Mystery parts

[Tom Kochtanek]

I know you guys love to hear interesting junkyard stories, so I'll put this one out there as a puzzle first, then reveal the story (Bob's just NOT gonna like this one!). Here's the puzzle: what the heck is this a picture of?

A few hints:

It's GM
It's kinda rare (understated)
It's not an "X" frame nor from that great era
It was found at a junkyard right under my feet (covered with 4 by 8 plywood)
It's now residing at my Farm
It's got a great story behind it (Bob will cringe at first, then feel better that I saved it).

It's not the one in the background, it's the one in the foreground. So what is it?

Cheers,
TomK

 

[Rich64SS]

Mid-engine Pontiac?

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Nope

Mid-engine Pontiac?

Rich: Good guess, but not a Pontiac. Hint: we cut the suspension out before this picture.

TomK

 

[droptop62]

more clues, more clues!!!

 

[bobs409]

Corvette?

Im not sure what it is but if you paid anything for it, I know some nice guys in clean white lab coats that want to meet you!

 

[FYN409]

Rich: Good guess, but not a Pontiac. Hint: we cut the suspension out before this picture.

TomK

I'm guessing late 80's early 90's Vette?

-Ryan(FYN409)

 

[Rich64SS]

Corvette?

That was my next guess.
Big console...

 

[droptop62]

Tom is really into corvettes, so that is a good assumption,
But what about it that would be so rare and interesting???

 

[60convert]

hope you didn't pay to much

it looks like a vette to me also one of my neighbors has one that he put all the running gear , everything including all the suspension in a 40 ford. so there it is my vote is vette but that wouldn't be rare???
Jesse

 

[droptop62]

So,......uh, ............what do you mean you saved it???
Are you gonna restore it?

 

[Phil Reed]

I know!!!

This WAS the good Doktor Torbeck's test car for the JATO setup!!!!!!!

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Pretty close

This WAS the good Doktor Torbeck's test car for the JATO setup!!!!!!!

No, the good Herr Doktor had nothing to do with this one!

Late 80s to early 90s 'Vette is REAL warm. In fact, you're on fire! Care to guess which one? Look closely at the center console.

Bob, you might want to get those guys in the lab coat to prepare a room for me

BTW, you are not looking at all the components (that would definitely give it away

Cheers,
TomK

 

[bobs409]

Components? Looks like a half melted plastic toy model. (that was my first thought)

If the first one has anything in common with the one in the rear, I see some components on that one. It appears to have had T-tops and has a very large door opening suggesting it's a Corvette.

As for that front one, I can't make sense of any of that mess.

BTW, room 322 will be on stand by.

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Hint hint

Fact: The one in the background is a relative of the one in question (in the foreground), but is an "Anniversary" model

Fact: They are exactly a decade apart.

So what is the one in the foreground, and why is it soooo rare?

Hint: it's "stubborn"

TomK

 

[FYN409]

No, the good Herr Doktor had nothing to do with this one!

Late 80s to early 90s 'Vette is REAL warm. In fact, you're on fire! Care to guess which one? Look closely at the center console.

Bob, you might want to get those guys in the lab coat to prepare a room for me

BTW, you are not looking at all the components (that would definitely give it away

Cheers,
TomK

ZR1 ??

-Ryan(FYN409)

 

[droptop62]

ZR 1 was going to be my guess too, or possibly Grand Sport???
Can't imagine it being a callaway.
But I am not really making any connection to Tom's clue "Stubborn"

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Bingo!

ZR1 ??

-Ryan(FYN409)

Bob first guessed "Corvette", then Ryan narrowed it down to the 80s or 90s, then guessed "ZR-1", which is correct

These so called "King of the Hill" vehicles were developed by Lotus for GM. They had purchased Lotus back in the mid 1980s. Some 84 ZR1's were produced in 1989 as production standards. General production and release of the cars, priced at about double the cost of a stock Corvette, began in 1990.

From the ZR-1 web pages:

"When the ZR1 was announced in 1989 and released to the press, the publicity was sensational, almost every one who drove the car raved about the performance. However for various reasons the car was held at pre-production stage until the 1990 model year. No 1989 models were sold to the public but some are sure a few of them will turn up here and there. By the time GM sold Lotus to Buggatti in 1994, Lotus had worked on a more powerful 405 bhp version of the engine and these made it into the 93 model year."

So what year do you think this one was?

TomK

 

[Bungy]

The squared-off dash bezel (or whats left of it) and the square radio opening/center console indicate it's an 84-89. Since you already said its a ZR-1 that leaves 1989. Ultra rare indeed! By the way the official reason for the delay in production until 1990 was "insufficient availability of engines caused by additional development" meaning they had problems that needed ironing out.

 

[SS425HP]

A Mess

I don't really care what it is. What the heck happened to it??????? It appears to be a little HURT.

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Close...

I don't really care what it is. What the heck happened to it??????? It appears to be a little HURT.

A little later tonite I'll clue you in on the whole story Yes, it it a mess!

Bungy had teh range correct, his eagle eyes spotting that dash area (I have no idea how you could tell that!), but it's not a 1989..

Care to guess again?

TomK