Lt5 Black Widow Zr

[Kevin]

I've seen black widow #2 in person, amazing car

[BBBAD94ZR1]

NICE.........................
Ray

[WB9MCW]

found this story on the DRM site itself !!!!




The Black Widow Project
In December 1992, at the 40th Anniversary Corvette Show in Palm Springs, California, Doug met Gary Cline the LT-5 Project Engineer for MerCruiser. At first they chatted. Then, as the evening grew longer, they started talking about ideas. Rippie listened and thought. He asked, "Whatta you think?" and "What if?" more than a few times. They agreed that the best idea of all would be to do more than talk.

"I think anyone who’s tops in his field wants to see what he’s created be all it can be," says Rippie. Cline, other MerCruiser LT-5 project engineers, and Lotus engineers who were involved in the project knew their engine was capable of higher performance than it had powering the ZR-1 Corvette. Doug Rippie was a kindred spirit. It was decided to work with him to produce a special LT-5 engine, the DRZ-500, also known as the "Black Engine" because each of the DRZ-500 engines produced was painted with special black paint and the "Black Widow" engine, from the nickname given by Jim Van Dorn to the eight DRM-converted ZR-1 Corvettes that are powered by DRZ-500 engines, one of which he owns.

Black Widow engine #4







The DRZ-500 engine resulted from the cooperative effort of Rippie, Cline and other MerCruiser engineers, Graham Behm of Lotus Engineering in England and Tim Holland of Lotus Engineering USA, and Chevrolet’s blessing. There were four versions:

405 horsepower DRZ-500s, 1990-92 model LT-5s updated to 1993 specifications
450 horsepower DRZ-500s, 1993 LT-5s, 50-state-legal
475 horsepower DRZ-500s, 50-state-legal
525 horsepower DRZ-500, a full race version

Special precision machining and porting, camshaft installation, and black painting was done at MerCruiser. DRM did the disassembly and assembly as well as calibration and emissions certification. There were only eight DRZ-500 engines produced, between March and July 1993, because production of the LT-5 was due to end in November of that year and time ran out to produce more than eight.

The "Black Widow" ZR-1 s powered by DRZ-500 engines are more than just an examples of why Rippie and his small band of midnight oil-burners are capable of producing. They formed a bridge between the race track and the street for DRM. High performance to Rippie is not only high horsepower. It is a finely balanced combination of power, handling and braking. To match the power of the DRZ-500, Rippie could do nothing less than develop suspension and brake packages for the ZR-1 Corvette with equally outstanding performance characteristics. The results, rave reviews by everybody who’s driven one converted by DRM to be a "Black Widow."

Since the last "Black Widow" was completed, DRM has gone on to convert ZR-1s into even more spectacular performers. The current top-of-the-line is the DRM 600 Corvette ZR-1, a direct descendent of the Black Widows powered by a 385 cubic inch 550hp engine that takes a mere 3.9 seconds to reach 60mph and just 19 seconds to 150mph covering the quarter-mile in only 11.8 seconds at 122mph. ZR-1 s converted to DRM 500 specifications, similar to the Black Widows, are powered by LT-5 engines ranging from 415hp to 475hp.

In August of 1996 a very special DRM LT-5 motor was tested in the desert at over 600 horsepower which produced 493 horsepower to the rear wheels. Everything learned by DRM has been adapted for application to all the ZR-1, LS-1, LT1/LT4 and L98 Corvettes it converts and to Camaros and Impala SSs. "Can you make me one of these.." resulted in a custom built tube frame chassis Corvette using lightweight stock components; "We know you’re the expert..." brings LT-5 factory authorized motor repairs to the DRM shop; and "Our new product would be perfect if we had your input..." creates more R & D opportunities for the Doug Rippie Motorsports team. When customers, vendors and competitors speak...Doug Rippie listens.

Everyone who’s ever driven a DRM-converted Corvette knows they run on the road like DRM race cars run on the track, up front. You only have to press the throttle pedal down or dive into a corner at speed to know that a DRM-converted Corvette is a precision driving machine....A car that responds almost intuitively and makes driving a uniquely exhilarating experience.


Believing that race cars belong on the race track, and not in a museum, DRM sold the car to a client in Switzerland, where it is winning races European circuit.


Race at Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring, 1995



In 1993, R.K.Smith nearly repeated as champion, finishing second only to Elliot Forbes-Robinson in a factory-backed Nissan 300ZX. By now, Chevrolet’s interest was shifting to the new Camaro and DRM followed. Bill Cooper finished the ‘93 season driving the DRM/Dieline Camaro. In 1994 he drove the Camaro to two wins, five poles and five top-five finishes in SCCA’s B class, helping Chevrolet capture the Manufacturers Championship

DRM would not return to SCCA in 1995. Instead Rippie would pursue a career-long dream – to compete in France at the 24 Hours of LeMans. This would prove to be the most challenging task ever undertaken by DRM.

Construction of the race car started in November of 1994 and would be the highest tech, custom bodied, built-from-scratch race car ever to come out of the DRM race shop. It would also be the first time they would race the LT5 power plant. In an effort to stay on schedule, Tommy Sapp and Mike Begley, of Sports Fab in Michigan, joined DRM’s crew for the grueling work schedule. The race car debuted four months later for testing at the 12 Hours of Sebring. After Sebring, testing and development would continue at B.I.R. and in June 1995 Rippie would live his dream by campaigning this car in the 24 Hours of LeMans.

Rippie’s high hopes for a great showing fell prey to the challenges of competing on foreign land. This left DRM with a bruised ego, but champions don’t roll over. While LeMans may not have resulted in the accolades DRM was accustomed to, the company did gain a great deal of invaluable experience. Experience that would allow them to continue to grow and branch out into new endeavors.


Doug testing a Speed Channel Challenge car in Arizona. Nov. 2000





Recently Doug and his crew have been building race cars for the Speed Channel World Challenge series and SCCA T-1 series along with the highly successful DRM C500/RSR and RS street legal cars. Much of the development that goes into our race cars filters down in to the street versions that is truly the core of DRM's business today.



HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED THE ARTICLE............................WB9MCW......... .................

[BBBAD94ZR1]

Good read.
Ray

[ZRWON]

[quote=WB9MCW]found this story on the DRM site itself !!!!


Believing that race cars belong on the race track, and not in a museum, DRM sold the car to a client in Switzerland, where it is winning races European circuit.
DRM would not return to SCCA in 1995. Instead Rippie would pursue a career-long dream – to compete in France at the 24 Hours of LeMans. This would prove to be the most challenging task ever undertaken by DRM.
Doug testing a Speed Channel Challenge car in Arizona. Nov. 2000
Recently Doug and his crew have been building race cars for the Speed Channel World Challenge series and SCCA T-1 series along with the highly successful DRM C500/RSR and RS street legal cars. Much of the development that goes into our race cars filters down in to the street versions that is truly the core of DRM's business today.
HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED THE ARTICLE]

THANKS for the additional info about the Black Widows and DRM Great input...I never tire of reading about this great ERA in Vette History.

[cwmoss]

Only seen pictures and read articles. Wish I could afford one.

[ZRWON]

Here's another link to Black Widow info. This one is Van Dorn answering the question, go here http://zr1netregistry.com/ZR1_faq.htm#66 and scan down to "Frequently asked question, QUESTION: What is this ZR-1 "Black Motor I hear about?"