In 1990, the American car market was just shaking off the Malaise Era of the mid-seventies to late-eighties low horsepower, poor quality, crapbox-on-wheels domestic auto production. Chevrolet needed an explosive halo car, one that could take on the world, a King of the Hill. It found that in the Chevy Corvette ZR-1. With an all-aluminum, 32-valve, DOHC V-8 producing 375 horsepower and 370 pound-feet of torque, the ZR-1 could hit 60 miles per hour from a dead stop in a scant 4.4 seconds, pushing on to a top speed north of 180 miles per hour.
The ZR-1 was equipped with wider bodywork from the rear of the doors back, FX3 Active Ride Control, driver and passenger power leather sport seats, a low tire pressure warning system, a Delco-Bose 200-watt AM/FM/CD system, and a six-speed manual transmission. The ZR-1 package pushed the sticker price of a Corvette coupe to over $60,000, but many dealers charged premiums that inflated the price beyond $100,000.
Pros: With total production numbering only 6,922, a C4 Chevy Corvette ZR-1 owner is guaranteed exclusivity. The performance is still very good compared to today’s sports cars. The ZR-1 was proven to be quite robust, setting seven world speed records in March of 1990, including 100 miles, 500 miles, 1,000 miles, 5,000 miles, 12 hours endurance, and 24 hours endurance, all at speeds in excess of 173 miles per hour.
Service for these rather impressive cars is available at most Chevy dealers. But the most notable item is this: as fourth-generation Corvette prices have reached their low ebb, so have ZR-1 prices. It is fairly easy to find a 1990 or 1991 model year in good condition, with low miles, under $25,000. For less than the price of a V-6 Ford Mustang fastback, you can have your very own world-class-performance Corvette ZR-1.
Cons: As can happen with exclusive cars of low production numbers, C4 Chevy Corvette ZR-1 parts can sometimes be tricky and expensive to find. Joining an online forum is helpful. For those who don’t know the difference, the ZR-1 looks like every other fourth-generation Corvette coupe. ZR-1 bodywork is unique from the doors back to accommodate eleven-inch-wide rear wheels. In order to achieve the chassis stiffness needed to cope with the initial 375 hp, and later 405 hp, the ZR-1 had to be produced as a fixed-roof coupe only. The ‘solar’ windshield was made only for this model, and can be both tough to source and costly to replace.
The interiors of all fourth gen ‘Vettes tend to wear poorly. Because of the high sills and massive transmission tunnel, getting in and out of them is akin to climbing in and out of a canoe. Starting in 1993, ZR-1 output jumped to 405 horsepower, courtesy of modified cylinder heads and valvetrain. As a result, 1993-1995 ZR-1s are more expensive.
Verdict: With most parts and service readily available, Chevy Corvette ZR-1 ownership shouldn’t be an overly-expensive proposition. Moreover, current sales prices on low-mile examples that have had good upkeep are well below the price of your average new car. For a rather reasonable admission price, you are rewarded with exceptional performance, a decent degree of comfort and options, and robust powertrain, all wrapped in a package that is overdue to appreciate. With the collector car market still quite hot, this is a performance bargain with a bit of exclusivity, poised to increase in value. One could find worse investments.
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Comments
Every C4 ZR1 had a removable roof panel. I think these are good buys if you like the style and can get past the armchair quarterbacks who will tell you the C4 is crappy. Screw them, buy and drive what YOU like.
1990 ZR1pretty cool cars in the day only issue they had was the marine engine apparently would wipe out crank bearing due to lack of oil lubrication for some reason cause to some sort of poor design but gm would just replace engine but didn’t happen to all the cars just a few a friend of mine had one and he experienced that issue replaced engine and no ongoing further issues but the ZR1 was pretty fast in the day faster then a Ferrari 348 and no problem keeping up to Ferrari testarossa or Lamborghini Diablo for the 1/3 of the price no bad gm when gm look after you as customers
The cost of engine parts if and when something mechanical on that LT5 goes South will be costly!
ROTFL! the comment that this exotic can be wrenched on @ any Chevy dealership. Many current day dealerships are staffed with disgruntled parts changers who really don’t care much about the quality of their work! Bring an LT5 engined Vette to the wrong place and you’ll have huge regrets later on!
Definitely a car I would want a C4 ZR1 sure it suffers from the usual C4 issues, but we are talking about the last N/A ZR1 ever made (for now, who knows) and the only car that really posed a problem to it was the first gen. Viper.
Not my favorite generation corvette
You can enjoy some exhilarating straight line performance but it’s hard to get beyond all the rattles and the cheap in interior,
Cool to own specially as a car collector
Mr. Hatfield, contrary to your slimy, snarky opening paragraph, my 1979 Corvette, 1982 Buick, and 1985 Corvette were not of poor quality. You have an exaggerated opinion of your uninformed opinion.
Cry more
As with any “Specialty” built product (and that amazing LT5 Engine is Special) that old adage “you play, you pay” holds true with this car. My concerns (and I have driven the early and later models of this C4, very impressive, but) are basically two unique concerns, one finding the correct engine parts that can and will need attention at some point in time and two, finding someone (oh dear god) other than a Chevy Dealer to work on this beast!
This is a very unique engine, a real sweetheart when it’s up and running at full song…the sounds and feel of this LT5 is quite impressive but when the time comes to do some necessary work on this engine (and it will happen, trust me I’ve seen the cost of replacing parts and the labor cost will scare you!) just to pull a starter motor that resides in the “engines valley” at the back of the engine is a real chore.
Cylinder head parts, are outrageous and you might want to look into any concerns having to do with various computer needs, the BCM’s are not easy to find (new GM) and because of the unique fuel injector setup not to mention that very special “Valet Key” set up too, that constrains the engines horsepower to around 200 instead of the full 405 so that if you leave your Corvette for a Valet to drive (dumb move to begin with) or let your teenage kid drive your Corvette (dumber move yet!) this unique setup comes in handy…but if it quits working especially in the “Valet mode”, then having that plus many other “computer glitches” properly taken care of can be maddening at times.
While there are stories of some owners not having any problems at all, with this unique engine, beware when the time comes to service this LT5, you had better have someone very capable of doing it right, the internals contain a whole lot very special and very expensive mechanical components that will literally drain your bank account and give you sleepless nights
hoping you’ve found the right person to work on your technically advanced LT5 engine.
The rest of the car is basically C4 Corvette however…again, with the unique “rear end body parts” (almost 4 inches wider in the in the back end and that includes the rear facia too) should the unthinkable happen and it needs some attention or replacement, you’ll know just how “Special” a Corvette you really have!
Anyway, don’t let any of this stop you from purchasing a well maintained and low mileage ZR-1 C4 Corvette, once you drive one of these, you can’t help but be impressed and the prices are going to escalate up, but so are the unique concerns and cost plus parts availability that will most assuredly go with this amazing beast of a Corvette!
If you buy as a collector car yes. If you buy as a drivers car the ZR1can be a money pit.
These are a very limited car and with being limited parts can and will be difficult to buy. The performance parts are non existent.
If you want a faster car and cheaper car to play with buy a later small block.
If you want a car for your collection based on rare buy a ZR1.
Any driver collector car can turn into a money pit. At least anything with character.
How deep the pit is the difference.
That and parts for small volume models can be difficult to find. Just try to find front suspension parts for a 88 Fiero, fuel pump for a 928 etc.
Don’t know what your talking about, the LT5 is a super reliable engine.
I owned two of these cars. I took them both on long road trips all over the western U.S.. They were both great cars. Unfortunately, maintenance was a huge problem. Something as simple as an oil change couldn’t be handled by Chevrolet dealers. My ‘94 was returned down four quarts. A mechanic took my ‘91 for an eighty four mile joy ride. My advice, if you buy one, Never, never, never, go near a Chevrolet dealership.
Yes I know what u mean my friend had same issue left his ZR1 for service came back with 120 Kms more on vehicle and no one knew nothing about xtra mileage . He never trusted dealer again . He sold the car a fews years after that like in 96-97 .
I have a 1991 Dark Red Metallic/Black in excellent condition for sale. This car came from a Hunnington Beach, CA. dealer. For 21 years I have enjoyed this car with no issues because I have have maintained it myself. I used only the best parts.
They look good from the rear, that’s about it. You can put perfume on a turd but it’s still a turd. I’ll stick to my 57 Vette for a investment. You park a C4 beside a 57 C1 Corvette and just see how many people will look at each car.
Open the hood and the crowd will be staring at the LT5.
A 57 is an old relic trash can buddy!!!! and slower than malaises… No comparison, try doing 180mph.. never happen.
Apples and oranges.
Probably the best looking engine ever in a corvette
Chevy has a history of great looking engines:
1956 265 2-4’s
1957 283 Fuelie
1963 327 Fuelie
1965 396
1966 427/450
1967 427/435
Etc., etc., etc.,
1967 427/435
1967
Yes sir they did and don’t forget the 454LS6/450HP that came in the the 1970 chevelle ss now that was a machine !!!
I, Jon own a 1990 zr-1 and a 91 zr-1 In 7 years of owning my 1990 I put 42,000 miles on it now
it was bought with only 35,000 thousand miles on in October 2014, now has 77,000 on it. The 1990 was bought in Los Angeles in 2014.I am in St.Paul Minnesota 7-8 months of the year it is daily driver.( yes you read that right daily driver).Other than routine oil changes and spark plugs etc the engine has been completely dependable and unbelievably durable.I habitually flog it every time I take it out,in fact the more I flog it the better it performs Barr none! My 1991 was bought from a local with 101,000 miles on it in 2017 it now has 125,000 miles on it other than the routine issues, plugs, oil changes, oil sending unit, map sensor hose,and radiator replacement.That’s it!! Other issues both cars had were just typical c-4 minor stuff.Oh yah one final issue both cars had were Huge appetite for rear tires, yup huge appetite to say the least!!
I bought #2822, back in 2018, it had 74k miles and had been sitting for many years. It was complete down to the spare tire and Jack, nothing butchered. I paid 5k dollars, a one owner car. Came with shop and electrical manuals. It needed a lot of maintenance, usual things after sitting so long. Got tags and insurance May 2020. Have driven over 6k miles so far with zero issues other than clutch pedal safety switch. She is a blast to drive and very well engineered, proper maintenance is key like any other car. C4 catch a lot of crap, but a C4 ZR-1 still holds several records that no other generation has or most likely never will break. C4s like any other generation has issues, but mechanical engineering ain’t one of them. A bone stock 1990 ZR-1 set several records along with a L98 which set its own records. I will say like others, finding a mechanic and some parts can be challenging. I do all my own work, was nervous at first but the manuals are great step by step guides. I never really considered a C4, but I’m glad I bought it, seeing a C4 is rare these days, seeing a C4 ZR-1 is even more rare. Very cool cars and a blast to drive, often.
Don’t forget it’s also the 24-hour Endurance champ, were they ran it at top speed for 24-hours only stopping for fuel and to change drivers, which all the 1991’s have the decal on the rear glass. I don’t understand why people talk trash about the C4 ZR-1, I Had mine throughout the entire 90’s and put a ton of racing miles on it and heavily modified the engine it it never gave me a single problem. Glad to hear you had many with no issues either. Cheers