1992 Corvette ZR-1 Engine Plant Tour | Retro Review

We pay homage to the 2019 Corvette ZR1 by revisiting what it took to build the original 4 CAM 32 VALVE LT5.

[@DimitriosChannel]

I had the honor to drive one when I worked at a GM dealership. To me the LT5 is one of the best engines ever made and the sound in person is unbelievable. This engine still mops the the floor with most cars these days.

[@WarriorsPhoto]

Didn't the ZR1 beat out 95% of cars in it's day as well?

[@giancarlolugo9586]

@@WarriorsPhotoyes the C4 ZR-1 was a well sorted sports car, amazing amount of HP and Trq with good handling and braking.

[@rexbridewell7966]

Definitely very underated

[@Father_Nature88]

For some reason that ZR1 pulling that boat just looks right and awesome!!

[@mikea5205]

Yeah no kiddin! I was like, "whoa, that's cool!"

[@kenlee-97]

Colour scheme PROBS.

[@thehighlife1320]

@@mikea5205 Right on the nail.

[@brarautorepairs]

No way, you need a bigg old pick up truck to do any work. Maybe one that rolls coal.

[@jackson4274]

Corvette pulling an LT-5-powered speedboat is incredibly badass

[@jamessnelling2632]

Friend & I were teens and remember seeing our first ZR1 around 1990, parked outside a 50's diner in our city, as we were driving down the street one night. Friend slammed on the brakes and backed up in the street so we could get a better look. We had never seen a car with such wide rear tires before, which is what tipped us off while we were rolling by...and we gawked at their mammoth-ness. We just stayed stopped there in the middle of the road, admiring her and talking about the specs we'd read. It was like the first sighting of a unicorn.

[@garymathews4042]

I like vettes ,own 2 .but a c6 z06 destroys it ,or a ls3 ,or super charged 6.2 is too much .

[@Prince_.A]

@@garymathews4042 You don't get a C4 ZR1 to win races dummy. Not everyone is trying to be the fastest on the road like you

[@theseekermi]

​@@garymathews4042 The C4 ZR1 top speed is around 190 MPH, and the Z06 is about 195.... so please explain how the Z06 'destroys it'?

[@blackice7408]

THICC TIRES

[@nutz4gunz457]

A ZR-1 towing a LT-5 powered boat! I'm officially jealous as F@K

[@cpufreak101]

that is a level of badass only a few of us can even dream of achieving

[@Texas_Cruiser]

Lol ridiculous!

[@rubyred93chev]

@@Texas_Cruiser Nope, it's 100 percent true!

[@SuperSedans]

Its a normal corvette, not zr-1 check rims on her

[@thetruckernelsonchannel5274]

Only in Beautiful America!!!! God Bless my Country. The home of the Corvette!!! Wow did seeing that Vette pull that boat gave me a rush of beautiful feelings.

[@fernandorocha-dx1wv]

Corvette C4 is icon car in USA, since 1953, C4 is my favorite

[@DavidAndre657]

THE SECRET FORMULA: ORDINARY BARBECUE GRILL PAINT.

[@zeldamenefee5008]

HELL YEAH BROTHER

[@TheKiing81]

I love to see a vette towing a boat

[@lawerancelbourland5181]

Been thinking about putting a hitch on my vette.

[@realazduffman]

Saw it once in the 1970s.

[@geraldjirau7013]

The REAL ZR1 engine! LT5 32v 4 cams 5.7L V8

[@hochhaul]

@Mr TriL You sound like a petty moron.

[@mrincredible5492]

Tril stfu

[@davidjaime4447]

A company making the new lt5 make 1300whp

[@boostedmaniac]

That wet vette reminded me of the old saying, “The vette gets ‘em wet.” More like locker room talk.

[@anonimous2451]

The Panty Shedder IS WHAT WE CALLED EM, CAUSE THEY CANT GET WET WITHOUT SHEDDING EM.

[@mayelhiguera9825]

@@anonimous2451 That has got to be the best comment on here. SOFAKING awesome!

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

Now you know why Barbie haves a Corvette.

[@McRocket]

I owned a ZR-1 back in the 1990's (I bought it used). The smoothest car at speed (over 80mph) that I have ever owned. Fabulous car but it had huge, oil starvation problems at startup. And I heard that this was typical of the LT5. This made me nervous as to durability - so I sold it.

[@MrChrisbreezy10]

Love these classic videos! Keep them coming

[@darrin2053]

Could you imagine being at a boat launch and some guy putting his boat in the water with a ZR1? I’d be like WTF?

[@MrTimeless101]

I thought that pressure sensitive instrument was something fairly new, it would be nice to see a documentary on how those technologies have been improved over the last 25 years.

[@brandonherrera2891]

Damn I love C4s, and vettes

[@WarriorsPhoto]

That's really cool to watch. Seeing a work of art like the LT5 being made would be wonderful. (:

[@MyCatInABox]

At 0:55 seconds in... DAMN! Homeboy is REALLY pushing the limits of traction at those speeds! Just look at the tire push at the front, and tire slide at the rear after the "S" curve follow-through...

[@chemicalspore]

I remember when my dad bought a 95 basic Vette brand new. He still had a ZR1 poster in the garage next to a Callaway speedster poster.

[@Asdfghjkl1234]

Beautiful car and boat- great presentation!! DOHC Engine is amazing even today. Greetings and respect to all from Durango Mexico

[@AWDfreak]

The original DOHC Corvette engine :D

[@Bargainteers]

Is it me. Or do he sound the same today as he did back in the 90s? I wish I could keep a job as long as this guy

[@McBeamer94]

The LT5-powered boat is pure madness!! I've heard that there's a new mid-engined Corvette being prepared, with a twin-turbo, DOHC V8! If that's true, then I can say that the '90 CERV III concept really wasn't wasted! I'd really like to watch the ZR1 vs Callaway twin-turbo review! Pretty please! Also, that yellow C4 at the start must be a '92, I see the driving lights and marker lights together in a black frame!

[@MandusahRamirez]

The Advertising for The ZR1 was epic! & John Davis definitely helped!

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

The 5.7L LT5 was originally rated at 375 horsepower and upgraded to 405 with the Gen II version of the engine. Development was handled jointly between GM and Lotus, but Chevrolet pulled the plug in 1993, while development of a Gen III engine was underway.

[@billwilmington8284]

Gotta love these retro videos!

[@mikeobarr8589]

God these make my 33yo self feel old. Lol

[@GT6SuzukaTimeTrials]

I'll be 34 in February and feel the same way. My father owned a '95 Corvette in the late 90's until around 2012. What a great American car. You can smell America when you sit inside of one. He'll appreciate this video for sure.

[@fiber9m]

Same

[@maxwellbutler4184]

@@GT6SuzukaTimeTrials What does America smell like?

[@shelbyavant5081]

@@maxwellbutler4184 Like bovine and petroleum.

[@FACafe-pt9bd]

One of my absolute favourite vids from MWR.

[@kenl.6857]

Would love to see the upcoming 2019 Corvette ZR1's mighty LT5 in a Wet Vette. It'll cause a Tsunami, for sure.

[@BuzzLOLOL]

A 1970-80 Chevy SBC V8 in a 22' Regal Velocity or Thoroughbred boat does 100+ MPH...

[@bg147]

Mercury Marine were masters in aluminum engines for boats, lawnmowers, cars, etc. They were the best. I am not sure where they stand today.

[@Clevelandsteamer324]

My science teacher in 1992 had one of these brand new. It was so cool . I was in sixth grade. And yes America was a lot better then

[@vettematt]

The REAL LT5. No pushrod imposters here.

[@mrdaykurutakuchannel]

My favorite Corvette engine despite not being the most powerful due to its quad cam aka DOHC engine!!

[@OKstang77]

I remember going to this plant with my vo-tech class. The Stillwater Designs, better known as Kikker, was right down the street.

[@777jones]

Love the LT5 boat. Thanks Motorweek.

[@romainperrier2739]

one of the best engine ever made, LT 5 rules everytime and everywhere

[@powerboatguy2308]

Because MerCruiser put it together.

[@marvinheemeyer6660]

Yea! It wasnt the typical cookie cutter made trailer park queen power plant.

[@TheCavemanBrown]

"The 'Vette gets 'em Wet"

[@krocialblack]

Celebrating the debut of the new 2019 ZR1?

[@Ajsirb24]

krocialblack You got that right

[@reyperez3424]

krocialblack the king is back

[@GregK1247]

I love MotorWeek!!! From a child until now

[@firebird0u812]

I went to the Vo-tech in Stillwater and they brought that car and boat out, I got to sit in it and rev it up a few times. Smooth as glass. They also had a black test corvette with the LT-5 in it that was crashed on Hall of Fame road in Stillwater, OK.

[@tedschmitt178]

Since GM is still selling engine blocks to Mercury, this arrangement makes perfect sense.

[@weselmendorf2195]

* 24 hours @ 175 mph -------> still not beat to this very day ! GOD Bless

[@alexl9334]

You know i think the base car is a lot of fun out of the box. Never driven a ZR1 but it sounds and looks like its a pant off the seats kind of ride

[@patrickmichaellangan576]

I would’ve LOVED to have ridden in that Wette Vette boat!

[@doca8792]

Way before AMG was even a thing and able to brag about their handbuilt V-8’s. So awesome.

[@RaymondHaley-lv2mo]

The sad plight of that engine was that the C4 Vette was the wrong one, but would've been best choice for C5+6 Vette,s

[@DavidAndre657]

THE WET VETTE IS DEFINITELY A SHOW-STOPPER.

[@klasseact6663]

Fast forward 27 years and power has doubled...incredible🇺🇸

[@red90rover98]

Not normally aspirated. 420 hp from 5.7 liters. Has not gone up at all.

[@klasseact6663]

Red90rover the current LT1 makes 455 hp

[@red90rover98]

It is 6.2 liters. Zero improvement in specific power. You stated power had doubled. Explain how it has doubled.

[@cali2468]

Not quite doubled in stock form but these engines we're crazy for their time. 600+ *whp* N/A is possible from an engine created in the late 1980s.

[@klasseact6663]

MOST H8D 375 × 2 = 750

[@manbearpig2164]

Awesome video

[@cpufreak101]

and Mercury still makes a 32 valve DOHC V8 for automotive use as a turn-key crate motor. difference is I believe it's based more on the LS series versus the old small block, but even still, much of it is a rather clean sheet design

[@Patrick-hj8si]

Justin Noker nothing alike about the LS and that engine still made by Mercury Marine. The LS is a late gen OHV small block utilizing pushrods. Couldn't be more different unless it was a Tesla with an electric motor.

[@cpufreak101]

thisguyrighthere what I mean is more of the measurements are the same, it's basically more of a modified block to fit the DOHC head than a complete redesign as was the LT5

[@GlassTopRX7]

They make two different DOHC V8's one uses a short block LS the other is their own design, effectively a big big block DOHC 552ci. The DOHC LS still retain a nearly wedge shaped combustion chamber I assume to the limit the width. Still it displaces 428ci makes around 750hp at 8000rpm on 91 pump gas in NA form. So quite a bit more than the OHV LS7. The LT5 was a Mercury design it was designed by Lotus and it's not the engine they wanted to make for GM. GM insisted on retaining the same bore spacing as the SBC which forced them into using small valves thus limited power somewhat.

[@jonmott9766]

IIRC the Mercury Racing SB 7.0 is based off of an LS7. Their 9 liter QuadCam marine motors are a clean sheet design.

[@hochhaul]

@@GlassTopRX7 Comparing the output of their DOHC 428ci engine to the OHV LS7 is pointless. The LS7 is FAR more compact, lightweight, and efficient compared to the DOHC engine.

[@1995RangeRover]

Still drooling...💓

[@cemsengul16]

Its funny but I still consider this ZR1 the most advanced Corvette. I can not believe they went back to stupid pushrods all the way till 2019 after this one off car.

[@curtisssmith5204]

Absolute Longplay It was cheaper to increase the displacement and take advantage of modern combustion chamber design than manufacture all that valve train gear.

[@marvinheemeyer6660]

I've being saying that for years! GM is so far behind the times with pushrod V8's. DOHC engine have proved themselves to be vastly better in so many ways, but not GM. Still radial piston engines on airplanes in the jet age. Truly pathetic...

[@231mac]

Pretty clear that you've never taken economics or managerial accounting, lol.

[@TheMorphicResident]

Ahh the car of my adolescent dreams....

[@AaronSmith-kr5yf]

Had a poster of the ZR-1 Corvette on my wall as a kid, it was a technical cutaway sketch that showed the mechanical bits of the car, looked really cool to my 8 year old sensibilities. Still would love to own a ZR1, as I think the C4 styling has aged a lot better than the more bloated/rounded C5 all these years later. Plus it has a very special engine under the hood that still 30 years later is pretty damn fast. Never knew that Mercury marine did all the machining for the LT5, figured they just slapped it together.

[@Texas_Cruiser]

We're probably around the same age and the C4 was the top of the line for Chevy at the time I was getting into cars so I've always had a thing for them. I got over them in the passed 7-10 years telling myself I'd never get one. But now approaching 40 I'm more nostalgic than ever and I want one. Even if it's "just" and LT1. Not all about the hp or top speed like it used to be and more about the overall experience.

[@gf4353]

My brother in law has a C5, I always rag on him saying. "How's that big butt car?"

[@DavidAndre657]

FULL POWER BLAST.

[@CJColvin]

This is pretty awesome stuff man.

[@brarautorepairs]

I lol'd each time he said wet Vette and think about Arnold in True Lies.

[@speedwack]

Still the best Vette ever made IMO. And I wasn't aware there were any lakes in Oklahoma

[@BuzzLOLOL]

Mercury is in Wisconsin

[@W5KVV]

Are you serious? Oklahoma has more man made lakes than any other state in the country.

[@chasevineland1508]

Such an amazing engine. Because it was built by Mercruiser, GM didn’t learn anything. Sure GM later had / have the high feature Northstar DOHC V8 but Mercruiser really is the star here.

[@dcanmore]

it was designed and engineered by Lotus, Mercruiser only picked up the contract for volume production as it was too expensive to have them hand-built and shipped from UK.

[@JerseyMikeP]

Dcanmore...sadly Most British brands have been using NON-british engines. Pre-FORD Jaguars were shit..unless you go back to war era. Renault powered Jaguar Xj220 Toyota powered Lotus Nissan Race engine used in McLarens Mclaren F1 was powered by BMW. Greatest British cars weren't powered by British motors....save the C/D type jags. I don't think ANY country had a bigger % of manufacturers go under than Britain....should remember all the history before stepping on that soap box.

[@dcanmore]

umm the engine was designed and engineered by Lotus, that's all, your rant is irrelevant here. Triggered much!

[@rotorhead5826]

GM learned A LOT from the Mercruiser. They changed many of their engine design, manufacturing, assembly, and quality control processes both during and shortly after the LT5. Coincidence? Hell no. They surely owe a lot to both Mercruiser and Lotus- the LT5 definitely helped put the corvette back on the map.

[@hochhaul]

@@dcanmore So you have no comment on the fact that many Lotus cars were powered by engines that were neither designed nor engineered by Lotus?

[@dcanmore]

no mention of engine being designed and engineered by Lotus.

[@BuzzLOLOL]

Everyone already knows that... it's in the earlier Motor Trend tests...

[@benn454]

Just the heads. The rest of the engine was standard small block Chevy.

[@yungtooli]

GM owned lotus back then anyway

[@bobolulu7615]

@@benn454 Sorry but that is just not true. The engine block is a Y block design whereas the SBC isn't. It also has a separate crank girdle. It also has chain driven overhead camshafts, whereas the SBC has and underhead cam and pushrods. The 93 and onwards engines also had 6 bolt main bearing caps. The pistons run in Nikasil liners. The list goes on. The ONLY thing that is relevant to the small block Chevy is the bore spacing of 4.4".

[@shelbyavant5081]

@@bobolulu7615 Yea, and they shouldn't have kept that, either!

[@DavidAndre657]

"HOME OF THE LT5" CHEVROLET MERCURY MARINE LOTUS

[@MrCarGuy]

The sign in the factory said 1992..

[@brandonherrera2891]

MrCarGuy20 yea the yellow C4 in the beginning is at least a 91. Then when they show the engine block, it's a 2 bolt main. Indicating it's no newer than 93. Cause 93 ZR-1s had 4 bolt mains.

[@KotomiP]

Befitting that Mercury Marine built the engine as 'Corvette' is a 'small warship' too

[@DavidAndre657]

1992 Corvette ZR-1 Engine Plant Tour | Retro Review

[@KnightDriveTV]

Extremely proud to own a C4 ZR1 these days. Dreamed of owning one as a kid, now I will be comparing it to my C5Z06 on my (mostly) Corvette youtube channel KnightDriveTV. Sub if you're interested in seeing more of this awesome car!

[@weselmendorf2195]

didnt see not one ZR1 video as I scrolled your entire vid pages !? ... I owned a 92 GOD Bless

[@justanotherday1205]

king of the road

[@seashellfingernails]

i want to see a review of the new for 1980 Chevrolet Citation! It's the first new Chevrolet of the eighties!

[@cpufreak101]

Motorweek only started in '82, i don't think they'd have it :/

[@seashellfingernails]

oh yeah thats right! i forgot.

[@MrHeem94]

JUNK.

[@adrianniemiec8669]

This was not only Mer Cruiser , but also Lotus technology as well.

[@powerboatguy2308]

The MerCruiser part gives you more confidence, they were the ultimate in the U.S. as far as getting performance out of big block and two strokes.

[@2dfx]

Something that you'd never find anymore. Would any car manufacturer these days outsource engine assembly to a MARINE engine company?

[@Tool0GT92]

2dfx no just mexico

[@MrCarGuy]

2dfx If the company could do a better job. However, that's not the case these days.

[@sidefx996]

2dfx well they must have done a pretty darn good job (better than any other manufacturer could) considering the engine and the car set numerous FIA and World Speed Endurance records

[@michaeldierks3708]

2dfx pretty sure the old Ford Taurus SHO’s engines were built by Yamaha. Perhaps for the same reason, I’m not sure.

[@rubyred93chev]

2dfx Something to remember. Mercury Marine makes engines for boats that are used to be flogged full throttle constantly. I'd say Lloyd Reuss (former GM President), and David McClellan (former Corvette Chief Engineer) knew that Mercury Marine was up to the task.

[@DavidAndre657]

MORE RETRO REVIEW VIDEOS... ...JUST AROUND THE BEND

[@SubieandFriends]

fuck man best video about the Zr1 I ever seen, the vette towing the boat WOW man just amazingly beautiful, makes me want to go crazy on myself!

[@DavidAndre657]

VOLTS. ⚡⚡⚡

[@hugochavez4382]

I want that boat!

[@mc3films]

Change the title to "1992 Corvette ZR-1 Engine Plant Tour".

[@Steve_I]

😂 and they changed it lol

[@ZBrink11]

Was this a complete "no crank" situation? As in, you turn the key, and nothing happens?

[@DavidAndre657]

Behind The Wall.

[@openplz3000]

This is where the Corvette turned a corner from the smogged up early 70s and awoke after a 20 year nap. The only other interesting gm motor in the previous 20 years was the 3.8 turbo. This about the time it was great to be a car guy again

[@MrMisanthrope1RBjr]

it was the start of the horsepower wars, dodge came out with its v10 400hp engine just a few months after the zr1. in the dodge ram pickup

[@klasseact6663]

Greg ...i would say the corner was turned around 1985 when TPI came out, power made a steady climb almost each and every year afterwards.

[@BuzzLOLOL]

Yep, '85 TPI 350 in Vette started a comeback... 13.9 sec. in 1/4...

[@youngestson6537]

EXCELLENT.

[@jamesbond9873]

I want to see a C7 towing a boat!

[@UliMuliko]

Host have cool jacket.

[@samueljimenez3381]

I want one for my 96 Impala

[@Texas_Cruiser]

I have a 96 also and damn that would be sick!

[@TheRealDarthVadar]

I would of been mad if I bought a 92 with 375 HP then 93 got bumped up to 405 xd love the lt5 its just awesome looking

[@pnwdweler4100]

Thomas Amwake no reason to be mad, the 1990 ZR1 was actually faster 0-60 than the 1994 ZR1, even though it was rated with less HP.

[@kenlee-97]

@@pnwdweler4100 why is that?-cheers

[@pappyodanial]

THE VETTE GETS EM WETTE

[@1RJW381]

OL' PEG HILL O.K.C 💐🎗️

[@julianneale6128]

A shame there was no mention that it is in fact a Lotus engine.

[@DavidAndre657]

(DANGER) HOT

[@LorenzoMoore1000]

Well atleast we know that a Vette ZR-1 can pull another Vette ZR-1 even if it is for the water.

[@Sir.VicsMasher]

The ZR1 in Cocaine Cowboys 2 documentary.

[@RaymondHaley-lv2mo]

But there were other Chevy's that could've been used in the SS Impala

[@arym1108]

SO IT HAS A FORD MOTOR?

[@chrisromero5302]

They still make the LT5 for boats

[@vaioskaliakoudas6388]

Didn't Lotus made these engines back then?

[@MrMisanthrope1RBjr]

designed by lotus, lotus was owned by gm at the time

[@McBeamer94]

Vaios Kaliakoudas It's a Lotus design! Also, the ZR1's gearbox was also given to the Lotus Carlton!

[@87ferrarif40]

Does MW have a video of the C5 ZO6?

[@mrdaykurutakuchannel]

The only DOHC vette motor. Amazing.

[@hochhaul]

For now.

[@marvinheemeyer6660]

I've heard that the hard core Corvette enthusiasts (sure the hell not me) hate this model Corvette because it doesnt have the "tried & true" antiquated pushrod engine. Even though this was by far a way better designed engine for efficiency & power & vastly better in every way. But the usual knuckle dragging weekend warrior mechanics didnt know how to work on it, so it got alot of hate.

[@chadj.w.anderson5473]

Merica!

[@dahotrod1533]

Powered by a British engine lol

[@DavidAndre657]

POWER / TORQUE

[@VARITHMS]

I thought the chain drive was an interesting set up. It looks like a center of V camshaft with two chains going to the head.

[@allendabold5611]

I wish they would have painted it Mercury Black. I pull my bass boat with one of m vettes.

[@KS-kb4zt]

💪💪💪

[@mrdaykurutakuchannel]

I wish the next c8 vette has a DOHC motor....

[@cemsengul16]

Yes. Enough pushrod motors man. Move into this century GM and give the Corvette an engine that is modern.

[@ahmdnoway4572]

I am crazy about c4 and c7