It Might’ve Been an Impulse Buy, but My Corvette ZR-1 Is a Keeper
This story first appeared in the November/December 2024 issue of Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. Join the club to receive our award-winning magazine and enjoy insider access to automotive events, discounts, roadside assistance, and more.
I am a 37-year-old man child who buys motorized vehicles that upset my financial advisor and wife in equal parts. This impulsiveness is what turned a casual conversation at a cars and coffee into the purchase of a ZR-1. The previous owner bought the car at auction a decade prior expecting values to take off, but it largely sat and had less than 30,000 miles. The price was right, and I decided to jump on it.
Under my ownership, I didn’t want my ZR-1 to be a garage queen. However, I was worried that there would be potential maintenance pitfalls as the car wasn’t used frequently. So I took my Corvette to ZR-1 specialist Marc Haibeck for a thorough checkup, and after changing the fluids, filters, and tires, my ZR-1 was ready to be driven.
This is such a capable and fun car on the curvy roads around southern Ohio. The steering feel and visibility are great. The ZR-1 is modern enough that it’s comfortable and easy to use, but old enough that it doesn’t have traction or stability control. So you need to pay attention when the road gets twisty, but getting a corner right is so rewarding. When I’m not listening to the glorious sounds of the dual-overhead-cam V-8, I like to pop in a cassette with period-correct music. Tapes from Europe, George Thorogood, and Big Daddy Kane are currently in rotation.
I still regularly attend cars and coffee events and I love talking to passersby about my ZR-1, although I don’t think I’ll sell my Corvette to another attendee like the previous owner. This thing is a keeper.
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Ha. I’ve taken photos of many of my cars in Devou Park, overlooking Cincinnati! I lived in NKY for almost 10 years.
I remember my first flight to CVG 40 years ago. I grabbed my rental car to head to P&G and the first billboard I saw read “Welcome to Kentucky”. This was decades before nav systems and I was wondering how I somehow got on the wrong plane in Rochester, NY.
The web has a major fixation on promoting the ZR1 of late. Same with the 928.
The ZR1 is a cool car and special car but not one of great value as the auctions houses would like to see.
The ZR1 is a collector car that we were told had great promise. Many collected them and horded them away like the 78 pace cars. In the end no real market arrived and we have a large number of low mile cars at a good price.
The real issue is getting parts for the engine. They are rare and expensive.
How is this “promoting” the ZR1? It’s 4 paragraphs written by a person who enjoys driving the one they own.
My observations is the number of stories on ZR1 Corvettes in the last two years on the web.
This one is just about the owner but many are promoting the ZR1 every time you turn around.
I see the same on the 928 that has been way under values. At times I suspect the auction companies are trying to draw out these cars and try to make a buck.
Author is talking about why they like their car. Chill out, man. Your analysis is completely off topic and elitist.
Elitist? Never been called that one. Red neck at times but never elitist.
Joe it is just an observation of the web collectively how it has been pushing a ZR1 narrative heavy the last couple years.
The ZR1 has been way under valued but for a number logical reasons. It just feels like there is a force in the market trying to manipulate values.
You read so little on cars like a 70 LT1 that are under values yet or other very specials Corvettes that are much more rare.
I see the same on the 928 Porsche. Good car but not really ever been embraced by the Porches fans and a money pit if it breaks negating the bargain it is.
I am glad this guy loves his car and is even driving it vs letting it rot. I hope he never encounters the part issue many have had on this car.
I just hate to see outside forces manipulate the market. Yes it happens. This drives up the cost for all of use who just want to enjoy the cars. Some auctions not all can drive some real false values.
So now there is a “ZR-1 market value” cabal? Where does this Star Chamber meet? Davos or Stonehenge?
Well said, Paul. I don’t know why it needs talking up. The ZR-1 was another example of the King of the Hill Vette, like the ‘57 fuelie or the L88. Every once in a while, GM flexes its muscle and builds a Corvette that can take all comers, this was the one of the early 90s. Why shouldn’t it be sought after? Everything else with that amount of pure performance certainly is…
Well Paul it is an interesting car but you will not find the ZR getting 57 Fuel Injection prices or L88 prices.
In fact the low numbers and high demand for the L88 engine have the engine worth more than the entire ZR.
Think the points above and the whole premise of the article sailed over your head and entered low orbit, Hyper.
Article is not about promoting the ZR-1 and is a cool story of connection with the car. Or is it impossible for you to take things at face value and not force your two cents into the conversation?
You’ve been grinchy lately, maybe it’s time to go touch grass.
hyper- I guess our difference is based on the fact I could not possibly care less about what a car is worth. The ZR-1 was, and still is, an amazing car with an incredible backstory on how it came to fruition. If I owned the featured ZR-1, I would be doing my best to put a million miles on it and nobody would want it when I was finished with it. My base 1995 Corvette Coupe would be on its way to over 100K miles if I wasn’t forced to hide it from the salt and snow. Have you ever owned or driven a car just for the pure joy it brings?
Not sure how this car could be king of any hill or called ZR-1 with such little horsepower. What was it around 350hp or so. I think the Ford Taurus high performance model could run with it!
Take a look at how many sports cars under $100,000 in 1990 had 375hp. It is a pretty short list. The final ZR-1 from 1993 to 1995 had 405hp.
It was a different time and at 375 it really was the king of the hill. And I also loved the Taurus SHO.
You should look back on what cars the ZR1 was faster and quicker than. Mighty impressive.
But time marches on. I hope you enjoy whatever you are driving or want to drive.
A lot of the ZR1 internet traffic could just be because there is a new C8 ZR1 coming out soon and GM/ Chevy want as much hype about the release as possible. I would expect it has more to do with that than the auction houses trying to bring up values.
Enjoyed the story about this guys ZR1.
Once again for those ignorant of the LT5 production story- The engine was built basically by hand with parts precision-machined to tolerances that GM was not sure they could maintain. After assembly, the engines were subjected to intense quality assurance processes and run tests. The ZR-1 Registry publishes a list of LT-5 equipped ZR-1s that have logged over 100,000 miles with a few entries with over 200,000 miles. The LT-5 is as close to bullet-proof as possible. Engine parts are probably the last thing a ZR-1 owner needs to worry about. They have a harder time finding windshields, seat bolsters, and Bose stereo components along with any of the low-quality plastic parts sourced by GM. The first time I sat in a brand new 1990 I was stunned by the cheapness of the interior on a $65,000 (Plus dealer ransom, er, markup) car. And some folks paid $100,000 1990 dollars to be the first kid on the block to lose their shirts on one.
Paul this was a car that started out like a good idea with GM owning Lotus engineering. But they soon found out that the prices went up fast and that they could not even do all the work internally. They had to farm this out to keep cost down.
While it may be bullet proof it still has parts, sensors and pumps that are rare and very expensive. There are some like the gentleman in Chicago that is keeping them running at a price.
My boss has a ZR in his Corvette collection so I know the in and outs of these cars.
The real problem was this. The C4 sales tanked in this time as the C5 was being developed. They went to the LT engine for a short while and hid the C5 program as it was canceled. Once introduced they restricted the LS engine power to not over power the ZR and once they did the Z06 did everything the ZR did for a lot lower price.
Today the Z06 with 405 HP is selling for as much or more than the ZR in clean condition. It is just an all around better car that was developed at the same time.
Dave McLellan was a nice guy and great speaker but Dave Hill was the much better program leader as was Tadge.
To be fair to Mclellan GM also during his time was very strapped for money but they were under the Hill programs too.
Thanks for your response. I will respectfully continue to disagree.
I think it might have more to do with folks who thought ZR-1s and 928s (German Vette) were cool when they were teens are now hovering right around 50 years old and make up an influential portion of the collector car enthusiast demographic – whether they are clicking articles for ad revenue or buying cars.
Well I’m in the demo and I did think them to be cool but today there are better Corvettes for the same money.
This car is best for collectors that have a number of cars and like to have an interesting model in their collection. That is what my boss has. But this will not be a car for great investment. You buy it because you love it. That is really how we should buy any collector car to be honest.
Still one of my favorite looking motors of the 90’s. It just looks so good.
Excuse my Corvette-centric worldview, but what 90’s engine looked better?
Hagerty has done many articles on British, German and Japanese-brand specialist shops. How about an article in 2025 on Marc Haibeck’s shop in Chicagoland? He and his team have probably saved many ZR-1s from the scrap heap.
I second that Mark is always willing to help.& he is a wealth of knowledge regardless if your buying from him or not. He truly is keeping the ZR1 dream alive
I am glad to hear of a story that shows a younger person took up a rare and sometimes divisive car like the Corvette ZR-1 and enjoys driving it.
The amount of time developing this car was immense. And yet the majority of these beauties remain with very low mileage.
Parts are not hard to find for the LT5 and the enginebis built to such a high standard with materials and clearances that were far above the average GM small block you will probably never have to touch it.
Enjoy your years driving your car. It was made during a time when GM would take risks and had an imagination.
HyperV6 has a lot of misinformation to share with us….even if he does have the “in” of “knowing a guy who owns one”.
First, Engine parts for the ZR-1 are not hard to source. The long block is typically bullet proof, the rest is generally typical GM parts bolted onto the Lotus/Merc long block. “parts, sensors and pumps” are all regular GM p/n’s and can be bought at any auto parts store as easily as parts for a Chevy Caprice from the same era. Additionally, there is a strong community that supports these owners making actual LT5 specific parts, not that hard to find.
Second, “The C4 sales tanked in this time as the C5 was being developed.” Is this a fact? Well, the C4 sold over 20,000 cars every year, from 1990, to 1996…and sales from ’88 to ’96 were in the 20,000’s every year. The first year of the C5, GM sold 9752 C5’s. Does >20,000 cars a year qualify as “Sales tanked”? No, it does not. It actually represents a pretty linear and stable sales trend.
Third, “Once introduced they restricted the LS engine power to not over power the ZR and once they did the Z06 did everything the ZR did for a lot lower price.” Whoa!!! Where’d those “facts” come from?? The LS1’s power was restricted?? I have never read any such thing from any credible source, ever. In fact, it’s been documented that they increase power on the Gen III engine as quickly as technology allowed. But let us also recall; While the C5 Z06 did out perform the ZR-1, dude, they weren’t in direct competition w/each other! The Z06 didn’t come to market until 6 years after the ZR-1 and LT5 ended! 11 years after it began. You’re pitching an spin that the C5 was better than the ZR-1 and that was the demise of the ZR-1?? (you stated above, “The real problem [with the ZR-1] was this….”) No. The ZR-1 ended in 1995. The C5 and Gen III engine debuted in ’97. The Z06 in ’01. That is simply the typical progression of technology that has always allowed more value/dollar…and allows the C6 Z06 to decimate the C5 Z06…and the C7 ZR-1 to….you get the idea.
“The real problem [with ZR-1 sales/value] was this”: the ZR-1 didn’t distinguish itself from the base model enough, Visually, and with the LT1, performance wise to support the price difference. This is very well documented in many an article and pretty universally understood by most ‘Vette/C4/ZR-1 enthusiasts and experts. And it is still true today. What IS incredibly special about the ZR-1 is the story about how, and the effort it took to bring it to market, how radical it was when introduced (385hp w/upgraded suspension) compared to all other ,~250 hp, hi-perf cars in ’89/’90. The 24 hour speed record adds to the mystique and how awesome the car was in those days. How much is all of that worth at auctions today? Apparently not much. And that’s O.K.; it makes these cars available to people who want to drive ’em, like the author. :thumbs:
Great analysis, Tom! It was practically a supercar in its time – and still would be a hoot to drive today. I’d jump at the opportunity to drive one and wind out that Lotus V8. Hope the owner rolls up lots of miles. I always notice the rectangular taillight C4s, and try to discern if they are ZR1s.
No such thing as bad Corvette. Just stupid buyers that flock to the “rare” and expensive. I have one of the most un-rare Corvettes of all time, an incredible Time Machine ‘76 Corvette base engine automatic. When I say all original, when I purchased it 15 years ago it still had its original tires. It has won dozens of awards, but the best part is the crowds of people stopping to ask about it. Its code 70 Orange Flame is all original and sparkles. The biggest thrill was the Celebrity Choice award I won at Corvettes at Carlisle in 2022. Those winning cars are chosen by Corvette Celebrities cruising the Fun Field in a golf cart and pick a car that they just plain like. Yes, it’s a 1976. Don’t see that year paraded around too much. Of all the Corvettes I’ve owned including my 1954, this puts the biggest smiles on everyone’s faces. I’ve kept the mileage low, but I do drive it. I think that’s Kyle’s point, magic in the car, not the value, or how rare it’s is.
Take a deep breath, remove your hands from the keyboard, and just gaze upon the beauty that is a nicely-kept red C4. Repeat until inner peace is attained.
It’s a car, and we’re all here for love of the automobile. The Internet is already full of pedantic negativity, so the next time time anyone gets the desire to be an armchair expert, just don’t. Nobody cares.
Well said. Cars love em
Yep! Well said. Love the look of the car.
i love your playlist…. that’s it!
Nick-great story. Happy you are smitten with it. I stumbled upon a car I always lusted after when I was young and 40 years later I still have it.
A life well lived with memories will keep you going when times get tough. And they do from time to time!
Sometimes it’s not all about how much is the car worth or if it will go up in price. There are plenty car enthusiast that just love the car and enjoy driving it. Peace out !
These a great cars from 1990 and they are way under the money!!! Good time to purchase a clean one as they will definitely increase in value!!
I don’t have a so called dog in this fight/argument/discussion but I also have never heard of the LS1’s power being purposely undermined.
However, I have heard and read that the ‘96 LT-4 power rating was purposely underrated by GM due to Dyno testing showing 375 plus hp which was right where the 90 ZR-1 was putting out hp.
I made an impulse buy once – spotted a 2004 500SL at a garage sale. The guy unfortunately had a stroke and couldn’t drive it anymore. I snatched it for $7500 thinking I was getting a great deal. Boy, was I wrong. One thing after another with that car – the batteries (two), the fiber optic stereo, the transmission, half a dozen plastic switches (at $100 a pop!) and so on. When the air suspension started throwing codes I was done, having put at least $6k into it already. I said no more.
Sold it on eBay Motors and used the proceeds to buy my Porsche.
The Porsche is a way better car but I admit the 500SL was the most beautiful car I ever owned.