What makes the C4 ZR1 Corvette special?

[@PhilDagostino]

We’ve had a 1991 ZR-1 in the family for 20+ years. My dad left it to my brother and I when he passed. We maintain it and fix stuff when it breaks. Just replaced the coils and plugs/wires which were probably original. Love driving the car and keeping it on the road!

[@Darksyne]

Keep it going strong brother. I'd never get rid of it

[@rickprice6312]

Gen X and Millenials remember and love the ZR-1. Gen Xers are coming into their money years now. I recently bought one (I'm early Gen X) and drove it home from NH to TX -- stopped at the Corvette Museum on the way. Younger guys would come up to me at gas stops and ask to see the LT-5. I think C4 ZR-1 appreciation is only getting started. The Boomers in my Corvette Club can't understand why I like C4s.

[@jeremydebusk5913]

Great video. My ZR-1 get more attention than I was expecting. Long Live the King!!!

[@JohnMartin-uk6bi]

Lyle, thank you, I’ve been waiting for a ZR-1 video. I love my ‘91 Z! But I agree, at a distance is a difficult car to identify. The engine is almost perfect, and parts are easy to find if you know the right sources. So docile around town, but quite epic when you can open it up. Shifts at 7k rpm are one of the best mechanical symphonies I’ve heard.

[@WarriorsPhoto]

I was wondering if it revved out that high. The one I looked at today didn’t seem to be pushed by the owner and he didn’t want me to either. Bummer as I figured that engine would be musical at 7,000 RPM. Thank you for your input.

[@johnholmes2808]

They are great cars. Reliable, fuel efficient, very quick and good looking.

[@csvette]

Agreed!

[@mikegoodwin2386]

That was my dream car back in the day. "The King of the Hill."

[@454bigblock]

I've got a 1993 LT1. may not be the ZR1 but considering its 300hp is good enough for it's time.

[@BRS_DIY]

… until you drive a ZR-1

[@zr1daringuillet710]

Great video once again Lyle. Love my 93 ZR1, but its time to move on to my next bucket list car. 36,000 miles listed for $28,000. Thinking I should bump up my price after hearing how the market is changing. Cheers :-)

[@randybills3848]

glad to see some love for the c4 finally

[@FirebirdDude]

I LOOOOOOVE my 1990 ZR-1! It’s so fun to open it up with a “modern” unsuspecting passenger and see/hear their expressions!

[@boblee6477]

Thanks again Lyle. I always enjoy your videos. You are a walking encyclopedia of Corvettes. Keep 'em comin'!

[@csvette]

Thank you!

[@WydGlydJim]

I just got back my '90 ZR-1 that I sold 10 years ago. It is 1 of 19 in Quasar Blue; I could not be happier to get it back for a very reasonable price. I also have an '09 ZR1, and the '90 while much less powerful, is still very enjoyable to drive. It is hard to explain to someone who has never driven one; it is simply a superb driving experience. Soon I will be doing some engine upgrades, and it will be as fast as anything on the road. While not cheap to modify, the LT-5 has almost unlimited naturally aspirated potential, while retaining very docile street manners, as well as great fuel economy.

[@darrenbuttery3527]

I had the chance to buy a 1991 ZR1 for 9K back in 2019 but I passed and bought a regular 95 LT1 C4 for 7K instead. I kind of wish I had pulled the trigger on the ZR1 and likely would have if I knew then what I know now. Reason I passed on it was it had 163,000 miles on it vs 79,000 on the LT1 C4 that I ended up buying. I admit the mileage scared me off. I didn't know how stout the marine motors were and worried I wouldn't be able to find a mechanic if something went wrong. Now I own a C5 with 147,000 miles and running strong and I'm dating a woman five years older than me. I've decided age and odometer are just a number ;-)

[@seangoodman665]

I bought a 91 11 years ago. Love it

[@bennycato3774]

Thanks for continuing to do these videos Lyle!!

[@csvette]

Thank you!

[@joegotz1971]

I had a ‘95 ZR-1, High number, Red with tan interior. I liked it but I liked my 96 Grand Sport better. I still wish i has both.

[@vladimirkavalic3998]

Great video Just got one, took me 33 years. Swedish sold 26000km about 1800 miles so glad :)

[@jesselozano5124]

Great video, I learned something new about my car. Didn’t mention the 3 world records same racetrack :(

[@WarriorsPhoto]

I went and looked at a ZR1 today. I was shocked to see $40,000 as the asking price. You are correct it was mostly quirky. And two people walked by but didn’t realize what it was. Which is a bummer as it was definitely fun even in the passenger seat. It truly was ahead of it’s time. Good video and I do wonder if you have anything to add?

[@piplup6267]

Really enjoyed this watch ! I have a C6 and my father owns a C4 truly the corvette that shaped the future of corvette ! Great content…

[@RobsNeighbor]

Great channel great content, we love our 96lt4 and love this channel!

[@douglasthompson9482]

Another fabulous video biography. That will be my next car for sure. Your knowledge Lyle is excellent.

[@TerryIlousTV]

Great content - I’m looking for a 94-95 ZR1

[@dannywilsher4165]

Thanks, always a viewing pleasure!!!

[@nateheltne1641]

Thanks!

[@bradwilliams4921]

That would be a nice icon to own.

[@RestorationObsession]

The ZR1 C4 is definitely a sweet car. While I am not too fond of the C4 body design, everything else about the car is quite awesome! Great suspension, super-low overall, sticks to the road like glue, excellent powertrain. I'll stick with my C3 though! :)

[@csvette]

C3 is a much more user-maintenance-friendly car, for sure.

[@RestorationObsession]

@@csvette Very true. That's one of my favorite things about it. It's basically the last of the purest form of the car I think. Before computers came into the mix and things become overly complicated lol. Still, I love all vettes. And the new Countach!

[@dcartellone2659]

Love this car since I was 15 in 1990 and now I’m Soon to be 47. Such a sleeper to the average person that hasn’t got a clue to what’s under the hood. Expensive option. If I’m eve bless to get one I’d like a 94- 95. Manual transmission only. Kids won’t be able to take it when out of town😂 ♌️

[@anthonygrisolia8403]

The best C4 model.

[@rapid13]

Keeping in mind that the rear fascia for the later C4s, ZR1 and standard, were merely imitations of the Callaway aerobody glass.

[@Maskinservice]

Here´s a recipe for those of you that cannot find or afford a ZR-1: Get yourself a regular 1991 Vette with a manual transmission. It has the new body style making it look almost like a ZR-1 and it has the old engine. Perfect combo for a ZR-1 clone. Sell that L98 TPI-engine and buy or build a new smallblock engine. Nowadays you can build a 400/406 or 427/434 or even a 454 ci smallblock. Even a "small" 400 ci smallblock will make 500+ hp today and a 434 will make 550 hp in the correct tune. You can even buy such engines as crate engines that are almost ready to install. Just remember that you will need a completely new fuel system from fuel pump to ECU so there´s more to do than just the engine swap. The reason for choosing a 1991 is that the next model year meant the LT-1 engine. That´s not a bad engine but there are much, much more tuning parts available for the L98/TPI engine. And there are after market body parts for making a complete ZR-1 conversion if that´s important to you. This will make a C4 that out-performs even the ZR-1 and it will probably be much cheaper. There´s only one downside and that is that it isn´t a real ZR-1 so it has no collector value. It´s just another C4, but it would be a fast one.

[@frankpavan7865]

In Montreal I saw a low mileage 1990 or 1991 ZR1 asking price of $65,000.cdn . I would love to drive one.

[@josephmichaelgoncalves1728]

Thanks for the info!👍

[@randybills3848]

i wish you could see my 95 its just an lt1 but shes so very pretty

[@johnnydoubleu3656]

I sold my 91 Z back in march....Car had 522 horse in the crank....Sold it to step up to a C6 Z06 which had 650 HP in the crank.....Fully built with coil overs and forged internals...Too many little annoying problems with the Z06...

[@josephmichaelgoncalves1728]

Great video! Are the ZR1 rocker panels available for the 1991 to 1993? Will the ZR1 rocker panels fit on the base models?

[@csvette]

They are not reproduced. You could bolt them in place on a regular c4, but they would stick out and look weird. Lyle

[@stiansveen]

@@csvettea quick search today (april 26th 2024) reveals that rocker panels can be purchased at something called Top Flight Automotive?

[@csvette]

@@stiansveen That is only for the RH side, and it is original GM...not a reproduction. If you need just the one side, that is a great deal! Lyle

[@stiansveen]

@@csvette thank you! So its a high risk buying one of these cars? I live in Norway, if the engine goes, its gonna be something like shipping the engine to some specialist in the US to get it fixed..?

[@csvette]

@@stiansveen It's a risk buying any 30 year old car. Pros are that most of the parts for the ZR-1 were shared with the regular C4, so they can be found. Cons are that the specialized parts that ARE ZR-1 specific can be VERY hard to locate...especially engine parts. Lyle

[@kelvinmclain9199]

Great channel thanx for the info keep it going

[@TommioRS]

I love my 95 ZR-1! The LT-5 power is fantastic, im fairly sure its underrated from the factory. My butt dyno tells me its around 430-450 hp. I say that because i have buddy with a modded 2016 mustang 5.0 and my 95 ZR-1 will walk it ever day. That or the mustang is just a dog lol.

[@cyclonekevin6199]

I was t aware of 315 tires in the 20th century, and the keys to adjust power.

[@csvette]

There wee steamrollers back them, for sure! :) Lyle

[@husabomb]

bellissimo video

[@marcryan7339]

very informative thx

[@scottferguson3842]

I'm shocked there weren't suspension differences between ZR1 and base Corvette with the power increase. Also, saw several mint ZR1 at Mecum in 2014 and they all sold for 25K or under and remember being suprised how affordable that was but with extremely limited parts available I can understand.

[@vomErsten]

Parts are not that limited. Most of the unique parts are easy to find rebuild services for or have options to convert to a more common part.

[@vomErsten]

@@wilsonme2 The FX3 dynamic suspension on the ZR-1 is identical to the one found on the standard C4 from 1989 through 1995. The one that is different is the F45 that was only on the 1996 Grand Sport; nothing before or after is compatible with it and it must be junked when it breaks. The FX3 is also not a hydraulic adjust; it's an electric motor that drives a screw up or down to change the volume of the gas shock, thereby increasing and decreasing the compression tune. Lotus involvement with the ZR-1 starts and ends with the engine. They had nothing to do with the suspension.

[@xXcashXx3]

I love the zr1 but if i had to choose i would get the grand sport LT4

[@markbaumgartner7261]

I had a 96 Grand Sport #901, sold it 2018, to buy my wife a new car.

[@terrellallen2590]

I would also choose a Grand sport over a ZR1

[@markbaumgartner7261]

@@terrellallen2590 , I loved my Grand Sport, but a good Optispark is getting harder to find. I also had a black 96 Lt4 car, those would be a good choice if you can't afford a Grand Sport. All 1000 Grand Sports had their unique Vin Sequence numbers.

[@vomErsten]

Why? I've had an LT4 car and have a ZR-1. The latter is much more of an event to drive in ways that cannot be replicated on the LT4. All that makes the GS is the unique VIN and a bunch of superficial visual options that you can easily apply on any LT4 Corvette.

[@z51xfire80]

One part that is left out of most of these videos is the very strong ZR-1 community that exists in various parts of the country, and how ZR-1s have been modified to provide very reliable 500-700hp examples. Even having been mated to automatics. Its a 30year old car that can still hold its own around newer machines. I don’t mind the fact that its not readily recognized or distinguishable from run of the mill C4s. In my mind, the “sleeper” value is part of the fun, especially when the LT5 is modified.

[@jimharrow8104]

Nice...

[@AntonioPerez-kk8cj]

Would ZR1 wheels and tires fit on a base C4?

[@vomErsten]

Yes, but you will need to cover the rear wheels to pass an inspection if the inspector is a stickler. The adhesive fender flares used on the 1996 Grand Sport are available on Eckler's and will do the trick.

[@AntonioPerez-kk8cj]

@@vomErsten I’m concerned about the rear wheel rubbing on the sway bar mount.

[@brandonherrera2891]

@@AntonioPerez-kk8cj What year is your c4? If 88-96, they won't be close to rubbing on anything. The base 88-96 has a rear offset of 56mm. The zr-1 has a rear offset of 36mm. Meaning it will stick out about an inch. Compared to non zr-1 wheels.

[@AntonioPerez-kk8cj]

@@brandonherrera2891 I have a 1987 corvette that was parked in a driveway for 20 plus years that I’m trying to restore/ fix. And the ZR1 wheels look nice and I want to put those on my C4.

[@Michael_Lorenson]

C4 Corvettes, especially ZR-1s, (and maybe Vipers, too) must be the most undervalued sports cars in America. The regular L98 C4 was the best all-around sports car of the 80s, at any price. The ZR-1 took it to another level through the mid-90s, of course. We will pay STUPID money for a 911SC or a (piece of junk) Ferrari 308/328, both of which an L98 C4 would spank like a red-headed stepchild, but next to nothing for a Corvette.

[@johnnydoubleu3656]

Vipers have gone way up....I remember looking at first Gens back about 7 years ago....Could be had in low to mid 20's for a good one...

[@Michael_Lorenson]

@@johnnydoubleu3656 Yes, I saw a beautiful low mileage first-gen Viper GTS go through a Barrett-Jackson auction just a few years ago, and it sold for $27k.

[@Michael_Lorenson]

I feel like I should clarify that while the ZR-1 "took it to another level through the mid-90s", by 1990 the C4 was long in the tooth and beginning to face lots of excellent new competition. As Lyle said, 375-405hp was incredible in those days, but Chevy's styling decisions really hurt the ZR-1's image, as well. For a year or two it was still hard to beat, but at about ~$60k the car was a tough sell.

[@CaseTheCorvetteMan]

There was no competition yellow in 92 Lyle!!

[@csvette]

I looked it up--the ZR-1 was a '93, not a '92. Good catch! :) Lyle

[@CaseTheCorvetteMan]

@@csvette 93 was indeed the first year of Competition Yellow, looks great on a Zed with the A-Molds

[@randybills3848]

i dont think it was unfortunate im glad because they all got sexy sorry just my thought

[@jonhill9564]

🇺🇲

[@chargerbill7037]

Invest = Lose Money

[@howabouthetruth2157]

I'm wondering if any other auto maker has broken that 24 hour endurance record AND the 5,000 mile endurance record, in which both were long-standing records, and the C4 ZR1 shattered them both. The 24 hour endurance record stood for over 40 years with an AVERAGE speed of 161 mph, set by a car running a huge 12 cylinder aircraft engine ........Decades later, Ford tried to break it, and failed. Audi also tried, and failed. Even Mercedes took a specially engineered car designed solely for breaking that record, AND FAILED. Yet along comes a bone stock C4 ZR1 that utterly destroyed that record with an incredible 175.8 mph speed average. The 5,000 mile endurance record took over 30 hrs ( on the same 7.7 mile oval track in Texas ), and again: the C4 ZR1 claimed the new record with an average speed of 173 mph. Keep in mind, the speed averages reflect the fact the car had to pit for re-fueling, tires, and drivers being relieved by other drivers. So that car had to be going over 180 mph on the track. ( It broke other records too, but these 2 are the most famous. ) So, has any other auto maker beat these 2 records yet???? Both of these records being successfully broken by a bone stock C4 ZR1 is a testament to how durable & reliable the LT5 engine truly is. Lastly: I don't think that just because "375 and 405 hp is nothing by today's standards" will have any negative impact whatsoever on this legendary car, and it's rising values. Because power is nothing without CONTROL, and the C4 ZR1 even laid waste to the Porsche 911 TURBO of the same era, YET THE ZR1 WAS PRICED AT $37,000 LESS. ( Probably explains the embarrassing interior that is fairly crappy. ) It beat the 911 turbo in a drag race, stopping distance, even beating the 911 turbo by over 2 full seconds during timed laps on a road course. The C4 ZR1 was a genuine world beater.