Amongst Corvette enthusiasts, there might not be any more revered modern examples of their favorite nameplate than the pair of Z-branded machines from the C6 generation. The 2006-13 Z06 and 2009-13 ZR1 combined what is perhaps the ‘Vette’s last timeless design, with truckloads of firsts – first 500 HP, first 600 HP, first $100,000, and first 200 MPH Corvette, to name a few – and a few notable and desirable lasts such as its use of hydraulic steering and the classic round taillights. Most importantly, along with the oft-forgotten one-year special 427 Convertible, they were the last Corvettes where a manual transmission was the sole option. That is, unless the buyer took matters into his (or her) own hands, as a past caretaker of today’s featured Corvette did.
The Corvette Specialists at South Carolina’s R3 Motorcars are currently offering the chance to buy a near-perfect example of arguably the greatest Corvette of the first six generations, the 2013 Corvette ZR1. This last year Blue Devil is presented in Inferno Orange Metallic. It is one of just 69 ZR1s ever to wear IOM and one of just seven so-ordered in 2013. It also features the top-of-the-line 3ZR interior equipment group, factory 20-spoke chrome wheels, and special-order silver brake calipers. Beyond that already impressive spec sheet, this one has had its LS9 upgraded by the madmen at Lingenfelter to the tune of 750 rampaging horses! On top of the $15,000 engine package, the former owner opted to drop an additional $18,000 to… this is tough to type… tear out the ZR1’s original clutch pedal and six-speed manual transmission in order to replace it with an unidentified slushbox and a strangely out of place C5-era gear selector.
Now, there’s always going to be two camps that naturally break out when it comes to a controversial Corvette like this one: the people who think the auto is a selling point and those who consider it a ruinous blackmark on this beauty’s otherwise pristine CarFax. If you find yourself leaning towards the former thought process (side note: if you feel that way out of necessity because you lost one or multiple limbs fighting for this country, you are an American hero, and we are genuinely indebted to you for your service!), this self-shifting monster can be yours for $124,989. That is far from cheap, but with the unique spec, performance upgrades and low miles, a regular ZR1 might be able to command close to that number in today’s market.
If you really think about it, you’d be paying close to MSRP and getting the transmission swap and Lingenfelter goodies on-the-house which sounds like a pretty outstanding deal! If any friends of the site end up taking delivery, we’d be very curious to see how this one-of-a-kind sled runs against a stock version as well as some more recent ‘Vettes, and we’d be willing to bet we aren’t the only ones; YouTube is waiting!
Source:
R3 Motorcars
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Perhaps it was modified for parade duty? Using the C5 shifter was probably a good idea, the automatic shifters in the C6 are known for their tendency to remain locked in Park (like the Missus’ ’09 until I modified it). Quite a few C5 Z06’s have been converted to automatics, mostly for drag strip use.
Not one of one. One of 2. I also have a C6ZR1 automatic. Stroker 392 1100 hp fresh motor.
How many times do you push in the clutch in a 10-mile traffic jam? Unless you live in Wyoming, why bother with the Joe Cool 6-speed?
My god what kind of JACK ASS would pull a stunt like this??????? Buy a different one and mod it instead ya horses ass. Hopefully he doesn’t sell it, serve him right. And to Chazoo, you obviously don’t know shit about Corvette’s. That car didn’t even offer an auto, for a reason. Plus a manual Vette is where it’s at bub, at least for most of us.
That’s a hot looking C6 ZR1 but why the hell would somebody do that to it? Since whoever did it just had to have an automatic they could have at least put a correct looking C6 auto shifter in it.
Someone with more dollars than sense did this. “Unidentified Slushbox”? Like a THM 400? If they had any sense at all, they used a C7 Z06 trans. And that shifter? OMG, why not use a C6 assembly so the cabin looked right? Better yet and less money just buy a C7 Z06 and have LPE tweek it. This thing isn’t worth half what a stock C6 ZR1 is worth.
Should have swapped a Chevy Cruze steering wheel.
Might be worth an additional $18k to switch it back to a manual. Would be a lot more desirable.
MotorTrend did an article on this exact transmission in 2014. It’s fully built, as you’d expect out of near 800hp car. Used to work at r3 and had the rarest vettes including carbon edition inferno z06
https://www.motortrend.com/features/1401-2010-chevy-corvette-zr1-the-convert/
Not that I agree with changing a C6 ZR1 to an auto by any stretch of the imagination; however, why use a C5 shifter? I looks HORRIBLE! It’s not like there aren’t C6 auto’s they could have used (the “getting locked in park” issue with C6 is rare, and it’s fixable).
They’re asking $124K…AYFKM???? The only way I see this selling is for WAY, WAY, WAAAAAY below what it would be worth if some jackass didn’t ruin it…the buyer will surely convert it back to a manual, or at a minimum, pull that ugly-ass C5 shifter out and install a C6 shifter so it at least looks correct.
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