Do we have a rare 87?

[Venompwr2]

I was hoping maybe some of you could help me find out how rare our 87 Vette is. It's a bright red coupe with red leather interior, all the power options, cruise, a/c etc... except delco bose, glass and painted roof, performance axle, Z51 suspension but it's automatic. From what I was told, the Z51 was only available on the manual, we had to special order it from the factory with the Z51 because my father wouldnt settle for anything else, so we had to wait. So from how I break it down:
Total: 30,632
Automatic:26,334
coupes:20,007
performance axle: 7,285
Bronze tint roof: 5,766
Bright red coupes:5,043
Z51 suspension: 1,596

There are most likely very very few if any other bright red automatics with the Z51 and perf. axle.
32*** original miles on it still too!

Any thoughts on the rarity of this one?

 

[Toms007]

I don't know how rare it is, but it is a fine example.

 

[Vettefan87]

I can't answer your question. I do know that my car is fully optioned other then three that I am aware of. The performace axle ratio, luggage rack, and the Callaway option... Nice looking vette by the way

 

[JonM]

It sure is a BIG ONE :L

 

[silverja]

Hard to tell if it is rare because Chevy does not keep records about combined options that I am aware of. And today, the term "rare" may be overused a bit. It sure is a fine looking C4!

 

[c4cruiser]

It would be hard to determine how "rare" the como is because, as mentioned, GM did not keep records of cars with particular option combinations, only counts of individual options installed on all cars.

All 8,000+ manual tranny cars got the 3.07 gears but the 3.07 was also the so-called high-performance axle (RPO G92) on automatic tranny cars. The Z51 Performance Handling Package was only available on coupes but I had never heard that Z51 was for manual tranny cars only.

Z51 included suspension upgrades, wider wheels, frame stiffeners, auxilary fan, oil cooler, quick steering, and a HD radiator. I don't think that any of these individual items would be a problem to install on cars with A4's

 

[Venompwr2]

It would be hard to determine how "rare" the como is because, as mentioned, GM did not keep records of cars with particular option combinations, only counts of individual options installed on all cars.

All 8,000+ manual tranny cars got the 3.07 gears but the 3.07 was also the so-called high-performance axle (RPO G92) on automatic tranny cars. The Z51 Performance Handling Package was only available on coupes but I had never heard that Z51 was for manual tranny cars only.

Z51 included suspension upgrades, wider wheels, frame stiffeners, auxilary fan, oil cooler, quick steering, and a HD radiator. I don't think that any of these individual items would be a problem to install on cars with A4's

I'm not saying you're wrong, but my father had told me when they were ordering it, Z51 was not an option for the autos that year, just on the manual. We used to have an 84, which was an auto and had Z51 too. So when the dealer kept placing the order it was being rejected because that option wasnt available, and they had to call the plant and find out how to have it done. We have the original window sticker, and when the car came in it says Z52- and then $7XX which is the price of the Z51 package...and on the order the dealer filled out, Z51 is written and the car does have the Z51. Its interesting, so I was just wondering if anyone else had/has or knew of another auto 87 that came factory with the Z51.

 

[Vettefan87]

Coupes are Z51, and verts are Z52, if they are optioned that way. My convertible is a Z52 car, and my brothers 86 vert isn't.

 

[tyrel]

All Corvettes are rare, in a way. It's a beautiful car all right, but according to the corvette black book, there were 1,596 cars with z51 in 1987, and bunches of others options were available too. Theoretically, with so many options and 16 different color selections for 1987, one might imagine that all 30,632 1987 corvettes are rare in their own way since there were hundreds of possible combinations available.

 

[Tuna]

I'm not saying you're wrong, but my father had told me when they were ordering it, Z51 was not an option for the autos that year, just on the manual. We used to have an 84, which was an auto and had Z51 too. So when the dealer kept placing the order it was being rejected because that option wasnt available, and they had to call the plant and find out how to have it done. We have the original window sticker, and when the car came in it says Z52- and then $7XX which is the price of the Z51 package...and on the order the dealer filled out, Z51 is written and the car does have the Z51. Its interesting, so I was just wondering if anyone else had/has or knew of another auto 87 that came factory with the Z51.

What does the RPO sticker show?

Have you ordered a build sheet from the NCM?
This might provide additional information as to the rarity of your car.

 

[PLRX]

Are those factory tires "EAGLE GT"?

 

[Venompwr2]

Are those factory tires "EAGLE GT"?

Yes those are factory tires, if you're referring to my pics.

 

[Venompwr2]

What does the RPO sticker show?

Have you ordered a build sheet from the NCM?
This might provide additional information as to the rarity of your car.



The window sticker shows Z52 and the sheet the salesperson filled out has Z51. He had said when the car was ordered that the window sticker wont show Z51 because of the way the order had to be placed. There was some special way he had to submit the order to get the Z51 option on our car. No we dont have a build sheet, I'd have to ask my father more about it since he still has the paper work.

 

[c4cruiser]

Order a build sheet from the National Corvette Museum. You can also get the widnow sticker if you don't have one. Go here: https://www.corvettemuseum.com/library-archives/build_sheets/index.shtmlThe build sheet will have the RPO's that are on the car. The springs and shocks for the Z51 are different than the Z52. Z52 cars used the base suspension springs while the Z51 cars used a heavy-duty spring.

The rear sway bar on the Z51 was thicker that the one on the Z52 22mm vs 20mm. The front bar was the same size at 30mm.

The best way to tell a Z51 from a Z52 is to count the number of turns of the steering wheel from lock to lock. Z51 has a quick steering rack with 2 turns lock-to-lock. The Z52 is 2 1/2 turns. The Z51 also got a power steering fluid cooler that will be located directly in front of the rack.

The build sheet has a number of boxes that show component codes (different from the RPO codes) the workers used to take parts from bins or racks and install on the car. On the build sheet for my Z52-equipped 87, the spring codes are "HMP" for the front and "NYR" for the rear. These codes may also appear on the springs. The Z52 Bilstein shocks are "M2" front and "M3" rear. These codes will be on small white decals at the base of the shocks (if your car still has the original shocks.

 

[Venompwr2]

Order a build sheet from the National Corvette Museum. You can also get the widnow sticker if you don't have one. Go here: https://www.corvettemuseum.com/library-archives/build_sheets/index.shtmlThe build sheet will have the RPO's that are on the car. The springs and shocks for the Z51 are different than the Z52. Z52 cars used the base suspension springs while the Z51 cars used a heavy-duty spring.

The rear sway bar on the Z51 was thicker that the one on the Z52 22mm vs 20mm. The front bar was the same size at 30mm.

The best way to tell a Z51 from a Z52 is to count the number of turns of the steering wheel from lock to lock. Z51 has a quick steering rack with 2 turns lock-to-lock. The Z52 is 2 1/2 turns. The Z51 also got a power steering fluid cooler that will be located directly in front of the rack.

The build sheet has a number of boxes that show component codes (different from the RPO codes) the workers used to take parts from bins or racks and install on the car. On the build sheet for my Z52-equipped 87, the spring codes are "HMP" for the front and "NYR" for the rear. These codes may also appear on the springs. The Z52 Bilstein shocks are "M2" front and "M3" rear. These codes will be on small white decals at the base of the shocks (if your car still has the original shocks.

Thanks for the info! Every thing is still stock. No major things have had to be fixed, just basic fluid changes, filters and this is the second set of tires. I'll take a look at the shocks tomorrow and see what they say.

 

[PLRX]

Yes those are factory tires, if you're referring to my pics.

You would get good money for those!!

 

[Venompwr2]

You would get good money for those!!

The ones that actually came on the car are not on it right now, they're sitting in the corner of the garage. But the ones on the care are the same kind. Who wants to buy the original tires?

 

[Mad-Mic]

i hope your not trying to label this car as "Rare" to up the price for resale. the only difference from a Z51 car to a Z52 car is the rear spring. nothing more nothing less.

BTW 87 vettes are the best IMO

 

[Venompwr2]

i hope your not trying to label this car as "Rare" to up the price for resale. the only difference from a Z51 car to a Z52 car is the rear spring. nothing more nothing less.

BTW 87 vettes are the best IMO

They sure are the best! No I'm not trying to up the price for sale, I dont have any intentions of getting rid of the car. If the only difference is the rear spring, why did the option cost so much?

 

[Mad-Mic]

They sure are the best! No I'm not trying to up the price for sale, I dont have any intentions of getting rid of the car. If the only difference is the rear spring, why did the option cost so much?

i have no idea. when i researched my car i found that the rear spring was the only difference. the shocks were the same, the oil cooler, dual fans, heavy duty radiator and i think that was it from a base model.