help 1990 zr-1

I know all about owning and driving corvettes. I take my 96 out
whenever I can. Also looking at a 99.

Anyway, I have an opportunity to pick up a 90 ZR1 in the mid 30's. I
do not know much about the zr1's. I have a 96 lt4 and have read that
they are similar. I love my 96 but it is not a kick ass fast car. It
is a great cruiser with some balls.

Anyway, the zr1 would strictly be an investment, not for driving.
Please offer your input, it is valued.

Ralph

>But as an investment, not such a great idea.

Boy do I agree.....seriously there were a coupke at Carlisle last
month selling (asking price) 20K and 22K. Cars are just not
investments... hedges against depreciation maybe, ?

=================
>What the heck.
>
>You can't take it with you.
>
>
==============================

I have to agree with you on this count also...once your dead all fun
goes out of collecting and playing with toys of any
kind.....

>TomC
>'90ZR1 #792

Bob G.

Take a look at the Chicago Tribune newspaper today. Theres a 1990 ZR1
at a dealer , exc. cond, 64 k miles (i believe it was) for : low $20
k.'s.

rebco10 wrote:
> I know all about owning and driving corvettes. I take my 96 out
> whenever I can. Also looking at a 99.
>
> Anyway, I have an opportunity to pick up a 90 ZR1 in the mid 30's. I
> do not know much about the zr1's. I have a 96 lt4 and have read that
> they are similar. I love my 96 but it is not a kick ass fast car. It
> is a great cruiser with some balls.
>
> Anyway, the zr1 would strictly be an investment, not for driving.
> Please offer your input, it is valued.
>
> Ralph
>
Ralph:

Take it for a test drive.
Drive it to a nice lonely straight road.
At ~50mph stick it in second gear and open 'er up. Shift it into third
gear at 7000 rpms. Shift out of third gear when things start to blur.
Run it up into 4th gear until it's almost ready to shift again. Then
look down at the speedometer. You've just broken the speed limit nearly
three times over.
If a cop sees you, you better have a good lawyer.
It will take weeks to wipe the smirk off of your face.
All this, plus anti lock brakes, cruise control, climate control, heated
side view mirrors, 25 mpg on the freeway, and a Bose Gold sound system.
Pure nirvana.
But as an investment, not such a great idea.
They sold originally for ~$65k+, and today you can buy a fairly low mile
example for less than half that. Check eBay and Hemmings. Some say that
they are just now hitting the bottom of the curve and are sure to
appreciate. It's hard to say. With gas now over $3 per gallon, and sure
to get even higher with Rita bearing down on Texas oil fields...

What the heck.

You can't take it with you.

Buy it.

You'll like it.

;-)

TomC
'90ZR1 #792

Just a heads up...
What I understand is certain engine parts are getting very scarce
from the racing and club racing ZR1's depleting available inventory...

rebco10 wrote:

>I know all about owning and driving corvettes. I take my 96 out
>whenever I can. Also looking at a 99.
>
>Anyway, I have an opportunity to pick up a 90 ZR1 in the mid 30's. I
>do not know much about the zr1's. I have a 96 lt4 and have read that
>they are similar. I love my 96 but it is not a kick ass fast car. It
>is a great cruiser with some balls.
>
>Anyway, the zr1 would strictly be an investment, not for driving.
>Please offer your input, it is valued.
>
>Ralph
>
>
>

--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove –SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson

I'd keep the LT4, as a 100% adder on the price the ZR1's are not holding
value as you might expect. Then to if you're going to buy it, and store it,
the reason it was built is lost. It's been said before, get what makes you
happy because it's not an investment with a return. I've also told this
before that a club member that has a 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 65, 67, 68 L88,
84, and a couple of GT350 Mustangs sold his ZR1 because it was loosing him
money, note that he kept the 84.


"RicSeyler" > wrote in message
...
> Just a heads up...
> What I understand is certain engine parts are getting very scarce
> from the racing and club racing ZR1's depleting available inventory...
>
> rebco10 wrote:
>
>>I know all about owning and driving corvettes. I take my 96 out
>>whenever I can. Also looking at a 99.
>>
>>Anyway, I have an opportunity to pick up a 90 ZR1 in the mid 30's. I
>>do not know much about the zr1's. I have a 96 lt4 and have read that
>>they are similar. I love my 96 but it is not a kick ass fast car. It
>>is a great cruiser with some balls.
>>
>>Anyway, the zr1 would strictly be an investment, not for driving.
>>Please offer your input, it is valued.
>>Ralph
>>
>>
>
> --
> Ric Seyler
> Online Racing: RicSeyler
> GPL Handicap 6.35
>
> http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
> remove –SPAM- from email address
> --------------------------------------
> "Homer no function beer well without."
> - H.J. Simpson
>

Dad wrote:
> I'd keep the LT4, as a 100% adder on the price the ZR1's are not holding
> value as you might expect. Then to if you're going to buy it, and store it,
> the reason it was built is lost. It's been said before, get what makes you
> happy because it's not an investment with a return. I've also told this
> before that a club member that has a 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 65, 67, 68 L88,
> 84, and a couple of GT350 Mustangs sold his ZR1 because it was loosing him
> money, note that he kept the 84.

Dad wrote: "note that he kept the 84." Don't hold that against the club
member Dad! He got the 1st 9 Vettes right, as well as the Mustangs. The
'84 was a cheap mistake, relatively speaking.

RicSeyler wrote:
> Just a heads up...
> What I understand is certain engine parts are getting very scarce
> from the racing and club racing ZR1's depleting available inventory...

Rick:

Hate to rain on your parade, but you're absolutely wrong.
Sure, GM discontinued the LT5 ages ago, but there's plenty of after
market suppliers for essential components and wear items.
Of course they're expensive! It's a Corvette, after all. A limited
production, high performance "SuperCar". The fastest production car made
at that time.
It goes without saying that replacement parts will be pricey.
Have you ever priced a tune up on a Ferrari or a Lamborghini?
Not too many ZR1s are being raced today, there's too many newer and
faster cars. The important thing to understand is that it's taken 15
years for the rest of the automotive industry to catch up to what GM and
Lotus did with the ZR1.

TomC
'90ZR1 #792

I've read and heard from many places certain parts are very scarce.
I even read in one of the Vette Mags that a club racer put a very low
rev limiter in his because he didn't want to break it, for the real fear of
not being able to get parts any longer.......
And also read an article in one Vette Mag about some are hoarding what
they can get..

But I have no first hand knowledge of having to hunt for heads, blocks,
cranks
etc for the LT5, so I'm only a talking head when it comes right down to it.
But I would sure confirm this through several suppliers and racers
before ever
purchasing one.

Crabs wrote:

> RicSeyler wrote:
>
>> Just a heads up...
>> What I understand is certain engine parts are getting very scarce
>> from the racing and club racing ZR1's depleting available inventory...
>
>
> Rick:
>
> Hate to rain on your parade, but you're absolutely wrong.
> Sure, GM discontinued the LT5 ages ago, but there's plenty of after
> market suppliers for essential components and wear items.
> Of course they're expensive! It's a Corvette, after all. A limited
> production, high performance "SuperCar". The fastest production car
> made at that time.
> It goes without saying that replacement parts will be pricey.
> Have you ever priced a tune up on a Ferrari or a Lamborghini?
> Not too many ZR1s are being raced today, there's too many newer and
> faster cars. The important thing to understand is that it's taken 15
> years for the rest of the automotive industry to catch up to what GM
> and Lotus did with the ZR1.
>
> TomC
> '90ZR1 #792


--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove –SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson

RicSeyler wrote:
> I've read and heard from many places certain parts are very scarce.
> I even read in one of the Vette Mags that a club racer put a very low
> rev limiter in his because he didn't want to break it, for the real fear of
> not being able to get parts any longer.......
> And also read an article in one Vette Mag about some are hoarding what
> they can get..
<snip>
<Blah, blah, blah>

Rick:

Right now there are 13 ZR1's for sale on eBay. There's also a new "in
the box" ZF 6 speed transmission. Last week there was a complete LT5
engine.
If I blew the motor on my "Z" I could just buy another car for parts, or...
I could call Doug Rippe Motor Sports right now and buy an complete LT5
engine stoked to 402 cubes producing 550-600hp. http://www.dougrippie.com/
Expensive you ask? Sure! Damn Straight! Why shouldn't it cost nearly
as much as the car. The ZR1 option doubled the price of the car originally.

Rick, cars like these will not just go away. Right now it's cheaper to
own one than when it was new. Some years ago people said, "Who in their
right mind would buy a 1969 ZL1 Corvette with an Aluminum 427 when the
steel block 427 was so much better, stronger, cheaper, etc."?
So only two sold.
So now it's 36 years later and you can buy a C3 L88 for anywhere between
$250k and $500k.
Those two ZL1's are now priceless. Any collector worth their beans would
sell their soul for either of them.
I'd be willing to wager that parts for these cars are pricey too.

For myself, I just love to drive my ZR1. It's a piece of history, plus a
really fine automobile. And it's a sleeper. Joe America has no idea that
sitting next to him at the stoplight is a car capable of nearly 200mph
in street trim. Faster than any police car in the country. Faster than
most police helicopters too. The radio thing still beats you every time,
but what the heck.

TomC
'90ZR1 #792