I just received the June 2005 issue of Motor Trend. In it, there are a couple features devoted to the 50th Anniversary of the small block Chevy. One story is captioned "10 Cars That Capture The Ageless Spirit of Chevy's V-8" Although, not a small block pushrod chevy, it was nice to see them list the ZR-1 as one of the 10 cars.
In the paragraph, they say "Working with Ilmore in England, he (David McClellan) created the first factory-built overhead camshafted small block Chevy"
It continues "For seven years, ZR1 Corvettes would roll from the Bowling Green, Kentucky, assembly line."
Why can't the auto journalists ever get it right with the ZR-1? I don't expect them to be experts in the detail of every car, but jeez, these guys as automotive journalists, should know a little of what they put to pen as fact. Or at least do the research! Most of the articles from the big automotive magazines since the last ZR-1 was made have had their facts messed up.
Even when ZR-1's were still in production, I sometimes wondered if in the magazine tests, the automotive journalists had the power key turned off and were pulling a trailer! I even remember reading a letter to the editor from one of these magazines around 1993 where Larry Merrow (Then head of the ZR-1 Registry) accused them of basically the same thing (not knowing how to drive the car). Magazines help sell cars and we all know there is quite a differance between an LT-5 and an LT-1, but if "their" tests tell me that a ZR-1 will do 0-60 in 5.2 and the quarter in 13.6, I'd be wondering if I really wanted to spend the extra 30 grand for a ZR-1 too.
I don't mean to rant. I just wish they could get it right! At least in Motor Trends article they added "Even today, the ZR1 is still considered an amazing work of performance art with a snakelike plenum air intake and enormous cylinder heads."
I have the 1989 Motor Trend where they showcased the new 90 ZR-1.
Nothing but good things to say about the BowTie divison of GM and that Chevrolet and GM got it right for King of the Hill.
Boatman
I have the 1989 Motor Trend where they showcased the new 90 ZR-1.
Nothing but good things to say about the BowTie divison of GM and that Chevrolet and GM got it right for King of the Hill.
Boatman
I don't want to go overboard Boatman and I agree with you there, but it seems like alot (not all) of the tests after the first year of production were not quite what they could have been or at least what the actual owners who ran their cars thought they should have been. And after production ended, many later technical articles haven't quite been that accurate.
I will say this though, up through the car's introduction, the ZR-1 owned the covers of just about all, (if not all) the major automotive publications at least once. And that is something that can make any ZR-1 owner proud.
I may be wrong, but I still don't think we have ever seen anything that has hit the automotive world the way the ZR-1 did from about '88 to '90. In today's more commonplace age of horsepower, there are cars that are unveiled with more H.P., such as the newer Vipers, the C6 Z06, etc., but they didn't grab the headlines like the ZR-1. Even if a new car took such a leap in horsepower as the ZR-1 did back then, I don't think it would grab headlines quite the way the ZR-1 did.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by meanmyz1
Even if a new car took such a leap in horsepower as the ZR-1 did back then, I don't think it would grab headlines quite the way the ZR-1 did.
No it wouldn't - and why? Because we had suffered with pathetically underpowered cars since 72, getting a true 400 hp again was like someone released from the epa-nazi prison camps!!
No it wouldn't - and why? Because we had suffered with pathetically underpowered cars since 72, getting a true 400 hp again was like someone released from the epa-nazi prison camps!!
So in a real world situation what can one expect to do 0-60 and 1/4 times with bone stock 90-92's and 93-95's if the journalists were off. I would like to hear what the enthusiaths have to say.
Corvette Store
They still can't get it right!!%*#@*#
I even remember reading a letter to the editor from one of these magazines around 1993 where Larry Merrow (Then head of the ZR-1 Registry) accused them of basically the same thing (not knowing how to drive the car). Magazines help sell cars and we all know there is quite a differance between an LT-5 and an LT-1, but if "their" tests tell me that a ZR-1 will do 0-60 in 5.2 and the quarter in 13.6, 
