ZR-1 Question

[Rex M.]

Went to the 1st Corvette show at the Gilmore Museum on this past Sunday. But on Saturday our group of 5 Vettes went to Roberts Restoration shop in Kalamazoo. Outside their shop was a wide-body Vette coupe that needs major work. It looked like it had 88 wheels. It had no ZR-1 markings at all. Even said Tune-port fuel injection on frt moldings, like it was a 89 or 90 Vette. The very first wide bodies made were call "King of the Hill", I know because I worked at General Tire Plastics Division and we made the rear uppers and both doors. As I remember it was late 1988. One of the guys from the 5 Vettes who went claims they made several wide body Vettes the first year that was not ZR-1's (or King of the Hill). Anyone know what that Vette at Roberts might be? I say all wide bodies are ZR-1's, is this correct?

[Leif A.]

Re: ZR-1 Question

Outside a restoration shop needing major work?? Probably a hodge-podge of parts from different cars, would be my guess.

[Mark E.]

Re: ZR-1 Question

The only C4 featuring a wide body from the factory are ZR-1s. The front clip of these cars are the same as their L98/LT1 kin, but the doors and rear body are different. The easiest way to detect the extra width is black space between the back up lights and license plate.

All 1985-1990 Corvettes, including ZR-1s, said "Tuned Port Injection" on the black rub strip.

Chevy produced a few 1989 preproduction ZR-1s for testing and the press. They featured the 1989 style dash and wheels. 1990 wheels were unique- they looked like 1989 but with exposed lug nuts.

You may have seen a 1990 ZR-1 with its rear emblem removed. For the first few years of production, that was the only badge- inside or outside- which designated it was ZR-1.

[Chris G.]

Re: ZR-1 Question

There is at least one light blue 89 that was restored from a crushed GM bone yard.

[Terry M.]

Re: ZR-1 Question

There is at least one light blue 89 that was restored from a crushed GM bone yard.

There were 2 1989 ZR1s at the Convention in Las Vegas that received the NCRS American Heritage Award. The owner of those cars knows more about the Prototype and Pilot ZR1s than anyone else. In fact Dave McLellan made a statement to that effect. Perhaps it is because I vividly remember some of those cars at NCRS and other Corvette events and the public relations campaign that lasted over a year that I find the introduction of that Corvette option so fascinating. It also makes me feel very old.

[Joe L.]

Re: ZR-1 Question

Went to the 1st Corvette show at the Gilmore Museum on this past Sunday. But on Saturday our group of 5 Vettes went to Roberts Restoration shop in Kalamazoo. Outside their shop was a wide-body Vette coupe that needs major work. It looked like it had 88 wheels. It had no ZR-1 markings at all. Even said Tune-port fuel injection on frt moldings, like it was a 89 or 90 Vette. The very first wide bodies made were call "King of the Hill", I know because I worked at General Tire Plastics Division and we made the rear uppers and both doors. As I remember it was late 1988. One of the guys from the 5 Vettes who went claims they made several wide body Vettes the first year that was not ZR-1's (or King of the Hill). Anyone know what that Vette at Roberts might be? I say all wide bodies are ZR-1's, is this correct?

Rex------

Where did you work for General Tire Plastics? Was it Ionia, MI?

[Rex M.]

Re: ZR-1 Question

Most people don't know that in 1968 General Tire & Rubber in Marion, Indiana was awarded the contract to product most Corvette fiberglass panels. Practically all Couple bodies (including ZR1's) were made at the Marion plant. This was up until about 1990 at which time the plant was closed and a new plant in Shelbyville, Indiana made the Corvette fiberglass panels. General Tire became known as GenCorp Automotive, then sold to Cambridge Industries in 1996. Cambridge sold out to Meridian Automotive and C-5 fiberglass panels were then made at Shelbyville until the end of the C-6. Cambridge went bankrupt at that time. C-7 fiberglass panels are now being made in Huntington, Indiana.
Also General Tire even made fiberglass Corvette body panels for the mid-years and shipped them to A.O. Smith in Ionia, Michigan, where they assembled them and shipped completed bodies to St Louis. I worked for Gen. Tire, GenCorp, Cambridge and Meridian. I started out in molding in 1964....making the rear upper panel at age 17.

[Joe L.]

Re: ZR-1 Question

Most people don't know that in 1968 General Tire & Rubber in Marion, Indiana was awarded the contract to product most Corvette fiberglass panels. Practically all Couple bodies (including ZR1's) were made at the Marion plant. This was up until about 1990 at which time the plant was closed and a new plant in Shelbyville, Indiana made the Corvette fiberglass panels. General Tire became known as GenCorp Automotive, then sold to Cambridge Industries in 1996. Cambridge sold out to Meridian Automotive and C-5 fiberglass panels were then made at Shelbyville until the end of the C-6. Cambridge went bankrupt at that time. C-7 fiberglass panels are now being made in Huntington, Indiana.
Also General Tire even made fiberglass Corvette body panels for the mid-years and shipped them to A.O. Smith in Ionia, Michigan, where they assembled them and shipped completed bodies to St Louis. I worked for Gen. Tire, GenCorp, Cambridge and Meridian. I started out in molding in 1964....making the rear upper panel at age 17.

Rex------

The last time I was in Ionia, MI (which has been a LONG time now), the old Dow-Smith plant (where some C2 Corvettes bodies were built) was in use by GenCorp. At the time I was there they were making hoods for Lincoln Mark VI coupes and rear bodies for Ford stepside pick-up trucks.

I think that plant is now long-closed and may have been demolished. It consisted of 2 huge brick buildings connected by enclosed walkways.