Each generation of Chevrolet Corvette marks a new era in United States' Automotive Design. The C8 marks the industry's ability to match and beat whatever comes out of European marques, without leaving the customer with giant finance payments. The C3 shows something else entirely, the 1970s stylish excess. Arguably the C3 is most out there in its design, with pop-up headlights and wheel arches that protrude from the body.
The C3 came with a plethora of engines and saw a series of facelifts, these complicate the C3's history. After all selling across three decades, the C3 left production in 1982 with the Collector Edition. This model saw a very 80s extended body kit. However certain models like the ZL1 and ZR1 take on nearly legendary status. Yet somehow, despite their historic status, these vehicles seem drastically undervalued, and sure to shoot up in value. The ZL1 carved the way for Chevrolet's current crop of driver-oriented vehicles. As gearheads always do they look for the next popular classic, and this is sure to be one of these.
Check out the rarest Corvette that's secretly undervalued.
What Is The 1971 Corvette ZR1?
An equivalent to a modern-day Z06 the ZR1, for a premium, brought the customer extra performance. This package's main change is beneath the hood. Powered by a 5.7 liter LT-1, a powerful small block engine that used a four-speed transmission. This package also overhauled the suspension. Not content with this, Chevrolet also fits power brakes and an aluminum radiator. All of this sounds like the recipe for the perfect track car. Chevrolet called the car a competition car for these purposes.
After the 1973 oil crisis rules regarding emissions, got tighter and the demand for gas guzzlers dropped. From 1974, the option of a big block left the line-up. Chevrolet lent into this in their marketing, rebranding the Corvette as a grand tourer, a Porsche alternative. The C3 became a roaring success, but performance-oriented models like the ZR1 and ZR2 fell by the wayside for nearly two decades. This means that this incredibly rare car started a lineage of vehicles that are Chevrolet's halo cars.
What Sets The 1971 Corvette ZR1 Apart?
Like many of today's performance cars, the ZR1 appealed to the hardcore. Customers could not specify air conditioning, power steering, or a radio. Sounding awfully familiar to the likes of Porsche's GT3 RS, the ZR1 Corvette forgoes the facade of being a luxury grand tourer. Instead, this model did what it could to win on the drag strip. In retrospect, the power seems somewhat inadequate. According to Corvsport, this engine produces a meager 370 horsepower, making it the most powerful engine from GM to use the 350 cubic inch engine platform. Although most hot hatchback owners would scoff at this figure it has its benefits.
Being a small block motor, there's less weight over the front end. Making it more nimble and easier to put through corners. However, it still has the power to rival the majority of big block motors. Setting this apart from other C3 models comes the car's rarity. Just like the more expensive striped-out performance cars of today, it's incredibly rare. Allegedly through the model run which started in 1970, less than 50 were actually produced with very few of these being convertible models.
Most gearheads know that the C3 became the car of astronauts and celebrities, as well as those going through mid-life crises. The C3 has three main sections of its life. The early cars before 1973. It had its awkward teenage years between 1973 and 1977. 1973 marked the 20th anniversary of the Corvette, ushering in the celebrations Chevrolet facelifted the model with the distinctive Radial tires. Then the C3 lost the rear sugar scoop in 1977 and stayed in production until 1982.
This makes the ZR1 an even more special Corvette, the last time a Corvette would take this more sporting focus until the C4 Corvette's ZR-1. This model arrived in 1990. Using British sports car experts Lotus as consultants.
How Expensive Are 1971 Corvette ZR1s?
The regular C3, although a common classic car doesn't come cheap anymore. According to Classic, an aggregator of classic car prices, the average C3 sells for around $33,000. That's nothing in comparison to a contemporary 911. However, there are outliers, the most expensive example sold for $2.86 million, for a convertible race car. Another outlier sat at $880,000. Both of these came up for auction at Barret-Jackson.
There currently aren't any ZR1 models up for auction or as listed for sale, however, Classic also record that these average a sale price of $120,000. Purchasing a car is very rarely a sound financial decision. With maintenance costs taken into consideration, most are lucky to break even. Yet the first ZR1 looks rather appealing and with the potential for massive growth over the next few years. With the classic car market growing exponentially it's only a matter of time before this classic car jumps up further in price.