1990 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 C4
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Highlights
• 2 previous UK keepers
• 5.7 litre
• Low mileage
• Just 2,500 miles covered in 5 years
The Background
The Chevrolet Corvette was originally introduced in 1953 as a concept car, and with high interest it went on sale later that year with the model known as the C1. After nearly 10 years in production, the C2 was introduced in either a coupe or convertible. This again proved extremely popular, becoming widely known as America's Sports Car.
The C3 was launched and continued to grow with a 14 year run, and new sales figures of over 53,800 units produced in 1979. Then we get to the C4 which came to us in 1984, with its sleeker design and 5.7 litre engine, and this too was an instant hit with the American muscle fans.
In 1990 the C4 had an upgrade with the addition of this particular model we have here, the Corvette ZR-1, which was codenamed 'King of the Hill'. Under pressure from Japanese and European rivals, it was Lotus who stepped in to help General Motors with the development of the new 5.7 litre LT5 engine, producing 375 bhp. Featuring a plethora of upgrades, the ZR-1 package intended to take the standard C4 Corvette, a supple, comfortable GT car and transform it into a serious performance machine, aimed squarely at the Porsche 911, Honda NSX and Ferrari 348.
With this new engine the car went on to break and set a number of world records, such as covering 5,000 miles in 28 hours and 46 minutes at an average speed of 173 mph. For a production car, those records remain unbeaten, even today. Production ended in 1995 for the ZR-1 after just 7,000 units were produced. The ZR-1 package was ferociously expensive when new and for that reason, the high price prevented it from making a substantial impact on its Japanese and European rivals.
The History
The seller of this 1990 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 has owned the vehicle since 2016, when it was purchased from an American specialist dealer with just 2 previous UK keepers, and it is believed just 1 keeper in the US. The car came into the country from Florida in May 2000, with just 22,516 miles on the clock.
The seller has decided to part with the car due to downsizing his collection, and also living in the countryside where there are a lot of narrow lanes, the Corvette isn’t the most practical of cars for nipping to the shops in.
The Paperwork
The V5 is present and shows 2 previous UK keepers. The car comes with 2 keys and also an indoor car cover.
There are a few invoices present which includes one costing £3,369.36 for some work to the heating control system and service.
The certificate of title from the state of Florida is present, and some previous UK MOT certificates.
There is an MOT on the Corvette, valid until the 22nd April 2022.
The Interior
Inside of the ZR-1 is a nice place to be. The fully working electric leather seats hold you well with the nice high bolsters, all of which are in excellent condition with no noticeable wear to them. The door cards are also in nice condition.
The dashboard is well equipped and in good order with no noticeable scuffs. The instruments light up as they should and are all reported to be working correctly with the odometer showing 34,534 miles. The switch gear is all in good order, with no wear to the lettering on the buttons throughout the whole cockpit.
The carpets are in excellent condition throughout, and there is a set of mats to the front to protect them further. The driver’s mat does have a small stain, but as it's the mat it could be easily replaced. In the rear, there is space to mount the roof panel securely.
The Exterior
Finished in bright red, the Corvette is in excellent order thanks to the low miles and always being dry stored. Being fiberglass, the Corvette obviously doesn't suffer from any corrosion to the body. It is also free from any cracks or crazing, there are just a few stone chips to the front bumper and a couple on the bonnet. The coolest flip headlights you will ever see are working as they should, and there are no chips or cracks to the lenses. The seller has replaced the bonnet strut, so this lifts up with ease.
Around to the sides, and the vet looks fast before it even moves. The doors align as they should and there are no chips to mention. The car did need to have the off side quarter panel painted in 2018, when an elderly gentleman pulling a caravan managed to catch the rear arch whilst it was stationary. The car was repaired by one of the leading UK fibreglass specialists, Option 1 Sports Cars in Bromsgrove.
The roof panel can be removed and has the correct original tool for unscrewing this. There are no scratches to the windows that we could see, and the large rear hatch window opens at the touch of a button from inside the car.
Looking at the rear, this is a car with presence on the road, it’s wide! There are no scuffs to the rear end, and the badges are present and correct. Four tailpipes exit the rear bumper which sound amazing from the 5.7 litre V8. The wheels on the car are in good condition with no marks to the rims.
There is a small amount of surface corrosion to the faces, but nothing which your local wheel refurbisher couldn't sort out if required. The tyres are all in excellent condition, with the rears only covering a few miles.
The Mechanics
375 bhp of pure American muscle is what the Corvette ZR-1 produces from its 5.7 litre V8 engine.
The Corvette starts up as it should with no untoward noises coming from the monster V8. The seller reports the car drives as it should and pulls well through the six-speed manual gearbox. The ride is fantastic, and being the ZR-1, it is fitted with active ride control modes which can be altered to suit your driving style.
The seller has ensured that the car has been well maintained with regular oil changes, despite it only covering approximately 2,500 miles in 5 years. In 2016, there was a temperature valve actuator replaced, and some work carried out to the heating control system. Since then the air conditioning has not been re-gassed.
The Appeal
Make no mistake, the ZR-1 is a bonafide 90s supercar. Designed to compete with cars such as the Ferrari 348 and Toyota Supra, the ZR-1 represents an excellent opportunity to own a piece of engineering from what was one of the most exciting periods in performance cars. The robust and simple mechanicals compared to its perhaps, more brittle and technological counterparts of the era is refreshing, following the 'brute force and ignorance' approach of its muscle car ancestors.
The ZR-1 is so much more though, with it's Lotus engineering influence and classic 80s styling, it remains a capable sports car, yet offers a left field choice for the kind of person that doesn't like to follow the beaten track.
The ZR-1 has clearly been well cared for since its arrival to the UK in May 2000. Arriving with only 22,516 miles covered, it now stands at 34,534, just 12,018 miles in 21 years. Being dry stored by each of its very few owners has ensured that the Corvette has remained in excellent condition externally, and also the underside.
Will you be the next proud owner to take care of this ZR-1?
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
Vehicle specification
- Year 1990
- Make Chevrolet
- Model Corvette ZR-1 C4
- Colour Red
- Odometer 34,534 Miles
- Engine size 5700
Auction Details
- Seller Type Private
- Town Ambleside
- Location Cumbria
- Country United Kingdom
34
bids
- sc•••• £23,500 12/12/21
- Ni•••• £23,250 12/12/21
- sc•••• £23,249 12/12/21
- Ni•••• £23,000 12/12/21
- sc•••• £22,750 12/12/21
- Ni•••• £22,500 12/12/21
- Ni•••• £22,250 12/12/21
- sc•••• £22,000 12/12/21
- Ni•••• £21,750 12/12/21
- Ni•••• £21,500 12/12/21
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