I have noticed that some of the cars with the z28 front nose say camaro and some have the bow tie emblem. Was this an option from year to year or a custom thing some people have done?

 

either in 90 or 91 when the gfx changed .. .they switched from camaro to the "bow-tie" front end.

 

Starting in 1985.....the IROC-Z's all came with the front girll (with foglights) that said "Camaro"...that lasted until 1990. Starting in 1991....all of the Z28's came with the "bowtie" grill and foglights.....and that ended in 1992. Although the 1LE Z28s' did not come factory with foglights, they also received the "bowtie" grill.