• Finally, after months of hoopla and a few false starts, the super-performance ZR-1 Corvette arrived in 1990.
• Intended for production in limited quantity, with a price tag higher than any General Motors product, the ZR-1 became a collectible long before anyone ever saw one "in the flesh."
• Customers seemed eager to pay far above the suggested retail price for the few examples that became available.
• Under the ZR-1's hood was a Lotus-designed 32-valve, dual-overhead-cam, 350-cid (5.7-liter) V-8, by Mercury Marine in Oklahoma.
• Although the displacement was identical to the standard Corvette V-8, this was an all-new power plant with different bore-and-stroke dimensions.
• Wider at the rear than a standard model, partly to contain huge 315/35ZR-17 rear tires, the ZR-1 was easy to spot because of its convex rear end and rectangular tail lamps.
• Ordinary Corvettes continued to display a concave rear end with round tail lamps.
• Standard ZR-1 equipment included an FX3 Selective Ride adjustable suspen­sion, which was also available on standard Corvettes with the six-speed manual gearbox.
• Four-speed over­drive automatic was available (at no cost) only on the regular Corvette.
• New standard equipment included an engine oil cooler, 17-inch alloy wheels, and improved ABS II-S anti-lock braking.
• The convertible added a new backlight (i.e., rear window) made of flexible "Ultrashield" for improved scratch resistance and visibility.
• An air bag was installed in the new steering wheel on all Corvettes and a revised dashboard mixed digital and analog instruments.
• Corvettes colors were
  • White
  • Steel Blue Metallic
  • Black
  • Turquoise Metallic
  • Competition Yellow
  • Dark Red Metallic
  • Quasar Blue Metallic
  • Bright Red
  • Polo Green Metallic
  • Charcoal Metallic
• Interiors came in Blue; Black; Gray; Red; Saddle; and White.
• Standard features included a removable body-color roof panel for hatchbacks or a convertible top (Black, Saddle, or White top colors were available, but the choices you could order were determined by paint color).
• Cloth upholstery was also standard.

I.D. NUMBERS

• The serial number [Vehicle Identification Number -- VIN] was stamped on a plate on the inner vertical surface of the left windshield pillar visible through the windshield.
• The Coupe serial numbers ranged from 1G1YY238*L5100001 to 1G1YY238*L5120597
• The Convertible serial numbers ranged from 1G1YY338*L5100001 to 1G1YY338*L5120597
• The ZR1 serial numbers ranged from 1G1YZ23J*L5800001 to 1G1YZ23J*L5803049

  Position	Character	Description
  1	1	US built
  2	G	General Motors product
  3	1	Chevrolet Motor Division vehicle
  4&5	YY	Basic Corvette
  	YZ	Corvette ZR-1
  6	2 or 3	Body style number 2 = Two door hatchback style 07, 08, 77, or 87 3 = Two door convertible style 67
  7	1 or 2	1=Manual seat belts 3=Manual belts with driver-inflatable restraint system 4=Automatic belts
  8	8	L98 5.7-liter Tuned-Port-Injection Chevrolet or GM of Canada V8
  	J	LT5 - 5.7-liter TPI V-8
  9	?	A check digit that calculates the characters in the serial number and gives it a single digit code and can be used to verify that the serial number is legitimate
  10	L	The model year where 1990
  11	5	Bowling Green, KY
  12-17	100001 and up	production sequence for coupes and convertibles
  	800001 and up<>production sequence for ZR-1s

• Corvette engines have the last six digits of the VIN stamped on the block just ahead of the cylinder head on the right-hand side combined with a three-letter engine code suffix
• Also cast into the top rear of the block is a four-symbol code indicating when the engine was built
  • The first letter of the date code shows the month the block was cast
  • The one or two numbers shows the month
  • The last digit shows the year
• Engine suffixes:

  Code	Engine	Horsepower	Compression	Transmission	Fuel Supply	Extra features
  ZSA	L98 350-cid	245/250-hp V-8	9.5:1	THM automatic
  ZSB	L98 350-cid	245/250-hp V-8	9.5:1	manual	tuned port injection	Engine oil cooler
  ZSC	L98 350-cid	245/250-hp V-8	9.5:1	THM automatic	tuned port injection	Engine oil cooler
  ZSD	LT5 350-cid	375-hp V-8	11.0:1	manual	tuned port injection	Air conditioning
  ZSD	LT5 350-cid	375-hp V-8	11.0:1	manual	tuned port injection	Electronic air conditioning

• The 1990 Corvette exterior colors were:
  • 10 = White
  • 25 = Steel Blue Metallic
  • 41 = Black
  • 42 = Turquoise Metallic
  • 53 = Competition Yellow
  • 68 = Dark Red Metallic
  • 80 = Quasar Blue Metallic
  • 81 = Bright Red
  • 91 = Polo Green Metallic
  • 96 = Charcoal Metallic
• Upholstery Codes

  Color	Cloth Upholstery	Leather Upholstery
  Black	19C	193
  Saddle	60C	603
  Blue		223
  Red		733
  Gray		903

Model	Model No.	Body/Style No.	Body Type	Factory Price	Shipping Weight	Production Total
Coupe	1YY	Y07	2-dr. Hatch Coupe - 2 passenger	$31,979	3223	16,016
Convertible	1YY	Y67	2-dr. Convertible - 2 passenger	$37,264	3263	7,630
ZR-1	1YZ	Z07	2-dr. Hatch Coupe - 2 passenger	$58,995	3465	3,049

TRANSMISSION

• Automatic Transmission
  • Four-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic (TMH 700-R4)
  • floor-mounted gear shifter
  • gear ratios
    • 1st = 3.06:1
    • 2nd = 1.63:1
    • 3rd = 1.00:1
    • 4th = 0.70:1
    • Rev = 2.29:1
  • Final drive ratio: 2.59:1 or 3.07:1
• Four-speed Manual Transmission with overdrive
  • floor-mounted gear shifter
  • gear ratios
    • 1st = 2.88:1
    • 2nd = 1.91:1
    • 3rd = 1.33:1
    • 4th = 1.00:1
    • overdrive = 0.67:1
    • Rev = 2.78:1
  • Final drive ratio: 3.07:1
• Six-speed Manual with overdrive
  • Final drive ratio: 3.07:1

• RPO AC1 Power passenger seat $270
• RPO AC3 Power driver seat $270
• RPO AQ9 Leather sports seats $1,050
• RPO AR9 Base leather seats $425
• RPO B2K Callaway Twin Turbo installed by Callaway Engineering $26,895
• RPO CC2 Auxiliary hardtop for convertible $1,995
• RPO C2L Dual removable roof panels for coupe $915
• RPO 24S Removable roof panels with blue tint for coupe $615
• RPO 64S Removable roof panels with bronze tint for coupe $615
• RPO C68 Electronic air conditioning control $180
• RPO FX3 Electronic Selective Ride & Handling system $1,695
• RPO G92 Performance axle ratio 3.07:1 $22
• RPO KOS Engine block heater $20
• RPO KC4 Engine oil cool­er $110
• RPO MN6 Six-speed manual transmission (no-cost option)
• RPO NNS California emissions requirements $100
• RPO UJ6 Low tire pressure warning indicator $325
• RPO UU8 Delco-Bose stereo system $823
• RPO UlF Delco-Bose stereo system with compact disc changer $1219
• RPO V56 Luggage rack for convertible $140
• RPO ZS1 Performance handling package for hatchback $460

• Model-year pro­duction: 23,646.
• Calendar-year production: 22,154 Model-year sales by U.S. dealers: 22,690.
• The $26,895 Callaway Twin-Turbo engine package could again be ordered through specific Chevrolet dealers as RPO B2K.
• Cars that received this package were sent from Bowling Green, Kentucky, to the Callaway factory in Old Lyme, Connecticut, to receive engine modifications and other upgrades.
• For a limited time an RPO R9G option was offered through Chevrolet dealers for competition-minded Corvette buyers who wanted to participate in the new World Challenge racing series.
• Only 23 such cars were built.
• In 1990, Corvette chief engineer Dave McLellan was the annual recipient of the Society of Automotive Engineers' Edward N. Cole Award for automotive engineering innovation.
• McLellan was specifically recognized for his work on the ZR-1 package.

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