The First 8 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1s

I saw these guys today when i went to the Corvette Plant

As I learned more info about early production cars, these would be known as pilot vehicles which typically are slated for the crusher once civilian units are available for purchase.

*this is not fake in any way shape or form, these cars were seen at the Wendys across the road from the Corvette Plant before they left for Michigan*

The first ZR1 is the Red European Spec, not the Gray 1 like everyone in the world thinks!

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Corvette
• ZR1
• Chevy
• ChevroletCorvetteZR1
• Auto
• Vette
• BlueDevil
• ZR-1

[572jpr]

this cant be true because jay leno got the very first one ever built

[Blade3562]

his car was built after these, even though his may have vin #1 that doesnt mean there weren't pre-production production test models built (if that makes sense)

[Temptation777]

pretty cool dude, i used to live in BG, my cousin literally lives 4 miles away from the plant, hopefully in the future ill have a vette, we'll see, congrats on seeing the ZR1!

[Blade3562]

the plant tour is completely worth it just be sure to ask if you can birth a car :D

[kevincolvin]

Lol, what do you mean birth a car?

[Blade3562]

its where you get to start it on the assembly line before anyone else, but i got to dyno too :) the plant manager is the only other person who got to to that lol

[kaneproductions]

they have to eat at wendy's now that they've all spent a hundred grand on their cars hahah

[meturoid13]

I see that blue ZR-1 all the time. I live about 10-15 minutes from the Corvette plant, so ZR-1's aren't really new to me. Good job finding that many in one place though.

[CoHful]

they just told you that to buy the car, get suckered son

[bobg69]

We all know before production of the Chevrolet Corvette went to BG Ky there were built in Flint, Michigan. Well at least we still produce the Chevy and GMC Heavy Duty truck here. Birth place of General Motors is almost dead now from them pulling out. Shutting down plants and tearing them down. Flint was GM's home before they moved to the Motor City. Just a little history for those who didn't know. UAW/GM proud!!

[evoracer2]

...to bad they're shitty

[Veikra]

@guitardc59 yes I know, I put the lotus/mariner designation just for the sake of simplification

[guitardc59]

@308scoutrfl The original ZR1 package came on a 1970 model Corvette

[guitardc59]

@Veikra You're partly right here on the ZR1 - Lotus designed the original ZR1's LT5 5.7 DOHC V8, and GM contracted Mercury Marine to build it in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

[Veikra]

@DaBluedude100 GM took what they learned from that engine to develop the northstars, and god know they didnt get it right. Instead of figuring out where they screwed up they discontinued them.

[Veikra]

@DaBluedude100 the first zr1 of the early nineties were using a dohc 5.7 block with a lotus/mariner engine. It was a 5.7 just like the normal corvette but it was fitted with dohc heads and reverse flow cooling. It only shared the 4.4 inch spacing and the displacement with the other GM LT engines. The ls wasnt invented until 1997, and the northstar not before the second half of 1992. The lotus 5.7 were not considered an unreliable engine, and it was dubbed the lt5