #2 or JVD's #8. I believe the #3 is still in FL and still running the nitrous but it's been years since I've seen it. I never knew what one was totaled and sold to the guy in Australia. I'd like to know why the motor pictured in the ad is of BW #5?

Daniel

[Kevin]

daniel, how can you tell that's #5's motor

[bb62]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I first heard about the black widow cars in 99 or 00 and I've seen black widow #2 more then a few times, love that car and hope to own it some day. I saw it for the first time that I remember with it's dymags on and now I want it even more. According to Jim VanDorn #6 should have:
465hp



Equipment: 1g Coil Over Shocks, 4.09 Gear, 94/95 ZR-1 5-spoke wheels.



Notes: Only '92 produced. Car currently has closed to 16,000 miles. Interior upgraded audio sound system and remotely operated CD 12-disc changer.


Don't get me wrong I love what the black widow cars are, I love what they represent and I'd love to own any one of the 8, but $45,000 for any zr-1 seems a bit high considering what the TT car went for. Should the market be higher, yes. Is it, no.

It seems like the ZR-1 went off a cliff value-wise about 3 years ago (I know I paid way over what they are worth now just 4 years ago). I think the car has a number of (short term) collectability issues that have driven the prices down:

1. As with many "instant" collectables - too many Zero mile cars still out there. Just ask the 78 pace car guys who put their cars away by the multitude in wrappers.
2. Not classic enough syndrome. The newer Z06s and ZR1 are still..well...new compared with the C4 ZR-1. But the cars most view as "Classic" Corvettes ended with the (early) C3s. The ZR-1 is in that middle ground.
3. The economy pushed a lot of medium wealth ZR-1 owners to sell flooding the market with low price cars. As the economy has slowly come back, the interest in ZR-1s hasn't quite picked up.

Demand relative to supply will cure the problem. For that, it's going to take supply to go down. Yup, before our Zs start going up in value - significantly - about half of the produced Zs are going to have to be destroyed/parted-out/taken apart never to be restored/etc. Why half? Because that is roughly the percentage of C1s, C2s, and C3s left when they started to go up in value. Problem for the C4s in general and the ZR-1s specifically is that unlike the roughly 100K durability for the C1/2/3. The C4s seem to have 200K durability. That takes a lot of time to acquire - especially for all those garage queens (like mine).

[Daniel_Mc]

Originally Posted by Kevin

daniel, how can you tell that's #5's motor

BW #5 is the only Z25 optioned BW. You can see the Ruby Red paint on the bumper in the top of the picture. Looks like it is sitting in the NCM as well from the looks of the floor.

Daniel

[USAFPILOT]

End All Be All? really...I'd take an LPE415 before a DRM Black Widow any day of the week.