- Seller: Iconic Motors (Contact)
- Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Mileage: 38,000 Shown
- Chassis #: 1G1YZ23J7L5800111
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 5.7-Liter DOHC 32V V8
- Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
UPDATE – The seller has added a walk-around and start-up video!
With the recent introduction of the 1250-horsepower 2026 Corvette ZR1X, it’s a good time to pay homage to the car that arguably started the Corvette on its current “supercar-at-half-the-price” trajectory: the 1990 ZR1. Released to rave reviews, the four-cam, 375-horsepower Corvette, like its current namesake, looked a lot like the standard model you’d find in your neighbor’s garage, and that was part of the charm. You had one of the fastest cars on the road without letting everyone know. Since only 3,049 ZR1s were produced in 1990, and production fell off after that, you can today have an uncommon sports car that is as fun as it ever was. This example is being offered as a Barn Finds Auction located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The true heart of the C4 ZR1 was its engine, the LT5 5.7-liter, four-cam, 32-valve V8 that produced a then-earth-shattering 375 horsepower. While it still maintained the same 5.7-liter displacement as its L98-powered brethren, everything else was fundamentally different, even the bore-and-stroke measurements. Whereas the classic “350” has a 4-inch bore and 3.48-inch stroke, the LT5 has a 3.9-inch bore and 3.66-inch stroke. While the L98 was a relatively low-revving, torquey engine, the LT5 revved freely to its 7,000-rpm redline, but it still felt good down low because of the intake manifold’s “multiple-throttle induction system.” Car and Driver’s April 1990 road test said that the ZR1 was “the quickest U.S.-legal production car on the market. Not even the Testarossa (could) stay with it through the gears.” What did that mean in terms of acceleration and top speed? A zero-to-sixty time of 4.6 seconds, a quarter-mile run of 12.9 at 111 miles per hour, and a top speed of 176. Even today, that’s nothing to laugh about.
An interesting fact: According to the sales materials, the LT5 takes 12 quarts of oil, so keep that in mind at oil change time.
This black example (one of 905 built in 1990) has a reported 38,000 miles on the odometer and features dual power leather sport seats, power windows and locks, cruise control, and electronic selective ride control. The leather seats appear to be in great shape; it’s tough to tell that 1990 was 36 years ago (yikes!). All ZR1s had a six-speed manual transmission with overdrive on both fifth and sixth gears (.75:1 and .50:1, respectively), combined with a 3.45:1 rear axle ratio.
The hatch area looks great, too. Corvettes have always been the “everyman’s sports car,” and owners often pride themselves on their favorite car’s practicality. While the mid-engined C8 may have lost a little bit of its front-engined forebear’s rear trunk space, it still has the same DNA.
With just 38,000 miles, this ZR-1 shows restraint and care throughout. It carries a clean title, is located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and represents one of only 3,049 ZR-1s produced for the 1990 model year, making it a genuinely rare piece of Corvette history. This isn’t a modified or reimagined example — it’s a well-preserved ZR-1 that delivers exactly what made the model legendary: performance, presence, and engineering that was years ahead of its time. It has newer tires, so it should be ready for a new owner who wants a classic Corvette with many of the amenities of a newer model. If you had a poster of the ZR1 on your wall as a kid, bid now!
*Note – Oklahoma Document Fee of $495
Bid On This Auction
ABrink56 bid $10,500.00 2026-03-11 07:51:36
Gerard Planche bid $10,000.00 2026-03-05 08:41:20
KHayes bid $3,500.00 2026-03-04 09:50:29
I’ve always enjoyed looking at that engine. I think I like its appearance better than the car’s body LOL. I wonder, though, if this very special engine fails, whether it is worth it to rebuild the original, or drop in a high-powered LS? Numbers-matching is important to a collector, I guess, is meaningful as a daily driver?
Black sure sure is the right colour, on this machine.
Since the LT5 was a hand built over engineered masterpiece, they don’t fail very often.
It’s the rest of the car that’s a 30 year old GM product.
Crabs
Remember reading about the 1990 ZR-1 when they came out. A 1990 ZR-1 corvette shattered a 50 year old 24 hour endurance record averaged 175.885 MPH covering 4,221.256 miles. I would say that is one strong high performance engine.
If you’re into C4s, this has to be up there in desirability. Low mileage without being so low youre worried about driving it outside of a one block radius. And it looks like it’s very well kept and is in classic colors. How hard is it to get parts for these now?
A few things are difficult and expensive to find, but there is a large community of owners who keep the legend alive.
Life begins at 185mph.
Crabs
’90 ZR-1 #792
Should have never sold mine…
My fav body style and engine amongst all Vettes. GLWTS!
I agree! I would love to drive one!
If contemplating bidding/buying, the first thing is to have/know a mechanic who can work on this engine expertly; don’t expect the local Chevy dealer to handle it!
You just answered my question, who can work on these beasts? I would think just as difficult as keeping a 327 fuelie operational.
If you are at all comfortable with turning ur own wrenches, then all you need is a FSM & the will to learn the car. Oh, joining the ZR-1 NetRegistry is also a very, very, very large plus. Join the Registry and you have a thousand ppl, fellow owners, that will offer assistance. I went from a ’72 LT-1 to a my ’90 ZR-1 and I was intimidated till I calmed down and learned from my brother ZR-1 owners at the Registry. Go over & take a look at the Registry’s home page and our forum. Heck even at corvetteforum.com the ZR-1 section is very active. Good luck in ur decision.
If I remember correctly didn’t Mercury Marine have a hand on some of this motor
I think you are correct. And didn’t the coolant flow in the reverse direction…like a marine engine?
Just a bit of 1990 ZR-1 trivia: at 0111 production # this is a steel half shaft car with electronic A/C, the electronic A/C was one of the two options you could add. They used steel 1/2 shafts till they figured out that the std alum. 1/2 shafts could take the twist. That change over happened at about car # 600 or a bit later. Also, Bk/Gy ’90 ZR-1 only 189 cars ordered that way. The info is at the ZR-1 NetRegistry site. I had #2233 for 10 yrs. They, the C4’s up to ’93, are the last of the analog corvettes: no electronic nannies to help you & 3 channel ABS! Save the wave!
Fortunately, the ZR-1 is a classic you can wrench on yourself without an “engine out” for minor tasks. The early digital gages are a bit of a trip if they fail. (Ready Player One?) But the biggest problem often rose from using ethanol fuels. The 1990 ZR-1 was engineered to run on “pure gas.” The fuel system degrades rapidly if you feed it corn.
Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, you can’t beat this car unless you got an exotic or a C6 or newer Corvette. This one is not a garage queen, it’s more of a well cared for driver quality car that I’m sure will give you many more miles & smiles.
I agree! I would love to drive one!
I looked at buying one of these back in the day, but as a broke azz Marine, could not afford it on my E-4 salary. I remember the dealer trying to talk me into buying one by telling me you will never see another new car with 400 hp ever! Didn’t these models have a key switch in the dash that throttled back the HP to 300 or so?
There’s a picture in the ad of the “Valet Switch”.
The LT-5 in these hold 9 quarts of oil. Mobil 1 Synthetic is its drink of choice per Chevrolet. Love my ‘94 (#229).
$10,500, reserve $23k………………the public has spoken.