ZR1 - Revisited

I had so many visitors when I ran the ZR1 article, I thought there might be a little more interest out there for more info on the current model.

If you'd like to Read All About It, I'm not going to reinvent the wheel. A good friend of mine who advertises with me on this site has already done the lion's share of the work by putting together a great article on this beast.

You can read his information by clicking HERE. It's very detailed and probably contains everything you ever wanted to know about the 2009 ZR1.

It's a great site, not only for the ZR1, but also for a lot of other exotic automobiles.

Check it out. You'll be impressed, I'm sure.

Meguiar's Giveaway

You guys and gals have been coming here for quite some time, and I haven't given anything away yet. So, I've decided to offer something in return for your continued visits. It's a product I love. And I'm sure if you try it, you'll love it, too. If you've already got a favorite and don't want to change, you can give it to a friend as a Christmas gift.

The prize is a bottle of Meguiar's Gold Class Wax. All you need to do for a chance to win is click on the COMMENT thing below this post and enter a comment. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you. After we have 100 entries, the entry period ends. Only the first 100 entries will be eligible to win. I will use the services of Random.org to select the winner in a random drawing.

After you click the COMMENT, if you don't have a Google ID, click the ANONYMOUS option at the bottom. Be sure to include our email address in your comment. Entries without email addresses will be deleted. I need to know how to contact you if you win. Good luck to all!

The Eariler ZR1

Let's take a look back to the 90s at the ZR1 that preceded the current one. Here's some info about that classic model.

Four years prior to its introduction, the Corvette team approached Lotus, then a GM subsidiary, in 1986 with a concept for developing an ultra-high performance vehicle based on the C4 Corvette. With input from GM's "Corvette Team" of engineers and designers, Lotus designed a new engine to replace the traditional pushrod L98 V-8 that powered the standard C4. The result was the LT5. This engine was an aluminum-block V-8 with the same bore centers as the L98, but with four overhead cams and 32 valves.

A unique air management system provided a wider power band by shutting off 8 of the 16 intake runners and fuel injectors when the engine was at part-throttle, while still giving the ZR-1 375 hp when at wide open throttle. Since Chevrolet had no facility which could manufacture the new LT5, the engines was subcontracted to Mercury Marine, in Stillwater, Oklahoma, which normally specialized in high-performance marine engines.

Lotus also aided in the development of the ZR-1's standard "FX3" active suspension system, which would provide the basis for active suspension systems found (as optional equipment) on all Corvettes since.

In 1991, all Corvettes received updates to body work, interior, and wheels. The convex rear fascia that set the 1990 ZR-1 apart from the base model was now included on L98 Corvettes, making the styling of the expensive ZR-1 even closer to that of the base cars. The most obvious difference remaining between the base and ZR-1 models besides the wider rear wheels was the location of the CHMSL (center high mounted stop lamp), which was integrated into the new rear fascia used on the base model, but remained at the top of the rear-hatch on the ZR-1's.

All corvette ZR-1's had a interesting feature — a power key — mounted underneath the radio. Using this key you could turn the power from "full" to "normal" which disabled the secondary intake ports and cut the maximum power to 200hp.

Further changes were made in 1992: ZR-1 badges were displayed on both front fenders and traction control was added as a standard feature. In 1993, Lotus redesigned the cylinder heads and valve-train of the LT5, resulting in a horsepower increase from 375 to 405. In addition, a new exhaust gas recirculation system improved emissions control. Production of the ZR-1 ended in 1995, after 6,939 cars had been built.

Gorgeous in Orange

Our Showcase Photo is changing again today. If you like orange, you're going to love the featured Vette this week. It was sent to me by my good friend David Howard. I'm going to rest my voice and let David tell you all about it.

I saw your post in the Corvette Forum and thought I would drop you a line and let you know I like your blog and enjoyed reading your comments. C-3’s as an era of Corvettes covers a lot of years and share at least three differing groups. The all metal bumper group (68-72); the one year only front urethane and rear metal bumper (73), and the urethane front and rear bumper years (74-82). All of them are C-3’s, some are more sought after than others, and there are now far more red ones than were ever built by GM.

I have a 1977 Corvette Orange original with 22K documented miles that I show locally. It was chosen for a Celebrity Choice Award at Corvettes at Carlisle this year and we were very proud to win this award. I am attaching a couple of pictures of it for your viewing and use if you wish. Much is known about this car through my research and this is one of two 1977’s that I currently own.

Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but after reading that, I'm wanting to see the OTHER 77 that David owns. Maybe it's a work in progress, under restoration, or not ready to be shown yet. In any case, I hope he is listening and sends us some photos of it.

If you have a Corvette and would like to share your story with the world, email me the info about it, as much detail as you wish, and three or four photos (jpeg would be the best).

If it's ready for a show, that's great. And if it's currently undergoing restoration, that's great, too. Here's the address: mbroadway@comcast.net.

Conflicting advice...

I need to clarify something I said in an earlier post so that I don't lead anyone in the wrong direction. And I'm not talking here about credit repair or bio fuels.

Since writing the post about winterizing, I have found some contradictory comments on other sites. I may have to do some additional research regarding the dryer sheets. The opinions regarding their value seems to be mixed, and it appears the jury is still out on that subject.

Here's the conflict: Some users have no issue with them, and no rodent problems. Others tell me the mice seem to really like them. Perhaps it makes their fur nice and soft and fluffy. In those cases the mice built their nests under the hood, either next to, or right on top of, the dryer sheets.

So before taking my advice and putting dryer sheets in your engine compartment, get a second or third opinion from other Vette owners who have used them. Then make your own decision. The ball is in your court on this one.

This weekend I made a trip to Walmart on a quest to acquire everything I needed for winterizing. The first thing I purchased was a box of moth balls. I don't buy moth balls that often, and I may have fallen out of loop over the years, but these were different than any moth balls I'd seen before. They weren't actually moth "balls." They were more what I would describe as moth "discs." The box contained several packets, each holding two of these discs wrapped in a transparent paper shell. These ran a little over $2.

In addition, right next to the moth discs, I found a small tub of desiccant. You simply remove the aluminum foil seal and set the container inside the cockpit of your Vette to prevent mold and mildew during the winter months. The cost was $2.32.

On my way toward the door I detoured into the pharmacy section where I found a package of three bars of Irish Spring. I'll unwrap these and place them inside the interior to make it smell nice and fresh when the winter snow has melted and dried. If I remember correctly, these ran about $3 for the package.

My largest expense was a flow charger (battery tender). This was acquired at Advance Auto Parts on highway 58 in Raymore, MO. Nice guys to deal with and very knowledgeable regarding Corvettes. I opted for the 3 amp version because the Advance Auto Parts dude told me the 1.5 amp wouldn't really do the job as well. This set me back about $40.

All I need to do now is wait until there's no chance of driving the Vette again this winter without getting it into the rain and snow, install all my goodies, hook up the tender, add ten pounds of pressure to the tires, stuff some steel wool into the exhaust tips, put the cover over it, and sit by the fire reading my Corvette magazines. Or this blog.

It's going to be a long wait for Spring.

Star Coupe

This is a gorgous example of a great Vette that's had some serious mods done to it.

I'm going to let Tim tell you about it because I'll probably get it all screwed up if I try. It's way to technical and performance-oriented for me. I just put the gas in mine and drive it. I'm a bit jealous, actually.

Here's Tim...

It's a medium Light Pewter 1999 Coupe with 32,000 miles on it. Fully loaded with a 6 speed manual tranny. Performance modification consist of full bolt ons and Dyknos at 350/350. Hurricane CAI. Volant Air Bridge/Coupler. MAF. Headers. Highflow CATs with X Pipe. Corsa Indy Pace car mufflers.

I'm obviously into lighting and have convered every interior bult to Red LEDs as well as adding a few: Door Reflectors. Updated to Aukto Dimming rearview mirror w/LEDs installed. Inner and Outer Door Hanldes. Side Cover LED bars.

Costmetic touches include Chrome Y2K wheels with insides painted matt black. Painted calipers. Painted hoodliner, FRC stripes. Painted cowl, wiper arm and custom battery cover. Semi-flush sequential tail lights. Radio Flyer exhaust plate lit with Red LEDs. Painted seat embroidery. Custom center console area leather pieces.

Wow! Tim has certainly spent some time working on this one. But it's obviously a labor of love. What a nice ride. Thanks again for sending the photos and the info.