tnz5106

Hey Guys, I have been hanging out on the z06 page since a bought a z06 back in the summer. I am in the middle of a heated debate over on that page. These guys over there dont see anything wrong with calling the upcoming 650 hp corvette a zr1. I have tried to explain the best I can, but I need some backing. This is what I said in my last post..

You guys dont get it do you? I know the zr1 was used briefly before in '70 or '71. But it was very rare and unsuccessful. Only corvette purists and fanatics have ever heard of it. The c6 z06 is a continuation of the c5 z06, so I dont see anyone being offended there.
In modern corvette history, or lets say probably 90% of people that know anything about corvettes, the zr1 is this:

1) The only corvette with an engine not built by gm.

2) The only dual overhead cam non pushrod engine EVER in a corvette.

3) The only corvette with an engine that is a total different design than the standard option engine.

4) The only hemi head engine EVER in a gm car(I believe thats correct)

I know there is more than that, but I cant recall them.

The bottom line is this. Twenty years from now, when someone says zr1 I dont want to hear " Which zr1, the one in the '90s or the more recent one. When people hear zr1 now, they remember the dual overhead "king of the hill" beast that turned the euro sports car market on its ears!! Dont any of you get this? Its not like gm is resurrecting the beast, they are putting a sacred emblem on a souped up z06. Hell, why dont they call it zo6 SS or something?

I think I need some help from my buddies on the zr1 page on this. I am not that good with debates. But I will say this, if this is the concensus of feelings on this z06 forum, I think I have finally found a reason to kick the forum habit. Hell, if you guys are that cold and ignorant, I might just sell my z06 and keep my king of the hill.

Please help me!! The thread is titled "top 10 reasons not to buy a z06"

Jeffvette

There are bigger things to get worked up over. GM will do as they please and not car about anybody in the past.... as they should always be looking towards the future.

My personal thought is, the ZR-1 was a supercar for the early 90's. The new ZR-1 will be the supercar for it's time. At least they are properly using the name.

Peaven

It could be a lot worse....at least GM didn't slap some ground effects on a Cobalt and call it a ZR-1.

Goldcylon

How true !

phrogs

we have nothing to be asshamed or worried about on this subject.

The ZR1 name lives on I say hell yeah think about it they reused Z06 right after the C5 ended that I would have been pissed about because the car is not that old one MY apart and they reused Z06

Thing is back in the day it was only a RPO code there was no distinct badge on the bumper or side of the car. They were all corvettes the only thing you could tell a Z06 back in 63 was the gas tank and the big brake pacakge and you couldnt see that from the outside.

the ZR1s you could unless you looked tell it from another 70, 71, or 72 from any other. maybe the hood but then it looked like a LT1

Its a name they do it deal with it.


LS6 LT1 ZR1 Z06 goes on and on.

Dont get bent I said the new Z06 should have been called something besides Z06 so soon after it came out.

Our cars are between 18 and 12 years old going on 13 years old about the same as the last cars dont you think.


Dont get bent the guys in the Z06 forum most of them this is the first corvette they have owned most are not true corvette people not that they dont like vettes most say that they didnt like the older body styles maybe this is the first vette they liked or it could be the 20th corvette they have bought.

Point is many dont give a **** about past vettes and just lift their noses at anyone without a C6 Z06 you wont win the argument with those people.

Aurora40

I don't think our cars have a hemi head. I've generally heard them referred to as a cloverleaf.

Also, the B2K's had a motor not built by GM.

If you search in this forum there has been much discussion about the upcoming use of the ZR-1 moniker. It's an RPO, and those get re-used. I for one don't really care that much, but I'm glad to see that if they are going to use it, they are putting it on a car that is the highest end model Corvette.

phrogs

it was built by GM but then Rebuilt by callaway to withstand the MIGHTY TT POWER they also beefed up the 4+3 transmissions in the 87 and 88s TTs

Aurora40

They did? I wasn't aware of that, I thought they were stock trannies.

glass slipper

Correct, the LT5 doesn't have a hemi head, it has a pent-roof design sometimes referred to as a cloverleaf.

The B2Ks had an engine built by GM and then Callaway put forged pistons/rods/crank in to handle the turbos. But it was basically an L98 with hairdryers.

Zix

Wow...it's really not that big of a deal!

WydGlydJim

Sorry brutha....can't help ya, I like the idea.

Crabs

If you're gonna argue with the "Big Boys" over at the C6 sandbox you'd better be arguing about *REALLY IMPORTANT* issues.
You know, things like:
Which new floor mats color coordinate best with the new dress shoes; and;
Which car wax looks best on the Z06 after driving it through the carwash at the gas station.

As far as GM re-using the ZR1 badge, I've no problems with that. Great name, great car. At least they're not putting it on a pickup truck!

phrogs

Hey dont forget that weird noise from the rear end or the heat in the interior or damn my roof flew off.

Or best yet what rims should I get after I just paid 2K for the GM chrome rims

cv67

Just remind them we dont have motors dropping valves, chewing up thrust bearings, spitting needle bearings out of the rocker arms or roofs flying off. Heck we even get to use a real key.

win1876

I think if they are reusing the ZR1 name on a 650HP Corvette we should be flattered. Long live the ZR1.

TommyL

just might bring our cars back to the forefront.

Zethco

I'd be happy for them to reuse the ZR-1 name, but only if it were more than a regular C6 with a factory installed blower. If it were to have a wider body (that you couldn't get aftermarket for 60 bucks), a blown 427 and some history in the making in terms of design and intent.

That said, instead of being upset that the C6 guys don't care I'm actually happy that the new guys are glad to see a new Z. To me that means people associate the Z with something wicked.

.02

JoeyGibson

I would much rather them call it the ZR-1 Corvette than the SS Corvette !!!!

KC_Timbo

Well said

ZRWON

IMHO, the ZR1s were VERY SUCCESSFUL!
The 25 LT-1s built with the $968 ZR1 option package were built for one special reason...to RACE (aka the mouse that roared). At that time GM no longer wanted it known it was involved in the go fast business. The ZR1 option included all the LT-1 stuff + the M22 tranny, heavy duty power brakes, transistor ignition, special aluminum radiator,special springs and hocks, and front and rear stabilizer barsand metal fan shrouds. NO other options were sold...power steering, a/c radios, etc. The ZR1s were not built for cruising. They were very successful in the market they were designed for. I owned 2 LT-1s; a roadster and a coupe. My roadster stock from the factory did the quarter in 13.89, at about 112 mph and many times I saw 8000 rpn indicated as I went thru the traps. The ZR-1 made my LT-1 look like a sled!
I'd have given my left thingie to have had the extra $1000 to afford a ZR1 option...especially now that I see the prices for them that survived racing vs the LT-1s...


ZR-1 was leading edge in 1970 and again with the
King of the Hill introduced in 1990. If the next Generation ZR1 performs like the proud heritage of the ZR-1s of old (and from what I have heard I'm confident it will) I will again be proud of the name.