A Class Above All HEMI 'Cudas, the Only Original ZR2 Corvette Is Three Times Cheaper

Fortunately, 1971 also brought about one of the most spectacular Corvettes ever – the ZR2. Only 12 examples have been assembled, and just four are left to roam on Planet Piston – two coupes and two convertibles. Out of these select Chevys, a unicorn rises above its brethren – the only documented survivor, which also happens to be the lowest mileage of the pack.

What’s so special about it? Several things, starting with its recent sale history. At the Monterey auction that concluded last week, this car changed hands for $863,500, ranking second to last on the top ten most expensive cars sold there.

Interestingly, the same ultra-desirable collector’s gem was sold at a loss, considering that at the Indy car event of May 2022, the same vehicle was priced at $962,500. Coincidence or not, it was also the ninth most valuable automobile at that event. A $90,000 drop in 15 months for a car that was at one point appraised to surpass the $1 million mark.

Regardless of this setback, the car saw some action between these two auctions: 94 miles, specifically (150 km), with the odometer now reading 8,796 miles (14,153 km). In all fairness, the special engine deserves a little muscle-flexing now and then.

Affectionately nicknamed ‘Zora’s Racer’ after the (mechanical) father of the Corvette, chief engineer Zora-Arkus Duntov, the actual name of the high-performance Chevys came from the option packages coded ZR in the Corvette order form.

Two such track-oriented offers were available, the ZR1 and ZR2, which were pricey. The main difference was the V8 installed in the car – a small-block 350-cube (5.7-liter) V8 came with the ZR1 choice. The ZR2 offered the utmost expression of GM muscle for the fatidic year of 1971.

454 cubic inches (7.4 liters), 425 hp (431 PS) at 5,600 RPM, and 475 lb-ft (644 Nm) of torque at 4,000 RPM – that’s downright HEMI territory. But this Corvette isn’t as frequent as the HEMI ‘Cudas of the 1971 class. It’s rarer than the convertible high-performance Plymouths: 12 rag-top Mopars were built for the model year, whereas the ZR2 ‘Vettes were a dozen combined (ten coupes and only two convertibles).

Granted, the Corvette wasn’t cheap – the ZR2 base price was a bankrupting $7,673 (nearly twice as much as the similarly-powered model from Chrysler’s stables – or fish tanks, if you will). The package included the aforementioned Special Purpose LS6 all-aluminum-heads V8, the mandatory Muncie M22 close-ratio “Rock Crusher” four-speed manual transmission, a transistorized ignition, a high-capacity aluminum radiator – the cooling fan came without its shroud. Heavy-duty power disc brakes, and special suspension with custom springs, shocks, front and rear sway bars kept the wild stud on track, together with the 4.11:1 Positraction axle that was in charge of the Turbo-Jet’s output.

Inspired by the famous L-88 racing engine, the LS6 of 1971 is rumored to be underrated in official GM literature; a claimed output above 460 hp (466 PS) has been speculated, and enthusiasts even go above the 500-hp mark. However, due to suffocating insurance costs for high-power automobiles, makers generally kept the actual figures a close-guarded secret.

The last convertible survivor of the one-year-only ZR2 Corvette C3, this particular automobile also happens to be the last ZR2 assembled of the 1971 model year ‘Mighty Dozen.’ The ZR packages came without the marketing fuss their unique high-performance figures could request, and they offered little else apart from high-speed adrenaline and tire-sublimating smiles per gallon.

Thus, the ZR2 Corvette couldn’t have power windows, rear window defroster, air conditioning, power steering, deluxe wheel covers, alarm, or radio. It was almost as crude – comfort-wise – as a first-generation Plymouth Roadrunner. And, except for the power bulge on the hood, it had no unique ornaments to indicate its rarity.

The ‘454’ call-outs on the cowl were about as discrete as they got – black with chrome outlines and didn’t shed much light on the matter. The other big-block available for the 1971 Corvette, the LS5, had the same displacement but only offered 365 hp (370 PS). The LS6 V8 alone was a $1,221 option, while the ZR2 package cost $1,747.

The car we’re talking about has never been restored, although the only visible blemishes are on the cylinder bank 2’s valve cover. It still wears the original paint, exterior trim, interior, glass, engine, transmission, rear-end, exhaust, wheels, and tires. In 2003, a $ 40,000 refreshing was performed, during which the engine gaskets were replaced, the brakes were serviced, the carburetor was rebuilt and tuned, and the clutch and transmission underwent an inspection.

Even the documentation on this formidable Corvette is nothing short of stunning: the original Protect-O-Plate, tank sticker, original order copy and purchase documents, and the Corvette owner’s card. The original owner's manual is signed by Zora Arkus-Duntov – the legendary engineer who also wrote a letter to one of the car’s previous owners, and the document stayed with the car ever since.

This recently-sold Corvette ZR2 has won the Bloomington Gold Certification, the coveted Bloomington Gold Special Collection Award, and Meguiar's Best Exterior Finish Trophy. Its unicity and condition are also certified by the Bloomington Gold Benchmark, Certified and Survivor in 2015, the NCRS Top Flight Award 2017, the MCACN Triple Diamond Award 2011, and The Great Hall Inductee of 2011.