History / OriginalityGot a question about 1982-1992 Camaro or Firebird history? Have a question about original parts, options, RPO codes, when something was available, or how to document your car? Those questions, answers, and much more!
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1986 was the first year for the Clear Coat... Both Van Nuys and Norwood changed at the same time. With the change, 1986 was the ONLY year to have no paint codes transfer from the previous year. All other years from 1983 - 1985 and 1987 - 1992 all had colors carry over from the previous year.
John
__________________ 87 FORMULA - 5.1 LB9/A4 T-tops 3.73 Modified (Yellow/Black)
87 FORMULA - 5.0 LB9/M5 T-tops 3.45 (Yellow/Gray)
89 FORMULA 350 - CONVERTIBLE 3.27 All original (Red/Gray) www.3rdgenformula.com
My firebird has a build date of July 1985 and has the base coat clear coat paint from the factory, (GM black) so it appears some of the late build 85's came with BCCC.
i could've sworn it looked like clear coat peeling on the b-pillar of my 84 T/A but I know it was original paint. Either way, it's getting resprayed with BCCC now! Can something happen to a single-stage paint to make it look similar to peeling clearcoat?
__________________ Bright Platinum Metallic with painted hoodbird, 17x9 Year One Snowflake Wheels, smoothed inner fenders, shaved door locks and antenna. Black leather interior.
Current Drivetrain: LT1 and T56 with SLP 1 3/4" primary headers and catback, Borg Warner 9-bolt.
The service parts identification label for my car says:
BC / CC WA - L 8555 U -8555
Breaking the codes this translates to GM black with urethane clear coat.
The build date on the car is July 1985. My opinion is that GM began to "pilot" certain changes with whatever was coming down the pike ahead of the model year that full production was suppose to take place. This was done of course to weed out any potential problems. This is why there are always a few cars out there that have strange parts that their really not suppose to have according to the reference guides.
I am not sure if the Firebird started earlier than the Camaro... I honestly was looking at the Camaro White book... I just thought it would have been very unusual for The Firebird to start a major change like that before the Camaro... It only made sense to have them both change at the same time.
I'll tell you, I was very surprised to find out that this car had clear coat paint. Shortly after I bought it in 1988, I wanted to buy a small bottle of duplicolor brush on touch up paint to repair some stone chips and in breaking the codes on the service parts identification label in the center console box, I discovered it was a clear coat car. I had assumed when I bought it that it was single stage paint. Perhaps the plant in Norwood Ohio where the car was built was selected to try out the clear coat paint before full production began in 1986. I would say there are most likely some late 85 build Camaros out there with the factory clear coat paint too.
i just picked up a 1985 Z-28 Sport Coupe W/
iroc hood & wheels, and I decoded the vin today, found out it was built in Norwood, Ohio and has single stage enamel red paint job. (now it's up here in Thunder Bay, On. ,Canada!...go figure,..if cars could talk,..eh!)
My 85 TA was base/clear. Bought the car from the original owner, it was never repainted. I had to repair some damage myself, in sanding the car I know it was clearcoated. Unfortunately I gave all the paperwork away with that car so I cant post up the build sheet or anything else. I cant even remember exactly when it was built anymore.
Hey Madmax, I know what you mean. I've had over 20 cars throughout the years, and am pissed at myself for not at least taking photocopies of certain paper work. (maybe they didn't have them machines back then!..or I was too busy working on them to stop and take pictures...sure wish I had though). Ismo.