Which ZR-1 Do I Buy?

[Obiwan]

Hello all,

After 4 years without a ZR-1 during a brief soiree into the classic Mopar muscle department, I have decided to buy another ZR-1. I just can't go much longer without owning the definitive American muscle car from my generation. I have my eyes set on a couple of cars which are being sold for the same price however I cannot decide which way to go. They both appear to be very nice cars but they are very different from each other.

The first Z has fairly low millage (32K) and is bone stock and original. The car has been well taken care of and looks fantastic on the inside and out. I have ran through the ZR-1 Net Registry buyers guide checklist with the seller and everything appears to be checking out. The car has some service records, it's pizza box and both tops. The only problem with it is that it is boring. If I purchase the car, I going to end up porting the top end, chip, headers exhaust etc. My concern with this car is the money I'm going to end up spending to get it where I want performance wise, and believe it or not, it's millage. My previous ZR-1 had 8K on it when I sold it and I had numerous issues with dried out vacuum lines, gaskets, seals, and injectors from not the car not being driven prior to my buying it.

The second Z has higher millage (80K) but has already received all of the mods I would end up performing on the other car and much more. This Z has been meticulously maintained and looks as good cosmetically than the low millage car. This Z has all of it's service records and they indicate that some major cost inducing repairs have already been addressed such as: new clutch, injectors, water pump, speaker amps, CD player, and brakes. The car did have a blown head gasket at around 65k which was documented along with photos of the block, liners, pistons, heads, and valves to prove that no damage was done to the motor itself. The owner attributed the damage to a mechanic using the wrong anti-freeze and replaced both head gaskets at that time with Jerry's. My concern with this car is obviously the millage and longevity of the engine although slapping some much larger pistons in it would be the natural progression if things did go south.

So that's my conundrum. I look forward to, and appreciate any and all insight.

Best regards,

Obiwan

[A1990]

You don't mention the MY of each of the cars, but based upon "pizza box" the first one is MY 90-91.

You mention that you would want to do some mods to the car that the second one already has. If you are unable to do these yourself, you are looking at $6-10K to do these mods.

Does the first car (stock) have the injectors changed? Again, if you can't do these repairs yourself you are looking at $$ for injectors and then when the plenum is off, coils, wires, vacuum lines, etc.

The second car may have a lot of the common C4 issues sorted out along with the common ZR-1 problems, plus it has the mods you want.

What is the color of each of these cars?

If you wanted a stock ZR-1 and the choice is these two, then car A, if you do want to mod a car and you can't do a lot of the work yourself, car B.

[mike100]

I find it difficult on how to answer your question since you have already owned one and probably have a good knowledge and opinion on all the different years..

My feeling is that I would either get a later car to get the newer interior and the newest ZR-1 possible, or a high mileage deal for closer to $10-$12k. The car i have now was acquired with 27k mi on it and it hadn't hardly been driven in 4 years. The list of repairs and TLC was quite a bit more than I thought it would be, but it has been nice to be sporting a good daily drivable car that still has a near pristine interior. I would probably forgo that on another go around and get as cheap as one as reasonably possible.

[RICKYRJ1]

I bought a stock Z and spent $ modding it. If I had to to it again I would look for one that was well modded. These car are great in stock form but are soooo much better modded. The 500hp packages are so proven now that they are becoming the new starting point in performance. Buy the one that your gut tells you to. Just remember if you by stock and then get bit by the mod bug, your wallet is in for a world of hurt. Good luck & keep, us posted.
I would love to buy that 95 black/red that is for sale now but my choice is a new garage or anothe Z.

[XfireZ51]

Once you start modding the car, you won't want to stop driving it. These things are tooooo much fun once you get over the 500hp mark. Sort of like "rapture of the deep" for you scuba guys. You just want to keep diving deeper.

[cvette98pacecar]

Originally Posted by XfireZ51

Once you start modding the car, you won't want to stop driving it. These things are tooooo much fun once you get over the 500hp mark. Sort of like "rapture of the deep" for you scuba guys. You just want to keep diving deeper.

I agree with Dom, I have two and I drive the 500hp Aerobody more than the Ruby.
Does the second top and pizza box really matter?

[Obiwan]

Thanks for the replies so far. Both cars are 91s and both actually have dual tops and pizza boxes/owners kits. The lower millage car is a rare white with blue interior (strange combo but I like it) the higher millage modded car is also a rare turquoise with black interior. I LOVE turquoise, it could be because I'm a 70's baby that never missed an episode of Miami Vice. Let me be clear, I would not want that color on any of today's cars but I think that it is perfect on a car from that time period. I am still waiting to hear back from the seller of the white 32K car in reference to weather or not the injectors have been swapped out. That point will be moot anyway when I eventually pull the plenum and ih's off to port them. I have also been casually looking at the 93 40th in ruby from VA that is for sale here on the registry marketplace but it's a little more $ and is completely stock as well.

Obiwan

[A1990]

Does the turquoise car have Fikse's?

[scottfab]

Some good questions already have been asked
(MY, color, etc)
I would forget the asking prices.
Come up with, based on what you're going to do to the car, an offering price
for each car.
Let each car owner know whats' up, that you will bid on one car then the other if it doesn't pan out.
Make your offer to each car the amount YOU think they are worth to YOU.
Of course if one is red and the other is not
the the choice would have to be red.

[Kevin]

I have two spare painted tops and a spare 90 pizza box. I'm set for my next car.
Get the modded one


Edit: who did the mods