My350Camaro84

okay I know I've seen forums on this but I just found an all original 4 cylinder camaro. Would this be worth putting some new seats and new quarter panels on and selling? or does no one under the sun want an original 4 banger. well let me know because this thing is going to get crushed soon.

82knightrider

iTrader: (1)

Well if you got the car for free and runs good than id say its worth it.Otherwise i say crush it

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

It's rare, but since there's no demand for it, the value is still going to be very low.

okfoz

Unfortunately I forsee the following
V8 cars are going to be worth the most period
A V6 car will be worth about half or 2/3 a V8 car
A I4, will be worth about half or less, there are a few people out there that think there novel, but the base is so small, that there not highly desired.

If you look at a 1999 Firebird for example, and it has a V6, its worth about the same as a 99 Grand Am in similar condition. But take that same car make it a Trans Am or A Formula and it is worth alot more.... V8's hold value better, period.

You would be better off, throwing in a V8, some v8 springs for the extra weight and sell it... But thats not worht the hassle for what you can get a V8 car for...

John

okfoz

I just thought of something, Imagine your at the Barret Jackson Auction, if a I-4 Car comes across the platform, most people grimice, and giggle, Heck I cant think of any car that goes accross the stage thats less than 8, unless its a Turbo, OR its 50 years old...

EDIT - Slap a Turbo on it and then sell it...
John

87TAairlineyard

I don't think that the market for 20 year old econo-sports cars is hot enough that you'd find it worth your effort. Those 4 cylinder cars were slow, the gas mileage was marginal at best, and usually had the cheap base interior. None of these are selling points in a 20 year old car. Little performance, low comfort.

Now if gas rises in cost to $6 a gallon, it might be worthwhile as a work car. But I doubt that there are many collectors out there interested in a 4 cylinder Camaro.

stitchop

If the car is in nice condition and runs very well, and is very cheap, I would buy it.

Key words; NICE, WELL, CHEAP

flyboy367

where are ya? ill take it

how bad is the car anyway? pics?

KRACKER JACK

i would take it theres probibly acollecter who will wantit and with gas prices on the rise someone would take it it still has more power than one of those electric cars

82knightrider

iTrader: (1)

I think 82 iron duke sold his for 2500$ or something like that.not bad for a 4 banger

okfoz

Actually you would get better mialage by buying a 94-96 Roadmaster, they got 33MPG highway when new... then run the quarter mile in 15 sec...

Honestly, I forsee there no collectability in fuel efficent cars, except possibly for a Museum dedicated to the preservation of Fuel efficent milestones... I dont think a 4 cyl Camaro would classify any way.

John

Krazzycowgirl

Where the car at? ship pics looking for somethign for my son

92vert

I remember when those things first came out. My dad went to rent a car one day and when he got home he said that there seemed to be something wrong with it. He said it was really down on power. I popped the hood to take a look and couldn't believe my eyes! There it sat in all of its Iron Duke glory, a 4 banger. We both had a good laugh.

aaron7

iTrader: (7)

Neat, yah. Fun to drive... not really. Rare, yah. Worth fixing up, not really.

s_d_187

who in the right mind would ever buy a 4 banger camaro a 6 is bad enough but a 4 is that like the super poor mans storts car

Xophertony

6s are actualy not that bad. i can honestly say having driven both that my 8 is as fast when not trying to be fast ( normal driving conditions) as my six at 7/8 throttle. so if you drive around at WOT durring acceleration in a 2.8 or 3.1 they are quicker then a 5.7 at normal cruise. (so a six would win the ole' one sided drag race, you know, where the other guy does not know your racin) AND probably still more fuel efficiant. .....of course when you put your foot in an 8...

as far as dukes... never driven one. but the duke block has less displacement then a 6 and the block weighs more. but they have there niche. it would be a cool "gag gift" for your son who wants a muscle car. picture this, he comes out and sees a buetifull 84 camaro, red, well preserved, all waxed up and shiny with a gian bow on it. you hand him the keys with one of those little "iroc-z" key rings you buy at the auto parts store, he jumps in and turns it on. the exhaust sounds ok, quiet, but ok. he takes it for a spin and WTF? why wont it go fast "well son, your mom wanted to get you somthing fuel efficient, but i know you like camaro's, so we compromised"

okfoz

I have said it before... "Where is the other half of your engine???"

The best thing for a 4 is to buy some Turbo's and boost it untill it pops...


John

Krazzycowgirl

were here in the US were still recovering from the Fuel shortage ( or what was there left of it) plus for federal regs & insurance reasons. GM built the 4 bangers.

thats just like why buy a vette with an Auto tranny in it. its because people couldnt afford the higher priced models of the car but still wanted the car.

s_d_187

im just one of those more power guys who allways need to go faster and faster if i cant afford what i want ill just wait a little bit longer and then get something even better, but thats just me.
i could never see any logic in driving something slow my friends would laugh at me for years if i pulled up on gratiot on a nice summers night with a 4 banger camaro

82knightrider

iTrader: (1)

If I had a 4 banger f body I would make a cd soundtrack of a v8 and play it in my car when I drive .And have the volume full blast

okfoz

maybe if you removed your hatch, pointed the speakers towards the rear you might go faster too

John

Mikos_89

Everyone likes to bag on GM for offering the "iron duke" in the 3rd gen, but at least GM got rid of the 4cyl option in '85/'86. Ford still sold 4-cyl equipped Mustangs up until the early 90's or something.

I think a 4cyl Camaro/Firebird may be worth something in the future. Look at what some people are demanding for mint condition 6-cyl 1st gens. There are always a few people around who like to "collect" unusual and offbeat things. The old AMC Pacer is one that comes to mind.

If you decided to restored the car, I bet it would garner some interesting stares and questions from people at the local car shows. A fully restored or mint original 4cyl 3rd gen would be a rather unique specimen in the usual sea of modified V8 powered 3rd gens that you usually see at the shows. It would get my attention.

Years ago, I believe there were some aftermarket products available for the 'ole 'Duke including Super Duty race parts you could get for it. But, unless you fabbed up a turbo system and strengthened the stock block (remember, it's actually one half of the thin cast Pontiac 301cid V8), you're better off with something else if you have the need for speed. I believe Pontiac did sell a Super Duty race block that could make over 350hp with the right parts, but good luck trying to assemble one of those today.

okfoz

But you have to also keep in mind the Mustang is not much bigger than a Chevette, where a 4cyl is more than enough power...

F-bodies are larger and heavier than the Mustang, If GM decided to put a 305 or 350 in a Chevette, I imagine it would go like crazy too. In some ways the Dodge Omni GLH & GLH-S were a better match for the Mustang than an F-body because of the Weight.

- oh, one more thing, if you ever have someone pull up in an 80's Dodge Omni that has ground effects, and some letters on the doors, let him go... Those cars will contend with a Gran National...

John

CYARS92

How true John! Those were built in the town I lived in at the time. As usual, plant workers take em for "test drives/debugging sessions" and whooped a$$ on many a 3rd gens, vettes & stangs! Pretty cool seeing hundreds & hundreds of them sitting in the lot too.

82knightrider

iTrader: (1)

Anyone have a pic of a dodge omni

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

That's like saying that a geo going 65mph is faster than a parked Corvette.

However, there is something kind of rewarding about being at WOT during 95% of your commute.

okfoz

You wanted it...

I have heard things about these cars...

GLH - Goes like Hell,
GLH-S Goes Like Hell SomeMore

scottmoyer

The slogan you stated above regarding the GLH and GLH-S are correct. Those were Dodge's slogans when they came up with the name. The car is fast because it is so light.

A friend of mine had a 4 banger Ford in 87 and a Subaru Justy blew him away. Much like the GLH, it was a turbo charged 800 pound car. They were very dangerous!! Chevy tried combatting the little cars with the Sprint turbo. Too much power for the weight of the car.

Mikos_89

Size doesn't always equate with curb weight though. There are some heavy a$$ small dimensionally sized cars out there.

I don't think any fox-body Mustang was ever more than 500lbs lighter than a comparably equipped 3rd gen F-body. No Mustang was ever less than 2700lbs from the factory from what I can tell. The Chevette routinely weighed around 1900lbs, big difference. IIRC, the fox-body Stangs were between 2850 to 3100lbs with the 4-banger. Give or take a few pounds. An Iron Duke 3rd gen, stripped with no options, had to be at the most not more than 3300lbs I would think.

Yeah, those Dodge Omni GLH's/GLH-S's could embarrass some sporty cars back in the day. Pocket rockets I think they called them. The Omni/Horizon were classified as subcompacts while the Mustang was/is classified as a compact like the F-body. Those Omni's ran low to mid 15's bone stock. Pretty quick back in the day. I think the later ones dipped into the 14's on some models. Light as a Mustang? Nope, much lighter. The Omni weighed about 1900-2300lbs at the most. No Ford Mustang was ever that light even the '74-'78 Pinto sized ones. LOL!

The Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon are very interesting cars though. They were the first true FWD domestic subcompacts and later formed the basic K-car platform architecture which was used to great success by lee Iacocca in reviving Chrysler back from the brink of bankruptcy. A lot of people give Lee Iacocca credit for the development of the K-car, but the basic platform was actually developed well before he ever took helm at Chrysler back in the late 70's.

stitchop

I had a Dodge Omni back in 1990 that my dad rescued from a jy, It just need a tune up. Wow, was it fun to drive, you could whip it around corners without ever lifting, I used to drive like a maniac in that thing.

irocbarry

depending on local rules an iron duke camaro would classify to run in the compact circle track classes

only way around here ot get a camaro on a circle track

might be kinda fun to see what you caan do with the suspension to go roundy round

Xophertony

yes, there is! i love driving like a maniac in that thing. llloooovvve the balance too. i feel WAY more confident cornering in that thing then my WS6 equiped 5.7 GTA. way more confident.

on the other hand i have never left a cloude of smoke at a light with my 2.8.

okfoz

If you did its from bad valves or the engine is in need of a rebuild...

OIf course the cloud of smoke would be Blue

John

aaron7

iTrader: (7)

I can vouch for how fast the Omni turbos are... because I had a Caravan with the same motor in it (yes, I have burnout pix lol)

I think I remember seeing an article in a car mag... maybe Car Craft, about a twin turbo Iron Duke f-body. I know I have it... but it would take me days to find it!

See page 3 for burnout pix: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/496325

stitchop

My first reaction is that the van was on fire!!

Thats insane

Xophertony

nah, thta thing is in great mechanical shape. my 350 on the other hand, lets loose witha "chevy salute" on startup. need to replace the valve guide seals.

okfoz

I have 10K on a 305 Rebuild and it does the same thing You would think they could do better


Granted 10K, its been since 1998 since the rebuild, but still...

John

irocbarry

theres a kid in town who put a stout 350 in a chevy minivan.

talk about good burnouts in a van, i think his tires are like 24" tall

DigitalMonarch0

I'm sick and tired of my doggy, boggy old 305... I can't even imagine mashing the gas on an iron duke.

On the bright side though... you would only have to spend half as much on engine parts!

WckdDudeMan

I4 equipped sunbird owns all other american I4s... sorry... Especially if it was the 89-90 Turbo 2.0cyl in the Sunbird GT... Mid-High 14s out of a stock engine and light to boot....