Farm-Find C4 Corvette ZR-1 Saved from British Field
Here at Hagerty, we love barn-finds of all types, but we have a soft spot for ones that feature an exciting, historic car popping up in a place that makes us ask, “how’d that get there?”
British car YouTube channel The Late Brake Show posted a video recently that ticked those boxes for us. In the episode, which you can watch in full below, host Jonny Smith takes us to an undisclosed location in eastern England—just a few kilometers from where he lives, in fact—to attempt a rescue on a C4 Corvette. Now, the idea of an overseas C4 is compelling enough, but this one is no humdrum C4; this is the world-beating ZR-1.
And “rescue” is indeed the term we’d pick to describe what this one needs. You can see the moss growing in the window trim and the roof panels, and you can tell that it’s endured years of hard, rainy English weather.
Under that long, forward-opening clamshell sits this car’s tie to the British commonwealth: The fabled 32-valve, quad-cam, LT5 V-8. Smith spends the opening part of the show walking through the history of this engine, and just why it was so special in the C4 Corvette. You likely know the history, but in case you need a quick refresh: The engine was a blank-sheet design, massively complex relative to the single-cam, pushrod V-8s that had been in Corvettes up to this point. Lotus Engineering, owned by GM at this time, helped with the engine’s design, and Mercury Marine assembled the all-aluminum mill.
The resulting ZR-1 was the fastest Corvette yet, and a hallmark moment for a nameplate that has, throughout history, made quite a name for itself by punching above its weight. However, less than 7000 ZR-1s were built, owing to several factors working against it in-period.
Smith spends some time talking to Will, the owner of the car. Will shares his story of how he came to love American cars through time spent working harvests in North America, and notes that this ZR-1 is the fourth Corvette that he’s owned among other American cars, too. Will shares the all-too-common story about how the Corvette used to see regular use, but over time, and for practical reasons, it hit the road less and less. Then, as life got more complicated and expensive, he parked it entirely.
The car is finally seeing the light of day because Will is selling it to new owners, Llewellyn and Chris, who we meet part of the way through the video. The two are optimistic about the prospect of getting It running, despite the weathered state of the bodywork and the moss in the windows.
Smith goes through the car with the owners, and their appreciation for what this ZR-1 represented is obvious. The typical barn-find precautions are taken, from disconnecting fuel lines to prevent pushing nasty fuel further into the system to rocking the car to check seized brakes. They’ve brought a bore scope along to check the cylinders, and the news seems positive.
Throughout the rest of the video, you can sense the enthusiasm around every aspect of this car, from the state of various mechanical systems to the contraband they find inside the interior. (Check out that jacket!) Despite being unable to get the car running through clutch-dump starts or other measures, the pair remain optimistic about the potential here. Chris and Llewlleyn are planning to document the restoration process on their own YouTube channel, which should be fun to follow along with.
Seeing these sorts of cars saved from slow, unceremonious demises is always pleasing, but watching it happen in a faraway land, so clearly showing the global appeal of the Corvette nameplate, is even better. Best of luck to Chris and Llewellyn; we can’t wait to see the finished product.
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Good for him.
But this continued push on ZR1 cars in the media reeks of a try to drive the low values up.
Here is the problem with the car. Note I am a Corvette owner so I don’t hate the car. But the reality is they built 7,000 of them they are not rare. Many were put away new so there are a ton of low mike examples. .
Then you factor in the next couple gens we’re as fast and handled better with out the C4 isdues.
Finally parts are not easy to find and expensive.
If you like this car buy one and enjoy it. It is a part of Corvette history but demand is low and supplies are solid.
To me the low prices are great for the hobbyist to buy and enjoy. This is the real win.
I took this as a “hey look at this interesting thing found in the UK” article, I think it’s okay that people find these cars as cool and interesting. There doesn’t need to be an ulterior motive in the media at all times. C4s are cheap and always will be. I feel like the added analysis of the C4 market offered here in the comment detracts from the spirit of the article.
It is not just this story but over the last two years there has been a big press on ZR1 and 928 cars.
Both are below expected values and there is just no major demand for either. There are a number of good low mile models and I expect that the actions are pushing prices to get more of them out and sold.
Many have sat on these for years and the few that sell generally do not go for a lot unless there are two bidders that are in real need.
Working in a company that deals with major advertising I have seen how things work in the media. Many things are not by chance and what you spend can drive things like trends and specific models.
This story may be an innocent one but many are not.
“This story may be an innocent one but many are not.”
When you look for the worst in people or a situation, you find it. I’d encourage you to think a little more optimistically and start looking for reasons to say something nice rather than all the down tin foil hat stuff you have started to post. These pages are filled with a wide variety of topics and you always seems to have something negative to say on all of them these days. Your posts weren’t always that way. Can we get the more positive hyperv6 of yore back? Please?
I agree! hyperv6 can ALWAYS find something negative say on any subject on this forum. Sounds like a grumpy old man to me! And I’m 76!
So the most undervalued performance car of its era is finally getting some attention, and that’s somehow a conspiracy? The car is an absolute steal at its current pricing. Parts are neither hard to find nor expensive. It’s easily the cheapest supercar of its age to maintain and keep on the road. By far. And the most rugged and long lasting.
Get one now before the market figures it out.
I don’t buy your “Push up the prices” media conspiracy theory. The Star Chamber/Cabal behind that scheme would be the “C4 ZR-1 Dealers Association”
Not every barn find has to be viewed as the rescue of a classic car that will appreciate in value over time. The value of the article lies in the enthusiasm the new owners have for this unique vehicle and the journey that they will have in restoration process. Hopefully, the new owners will enjoy the restoration and driving their restored C4 ZR1.
I’m pretty sure that car was once owned by the great British racer Stirling Mossy. 🙂
I was waiting for that, naturally.
I thought it was briefly owned by Burt Reynolds. He never drove it but they titled it in his name and resold it.
Not a field, more of a driveway.
Seeing the moss growing is sad to see. Hopefully it will start again and be running some day.
It is a great challenge to restore a car like this. In England it is a X5 more difficult and expensive.
I hope he can get it back to a reliable condition.
I saw a 70’s C3 with low miles and it was just a mess with moss and mildew. In its case it was a 77 and really not worth the investment. I expect it to end up a parts car.
God to see a Brit take an American car seriously.
Most, at least the more “casual” car guys, tend to think of them as a joke…or worse treat them as ’50s-60s kitsch.
Too many pink Cadillacs, Bull it Mustang clones and tasteless “dodgy” (to use their term) modifications.
Ever see W.O. Bentley-era leather hood straps on a ’66 Mustang coupe?
You will there.
Even reading the largest UK classic car magazine (which I subscribe to) is like reading the comics when it comes to American cars.
Yes, I have lived there and am married to a Brit…so I am.qualified to discuss their issues with American iron.
The bad Info online about the ZR1 is incredible. Parts are not hard to get for them. They are very well made and reliable. There is likely no performance engine with the longevity of the LT5. They aren’t bad to work on, and are easily the cheapest car of its era with anywhere close to its performance to keep on the road. There is also a very supportive owner community, and new and upgraded parts being released regularly.
Hello. I believe that they will climb in value might take a while but buy low mileage cars with documentation if available. I have a black on black. 40th anniversary loaded with more documentation I have seen on any corvette. Kentucky built sheet original factory. 1 of 448’built. Very low miles. Enjoy them. Thank you
Hello. I believe that they will climb in value might take a while but buy low mileage cars with documentation if available. I have a black on black. 40th anniversary loaded with more documentation I have seen on any corvette. Kentucky built sheet original factory. 1 of 448’built. Very low miles. Enjoy them.
Right hand drive would have been darned cool.
The Brits probably were tired of a rough riding, noisy body creaking fuel guzzling American car!
Have you ever ridden in an old Land Rover? 😂
The lads should have a go at locating Tom Falconer who owned Claremont Corvette in Snodland, Kent. He wrote THE book on C4’s and is the most knowledgeable person in the UK on C4’s including the LT-5. I know he sold Claremont some years ago and was active in the NCRS UK chapter at one time.
It’s good to see Jonny Smith getting the attention! Week in and week out, he’s great!
I purchased a lightly used, but nicely equipped 1990 Corvette for a weekend driver. It had options that were standard on the ZR-1 like the adjustable suspension shocks, five speed manual. While mine was NOT a ZR-1 a buddy had a ZR-1. That C-4 proved the old saying “The two best days of owning a Corvette are the day you buy it and the day you SELL IT!!”. One of the most unreliable cars I’ve ever owned. Two years of going to “experts” and I finally figured out the lousy DELCO fuel injectors were intermittently shorting out causing problems, yet NO CODES!. The Bose stereo CD drive quit, one Bose sub amplifier in the rear CAUGHT FIRE! The seat air bladders and valves leaked not matter what I replaced. Changing the leaky passenger side engine valve cover took SIX HOURS of labor. The adjustable shocks could be rebuilt, BUT NO ACTUATORS available and I was told SELL IT before they quit. I finally got most of the car sorted AND SOLD THE MONEY PIT CHEAP! There is a reason these cars sell cheap.
This will make your day. The 1995 and 1996 C4’s were and are very reliable.
What are people thinking when the store a vehicle outside with no maintenance / upkeep?