First-Year King of the Hill: 1990 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1

It's been one of the most anticipated returns to the Corvette lineup: the proverbial "King of the Hill", the ZR1. It's been almost four years since the last ZR1 has been produced, but a recent Car and Driver issue highlights the new C7 ZR1! Most likely the new ZR1 is going to cost a pretty penny, so unless you plan to save your pennies and dimes, an older ZR1 will be the better bet to build up as a sleeper. This 1990 Corvette ZR1 has low miles and looks like it rolled off the dealership in the early-1990s as a lightly-used car. Find it here on eBay in Hagerstown, Maryland, with a Buy-It-Now price of $25,900.

After acquiring Group Lotus in 1986 and watching its beloved sports car being taunted by high-dollar Ferraris and Lamborghinis, Chevrolet decided to bring out the big guns and create a bonafide super car. Teaming up with Lotus and Mercury Marine, Chevrolet created the ZR-1, which debuted in prototype-form in 1988 and sold in production-form beginning in 1990. (The easiest way to tell a prototype ZR-1 and a production ZR-1 apart is the prototypes had the LT-5 designation on the right side of its rear bumper, while production models had the ZR-1 designation). Available only as a two-door hatchback, the ZR-1 was available from 1990 to 1995 before going on hiatus for 14 years. This ZR-1 is a first-year 1990 model, and is one of 3,049 built for the model year. Resplendent in RPO 81 Bright Red, this Corvette is said to never have been driven in the rain and has been kept in the garage under the cover. Both tops are included and are in great shape, and the window sticker and all of its documentation are included. I love those wheels, and the black tinted targa top suits and complements the red paint of the car.

Taking a peek under the clamshell hood, this Corvette ZR-1 features the 350 cubic-inch RPO LT-5 motor. Featuring the same bore centers as the L98, but with four overhead camshafts and 32 valves, the LT-5 was rated at 375 horsepower and 370 lb-ft of torque in 1990. Backed by a ZF six-speed manual transmission, this ZR-1 traveled only 18,538 miles in the last 27 years. Upgrades under the hood include stainless steel headers and Corsa performance exhaust. I would add a performance chip to the LT-5 and rip some long, smoky burnouts.

The late, great Prince would have appreciated this ZR-1. Inside, this Corvette features a red leather interior, and like the exterior, is "mint". There is a little bit of dirt on the carpet, but that's the only flaw of this interior, but that can be easily remedied and at this point I'm nitpicking. I typically prefer analog gauges, but the digital dash looks pretty cool with the curvy, red leather. Everything looks to be original, and looks ready for a new owner to jump in its driver's seat and leave the garage in some long, screechy burnouts. Overall, this is one of the nicest ZR-1s I've ever seen, and though the price seems high, considering the low miles and performance upgrades, the price may be negotiable and if not, still be worth it. What are your thoughts on this first-year, survivor C4 ZR-1?