I just purchased an '89 Camaro...most of the details are in my sig. It has stock 2.73 gears...7.5" 10-bolt GM rear series II carrier...drums in the rear..front disks..all stock..original engine was a 305TPI. It now has the 350 with stock TPI. I'm wondering if I have the ILE performance pkg...it was NOT advertised as such when I bought it from a priv party...how can I check? Thanks...

 

1LE didn't come with drum brakes. So right there, if the rear is original, pretty much tells the tale.

Look at your front brakes. If the rotors are about 12" diameter and the calipers are aluminum, you have 1LE, and somebody has just severely neutered, devalued and destroyed your car by swapping in a junk rear. If they're about 10" diameter and the calipers are cast iron, you don't.

If you have your RPO sheet, 1LE either will be on it, or it won't. If it's not, you don't have it, period; not even "maybe".

 

Yours is not a 1LE. You can always convert over to one if you want, no problem.

Ed

 

Any direction as to doing this? (convert to 1LE) I was just going to upgrade shoes, pads, rotors, ss brake lines and stuff...I don't want to spend a bunch of $$.

I don't think I wanna swap out the drum brakes for disk brakes.
Not because I just don't want to...but because I got a lot of other areas to spend my $$ on rght now..I was mainly thinkin that I want slotted rotors for the front, new pads and new brake lines...unless of course other brake upgrades can be made for a decent price...any suggestions?

 

Yes.... don't.

It costs about the same, and is about the same amount of work, to put either 1LE front brakes, C4 ones, or LS1 ones on these cars. They all work roughly similarly as far as stopping power, there's not all that much difference. But come time to buy pads or any other parts, there is a BIG difference; the 1LE stuff can be VERY hard to find and require special ordering and is very $$$$. The other kinds are much more plentiful and cheaper.

Any way you go, it's going to cost you somewhere in the $500-750 sort of range. That will get you hubs, spindles, rotors, caliper brackets, calipers, and pads. You can shave a couple of coins off of it by modifying your own spindles.

There's little point in doing that to the fronts, and leaving drums on the back. I'd suggest getting a 90-92 disc rear end, and just stick it under your car. The prop valve doesn't even have to change between drums and that disc system, because the hydraulic properties are close enough.

 

im thinking about swaping my drum for a disk rear and I noticed you said "drop in a 90-92 disc rear." Why is that?

 

89-92, IIRC. These disc rear ends have the desirable PBR brakes (larger rotors and single piston alum calipers).

JamesC

 

You can always just convert your drum rear to disc, I can help you complete the swap:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/brak...drum-rear.html

Ed

 

So, Mr. Miller, how much would it be and what exactly do you provide?

 

90-92 have stronger axles.

 

I have the conversion plates linked above as well as full bolt on kits, complete from backing plates to brake lines..all parts you'd need with rotors ranging in size to stock 11.6" to 13", using the stock style PBR caliper. I offer full LS1 and C5 conversions as well, front and rear, to fit your needs. I'll PM you with more info.

Ed

 

I just had to swap out the rear in my 87 because parts were IMPOSSIBLE to find. Got the exact same gear ratio from an 89 with the better brakes, PLUS it eliminates the old parking brake problem. They look sweet, the rear works great, and it STOPS!