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Zr-2

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omjaroo

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Hi,

My first post. Wow what a group, what a site!

My bother in law's parents just died and left him a modified 89 ZR-2. Since my hobby is the ebay thing, he asked me to list it for him. I said sure and went about doing some research so I could intelligently present his car and low and behold I can't find any references anywhere for a 89 ZR-2.

Can someone tell me if there is such a thing and where could I learn more about it.

Thanks
 
Welcome

Hey Jared.. welcome to the best site on the web.

I think what your bro-in-law was left with would be a MR-2. I don't know if there ever has been a ZR-2! Certainly not to my knowledge. The MR-2 was built by Toyota and was a rear engined two seater .. fairly mean little critter! Handled very well and was quite quick for it's time with a dual overhead cam four and a nice designed body.

Do you yet own a Vette?? Stick around here for a while and you'll easily get the bug!!
 
Glenn,
Thanks for the reply. No really. A 1989 Corvette ZR-2. You can go look at pictures of it at http://www.sk8nc.com/89ZR2/FrameSet.htm.

I have to admit though I am mystified. I have searched the web of a couple of hours and while I got a couple of hits on altavista searching on "+corvette +ZR-2" all I found was references to photos, none of which I could actually see.

Tomorrow I will contact the Engine shop in Florida who put the headers on the car and ask them what they know. Whatever I find out I'll post to the tread.
Thanks
 
What you appear to have is a stock '89 Corvette with alot of body kit pieces on it. The ZR2 emblem appears to be an after market vinyl sticker. You can have those custom made for about $6 (I had a custom Supra emblem made for my '85).
There never was a production ZR-2. In fact the ZR-1 didn't come out until 1990.
If you wuld like an accurate idea of what the car has in it, post the RPO codes here and I'll consult my little black book. I belive the RPO codes will be under the passenger's side storage bin behind the seat. Can anyone else verify that for me? I haven't been in an early C4 in a looong time.
 
Only mention I can recall of a Corvette ZR-2 was a project car from C&D or one of those mags in the very early 90's. They took a stock Vette and added a crate motor and some aftermarket suspension bits and made something that could outrun a ZR-1 for about half the price.

'course, there are 84 '89 ZR-1's out there, according to my Black Book, that were eval/press cars and such - but none made it to the public, and that engine is certainly not an LT-5...
[RICHR]
 
I did a little searching of my own and found a couple pictures of Corvettes that were claimed wrong. One image was claimed to be a ZR1, however it was a convertible. The ZR1 was never built as a convertible. Another picture claimed to be a ZR2...I have pictures of the same exact car and the ZR1 badge can clearly be seen in most of the images I have except for the top view of the car, which is also what this guy had post. Misinformed sole he is...
 
Mike & Rich,
Thanks for the replys.
I called my brother in law Steve, who owns the Corvette apparently masqerading as a "VR-2" and asked him to get me the Vin# and the RPO# Mike mentioned. He said he could get back to me in 20 minutes or so. I'll post those as soon as I have them.
Steve said that the body parts were a kit purchased from the factory and included the fiberglass side panel, wheel well flares, two headrests. spoiler on the back and the hood flare. The engine was recently built up and includes headers, porting, "racing cam" etc to produce an additional 120-140 hp over stock.
Wow Steve just got back to me. He couldn't find any number behind the passenger seat but it's dark where the car is and he will look tomorrow in the light for any and all numbers on any plates anywhere in the car.

He did get me a Vin if it's of any help vin#1G1YY3180K5110031 and a Title#048508066 (whatever that is)

Thanks
 
I'll run the VIN# across carfax for you. That should tell us something. I'll also send you the report on the car. Usually aids in selling if you can provide a carfax showing a clean history.
 
Hybrid

It looks to me like an aftermarket body kit including lower door skins (fairly radical a change!) .. the supplier of the body kit could have called it a ZR2! Other than that the car looks quite stock other than the wheels.. which are also supplied aftermarket and are look-alikes for the ZR1 style! I'd question the need for the body kit.. was there ever a crunch which required the change of some body panels and these were used??
 
Carfax report

The carfax report came back as a clean 1989 Corvette Convertible. The title number is accurate, no flood damage, etc. It also qualifies for the clean title guarantee. I can't register the guarantee since I don't own the car, but it is transferable if you want to. I'm not sure how to go about that though. I registered my car, but then again I own my car. I supposed I could enter your name into the registration, but it will be emailed to me automatically. I could then forward it to you. Let me know if you want to do that, its completely free. I'll have to get some information from you though.

I don't believe all the extra body "adornments" are factory. The only RPO option that "could" have added any body modification is the Callaway conversion RPO B2K. This was not a GM install, but the car was sent to the Callaway shop for the twin turbo install (which this car does not have just by looking at the pictures of the engine) and the Callaway body looked nothing like what is installed on your brother's car.
 
Glenn,
Thanks for the comments, very interesting. It does not appear that the car has ever been in an accident. I understand the body mods were in place when the car was bought second hand in 1984. I hope to have more information about them tomorrow when I call the shop thats been serviceing the car since at least 94.
Thanks.
 
Mike,
Wow thanks for all your information and effort. I would be delighted to have the car registered with carfax if that helps buyers make an informed decision about the car. As I said I don't own the car my brother in law does. But if you give me and idea what information you need I'll get it from him. The comments you made about the possible factory kits available and the engine are very interesting. I hope to know more tomorrow about the pedigree of this beast after speaking with the shop that has cared for it over a number of years.
 
bought and sold

According to Carfax, it was first titled in December of '89 with 223 miles on it in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Sold again in September of '95 at the Southeastern Auto Auction. Chances are someone traded it in at a dealership and the dealer sold it at auction becuase it had the aftermarket body kit on it. Most Vettes won't hold their value with a body kit on it because it can signal damaged body parts being covered up or replaced. Since the title came back accident free, it probably means someone just put the kit on because they wanted it. However, even in that case, the car won't hold its value like an unmolested Corvette. Attaching extra body panels onto the factory ones (such as spoilers and wings) can crack the fiberglass. Anyways, thats probably why it was sold at auction. When it was sold at auction, it was picked up by someone else in Ft. Lauderdale. The final title was issued towards the end of March in 2001, with only 46,630 miles on it. For a 1989, this is really good mileage. That will raise your selling price. Again, the body kit is going to hinder the sale. The last title date may or may not have been a sale. It could have just been re-registered, payed off and a new title was issued without a lien on the vehicle, etc.
 
Carfax info

This is the information I need:
First and Last name of registered owner
Vehicle purchase date-or in this case inheritence date
Everything else deals with purchase from a dealership. If you know about the dealership the vehicle was purchased at, then I can include that in the registration, otherwise I'll leave it blank.

Oh yeah, private message me an email address and I'll send you the CarFax report and when I get the registration, I'll forward it to you.
 
Mike,
Phewww! I feel like I speaking with one of those tarot card readers you see on the ads on cable TV. That's amazing how did you find out all this stuff? I just spoke with Steve and he said that the car was bought at a repo place across the street from his dad's house in Florida. His dad owned the car until recently when he died and I believe the title in now in Steve's name. I know what you mean about after market body mods and the value of a car. I'd sure like to know who put them on and why, where etc.
If you can help me with the carfax service, I'd appreciate it. Please e-mail me and I will provide any information you need or whatever.
I'll post more about what I find out. Probably late in the day tomorrow
Thanks again!
 
I recognize those side panels!

Look closely at my picture. My vette had these on it when I bought it. I'm told that they are "testarosa ground effects". Fender flairs, door panels and the spoiler. All aftermarket. NOTHING like that ever came out of a GM factory. Your dash panel is also Non-stock (no woodgrain ever came from Bowling Green either).
--Drew:w
 
LT1Vettepilot said:
I did a little searching of my own and found a couple pictures of Corvettes that were claimed wrong. One image was claimed to be a ZR1, however it was a convertible. The ZR1 was never built as a convertible. Another ...

I'd be interested in the link to this ZR-1 convertible... in 90 or 91, a local (Columbia, MD) Corvette specialist turned a 90 ZR-1 into a convertible. I know it was a ZR-1 because I saw the engine and it had the wider rear fenders plus the 3rd-brake-light-less convex rear fascia (the HMSTL was moved from the hatch-top to the top of the rear deck, just behind where the top folded). Oddly enough, it had a similar wood dash kit to this car we're discussing. The rear deck, btw, was custom fiberglass. Never saw the top up, but I assume it was a stock 90 convertible top.
[RICHR]
 
Just to let you know, the RPO's for an '89 corvette are found on the inside 'top' of the center console. Just open the console and there you go!

-J.
 

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