1990 Power Key Emblem Color

[Joelbbvette]

There appears to be two Power/Valet keys out there for our 1990 ZR-1s. Early keys are yellow backgrounds for the emblems while later ones have a black background.


For people with known original keys to your car, can you provide color and VINs? When did the switch happen?


Thanks
Joel

[TX '90 ZR1]

Originally Posted by Joelbbvette

There appears to be two Power/Valet keys out there for our 1990 ZR-1s. Early keys are yellow backgrounds for the emblems while later ones have a black background.


For people with known original keys to your car, can you provide color and VINs? When did the switch happen?


Thanks
Joel

My Z is '90 #442. I would call that pretty early. Built October "89.
I have 2 power keys. At least one I am pretty sure came with the car. The second is in an original GM box that I purchased. Both are "D" stamped which is the code for '90. Both also have black checkered on the left and red on the right with a light background. Don't know if I would call it really yellow, but a color that leans a bit towards silvery. Definitely not a black background.

[spork2367]

Originally Posted by TX '90 ZR1

My Z is '90 #442. I would call that pretty early. Built October "89.
I have 2 power keys. At least one I am pretty sure came with the car. The second is in an original GM box that I purchased. Both are "D" stamped which is the code for '90. Both also have black checkered on the left and red on the right with a light background. Don't know if I would call it really yellow, but a color that leans a bit towards silvery. Definitely not a black background.

The background on all keys is brushed aluminum. The 91-91 keys all have a red bowtie on black. The 90 keys have that, but also a gold bowtie with a black outline on red, as per the picture in post one.

[TX '90 ZR1]

Originally Posted by spork2367

The background on all keys is brushed aluminum. The 91-91 keys all have a red bowtie on black. The 90 keys have that, but also a gold bowtie with a black outline on red, as per the picture in post one.

Thanks for the clarification. The background inside the bowtie you are talking about on both of mine are black.

[Reichert]

Interesting. I only have one key, and the sticker is missing completely, so I can't add any data points. However I note that the emblem with the gold bowtie matches the engine emblem paint job in my car. Are the engine emblems similarly split in color scheme?

Sent from my moto g(6) play using ZR-1 Net Registry mobile app

[TX '90 ZR1]

I sometimes wonder if we tend to over analyze?
Posts like this one raise my curiosity and I get to digging! Not really sure why. I suppose my desire to know.
As I stated above, mine is '90 #442. I am relatively certain one of the power keys I have is original to the car and it has the black background. The second key I have also has the black background, but it is not original to the car as it is still in a NOS box with the ring.
The cam cover emblems on the car both have a yellow background. I also have noticed that the hood and fuel door emblems have yellow backgrounds. I have both of the originals along with a replacement set and they are all the same.
Digging deeper: The emblem on the owners manual has a yellow background. The cover for the video tape in the "Pizza Box" has the yellow as well.
And one more: In the coffee table book which is in the "Pizza Box", there is a photo of the power key. It is not easy to tell, but it appears the background on it might be yellow. I would think this photo would have been taken before the first '90 production car.
To address the 1 or 2 key with new delivery issue: When I took delivery of the '90 I bought new, I am relatively certain I received 2 "Complete" sets of keys. Whether all were delivered with 2 full sets I am not sure. I have heard that they were supposed to have 2 sets, but can not verify that they were.
To sum it up: Do we sometimes look for the proverbial needle in the haystack when we are not sure there is even a haystack?
Remember, we are dealing with the dis-jointed internal operations of a huge multi-national corporation that probably could not care less what color the key was we got with our car!

[Joelbbvette]

Mine came with the black background with red bowtie for VIN 277, October build car. I purchased an over the counter key which has the yellow and red, that is what got me curious. I am not at home so I can't pull them out right now.


Kenny, as for your comments about GM not caring. I agree 100% as long as the key worked. So it is just my curiosity also as to when the change might have happened. Spare parts would have to be out early to support delivery of the cars.


Hopefully we will get some more really early cars to chime in.


Joel

[efnfast]

My 90, #1786 has keys as pictured in post #3

[spork2367]

Originally Posted by efnfast

My 90, #1786 has keys as pictured in post #3

You have to zoom in, post number 3 is two different 1990 keys.

[WVZR-1]

I'm quite sure that there would have been NO '90 cars delivered with the '91+ LOGO. I've seen the '91+ LOGO on keys purchased through GM SPO previously on the correct D blank.

If the 'KEY LOGO' matches the hood/fuel door emblem I'd think it's safe to assume it's likely original or a correctly boxed '90 through GM SPO.

What's odd/unusual is that I actually have a '90 style cylinder with appropriate pinning for the '91+ blank and I'm sure it's a GM production product. Only original bezels are correctly crimped.

'90 cylinder w/'91+ 'H' blank and correct LOGO and 73L0 'knock-out'