June 30th, 1953 in Flint, Michigan, our national love affair with the Corvette began and continues to grow as we near the car’s 6th decade.

Let’s all lift our glasses to another 57 years!!

Keith at CorvetteBlogger has some neat vintage shots and more information on the Corvette’s first days.

What is a ZR-1 Corvette? A ZR-1 Corvette is an LT-1 equipped Corvette produced in 1970, ’71, or ’72. ZR-1′s were specially equipped with all the heavy duty racing equipment  that had previously been used on the L-88 Corvettes of 1967, ’68, and ’69.  The only other Corvettes to receive this special group of heavy duty racing equipment in a package were the ZR-2 in 1971. The ZR-1 included the LT-1 engine, M-22 transmission, heavy duty J56 power brakes, transistorized ignition, special aluminum radiator, and special springs, shocks, and front and rear stabilizer bars.

ZR-1 identification features: (1) LT-1 engine, suffix CTV-1970, CGY-1971, or CKY-1972, (2) J-56 heavy duty brake package with dual pin front brake calipers (power), (3) F-41 heavy duty suspension package, 7 leaf rear spring, heavy duty shock absorbers, heavy duty 5/8″ front sway bar and heavy duty rear spindle struts, (4) M-22 (rockcrusher) transmission, (5) large aluminum radiator with expansion tank (no other LT-1 equipped car has an expansion tank), (6) steel fan shroud, other than 1972′s (most), (7) radio delete (no fenders drilled for antenna). The ZR-1 package could not be ordered with any creature comforts, ie: air conditioning, power windows, power steering, radio, alarm system, rear window defroster, or special trim items like P02 wheel covers.

The ZR-1 cars are the rarest small block Corvettes ever produced. The most common ZR-1 (the 1970) has only 5 more than the rarest L-88 (1967 – 20 units total). The ZR-1 cars are about five times rarer than L-88 cars.

You can see a pair of ZR-1′s Go to: 1970 – NSN-CG2 or 1972 – 241Z

note: portions of this article were taken from Vette Vues Magazine

footnotes:
A) must be the real deal… not fakes or frauds
B) Colors (Black) adds a lot… must be real factory original body/trim tag
C) Original documentation, history, and Bloomington/NCRS show awards adds a lot,br>
D) Original rare options adds a lot (set of Kelsey bolt-on wheels and red stripe tires sold on eBay in ’07 for $33K)
E) Original, unrestored in excellent condition adds a lot.
condition based on #1 or #2
F) Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware). We are adrift in a sea of sharks disguised as mermaids.
G) When it is time to sell… be a smart seller. High-profile events like the Barrett-Jackson and Mecum Muscle Car auctions will get you more money for your car than newspaper and trade publication advertisements. Plan ahead if you’re considering selling your baby: seek good lot numbers (pay a premium if you must) and baby-sit your car during the event to answer questions and show pride in your car – it is a reflection of you, and people simply pay more if they like the seller.
A-E) Equals an overall package and desirables.

Much of information is based on writer’s personal knowledge and prices achieved at high profile public auctions.

footnotes:
A) must be the real deal… not fakes or frauds
B) Colors (Black) adds a lot… must be factory original body/trim tag
C) Original documentation, history, and Bloomington/NCRS show awards adds a lot
D) Original rare options adds a lot (set of Kelsey bolt-on wheels & red stripe tires sold on eBay in ’06 for $33K)
E) Original, unrestored in excellent condition adds a lot.
F) Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware). We are adrift in a sea of sharks disguised as mermaids.
G) When it is time to sell… be a smart seller. High-profile events like the Barrett-Jackson and Mecum Muscle Car auctions will get you more money for your car than newspaper and trade publication advertisements. Plan ahead if you’re considering selling your baby: seek good lot numbers (pay a premium if you must) and baby-sit your car during the event to answer questions and show pride in your car – it is a reflection of you, and people simply pay more if they like the seller.
A-E Equals an overall package and desirables.

Much of information is based on writer’s personal knowledge and prices achieved at high profile public auctions.

The Mark IV’s development was a direct result of Chevrolet’s search for more performance than the W-series could find within unusual canted-deck, flat bottom cylinder head design. The secret of the Mark IV was its heads that angled the valves in two planes to create a semi-hemispherical combustion chamber with gently-curved runners and efficient valve location. The ultimate development of the Mark IV big block was the L88 Corvette. Each engine was individually built, assembled, blueprinted and tested off-line in the Tonawanda engine factory.

The word on the L88 hardly got out in 1967 and only 20 were built. Awareness grew in 1968, when 80 were delivered, followed by 116 in 1969, the last year in production. The L88′s reputation far exceeded its exposure and these 216 Corvettes have become the most sought and valuable of all Corvettes. Many were raced, gathering laurels in North America and in Europe. Others were raced less formally on side streets and service roads.

Only 80 L88 Corvettes were built in 1968; the same number of 1968 Corvettes came with the M22 close ratio, heavy duty ‘Rock Crusher’ transmission. Only 81 Corvettes with the J56 special performance brakes were built. PRO Export Preparation is so rare and unusual it doesn’t appear on published options lists for 1968 Corvettes.

Modern Corvettes boast blazing performance in their Z06 packages but their performance pales in contrast with this brutal, exhilarating 1968 and 1969 L88.

Buyers who lived in the right place, got along well with their Chevy dealer and knew the right codes and terminology could tailor their Corvette exactly to their liking and with just a little edge over even owners of comparably-powered Corvettes. One example of a tiny but significant advantage was ‘Export’ cars which avoided some of the power-robbing and weight-adding emission control equipment. No car could better benefit from incremental improvements of export preparation than the L88 Corvette.

Built off-line in a corner of Chevrolet’s Tonawanda, NY engine factory, the L88′s attributes were legendary. It was Corvette’s answer to the Cobras and Ferraris, a full-bore racing engine that appeared on paper to be sufficiently unattractive than all but the well-informed, serious racers would overlook it. The L88 option appeared on Corvette’s option list as a 430hp version of the 427 cubic inch engine. In rating the L88, Chevy quit the dyno run well below the rpm where it had maximum torque, much less maximum horsepower. In actual fact every L88 cranked out 550 or so horsepower.

Every part was individually weighed, blueprinted, fitted. You didn’t get air conditioning with the L88 engine. You could get your L88 without emissions control equipment by specifying PRO if the ordering dealer and any watchful order processor upstream let it through.

Racing improves breed, but the old time sensations are bigger, better and more exciting.

**SOURCE: Bonhams & Butterfields Auction Catalog, Quail Lodge Resort & Golf Club, Friday, August 17th, 2007