ZR-1....Lost in the past?

[cuisinartvette]

Taken the 90 to a few local cruises, nobody even notices this thing, or even knows what it is, even one guy who parked next to me in a C5 blew it off as a TPI
No wonder people got p'd for paying 65k and getting no props...Occasionally get the 60'ish guy in a late Beemer who will pace it on the fwy and pull up giving the nod though..That is all

[Bill]

A couple of weeks ago I had 2 kids pull up next to me at a light. They were checking the Z out. The driver asked “Is that a real ZR-1?” When I answered “yes”, I got a pair of


thumbs up plus the grins on their faces was worth the price of admission. If people don’t realize what a ZR1 is, it should remind you how rare your car is. Remember there were fewer ZR1s made total, than Z06s made each year!

[Z Factor]

Originally Posted by cuisinartvette

Taken the 90 to a few local cruises, nobody even notices this thing, or even knows what it is, even one guy who parked next to me in a C5 blew it off as a TPI
No wonder people got p'd for paying 65k and getting no props...Occasionally get the 60'ish guy in a late Beemer who will pace it on the fwy and pull up giving the nod though..That is all

My experience is just the opposite. I don't really go to shows with my ZR-1, but one night I went to a meeting of a Z Club (for Datsun/Nissans) in Broward county and it was at a car show. My 300ZX was under the weather, so I went up in my real Z .

Anyway, everyone was drooling over it in our section. Eventually so many members showed up I had to move the ZR-1 over to the Corvette section. I left it there and walked back to finish a beer with a few of the guys. When I came back over to the Corvette section at least 8 people were peering into the cabin and walking around it. I was listening to them asking each other who's it was, and were the tires really that wide from the factory. One guy said wait until the owner shows up and opens up the hood, then you will know what makes the ZR-1 special. So I had lurked and observed enough, and walked up and unlocked her. The questions and compliments kept coming for a good 15 minutes. Keep in mind there were some other very nice vettes there like a '63 split window, a '66 big block tuxedo black with red guts, a few 40th anniversary's, and a ton of C5's with some Z06's as well.

So have no fear, there are plenty of people out there that will marvel at your car given the opportunity.

[Aurora40]

Just yesterday I stopped by the local Friday car scene after work. There was a 2000 FRC guy who came over to check out under the hood, and I noticed several other people looking at the engine bay for a bit. It was cold and dark and only about 5-10 cars showed up, so there wasn't much looking going on, but people had to look at that LT5.

On the way home, a guy in an SSR made a special point to pull along side me at a light, and he was just gushing about what a great car I had.

People remember it.

[Patton]

Thats really wierd, My problem is half my gas stops end in me being late to wherever I was going, I get somebody coming up asking me what year it was and if it has the DOHC engine, quite a few have asked if its "the twin turbo" for some reason.
Walking out of Fry's electronics one day a guy was doing the giving the Z the ole walkaround and told me he had been dreaming of a ZR-1 ever since '89 and he new ALOT about the LT-5 and its developement history. Even new the change in output in 93 and the fact that they were only made from 90-95, an obvious car guy. He pulled along side me at the light while leaving the parking lot, he was driving a yellow 360 Modena!! We rolled down windows and I said wholy **** we should have been checking his car out the whole time! He said "no way, the modena is a dime a dozen compared to mine.". We went in different directions from there, would have been nice to run em for a few lights,... He didnt look like the type anyway though. It really suprised me how much respect the guy had for the Z ESPECIALLY being a goddamn Ferrari owner!

[Z Factor]

Funny I thought of this thread today when I was gassing up my ZR-1 ($2.54 for premium)

A guy in a Beemer pulled up who was in his 30's and asked about it. He did not know much about ZR-1's, but heard that "they were bad". He had a M3 and said he had 333HP under the hood, but would not dream of taking on a ZR-1.

The legend lives.

[Patton]

WHOA,... that is just too freakin WIERD. Today, SAME EXACT THING.
Makin a petrol stop, guy in his mid 30's in an M3 pulled up and actually said "Holy shyt a ZR-1!" hopped out and enthusiatically checked her out. He actually knew alot about the Z though, said his brother had a '90. What are the odds?

[tomtom72]

This thread is full of things that I've experienced! Some people have no idea what a ZR-1 is and some people can give you chapter and verse. I found that more young kids, teens, know the car??? A lot of guys my age, 53, forgot about it but remember when prompted. Real car people, no matter what they drive, know it when they see it & know about it.

I went on a run with Kerbeck Chevrolet in aid of the Toys For Tots charity. We had 150 corvettes show up for the cruise. If you don't count Mr. Kerbecks yellow 90 there were only two other ZR-1's in the crowd. My 90 and Garth's 95. Just two out of a gathering of 150 corvettes, heck even the 06/ZO6's out numbered the ZR-1's on this run!!!

ZFactor is right, we have a rare corvette! We had almost every generation at the run. There was even a 63 coupe w/FI, C2/427's, 4 06/ZO6's, no C3 LT-1's and I didn't see any C1's and just two ZR-1's that drove to this run.


Tom

[LeoLily]

Living in Boulder, CO there are alot of really hot cars. I have seen Ferraris, Lotuses, Vipers, 'vettes, etc. but in the 2 months we have driven our '90 Z (mostly weekends) we have noticed heads turning right and left when we go out for a cruise. Even folks who don't know recognize a ZR1 still stop and look. So, keep the faith! As long we love to drive 'em, heads will turn!

[Jim Jones]

I agree completely. I have seen more Lotus Elises in the past year in my city of about 55,000 than I have ZR-1's. I haven't really talked to anyone around here that knows what it is. They think it's just another Corvette. (Like there is such a thing)

Jim