1990-1995 Corvette ZR-1 - Regal Beginnings

The interior of the Snake Skinner was Spartan, to say the least. The car had no A/C, radio, or center console. These and other changes reduced weight from 3,600 to 2,700 pounds.

Assistant Corvette Engineer John Heinricy modified this ZR-1 prototype into the legendary "Snake Skinner." He used this car to evaluate how a Corvette could be made to outperform the Dodge Viper.

This production-ready ZR-1 was featured at the '89 Geneva Auto Show. It now resides at the National Corvette Museum.

This bare ZR-1 chassis was also unveiled at the '89 Geneva show. The display has since been fitted with wheels and a center console from a '93 model.

Twenty-Five ZR-1s were shipped to Carcasonne, France, later that year, to allow a select group of journalists to preview the new model. This one-chassis No. 3-was among that group.

In March 1990, this prototype '87 ZR-1 was fitted with a production LT5 engine and used to break three 50-year-old speed records. The car averaged 175.885 mph for 24 hours on a Fort Stockton, Texas, test track.

This car, chassis No. 3, is the lowest-production-number '89 ZR-1 in existence. It's currently a part of GM's Heritage Collection.

When the ZR-1's '89 production run was canceled, the existing cars were scrapped or used for testing. One ended up in the hands of race engineer Ryan Falconer, who stuffed it with this 680hp V-12 engine. The car's front chassis had to be stretched 8 inches to accommodate the longer engine.

In August 1989, a small number of '90 "Active Suspension ZR-1" prototypes were built at the Bowling Green plant. If produced, this suspension system would have been a $39,000 option. Note the front scoops and extra fender vents for cooling.

Here's what the Active Suspension cars looked like under the hood. How would you like to change the spark plugs on this beast?

This GM display shows the complexity of system's left rear corner.

Four '90 ZR-1 convertibles were built to evaluate whether the topless chassis was strong enough to handle the LT5 engine. It wasn't, and the car was never produced. This prototype has been fitted with '95 wheels and is currently in the GM Heritage Collection.