Paul Workman

I took my 90 Z to the Morris, IL "Cruise Nite" - a 'show what ya brung' (read: pure car nut kind of show).

I've noticed it before, but as usual, for the most part the crowds' eyes get glazed over by all the eye candy at that show, so 'just another C4' gets a casual glance as they walk by. Leave it to some teenage guys to notice! (Well, that's not exactly true... By chance there were two other ZR-1s parked on the same side street, fellow "FBI'ers", in fact, but they're not 'typical' car show guys either)

Suddenly, this young lad stops in his tracks, calls his friends over, and he pulls out his cell phone to snap pictures of the motor while his friends pour all over it.

After a while they come up to me, sitting in my bag chair while eating my dinner, and ask all kinds of questions about the "LT5!". I explained that it was modified to over 500, and even fired it up for them to listen to. (I'm not sure they all believed the '500+' hp claim of mine. I suppose they were expecting a pretty radical cam overlap and the smooth idle doesn't 'tip it's hand' at all.)

Anywayz... It never ceases to amaze me that it is the youngsters these days are the ones (if nobody else) that realize what they're seeing.



(But, then again who could blame them??)

Redline7g

I've had the same thing happen. I asked them how they knew about it. It's because there is a ZR-1 in one of the video games. (I forget which one)

FASTAZU

Long live the King...

XLR8TIN

we need the kids to carry the torch in the future

32valvesftw

If the youngsters appreciate the LT5 they may indeed have been Engineering students? I hope so cause we need more of them.
On this subject I took the Z to a car show saturday there was over 1000 cars there and only 3 or 4 C4s and only my ZR-1. Some of the older Chevy guys could not figure out what the engine was. A few younger 20 -30ish folks knew what it was.

Tom400CFI

Same is true of all era cars. I go on Brass era car tours, and 90% of the people are over 65. When they all retire from the hobby, who will keep it going? At this rate, all those cool cars will end up in museums.

Best thing we can do for the hobby is try to pass on the enthusiasm and the "experience" to younger folks.

Cool that you fired it up for 'em! Maybe take them for a ride next time?

ZR-71

Love to hear those stories

Supercharged111

The original Need for Speed by Road and Track had it back in the 90s. Doubt that was the game. . .

BennieC.

My 95 ZR-1 was used in the Forza Motorsports 5 Video Game. Someone from Microsoft in Seattle flew to Elk Grove and took thousand pictures of my car back in 2013. I was told that about 70% of the 200 cars pictured in that year will make it to the game. I was so stoked when it made it. They gave me the game and a plaque which is now mounted in my shop's waiting room.

Dime

I got my zr-1 when I was twenty around four years ago. So, yeah they're are a few young guys who know what's up.

Very few people seem to know what a ZR-1 is though still. A forgotten hero.

solid dobe

very cool

ghlkal

My wife and I drove the Z around Lake Michigan last week. We were inside a "touristy" place in the U.P. when a young man asked me "Is that your Corvette outside?" He knew what a ZR-1 was - I was surprised. When I asked how he knew about it, he said "I was born in 1990 and I really love that car."

There's hope that we won't be forgotten

Supercharged111

Da whole U.P. (eh!) is touristy and Vettes in any city there are a rarity. Gotta be more specific.

ZR1Bob

I have had the exact same experience several times this summer. This young guy in the wheelchair knew about it, but few others.--Bob

tbirdsps

As a C4 Base owner I'm always envious of the Z owners. Likely the most technically advanced engine ever in a Chevrolet, and pretty too.

It was amazing that Chevrolet told Lotus what the dimensions needed to be, Lotus didn't have the capacity to produce it so Mercury Marine did. I don't care what Chevy does in the future there will likely be nothing else like it.

ZR1Bob

Actually, Mercury was chosen because they were deemed to be experts at the time in aluminum castings and they were capable of producing a complicated, high quality engine at low production volumes (compared with General Motors normal production levels). I don't know that Lotus was considered to produce the engine, but maybe Graham Behan or someone more knowledgeable could comment on that. --Bob

C5 Z06 kid

This is the coolest thing I've read today! The C4 ZR-1 is one of my favorite cars and I drive it alot when I play Forza 5! I hope to own a 1995 Admiral blue ZR-1 one day, I'm only 22 so it may be awhile but it will be oh so sweet when I get it! There's alot of people my age that know what a ZR1 is, but not a ZR-1.

Supercharged111

Bear in mind they won't get cheaper or easier to find with time.

C5 Z06 kid

I know, it will cost a pretty penny!

edram454

Thats what I'm talking about!! Who doesnt like that!! Great car Bob!


ed ramos #3028