anyone know of a good place for me to get info and pics on this car? couldnt find much info with google.
Don't know if this will help but Motor Trend March 1993 and Chevy High Performance June 1992 both did articles on it. There was a special issue of Hot Rod Magazine called Hot Vettes February 1994 that also had an article on it. I saw it in person at the Black Hills Classic a couple years ago and it is a really interesting car. What I liked best about it was the interior, it looked really functional without a console and just carpet on the tunnel and base cloth seats. I think it would be cool to build a clone of it.
That's my favorite ZR1 That article was written way back in the early nineties,so you've got to cut the writer some slack, but an LT5 with those mods is obviously making waay more than 425 hp., more like 525 h.p.
Another thing too, tire technology has come a long way since then. 12.04 is kind of disappointing for a car that has a 122mph. trap speed with one of GM's best test drivers. I'd say, with some modern drag radials, the "Snakeskinner" is at least a mid-eleven second car.
Wouldn't it be fun to get an old, high mileage (nice loose motor), ragged out ZR1 and clone a "Snakeskinner"? There are some parts that you could never get. I think it had magnesium framed roof panel etc. But you could come close.
The article never states the final curb weight, does anyone remember what that was?
2850 lbs. is pretty hard to believe. The article states that they lost 250 lbs. in the first round of mods, air cond out, carbon fiber hood, lexan rear window, wheels, seats, etc. That brings a 3450 lb.(est.) down to 3200, but where else could they find another 350 lbs.?
Doesn't seem possible.
Of course Motor Trend is the definitive word.....Not.
i was most interested in how they put the grand prix headlights in the running lights area. i wonder of you could do that with a late model C4 front end as well
I have a few articles at home on the Snake Skinner. One of which is from the 1991 Road & Track special on Corvette and another from Chevy High Performance.
One thing that I swear I remember reading back in the early nineties (maybe from Vette magazine) was that somewhere in a Canadian or northern town one night, Snake Skinner was STOLEN. The author (or police) surmised that the thieves realized they had something REALLY special and weren't about to get caught with it, so they ditched it on some city street.
NOW, does anybody else remember reading something about this, or is this just some crazy dream I maybe had? I swear it happened!
i was most interested in how they put the grand prix headlights in the running lights area. i wonder of you could do that with a late model C4 front end as well
With all the new mini headlights available today, that would be a clever aftermarket conversion. Anyone know how much weight you'd save if you ditched those heavy pop-up lights/air brakes? 15-20 lbs. maybe? A possible problem is that most states have minimum height restrictions on headlight placement, (florida has no inspection, so I could probably get away with it.). But I'm not sure how effective they would be, mounted that low.
If you were buying an aftermarket hood, it sure would be cool to not even have those pop-up panels, smooooth.
I can see the ad for this package:
Convert your C4 to modern high intensity lights!....slick aerodynamic styling!....easily break the 200mph. barrier at night! Less weight!..... Quicker qtr.mile times!....improved gas mileage!
BTW, that story on the theft of the "snakeskinner" is in the article linked above.
Woah! Too much coffee this morning.. gotta go
Last edited by Greybeard ZR1; 12-22-2005 at 01:41 PM.
Anyone know how much weight you'd save if you ditched those heavy pop-up lights/air brakes? 15-20 lbs. maybe?
I ditched the headlights and only use the fog/auxilary with higher watt bulbs. I get the "is that legal" every time I go for inspection and tell them yes. Its a 16 lb savings (17 minus 1 for the aluminum brackets). Plenty of light if you drive on roads with public street lights. Probably a problem for areas without street lights and high speed driving.
I ditched the headlights and only use the fog/auxilary with higher watt bulbs. I get the "is that legal" every time I go for inspection and tell them yes. Its a 16 lb savings (17 minus 1 for the aluminum brackets). Plenty of light if you drive on roads with public street lights. Probably a problem for areas without street lights and high speed driving.
I think that's hilarious that the inspectors ask you if that's legal!
I think that's hilarious that the inspectors ask you if that's legal!
I see where your coming from, but in case others dont realize, I dont know if its legal or not in my state, I tell them yes to shut them up regardless.
Corvette Store
snakeskinner
That article was written way back in the early nineties,so you've got to cut the writer some slack, but an LT5 with those mods is obviously making waay more than 425 hp., more like 525 h.p.
Ike
