I don't know why I haven't posted this sooner because I've been wondering ever since I bought my car if this was a unique thing or not.

As you can see at the left, it's an '89 IROC-Z. The area of concern is with decals along the front of the rocker panel ground effect trim. At the front there is a large badge on both sides that says "IROC-Z" with a Bow Tie symbol - you know the badge. Beneath it is a decal that says "5.0L Tuned Port Injection" . Well, that is what it says on the driver side. On the passenger side the decal says "5.7L Tuned Port Injection".

At the very least I think it's interesting because at shows the people who notice details are sure to ask about it. The car definetly is a 5.0L - all original, no changes that I can see. Also has original paint and hasn't been repainted that I can tell so there should have been no reason for changing decals. The original owner told me it was that way when they got it from the factory. Best I can tell this must be a factory slip-up that was missed on QC checks.

So, "how rare is this"? JK. Really though, I am interested to know how often little flukes like this were missed and made it out into the public domain.

Any help, much appreciated.
Thanks,
K

 

Some of those decals are aftermarket. The original 5.0l tpi decal simply says TUNED PORT INJECTION, without denoting the engine size. You can buy after market ones that say 5.0 L TUNED PORT INJECTION. Also the bow tie decals would be aftermarket.

 

I was looking at a brand new 90 GMC Sierra 4x4 in '90. The drivers side door had the GMC 1500 logo in the door moulding while the passenger side had the chevy logo 1500 in the moulding. The truck was at the dealership so I pointed it out to the salesman. It does happen.

Based on the description you gave, I have to agree with the post above. The plastic IROC-Z emblem doesn't have a bowtie with it. It sounds like this car had a few little changes done to it.

 

Ok guys, right about the emblems at the forward part of the rocker panel. I've only had the car for a few months AND it's in storage in Michigan at my parents house while I live in Virginia - I've only been around it for a total of about 7-10 days ( I know , a dang shame.....got no covered parking right now in VA so it stays put in my pop's bug-free garage).

I was wrong about the IROC emblem - it has no bow-tie, it is exactly as it should be in stock form - I know there have been no changes with them.

the decals just below these emblems have not been altered either. Are you telling me they are not original? I thought they were - the little decals below the IROC emblems that state stuff about TPI. They look completly original, not newer than the rest of the decals on the car.

The only wierd, unique thing is that it says 5.0L on one side and 5.7L on the other. Since my memory may not serve me correctly, it might just be "tuned port injection" on one side and "5.7L tuned port injection" on the other - but I seem to remember seeing 5.0L on one side and 5.7L on the other.

Another question - regarding speedometers. In '89, if it's 5.7L TPI it should have a 140mph speedometer - correct? If it's 5.0L TPI, should it have the same speedometer? I seem to recall a 115mph speedo in my car - but again, memory......

I'll be heading back to MI in a week so I can check on the speedo again.

Thanks guys,
K

 

hehe, there was an S-10/S-15 Truck here a few years ago at a GMC dealership, same thing happened, The front and driverside had the GMC emblems, and the passenger and rear had the Chevy Emblems.

I had a friend whos parents bought a brand new Turisimo back in the 80's, but all of the interior said Duster... go fig... THings like that happen all the time.

I have also seen where a Formula 350 had on the back of the powerbuldge hood scoop a Camaro's "5.7 Tuned Port Injection" Decal that went on the back bumper. I always wondered if that was a goofy GM employee...

At GM's SPO over here in Swarz Creek, MI, they had several "FORMULA" Hi-low trucks too someone took Formula decals and pasted them all over the fork truck.

As for your 5.0 & 5.7 question, I know the Trans AM had 5.0 Liter F.I. on the rockers, not that familiar with the IROC tho...

John

 

Hey John-

That's kinda funny - makes you wonder if they had factory workers that now and again would do stuff like that just to see if it would make it out into the real world! I'm guessing that the GMC's and Chevy's were made at the same factory then - you'd think there'd be enough physical separation of the assembly lines in the plant, between the two different makes I mean, that it would be hard for the badges to end up in the wrong place!

Yeah, the Camaro engine designation sticker on the rocker pannel is a bit different. And the more I think about it, the one that is correct for my car, meaning correct for the IROC with 5.0L, just says "Tuned Port Injection" - no "5.0L" designation on the correct side.

I want to leave it anyway - I still have to do some investigation because it's missing the RPO code list - I'll be worried about what I'm gonna find until I get the original RPO codes for my VIN - but anyway, if I ever get it repainted, I'd actually like to keep the decals this way for true authenticity sake. I know, people will have to just take my word for it - how the heck would one actually prove it was a factory boo-boo????!!!

 

I've seen a brand new Jaguar that costs 70k$ come into the delaership i work at with a par tof the door panel tan conelly leather while the rest of the interior was anthracite(charcoal) Its pretty funny but yes it does happen :-)


As far as seperation of assembly lines and makes, if it the same platform as in Chevy/GMC trucks or Camaro/Firebird u can guarantee parts get swapped by mistake and im betting here and there intentionaly :-)

Im into G-bodies as well and in the "Last Grand National" story u can see the Pontiac assembly plant in detail and u can see a turbo regal followed by a GN, with a MC SS behind it and then a plain jane Cutlass all being happily built in the same line one after the other the trim and details were different but in the end all of them assemble nearly the same way

LAter
Jeremy

 

sorry cut index finger makes for horrible typing

 

Oh man, I hear your pain.

I've often wondered about assembly lines - never knew that they would all roll off the same line like you mentioned. Just seems like they'd have a firebird line and a Camaro line rather than have them all on the same one, if that's what you meant I mean.

Interesting.
K