1970 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 5-14, 2018

Photo – Mecum

Chevrolet just announced their newest Corvette halo model: the C7 ZR1. It’s a 750 horsepower beast that traces its name back to this car. The original ZR1 was a special option introduced on the Corvette in 1970. It was a $1,200 special engine option that also brought a heavy duty transmission, brakes, and suspension. It also blacked out convenience options such as power windows and air conditioning, making it a task-focused performance car.

Offered as a coupe or convertible, the ZR1 was available from 1970 through 1972 and even spawned a ZR2 variant. The engine is a 370 horsepower, 5.7-liter V-8, which might sound kind of wimpy compared to the 430 horsepower from some of the mid-1960s Stingrays, but you have to remember that emissions standards were beginning to squeeze the juice out of these motors.

Only 25 ZR1 coupes were built in 1970 out of a total three year model run of 53 cars. These don’t command the same money as a C3 L88, but they’re still some of the priciest Corvettes from this year. This one is all-original and shows just 16,000 miles. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $130,000.

1970 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Convertible

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 25, 2014

We featured an ultra-rare ZR2 Corvette a few weeks ago and here we have its cousin, the ZR1. The ZR1 name is common today as two more ZR1 models have been produced since (in the early 90s and late 2000s). The original ZR1 is the most valuable as very few were made.

The ZR1 option package was available for 1970, 1971, and 1972 only. It was essentially a small block version of the L88. The engine is a 5.7-liter V-8 rated at 370 horsepower (the most powerful small block Corvette you could buy in those years). It also came with heavy duty brakes, transmission, and suspension. Because the car was sold as “race ready,” you could not get air conditioning, power windows, power steering or a radio (among other things).

Restored in 2011, this ZR1 is one of those very rare muscle cars that bring so much money. Only 53 ZR1s were built in total, 25 of them in 1970. And only a mere handful were drop-tops. This is an easy $100,000-$125,000 car. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Mecum’s Kissimmee lineup.

Update: Sold $130,000.