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Ive posted a few bits and pieces on Vettes before and there wasnt much love :)

But surely someone (i know you dont Rezz ;) ) else fancies one of these beauties with std 11.9 @115mph performance from an all alloy 405hp, quad cam 32 valve 5.7L. Shame that they still go for US$30,000, this example is actually US$38,000 (94 model ZR1) :aroused:

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The ZR1 has always been one of my favourite cars of all time.

This was the early 90's - only the Germans, Italians and Japanese had mastered the art of the Quad Cam 32 valve v8. These guys lost the war apparently :)

The 'normal' Corvette at the time was the old L98 OHV V8 - the precursor to the LS1 V8 we seen in the Commodore today.

The current 'normal' Corvette motor is the LT1. The ZR1 motor is the LT5.

I think I'm correct there... once you've actually 'experienced' a Corvette, you realise that the C4 chassis is from 1984 and an 'old' car like the 1989 R32 Skyline makes it look antiquated. Like the Lotus Esprit it's an ancient car in design but there's something very modern, almost timeless about it.

The LT5 32valve V8 motor had similar sorts of problems we see in the current LS1 but think of a motor that's twice as complex but a decade ago!

In the end, the old OHV pushrod went over the 280kW the 32v valve motor could produce so there seemed no point to it.

It does however still live in offshore racing boats - the LT5 was developed by Mercury Marine and Lotus so they sold them at quite high prices to rice race boat owners.

I don't think there's more than 6 - 7 - 8,000 ZR-1 Corvettes?

At $60,000 - $70,000 a pop when that was a lot of money, there weren't that many takers since it looked so much like a 'normal' Corvette.

T.

Me thinks back to the Beyond 2000 story i saw back in 1989 on the ZR1...was even the same colour, but early LT5s only had 385hp.... and the expense of the LT5 and the added width spelt the death of the motor at the end of '94 (there may have been a few 95 models, but i think they ended production in '94)

Never heard about any probs with the LT5 engine though, i use to get a monthly mag called Corvette Fever, and also Road & Track, never read about any engine probs. The sad thing is the Corvette is still very typical US sports car... that said id much rather one then similar year model Porsche :)

Roy, welcome to yesterday :)

:jk:

corvetts r some mean cars; was going to get a c4 l98 but ended up getting the r33; I alot of yankee have done custum turbo jobs to tehre vette and push out some awsome hp :drooling:

ohh yeah and by the way Zr1 corvette sell for around 30k US; also u have the calleaway which was a LT5 with twin turbo (america boys have push out around 450rwhp from just exhaust, air filter and the rest stock)

My favourite is the 1963 - 1967 split window Corvette Stingray - the Bill Mitchell creation. I think it'll be shite to drive but I'm not talking about that/

Every generation of Corvette has it's chief designer. This 4 year life cycle Corvette is my favourite.

I don't like the 1968 - 1982 model.

T.

Yeh Duntov tried to bring the Vette up to European standards, it was an improvement but still fell short.

Im with you on the 63-67 Vettes, though i dont think i could ever justify the expense of the original 63 split window over the later 65 etc models, and the L88 alloy head 425hp 427 big block ran 11s, and with modern rubber they have been shown to run 10s.

For a 60s model car they were optioned with fuel injected 327 chevs, had std fibreglass body and 4 wheel discs....not a bad thing for their day.... although 59 Vettes are so damn sexy as well!

Powerball is worth some serious coin this week :)

.... cruising around some yank sites, for the money i have spent on my R32 GTST, i could have a ruby red 6spd coupe with FX3 suspension and LT1 engine. Do cooling off periods last 4 years?.. id like to take my car and the all its bolt ons back for a full refund.

corvettes have a great engine note it always brings a smile to my face when i hear someone give one a kick in the nads.

there is one that i see almost daily around my area its jet black but he must have a dud car i always seem him broken down somewhere.

maybe a bit OT, but does anyone have any info on the new release batch of Shelby Mustangs? If ever I had a dream car, that would be it. It oozes oldschool style and tenacity.

.... cruising around some yank sites, for the money i have spent on my R32 GTST, i could have a ruby red 6spd coupe with FX3 suspension and LT1 engine. Do cooling off periods last 4 years?.. id like to take my car and the all its bolt ons back for a full refund.

Roy, sounds like u have been doing what i have been doing :) only problem with import a 89+ vette is you have to get it under the new import laws and im not sure anyone can do it yet; I am going to wait 2years before i import one as the 88/89 model vette didnt have the 6spd or the lt1

It just dawned on me recently , i love my R32, but its not my dream car, and the money that Vettes are going for.... well food for thought.

I wasnt too keen on the 15 year rule, though late 89 Vettes did come out with the ZF 6spd and L98, which id actually prefer as they are cheaper, and the LT1 is still no powerhouse. My main gripe would be i prefer the later model interior :) Hadnt thought too much about the compliancing and legislation changes....surely Crossover Conversions, or a few of the other big Vette/Camaro/Saleen places in either Canberra or Queensland can compliance and do the RHD conversion?

As for the Mustang...Ive seen some bits and pieces on it, also recently saw an article on what they are calling the GTR, the 40h Anniversary one.

6 spd T56 box, Brembo brakes, 330 kws and 20" wheels, and plenty of race bits and pieces to give it a pseudo race feel, ala GT3 Porsche

I like this piece of shit:

http://www.thecarplace.com/bullitt.htm

You know that a mildly modded Skyline would knock it into the next suburb in every area dynamically. But that isn't the point is it?

I don't mind the '68 Fastback in the original "Bullitt" - I might just dig out my DVD right now :)

T.

retro Bullet Mustang....I thinlk id rather the original 68 Fastback. (or someone throw me the keys to a GT40 if we are talking Fords)

Dynamically they may not be the greatest cars form the factory, but like any car with the right shock/spring, brake and breathing upgrades they will hammer along rather nicely.

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