Chevrolet Corvette ZL1 Vs ZR2: What's The Difference?

Enthusiasts would typically associate the ZL1 name with rare COPO Camaros, but the third-gen C3 Corvette Stingray got its dose of ZL1 magic in 1969. Many would refer to the C3 Corvette L88 as the "meanest" and "baddest" Corvette ever produced, and they could be right. Equipped with a big block V8 that enabled Sunray DX racing cars to grab the checkered flag at the 1967 12 Hours of Sebring, the L88 could produce up to 600 hp (with a few mods) and push the car to a 171 mph top speed.

However, Chevy introduced the ZL1 Corvette in 1969 to replace the L88. It featured performance-enhancing upgrades like an all-aluminum block, a new crankshaft, beefier connecting rods, a high-lift camshaft, upgraded pistons, bigger exhaust valves, and an "open chamber" cylinder head design. It produced upwards of 585 hp and was lighter than the L88, tipping the scales at about the same weight as a small block L46.

The '69 C3 Corvette ZL1 was not for shallow wallets or the faint of heart. The ZL1 option costs around $4,700, almost doubling the base price of a 1969 Corvette coupe. Selecting the ZL1 option also means spending more for mandatory upgrades, like a custom front and rear suspension, heavy-duty brakes, a G81 Positraction rear axle, and transistorized ignition.

With its sub-$10,000 starting MSRP (a hefty sum in 1969, which is about $85,000 in today's money), only a few could indulge in a C3 Corvette ZL1. Moreover, the ZL1 is unavailable with a factory-installed radio and air conditioning, but it made up for it in sheer performance. Road & Track tested the Corvette ZL1 in 1969 and recorded a 0 to 60 mph run in 4 seconds flat and a quarter-mile in 12.1 seconds at 116 mph.

The Tonawanda engine plant records showed 94 ZL1 engines left the factory that year. Only two made it to the hands of private buyers, and the only one with provenance sold at auction for $3,140,000.

Although Chevy fans regard the C3 Corvette as the worst generation of the nameplate (thanks to the declines in power output to comply with new EPA Clean Air Act regulations), Chevy introduced the ZR2 special engine package in 1971 before all the emissions-regulating madness spoiled the fun, and it included the 454-cubic inch (7.4 liter) LS6 V8 with 425 horsepower.

The ZR2 package includes a "Rock Crusher" four-speed manual transmission with a dual-plate clutch, a transistor ignition system, heavy-duty brakes, an aluminum radiator, bespoke suspension bits, and a metal fan shroud. Purists refer to the ZR2 as Zora Racer, a reference to the Corvette's iconic first chief engineer, Zora Arkus-Duntov. He was instrumental in making the Corvette a legendary American sports car, as well as forgotten concepts like the CERV II, and the ultra-rare 1971 C3 Corvette ZR2 is also one for the books.

Only 12 C3 Corvettes left the factory with the ZR2 package, and only two were convertibles. One of the only two drop-top C3 Corvette ZR2s sold at auction for $875,000 in 2022, a fair price for what is realistically among the rarest C3 Corvettes ever built.