Tell me about the ZR-1...

[SVTBlackBolt]

A good friend of mine has one...one word..SICK..it has a tuner package on it..Dont know the specs or anything yet as he hasnt recieved it back,just seen on it video..But i just want to know more about these cars..

I know its a 32v V8 from Marina Mercury, and what not..but tell me more about them..if you raced one, how they feel,etc...just curious of what i hear is an awesome car, and possibly the best Vette ever..My dad has a Z06 and that thing is incredible..so hows the ZR-1 compare?

 

[SID297]

GM should have carried over that engine into other cars.

 

[Sinister04L]

ZR1 and the 02 Z06 are very comparable. ZR1 came out in 90 I believe, "King of the Hill." I believe an 02 Z06 will outrun it, but not by much. They're both great cars.

 

[03CobraBro]

SVTBlackBolt.

I'm as much of a fan of the Corvette, as 03DOHC is... But I absolutely love the ZR-1 (says alot comming from me). 5.7 liter quad cam developed by Lotus, built by Mercury Marine.

I'd love to own one someday.

I think the car gets alot of critisism from a handful of vette owners (esspecailly C5 owners) because the car cost so much back then, and parts for it were very expensive. (typical opinions from Vette owners who claim they arent bargain shoppers :rollseyes)

Best source of info on this car can be found at www.ZR1.net.

Best place to start learning about the car http://www.zr1.net/ZR1_faq.html .

There were a handful of Black Widow LT5 ZR-1's that had over 475hp . One of the black widow engines they planned on releasing as a 1993 40th anniv ZR-1 was going to have a 525hp LT5 Blackwidow. (which they planned on releasing in 1994 as the 40th anniversery)

According to the registry, and the video that the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY runs, the reason those cars never went production is because they didnt want to take any of the luster away from the upcomming C5 at the time.

 

[Sinister04L]

Here's another little tidbit I read in an article once. The ZR1 was originally slated to have a 5.7L twin turbo motor in it instead of the LT5, but was scrapped at the last minute because GM "didn't see turbocharging becoming popular." Idiots.

 

[03CobraBro]

Originally posted by 03CobraHopeful
Here's another little tidbit I read in an article once. The ZR1 was originally slated to have a 5.7L twin turbo motor in it instead of the LT5, but was scrapped at the last minute because GM "didn't see turbocharging becoming popular." Idiots.

Man, thats ironic as hell, since the 1989 25th anniversery Turbo Trans-Am with the Buick LC2 beat the 1990 ZR-1 in all of there quarter/top speed tests.

The TTA mustered a top speed of 174mph with the assistance of a 6-speed manual tranny out of a Vette at the time.

Not trying to take away from the ZR-1, but I just thought that was pretty ironic, since it seems the LC2's turned out to be much more popular than the LT5.

 

[Sinister04L]

Originally posted by 03CobraBro
Man, thats ironic as hell, since the 1989 25th anniversery Turbo Trans-Am with the Buick LC2 beat the 1990 ZR-1 in all of there quarter/top speed tests.

The TTA mustered a top speed of 174mph with the assistance of a 6-speed manual tranny out of a Vette at the time.

Not trying to take away from the ZR-1, but I just thought that was pretty ironic, since it seems the LC2's turned out to be much more popular than the LT5.

89 TTA = :coolman:

:rockon:

 

[SVTHorsnake]

A friend of mine has a ZR-1 with little mods and it kicks my ass!


:beer:

 

[ZincDude]

It's amazing how you forget about certain production cars until one lights you up!!

 

[SVTBlackBolt]

So no Blackwidow ever saw production? That sucks!!...Those cars are amazing for being 10 years old..

Wow man those links you gave me have just about EVERYTHING on the ZR-1..even what Battery to use..lol..thanks:thumbsup:

Well if anybody has anymore personal stories keep em' coming...i feel like i'm about to buy one!!

 

[SVTADVISOR]

The engine's were built by a group of women at the mercury marine plant in oklahoma. Each one was dyno tuned and then put in the car. I have driven 2 of them. When you hit the throttle it sounds like your driving a Winston Cup Car.
The 89 Aniversary Turbo Trans Am would Run with the ZR-1 but the TA was an automatic not a 6-speed. If you find one ask them if they have ever replaced the starter on the car. That will cost about 800.00 to fix!

 

[VettTheRipper]

What was most amazing about those motors was their response to mods. There are actually some examples around with well over 500 to the wheels, and that's N/A, but the cost to mod them is insane.

 

[ALLNTRL]

Just another little tidbit of info., Callaway actually built a few Twin-turbo ZR-1's. If my memory serves me right they made between 700-800 HP!!!! I have a picture of a 1992 Callaway TT ZR-1 Speedster on a Dream Cars calendar at work. :-D

 

[horseplay]

the zr1 is bad a$$, the 375 hp and 405 are both bad boys, they run anywhere from 13.5-12.9's and even lower, correct me if im wrong, they also made a convertible zr-1 and only " 1 " was made , well i love the zr-1 and z06 :beer:

 

[cobravert03]

Originally posted by ALLNTRL
Just another little tidbit of info., Callaway actually built a few Twin-turbo ZR-1's. If my memory serves me right they made between 700-800 HP!!!! I have a picture of a 1992 Callaway TT ZR-1 Speedster on a Dream Cars calendar at work. :-D

I believe it (or one a year or two before it) was called the Sledgehammer. It was not stripped out at all (had AC, radio, etc.). They drove it to the track and broke 200mph.

 

[IEatGt's]

90 ZR-1's were 375 hp and had 2 bolt mains. the later 405 hp cars had 4 bolt mains. Apparently they're hard to launch at the dragstrip. not enough rpm's, it bogs... too many rpm's, it torches the rear end. A good friend of mine has a 90 ZR-1 and an 01 Z06. The ZR-1 was(emphasis on was) the fastest street car I had ever ridden in. He has some mods on it: LT's, h-pipe, catback, upper intake machining/ extrude honing, K&N w/ airbox mod. Nothing too crazy. In 4th gear, at speed, you can watch that damned digitl speedo jump 7 and 9 mph at a time!!! 98, 107, 114, sick!!
I think it runs 12.6's. His bone stock Z06 runs 12.4!!! If the modded 03 Cobras are blowing off Z06's I've got to go for a ride in a Cobra... that's all I can say.

 

[Sinister04L]

Originally posted by cobravert03
I believe it (or one a year or two before it) was called the Sledgehammer. It was not stripped out at all (had AC, radio, etc.). They drove it to the track and broke 200mph.

The Sledgehammer wasn't a ZR1, it was a custom built twin turbo car. Like you said, not stripped down at all, a true street car, and ran 254mph. It had a little left, but they were afraid to take it any faster. That blows away the Lingenfelter TT 427, McLaren F1, etc etc, and this was back in 89!

:rockon:

 

[horseplay]

yep the sledgehammer could've went faster than 254 mph, 800 hp turbocharged vette, and yes it would blow a ligenfelter 427 tt away :rockon:

 

[Dino S.]

funny tidbit about the ZR-1:

It features a "valet key", meaning you could cut half the cylinders off at any time. The funny part is, that in the manual, it actually suggests you use this feature when you let your wife/girlfriend drive it!

 

[1BADZ06]

these mustange boys sure do know your cars !!!

My dad has a 95 zr1, purple 1 of 25 ever made. 405 hp with the KEY that goes from 250 or close to that to 405 hp when on. I know I want to run him but he protects that thing and never drives it. They are suppost to make pretty good hrs with very few mods, like headers and air intake, my dad ran a 12.0 quarter mile.

Just my 2 cents