The seller discovered this 1990 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 in a barn in western Nebraska. It has been stored there for the last 10 years. The Corvette is one of 3,049 ZR1 equipped coupes built-in 1990. Total Corvette production for the year was 23,646 units. This car is listed for sale here on eBay with 17 days remaining in the auction. The seller has the car listed for a Buy It Now Price of $24,000 but also has the option for a best offer. The winning bidder can pick up the car in Mitchell, Nebraska.
The ZR1 designation was used on the 1969-1971 C3 generation, the 1990-1995 C4 generation, the 2009-2013 C6 generation, and the 2019-present C7 generation Corvette. This car is a C4 generation Corvette and the first year for the ZR1 engine which was developed by Lotus. Chevrolet wanted to produce the world’s fastest production car and developed the LT5 aluminum block 32 valve overhead cam engine. It was factory rated at 375 horsepower and commonly referred to as the “King of the Hill” during its development and prototype testing.
This car has some use and reflects 81,582 miles on the odometer. Accordingly to AutoCheck, the car has had 8 owners. The car runs and drives but has some issues and is being sold without the issues being resolved. These include the need for a serpentine belt tensioner, exhaust leak, dry rotted tires, bubbling paint, and an ABS sensor problem. Also, the air conditioning does not blow cold. The car has multiple amenities including power seats, power windows, cruise control, and power locks.
The 5.7-liter V8 engine is backed by a 6-speed manual transmission which is unique to the ZR1. Code named ML9, the transmission uses a computer to force the driver to shift from first to fourth gear under low-speed urban driving. I wonder if this was annoying or not that noticeable. Road and Track tested the 1990 Corvette ZR1 and reported a quarter-mile time of 13.4 seconds and a top speed of 179 mph. These cars are going up in value and there are probably better examples but not at this price point.
Considering you can’t get a 911 for less than 35K with miles but you can buy a collectible ZR1 for 24K it seems like a great deal. Never been a huge fan of the C4 but then again I’ve never driven a ZR1. Looks like a hidden treasure has just been found!
This car was da nutz in 1990. The DOHC engine in this ZR1 is, I believe, still the only non-pushrod V8 ever used in a Corvette. I’m not really a Corvette guy, with the exception of the current model which I would seriously consider buying as a used car in a few years. And this one.
Wasn’t this engine actually built by Mercury Outboards? Not a true Chevy engine. This was the hottest engine you could get in a Vette for a time.
I think the company that built it was Mercury Marine (if memory serves me correctly).
Designed by GM/Lotus. Built by Mercury Marine, Stillwater Oklahoma due to “low” volume production estimates. Any ZR-1 fan/geek should have a copy of “The Heart of The Beast” by Anthony Young.
I’d LS swap it and sell it, but keep that gorgeous motor.
Bought mine a few years ago for 17k with 20k miles. Now has 28k miles, maybe time to sell? Great car, hyd. clutch was only repair.
Enjoyed a ’91 version for a couple of years, only had 31K miles. This one is overpriced only because of all the needs, and the mileage is higher than most for sale.
I think for that price, it should be sorted. C4s are the first Corvette to go with more modern technology but still looked like nice firebirds.
Too many miles, too many owners, too many things wrong, too much money.
So you’re saying it is a “too many, too much” car? lol
No, I think Frank is saying, look for a better buy, if you want a 1990 ZR-1. Here is one for 17K. https://www.smartmotorguide.com/L49549682
@ Jeff S:
I was trying to be humorous, hence the lol at the end of my post. I wasn’t trying to do anything but be funny. I’m sorry if my attempt was misinterpreted by you.
10,000 comedians out of work, lol. I was just saying look before you buy, there is almost always a better deal, if you look for it. This is not the ZR-1 to buy.
I agree all around
Too many
Miles
Repairs
Dollars
This is a car that should be able to be “corrected” for not much money..and a car to have fun driving, to boot!
Then again, maybe not. Make an offer and keep us posted. This is an $18,000 ZR-1 based on the mileage.
Maybe $17K – See my post above.
Pass on anything where “the car has had 8 owners”. Anything.
Did you ever sell a car that was running well and you enjoyed driving? I never have either. Eight owners is six too many on a ZR-1.
The thing that puzzles me is the paint bubbling on the rear quarters along the bond line. You’d think that adhesive would have fully cured decades ago. To me, that’s not a small issue. After fixing that, the back half of the car would need a repaint. Tires ain’t cheap either.
That 1st to 4th issue can be fixed with a chip to eliminate that . Although this is a very desirable model to some I think it may have a few skeletons in the closet ,,,,,,,, 8 different owners and in storage since 2011 ? Nice car but ,,,,,
The car was geared wrong for the USA. I drove one back in 91 with a friend who was a Wholesale car dealer. The guy traded it for a new 91 GMC 2500 truck. I was not impressed a dog a low RPM’s.
There is a youtube video of a guy doing a high-speed pass in one of these. INCREDIBLE!!! Take it to Haibeck and bump it up to 660HP, seriously thinking of getting one of these as my next Vette.
I have 2 of these 1990 ZR-1 cars, one is red, other is black. $26,000 for the 2 cars.
Last month I tried to start them after they have been sitting for 2-3 years. No start on both. Suspect a wire grounding issue, or the security system.
Owned them both about 12 years. Bad health forces sale. Once started they will both run perfect. Contact me if interested at
Rd.adam@hotmail.com
I have a 94 with the 405 hp LT-5. It is an absolute beast and was light years ahead of the competition in it’s heyday. And no need for a chip to get around the 1 to 4 shift… all you need to do is rev it a little higher in first gear (which is always fun), and it overrides the 1-to-4 nonsense.
Sidenote about how hard this car pulls: I forgot what year and what magazine I read the suggestion in, but I tried it – ONCE – and it scared the shit out of me…
Lugging along at 70 miles an hour in sixth gear (OD) at roughly 2200RPM, downshift to 3rd, hammer the skinny pedal and you’ll break the ass end loose, predictably slithering to and fro til about 105 +/- MPH. Make sure you do it on a straight stretch of road.
If you ever get the opportunity to drive one, I suggest you do it. Everything negative you’ve heard about the C4 Corvette will go right out the window if given the opportunity to play with a ZR-1.
PS – I do own “the heart of the beast”. Must have for C4 ZR-1 owners.
When I worked in Chevrolet parts I priced a bare head for a customer. At that time it listed for around $5000. At that point I rwalized I had no interest in owning one.
No surprise there. It was basically a $27,000 engine option in 1990. Adjusted for inflation= $55,700 today.
Google up: King of the hill, 24 hr endurance race. They run the ZR-1 flat out, averaging 175 mph for 24 hrs, which included stops for fuel, drivers, and tires.
I don’t believe any other production corvette, or possibly any brand of production car has ever beaten that record.
I used to enjoy the 30 mpg when driving 90 mph on the highway.