Sat in a Farm yard for 20yrs! 200mph Barn Find 90s Sports car Rescued
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- Опубліковано 15 тра 2024
- Sat in a Farm yard for 20yrs! 200mph Barn Find 90s Sports car Rescued. In this special barnfind episode Jonny Smith discovers a unicorn American muscle car which was a near 400bhp, 200mph Porsche 911 Turbo beating weapon when launched in 1989. Rare in the USA, but even rarer here in Great Britain, the backstory of the Corvette C4 ZR1's extra special V8 engine can be traced to Norfolk, where Lotus developed the 5.7 engine with quad cams, 32-valves, 16 injectors and 11 throttles. There's even a Veyron style 'power key' for the driver to unlock full power.
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Filmed by Sam Renton samuel_jose...
Edited by: Matty Graham www.pixel-click.com/
Thumbnail by: Matty Graham www.pixel-click.com/
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Jonny Smith
Creative content maker, car presenter & car pervert for hire since '98
Website: www.carpervert.com
Instagram: / jonnycarpervert
Twitter: / carpervert
CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
2:14 ZR1 History
4:12 7000 made in 5 years
4:24 Meet the farmer
5:50 Why did it get parked?
9:57 Meet the new owners
14:15 Adaptive damping and 3rd brake light
15:15 Interior
16:15 THE POWER KEY
16:50 ENGINE BAY
18:43 Inflating tyres
19:10 Fuel pump works
21:10 Boroscope and plug removal
22:13 Inside the boot
25:01 Unseizing brakes using fork lift
27:42 Will it bump start?
28:47 DEEP CLEAN
#barnfind #abandonedcar #90ssupercar #thelatebrakeshow #4k - Авто та транспорт
Amazing video Jonny! 🙌🙌 We can’t wait to get this ZR-1 re-animated and woken up from its 18 year slumber😁 It’s probably not going to be easy but the car deserves it for sure 🔥
Big thanks to TLBS for featuring our project and a huge thanks to all of you that have joined my channel and subscribed - We really appreciate (and need!) your support 👍🏻👍🏻 I’m going to make it my duty to make the ZR-1 great again 🫡
Subscribed 👍
Thanks for letting us come along guys. For anyone wanting to follow this ZR-1's journey head to youtube.com/@Auto_Funk?si=9X50QTVc5R_cwHWL
Window screen, a piece of glass that protects you from oncoming windscreens 😂
Subscribed *@Auto_Funk!* 2:58 - paused here to look at the specs, proper rocket for the time. However, I recall building a Dusenberg model (Airfix kinda thing) many moons ago in my distant youth - anyone following Leno will know that all Dusenberg engines (and probably most if not all chassis) were built in 1928.
If memory serves, these behemoths with (a blown) 265bhp and ridiculous torque could hit 117mph with a "town car" body in 18secs - of course, you required very, very deep pockets.
I have yet to see a Dusenburg driven in anger, but I'd kinda like to know what the driving experience would be like compared to a more modern car with similar specs; get Clarkson to burn a little cross-ply rubber eh?
*_"...in the world!"_* 🤣
What an ABSOLUTE travesty that this car was left outside in the elements. At the very least it could of been covered. Nice going Will.
It’s not going to rot away, its made of fibreglass
I still have a copy of autocar from 1990 with the ZR1 on the front cover. It was just a close up the rear wheel doing a burnout. The picture inside was just two black rubber lines on the road that went off to the horizon. . The reviewer said apart from being ridiculously quick, it was extremely durable. And coped with about 6 or 7 burnouts on the trot with ease and was good for more.. Incredible car, especially for the 90s.
It was my dad's ZR1 that Autocar magazine featured in a 0-100-0 test in the 90's. He said he had a surprise for me. 18 year old me wanting it to be a 1.9 205 GTI to replace my battered Opel Ascona was a little disheartened when it turned out that we were just cleaning his Corvette for a magazine test 😠
I was part of the design team whom designed the LT5 at lotus
Of course you were
So you know Graham ? He's a really cool guy . He has spoken at a few of the ZR1 events that the zr1net.rejistry has held at the NCM in Bowling Green .
It's strange seeing this car again. I was an apprentice at Hindmarch back in the 90s, and remember this being MOT'd it was absolutely pristeen. I also remember the red Corvette and a Chevy truck, which willy owned looking foward to following the new owners.
No mot on this one since 2007!
At least they are likely to get it back to where it deserves to be. Disgraceful the way cars like this are simply abandoned to rot.
I'm that jealous that Neil and Vivian from the young ones bought it l felt like kicking the telly screen through.
Ah! Couldn’t work out where I’d seen these chaps before makes sense now!
Yeah man , vegetable rights and peace 🕊️
I can see it 😅
@@chrisbaker121924 sorry shoes I'm gonna have to stand on you again 🤣
That also means Jonny is Brian damage bolowsky 😂
@@rallycrosscraig
That's such a good looking car. Filling up the tyres alone makes it look alive again
Whoa! These Zr1’s don’t use any of the same ECU’s as normal C4. There’s a garage in Chicago that specializes in the ZR1. This guy knows everything about them.
Haibeck Automotive Technology
There’s some must do’s to the motor for reliability. That shop help me get mine going.
Thank you for the info. We will relay this to Lewellyn and Chris.
Great comment and info, bud. 👌
Marc Haibeck is THE ZR-1 expert. And - such a sweet guy. You could pick up the phone from the UK and he'd help you with any info you need.
Going to be pedantic but the ZR1 had 375bhp for the first 2-3 years going up to 405bhp in the last 2 years of production, Lotus Engineering ❤You should do a video on all the cars they have had a hand in developing, plenty to look at.
As the proud owner of the #150 92 zr-1. This was an amazing video! Next time you want to drain the fuel. gm has provided a hot wire to the fuel pumps. It's right beside the ecu. In the wiring harness. You provide power to it, and the pumps start pumping if they are good. Feel free to ask questions. I have gone true the hole engine on mine and have fix everything
Wife calls it a money Pitt. I call it true love. Don't meet your heroes, they say. Not in this case. Love it!
Good luck to Will and Jan, i hope Will can settle in his new life with a slower pace. A lifetime of farming is hard to leave behind so all the best to them. I’ll be following the Corvette on its resurrection journey.
Awesome, I have a 1990 zr1 in black here in Australia love it , all the work ahead will be worth it. Great find guys 👍
I remeber seeing this driving around the village when I was younger, great to see it again.
Good Lord! The power key nearly DOUBLES the power?! I wasn't expecting that tidbit. Nuts.
I find it amazing that they made the body 3 inches wider in the rear just to get wider tires on it for more traction. Even the regular C4 has crazy wide tires on both ends...
ZR - 1s are special.
But you can get a decent standard C4 Corvette in the US for less than $3000.00.
Parts are plentiful and they make a great track day car on a budget.
Another farmer going not to be replaced, you will be missed.
The C4 Corvette is a great looking car
It's gloriously 80s. I'd rather have a C4 in preference to a modern day Corvette. The C8 is an impressive feat of engineering, but it doesn't have the charm of the older cars.
For a split second i thought it was a Callaway Corvette. This is awesome as well.
That's exactly what I first thought. Very rare car.
Same here, Dennis Collins ( Fast and Load ) has his own channel and Friday just gone he rescued a Callaway Corvette.
This is a REALLY nice find. Hope the lads can get this roadworthy again without too much pain.
I love to see the rest of the world geek out over stuff we here in the States often take for granted with our motors!
Childhood memories, those who grew up in the 80s like me will remember Face on The A-Team driving this generation of Corvette. My next door neighbours had one when I was in my teens in the 90s as well, it was absolutely enormous even given that my Mum drove a Vauxhall Carlton which was itself a huge car for the time.
I was fortunate enough to work for Tom in the late 90’s who owned Claremont Corvette, I have faint memories of this car and a blue Turbo Technics converted C4 that was in for some restoration work after having caught fire.
What a great car, and so worthy of being put back on the road. So good looking too. ZR-1’s are so so special. So glad she’s been saved. Well gone 👍
I remember the first time i saw one of those ZR-1C-4 Corvettes working at my Father in Law's collision shop. My best friend's uncle had the warehouse across the street from the shop and he had just purchased a 1990 ZR-1 Corvette from the local dealership down the street and was bringing the new corvette to store it until his permanant numberplates arrived and it was legal to drive the car. I being a Mechanic and a former Chevrolet dealership mechanic who Specializes in Corvettes was fascinated by the new engine.(And quite horrified at the thought of working on it,frankly.) I was pleasantly surprised by the novelty of it.and relieved in hindsight to never have had to work on it. Wonderful bit of technology and im glad to see it being reserected.
Those c4 zr1’s are an under appreciated gem.
I remember reading the specs at the news stand when they were new.
It was a mind blowing car for the era.
2 minutes in and I love these “history lesson” type videos! How everything is interconnected and where it traces from and how a boat engine builder built an aluminum (sorry aluminium) v-8 in America when it was designed by some bloke in England! Yes I’m Merican, but love motor sports and cars and most of which that I love is from the EU…
I remember seeing these go round the Lotus test track back in the 90s on my weekly visit to the factory.They sounded awesome.Back then you could walk around the factory unchecked and got to see many joint ventures with Lotus. The Lotus Omeaga was probably the most outrageous and so interesting to look at up close.
Having done Peterborough to Orkney 13 years ago, it's a hell of a life change but worth doing 🙂 really hope the ZR-1 rips up the tarmac again. Very much underappreciated and a great looking car from it's era 👌🏻
the lengths one goes to leave Peterborough!!!
@@rickmelman I was down in Peterborough a couple of weeks ago for a wedding and it hasn't got any better since I left!
Best of luck to Will and Jan, was an absolute pleasure working for and with them this past few months. Walking to the house for dinner now has a different view..
TLBS Jonny, my kids are still saying their heads are cold 🥶 🤣
( I was there the day the car was collected and jonny didn't have any merch with him 🙄🤣 )
Amazing barn find video! This 91 ZR-1 deserve a new life on the road. Congratulations from Spain with my 90 ZR-1 beast.
I had the privilege of being a passenger in one of these about 15 years ago and what a machine it was. I've tried on & off for years to see if there is any in Australia but have had no luck. Even if there is they are probably in collectors hands. 👍🏼👍🏼
Yes there is one ,in Queensland . A similar colour to this one and owned by the Vette guy in Gympie ( last time I saw it 25 years ago.)
Wow, made by Mercury. Had no idea. Mercury is well known as a racing motor powerhouse in the boat race world, so kind of makes sense.
i remember when it came out. it was a beast. Just a set of gears and exhaust its in the 11's. it was nutty. John Lingenfelter modified it with different levels and won the open challenge in car and driver so many years with the vette. It didnt have the right rear gear but putting the right gear that car came alive even more. It kills me , because of all the cars he has owned and loving cars, WHY isnt it covered or inside ? Just a basic cover would have made it much less worse than how it is now. That gas is so old, would never have tried to start it lol. It needed a good charge and boost. Must bring it back to life right. Literally code readers, plug checks, induction make sure there are no nests etc etc.
I love my 96 C4 convertible. It "only" has 300hp but it puts a smile on my face.
You say you've never driven a C4, you're welcome to have a go in mine if youre ever near Sudbury in Suffolk.
It gets on my tits when people say
' only ' 300 hp,like every car needs to be a bloody top fueller, they're the people who only see cars in video games and posters let alone ever felt just how capable a 300 hp car can be, especially a healthy vette.
Nice car you have there mister, best wishes to you and safe happy motoring 🙏🏻
@@nostreamavailable9090I think he mentions it in this instance because the ZR1 was a 400hp piece.
@@the318pop yeah mate I think you're right, but still in general people are too quick to judge cars and specs they have little or no grasp of, even a 200hp car can feel a bit tasty. Rover vitesse , 2.8 I Capri, gsi 3000 etc etc.
I think these days people have watched too many blast and spurious films and played too much Forza.
@@nostreamavailable9090 true, it's all relative. A 200hp car with an auto and long gearing can send you to sleep but in something light with a manual box is a different animal. That said, my C4 had just under 300hp and was nice on the street but boring after getting it off the line on a very smooth drag strip.
@@the318pop yeah on the drag strip l can imagine it feeling a bit vanilla, still a gorgeous car l bet
I guy were I live had a 40th Anniversary ZR1 in that awsome green color. Loved to see him drive around in it :P He had a red two door 240 Volvo without any clear coat left for years and years - and that ZR1 :D
I was 15 when these were new. Absolute dream car. The C4 was so vastly improved over its run. Still looks great today.
So true about this sleeping monster being very effecient due to the size of the motor and the mastery of the induction system.Thanks for the share
Some wonderful helpful comments from people here helping with extra info . Brilliant
The thumbnail caught my eye - wondering what this 400bhp 89 sports car was. Imagine how my attention was grabbed when I saw it was a C4 - my very car. I've 'only' got a standard C4 but, for me, it's a wonderful thing. Especially being in Australia, I feel like I've got an exotic car, as you almost never see them - it gets so many looks and is such a conversation starter. It's also 10 tons of fun to drive: very sharp handling, with a bit of rear drive oversteer. I know that by modern standards, it's not that quick, but it just doesn't matter to me - it's plenty quick enough, and you get a wonderful, smooth surge of acceleration when you put the foot down. Recently had it up to 180km/h, and did it so easily. The C4 is a bit special and a bit overlooked, I think - it was quite advanced for the time. I mean, mine's over 30yo and has composite body panels, composite transverse leaf springs, airbag, ABS brakes, etc.
I can only imagine what a thrill a ZR-1 would be. There has to be a very good argument for the ZR-1 being the best value for money sports car in the world at the time.
mad to think of what you drive past every day tucked away somewhere! , hope the lads do it justice and don't just flip it! :D
Great video! I personally own a 95 ZR-1 and boy its a fun car! For the money i paid for it i stole it. The LT-5 steals the show. The power band of the engine was like nothing else at the time and still to this day when i mash the gas to the floor, its still and absolute riot to drive! If you want a 90's icon that can legit go toe to toe with the giants of it time then the Corvette ZR-1 is you time machine.
Just buy one all ready!
Remember reading up on these when they came out . Incredible performance yet fuel efficiency beyond belief, especially considering the performance! Didn’t realise they were so rare but what a find .
Cracking episode. The ZR-1 was one of my childhood dream cars. Good luck to the lads bringing it back to life.
This was brilliant Jonny! I love how everyone mucked in with the attempt to get her going. Great accidental collab! As a kid I had a poster of a Maroon Red one of these and I was desperate to get one, remember too that "Face" from the A-Team had a white one with a red stripe! Brilliant cars!!
Kinda, Face had an early C4 vette, comparatively low tech but cool for it's time.
My favourite toy car as a kid was a black zr1, so this is properly up my street - what a find!
When I was at college in the early 90's in Stoke, a newsagent around the corner had one. I was fully aware what it was thanks to Test Drive 2 on the Amiga!
One of the best of your barn find videos so far - what a great car
This is probably the best Barn Find episode yet just because we know the car is going to someone who will do the proper work to keep it on the road. Most of these Barn Find videos (not just yours) are super frustrating because they'll show some hoarder who can't bring himself to let any of these "projects" they have go. 80% of these guys will never have the money to fix or restore even one of their stash so these cars sit and rot. They become a nightmare to their heirs because by then they have to deal with the disposal of the wrecks they inevitably become.
You are really good at this!!! Bravo and thank you for sharing thee wonderful stories.
Back in 1990 I saw a red ZR1 in Bauer Millets, Manchester.
Beautiful car and way out of reach ❤
Brilliant guys love this Definetly following these guys be great to hear this started and running on its own steam 😀😀👍🏽
Superb 'barn' ( farm ) find. Great to see Auto_Funk will be showing the rest of the resto too.
The jacket! Please don't dye it! That sun faded patina is original and unique, and will form part of the story of the car when back on the road 👍🙂
Great video Jonny. Memories of playing Test Drive on the Amiga 500 in the late 80s, glad it's gone to a good home
This is just crazy...congrats for this!
I've got a normal '95 vette, only 300hp/350fp/tq...
..and its been the most reliable car I've ever owned...
It finally does need an optispark after 12 yrs and 120k miles, but other than that I've only put rear wheel bearings on it(when I bought it) and it hasnt needed anything else aside from oil and filter changes...
..absolutely love the car...
..tho i gotta admit it is getting harder to climb in and out of as I get older... it's very similar to getting in or out of a bathtub due to the very high door sills... but it feels just like a good old fashioned lazyboy chair when yur in the drivers seat...
I found the funniest issue to be trying to reach across the centre console to get a ticket from the machine at the entrance to some multi storey car parks. I once reversed in to a car park to solve the issue.
@the318pop drive-thru windows can also be kinda hard to reach up to when grabbing drinks, and I gotta put it in park and climb halfway out the window at drive thru ATM machines to reach the buttons...
..and I'm 5'-10"... so it must be nearly impossible to reach for people 5' 6" or shorter....lol
Another fantastic episode 10/10.Looking forward to watching this car progress 🤩
Cool car and one of the great wheel designs too😎
Some MER Polish could help you a great deal. This is a glorious machine. For spare parts, go to National Automotive Lines, Shelbyville, Indiana. The company owner is my cousin, and would be willing to help any British American car owners.
👍🏽
Thanks for the memories Johnny I read about these when they came out I remember they had a valet key which shut the cams down so no ferris beuller’s day off
Great Barn find for you guys!!! A really nice ZR1. Cheers from Canada.
I've always loved the C4 Corvette. Watta sweet ride.
The last few years of the C4 are absolutely beautiful. The early C4s are absolutely ugly, in my eyes. Those subtle changes truly turned these fiberglass turds into highly desirable sports cars. I love em. Great episode 🎉
Great find, and back-story Jonny
Awesome car! I remember when these first came out. I had literally only just started driving and I used to buy all the car mags back then. Im definitely starting to feel old!
Great show, Jonny!! Something else to watch now!!! 😮 Too much to keep up with!😊
Awesome video, I have a 1990 ZR-1 on weld racing wheels, what a great car to drive!
Absolutely love this video. Actually, all of your vids. So great to see these cars and their stories. Good on you. Very much appreciated
Thank you so much. Really lovely to hear this kind of feedback
Amazing….Best barn find yet 👍
Very special car. Good performance even by today's standards. They sound wicked up in the rp's👍
I certainly saw one at my cousin’s business - previously mentioned as a place to get spare parts - when it was in for a service!! That was back in 1990.
It's always such a a pleasure watching your show with great content and great commentary. Thank you
Makes me so happy to see these engineering marvels get back on the road. Good luck to the new owners and i am hopeful the previous custodian still gets joy out of having owned the beast!
Great to see this being restored...
Always loved those c4 vette wheels !
They are awesome rims. Rears are unique width to the ZR1, so now 🦄
My mate had one of these in red. Went over to Le Mans a few times with him in it. Good times.
Great story, and now also subscribed to Auto_Funk, to follow on.
Thanks, Jonny
What a really proper episode. Very interesting back story and car, I was around then and they were totally underrated here. I'm definitely going to follow the progress on this.
💪🏽
He didn’t want a dog in the car but leaves it out in the open for 20 years! 😂
That was what i was thinking too. Way to de-value a car.
MORE TOP QUALITY.. thanks J keep going...
Very cool! Going to listen to some Zed Zed Top now!
Mr Smith, you are a lovely man. Traffic directed to newbies channel. Nice xxx
I own a c4 Grand Sport. Looking for a project ZR1. I love my C4. Owned it for over 3 years and it still makes me appreciate it.
I had a 92 manual corvette, very reliable, great engine, jelly chassis.
What a beauty reminds me of a Nissan, love the wheel Archies built into the bonnet or hood. Trying to jump start that reminding me of my fiesta super sport when I used to have to try and bump it to go to work everyday back in the '80s 😂
Shetland! Ive sent time there. I dont think i saw a xar that wasnt rusted out up there. Fabulous place
What a bloody excellent video gents!!!! Great find and great video - thank you!!! 🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁
One of the best yet. I'm a sucker for a Corvette though!
The "problem" with the ZR1 if you will, is that I believe it was the next model year, the standard Vette, got a similar output engine which made the ZR1 not that special. The ZR1 had rectangular taillights as opposed to round. It was a little wider as well. The third brake light was mandated from 1986 on. We Americans generally don't like to manually shift so that didn't help this car either! Love the show!
The LT1 was a vast step up from the tuned port injection 'standard' small block used up to that point. One of the most important changes was the short runner intake manifold which helped move the power band higher and gave a more eye-catching peak hp number. But it was still a way off the performance of the ZR-1.
It was nice to hear where I’m from in a UA-cam video! I love Shetland islands but I’m moving to Australia next year (hopefully)
Great car and unreal figures for the time. Can’t wait to see the direction they go with this
Considering will has had a heart attack i was quite surprised to see him pushing the vette i hope he really takes things easy in shetland and once again thanks johnny for delivering another super episode will be following the zr1 with its revamp
My favourite barn find so far!
I was a fan of the ZR-1 as a kid, and it was in so many racing video games, I never thought only 7,000 got sold.
The non-ZR1s also had round tail lights.
That's it, circular tail lights and a concave rear end. ZR1s had a convex arse and quartic tail lights.
@@TheLateBrakeShowAll corvette got the convex rear end in 1991 along with the square lights
Don't dye that jacket. You know, it's only original once. That fade is part of the cars history.. Bloody brilliant
Hard disagree. They're giving this car a refresh, why shouldn't the jacket get the same? It looks way too ratty and sun damaged to wear as is.
WOW what a great story! Who knew the Yanks produced such a technologically advanced supercar back in the day 🤯 The condition of the car considering it’s been sat in a farm yard for all those years is nothing short of amazing 🤩 Looking forward to seeing this one back on the road 👍
the sun fade on that jacket is sick!!
Good luck to Will and Jan. Another great video Jonny 😊
A very English video about a very American car. Very interesting!
What a great episode, thanks😊
Awesome, All the work ahead will be worth it, I have a 1990 here in Australia, love it. Great find guys 👍
Thanks for watching mate. Glad other ZR1 owners are coming forward.