Scariest ZR-1 risks

[Ccmano]

Originally Posted by DRM500RUBYZR-1

We have "awakened" quite a few long slumbering ZR-1's.

My single biggest concern is the amount of rust found in ALL of the fuel tanks of low mile moth balled cars.
Pumps, sender, filter and flush are essential, but if the tank was not fully cleansed of the 2 cups of rust that inhabit the bottom then your ride could be short lived.

1990 Fuel Injectors are intolerant of today's alcohol.
However if as you say it is running "good" then you may make it home and can deal with their replacement at that point, but they do need to be replaced.

Coolant? I would check it carefully

Clutch fluid, see that is changed before you go, or you will not get very far.

Brake Fluid!!!! Make sure it is not mud.

Look at the oil, and if you are not certain when it was changed, change it!
Change it again once home.

Feel free to drive on the original tires, however jumping off of a cliff would be even more expedient. Clear?

Is it an early 90?
Do records show any cam tensioner replacement?
If yes and no, then I would be careful.
Re- awakened LT-5's will have lifters that continue to leak down for a few run in hours after coming back to life.
90 early cam tensioners will make quite a racket, especially on one side.
Those noises will startle you!
If the injectors begin to degrade during your trip, and missing occurs,the noise from the dual mass flywheel will drown out the cam and lifter noises and might cause you to soil the seats a bit.

If the car had 2500-5000 miles, I would have far less concerns for a 2000 maiden to you voyage.

A car with only a few hundred?
I would suggest a less rigorous introduction.
But if you handle the above, and the car truly is running good, then have at it, but be very vigilant, remembering that all the hoses, belt, seals etc. are nearing 30 years of age.

A few 50 mile jaunts, then a few hundred, will reveal the real answer.
I would not want to have" Get there-itis" in such a car, but if you have plenty of time and keep an eye on all, again given the above, it would be a great way to come up with a get-ready punch list, and to get to know your new car.

Marty

Marty knows what he is talking about, especially when it comes to these low mile cars.
H

[karlaw]

Get a proper shipping cost.
Then carefully calculate your minimum cost to fly, motels, food, and gas, as well as fluid changes, tires, new battery, serpentine belt, time off work, insurance, then compare to shipping cost.
Then consider this: what if you encounter a infamous no start on the 2nd or 3rd day ? And you are far from any mechanic that has experience on these cars ? How many days of downtime and hundreds of dollars of garage bills are you willing to spend halfway to home ? I have 2 ZR-1 cars here with the dreaded No Start, and they been sitting for months as I keep trying to get them to fire.
Even if it was a more simple ride, like a Chevy pickup truck, I would do the shipping choice.
If it costs a couple hundred extra to ship, it is well worth knowing you won't be stranded.
If the car was only 10 years old with 100,000 miles, much better chance of having no problems.
I love these ZR-1 cars, but as with any C4 corvette, they are not the most comfortable car for a longer trip.



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[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by karlaw

Get a proper shipping cost.
Then carefully calculate your minimum cost to fly, motels, food, and gas, as well as fluid changes, tires, new battery, serpentine belt, time off work, insurance, then compare to shipping cost.
Then consider this: what if you encounter a infamous no start on the 2nd or 3rd day ? And you are far from any mechanic that has experience on these cars ? How many days of downtime and hundreds of dollars of garage bills are you willing to spend halfway to home ? I have 2 ZR-1 cars here with the dreaded No Start, and they been sitting for months as I keep trying to get them to fire.
Even if it was a more simple ride, like a Chevy pickup truck, I would do the shipping choice.
If it costs a couple hundred extra to ship, it is well worth knowing you won't be stranded.
If the car was only 10 years old with 100,000 miles, much better chance of having no problems.
I love these ZR-1 cars, but as with any C4 corvette, they are not the most comfortable car for a longer trip.
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If that Infamous No Start you describe........just put trans in 2nd gear with clutch in and key on.....one person can just push it a bit and you then pop the clutch.......wowza........it fires right up

For your ZR-1s that do not fire......just push start and if you park it....make sure you are on flat surface and can push it forward a few feet.

I think you can even push it backwards in reverse and fire it up

That I call the famous start

I have taken a ZR-1 on several 2,000 mile trips and they are very comfortable with all the seat controls

Common guys....quit trying to scare the fun out of this deal

Ya....I and a couple others are saying "Drive It" and like any ZR-1 something weird can happen albeit it be rare especially if you give it a test drive first.

You might be surprised to know (I am guessing) how many ZR-1s have original belts and original Trans, Diff, Brake, Clutch Fluids. And.......Original Injectors, starters, alternators, tires......and they are on the road every day.

I have bought several of these ZR-1s with 40,000-80,000 miles on them and correct all that original stuff with my Standard Top End Restorations which sometimes includes new Pilot Roller Bearing. and clutch disc. Some of these I drove home.

All of the ones I drove home....two of us drove out so had second car just in case

[Young1]

I appeal to the original posters personality and mechanical aptitude. Remember the Viagra commercial where the guy with the 69 Camaro calmly pours water into his radiator? Some of us are like that and handle whatever comes our way with adventure. But others find all the what if's stressful and no fun. Toy cars are not always practical. But they should always be fun and enjoyable. It could be stressful to have people work on your car way out of town that you are not familiar with and do not trust. OP above all enjoy yourself in whatever decision you do make.


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[32valvesftw]

BMW Motorcycles owners association publishes BMW Anonymous every year. It a book of addresses and contact numbers for other BMW owners that will help you out in a jam.
We have a much fewer folks in our group here with the Zs but still we have people in pretty much most states. Perhaps you put out a route plan and we give you some contacts for folks in those areas that can help you out if you need it.

[XfireZ51]

Originally Posted by t3404eo

I'm close to purchasing a 90 Z with 600 miles and since I'm not interested in owing a trailer queen, I'm thinking of driving it home (2200 miles) for the joy of seeing the USA in my Chevrolet. It's had a battery and the fuel pumps replaced including a flush of the fuel tank and I'm told it "runs great". What are the scariest issues I might face if I attempted to drive it home vs. shipping?

If u r bringing the car back to Michigan, it needs to come thru Chicago. Have it dropped off there.

[Paul Workman]

Originally Posted by XfireZ51

If u r bringing the car back to Michigan, it needs to come thru Chicago. Have it dropped off there.

Good point!

[Ls7/Ls9 Test Engineer]

Well, in my case I weighed out the risks of low mile cars vs high mile units and bought a 30k mile Z. I decided to go for it and I drove it home to Michigan from NC. 16 hr trip. Not a single issue. It wasn’t the smartest leap of faith, but it’s great knowing I went for it! If you have the means to deal with anything which may occur, then just go for it. It’s a memory you’ll remember either way..


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[randy ransome]

I say Go for it. I bought a highly modded ZR-1 in Texas and drove it home to Olive Branch, MS. It's 13 hours and the trip was trouble free. Can something happen? sure but if you're not pressed for time and you're ready for adventure,do it.

[karlaw]

If driving it home, great idea to get a list of other owners in your route, and a list of corvette shops as well.


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