1990 CORVETTE

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.

V.I.N. 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

• 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:

• 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

IDENTIFICATION

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

ENGINE

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

CHASSIS

OPTIONS

HISTORICAL NOTES