1989 ZR-1 #058 LT5 is liberated!

[1989ZR1#74]

Being the compulsive 1989 collector I couldn't resist the 1989 LT5 that was on ebay, so I bought it. It turns out this is a 1989 LT5:



The vin stamp:




The MM Stamp:



The DIS:

[1989ZR1#74]

Now what makes this neat, is a picture I found in the January 1990 Vette Magazine:



Look close at the last engine:




Hard to see on that scan, but here is the LT5 in front of it:



So there it is at Mercury Marine!!

[1989ZR1#74]

Now I have documented that the France press cars fall in the #055 to #068 VIN range. #069 is the Yellow Geneva car. So this could be a France Press engine. The Build Sheet for #058 shows that it originally was a DRM/Black Leather/Blue Tint car. It could be this one:



I have documented only one France Press ZR-1 that meets that color combination.

On the other hand Dave McLellan's book states that a few of those Late January/Early February 1989 produced ZR-1s were held back in the USA for futher testing. So #058 may be one that stayed behind. Would make sense since Dave also told us that all of the France cars stayed in Europe. I only know of two in that range to have any identifiable parts left, this one and #062's LT5 still exists.

[bdw18_123]

Funny, I've had the ebay listing for that LT5 in my watch list for a long time! I probably would have bought it if I had the money. That's cool that the whole thing is a prototype and not just the plenum. I kinda suspected it was.

The other LT5 that sold on ebay (year unknown) with the lingenfelter plenum was tempting too, sold for only $3,750. But again with the no money crap.

[1989ZR1#74]

Originally Posted by bdw18_123

Funny, I've had the ebay listing for that LT5 in my watch list for a long time! I probably would have bought it if I had the money. That's cool that the whole thing is a prototype and not just the plenum. I kinda suspected it was.

The other LT5 that sold on ebay (year unknown) with the lingenfelter plenum was tempting too, sold for only $3,750. But again with the no money crap.

I waited until the listing was about over and submitted an offer that was lower then they wanted so I did get it for less. The LT5 originally came out of a salvage yard in the Detroit area that went out of business. SMC bought all of their engines.

That 1990 LT5 was neat too. I was real tempted on that one, but I didn't want to buy both. The 90 was out of VIN #002 so that was a special GM scrap LT5.

I am glad I now have lots of spare parts for #074

[ZZZZZR1]

Unreal documentation!!!!!!!!!

Nice going Eric!



David

[Tyler Townsley]

Originally Posted by 1989ZR1#74

Now I have documented that the France press cars fall in the #055 to #068 VIN range. #069 is the Yellow Geneva car. So this could be a France Press engine. The Build Sheet for #058 shows that it originally was a DRM/Black Leather/Blue Tint car. It could be this one:



I have documented only one France Press ZR-1 that meets that color combination.

On the other hand Dave McLellan's book states that a few of those Late January/Early February 1989 produced ZR-1s were held back in the USA for futher testing. So #058 may be one that stayed behind. Would make sense since Dave also told us that all of the France cars stayed in Europe. I only know of two in that range to have any identifiable parts left, this one and #062's LT5 still exists.

I would not trust Daves memory that much. He once told me they made no 88s. That picture was in Europe right? Were there 2 DRM ones in the Paris vins?

Tyler

[Eric870]

Congratulations Eric, I was considering that motor. it was my back-up if the deal did not work out on mine . I did know it was an 89 because you told us at BG but i had reservations because it was to far from me to go see it.

Can you tell me the build date?
How you decypher it?
how did you figure out it was #375
what Does #375 mean?
Does it mean it's the 375th engine made a mercury marine?
What are your plans for the motor?

I'm interrested in seeing the differences between a pilot and production motor. Do you plan on archeological disassembly project.

Eric

[1989ZR1#74]

Originally Posted by Tyler Townsley

I would not trust Daves memory that much. He once told me they made no 88s. That picture was in Europe right? Were there 2 DRM ones in the Paris vins?

Tyler

I agree memorys are always questionable, but at the seminar when Dave said they all stayed behind, others also confirmed that.

Did they make 1988 ZR-1s? Can you show me a build sheet or SPI with ZR1 on it... HAHAHa

There were 4 DRM 89s in France. 2 with black leather 2 with Saddle leather. One black had a painted top the other had a blue tint top (like #58) the two saddle cars had a painted top and a bronze tint top.

[1989ZR1#74]

Originally Posted by Eric870

Congratulations Eric, I was considering that motor. it was my back-up if the deal did not work out on mine . I did know it was an 89 because you told us at BG but i had reservations because it was to far from me to go see it.

Can you tell me the build date?
How you decypher it?
how did you figure out it was #375
what Does #375 mean?
Does it mean it's the 375th engine made a mercury marine?
What are your plans for the motor?

I'm interrested in seeing the differences between a pilot and production motor. Do you plan on archeological disassembly project.
Eric

Eric, I told everyone there they could own this 89 LT5 didn't I? I waited until the last day of the listing before I pulled the trigger! It has been up there for over 4 months.

Before 1990 production motors started, MM would stamp the assembly date and an overall sequence number on the oil pan boss. When 1990 began they did a date based sequence. So if an LT5 was made on the 1st of June it would have a sequnce specific to the 1st of June. on the 2nd of June they would start at #01 again. So 375 means it was the 375th LT5 built at MM before the 1990 model year LT5s.

THe build "assembly" date as seen in the photo is 12/20/1988

I will go over this LT5 and see what I can see. I need to make sure it's a runner. There are lots of little changes between the two. I will try to post them here as I can show them... Stay tuned! Eric