Was such a thing ever made, I could have Sworn I was poking around a junkyard a few years back and saw a poky little 4banger under the hood of a 3rd gen firebird. This just occured to me reading through the engine swap forum.




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85 Z28 - Daily Driver
60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )

 

Yup. Up until 86 the camaros and firebirds were available with the 2.5 liter Iron Duke 4 banger.

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The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

I do believe though that they were only in Camaro's....

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www.TransAmGTA.com
1992 GTA (226 made), 1 of only 18 "Dk. Jade Met." 92 GTA's, My Window Sticker, 305 TPI, 700R4 4-Speed, T-Tops, Grey Leather, every option except rear disk brakes and CD.
Current Mods/Upgrades: 80 Series Dual Outlet Flowmaster, TPIS Air Foil, K&N Air Filter, and Mobil 1.
Future Mods/Upgrades: None but a complete restoration.

"If it ain't broke, fix it til it is!"
Webmaster www.TransAmGTA.com
My 3rdGen Firebird Message Board!

[This message has been edited by 92GTA (edited November 16, 2000).]

 

Why only the camaros? Well they had to do something to slow down the camaros! They just kept getting faster and faster! HEHE


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1992 Camaro RS 3.1L
T5 Manual 5 speed
Open Air Intake
Z-28 Exhaust
8.5mm MSD Ignition wires
TB Coolant bypass

 

Actually, the car was struggling on the highway with the 4 cylinder in it. Friend of mine had an 84 with the 2.5.... Very simple to work on, lots of room, but that car could not get out of its way to save its own life.

 

HAHA I was jokin! But still why only the maros and not the birds?

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1992 Camaro RS 3.1L
T5 Manual 5 speed
Open Air Intake
Z-28 Exhaust
8.5mm MSD Ignition wires
TB Coolant bypass

 

My buddy had an 84 bird with a 4 banger. There is also one that was in the old thirdgen.org's reader's rides section.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

Since they are so rare I bet they will be the 3rd gen that the price sky rockets!

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1992 Camaro RS 3.1L
T5 Manual 5 speed
Open Air Intake
Z-28 Exhaust
8.5mm MSD Ignition wires
TB Coolant bypass

 

i have also seen a Firebird with a 4 banger

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RED82TA5.7L

1982 Pontiac Trans Am
Cross-Fire Injected 5.7l V8
Eldebrock Headers, 3" Hooker Cat-Back, 2 nice tips with duel outlet on each side.
Mods: 1.6 Proform Roller Rockers, electric fan.

Future mods: X-Ram( Aftermarket Cross-Fire Injection Manifold that proves to have as much power as TPI www.x-ram.com )
Cross-Fire Injection after market chip that says that it will proform like 90's injections.. http://www.turbocity.com/CorvetteCro...ECMUpgrade.htm

 

My first firebird was an '84 with a four. Very slow, but excellent gas mileage, about 30 if I remember right. Wish I still had it. It's an ideal car for kids. Sold it to my nephew with a new paint job for $900.

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90 TBI 305 Formula
Original Owner
Auto Trans, T-Tops
Completely Stock Except:
--Flow Cooler water pump
--180 T-stat

 

I want one for some odd reason i have wanted a 82-84 firebird with the ol iron duke 4.

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Dave
93 CAMARO-(FOR SALE) 3.4 v6,5spd,borla cat back,hurst short throw shifter,moroso cold air induction kit,kyb adjustable shocks,17" wheels,275/40zr17 comp t/a's
84 FIREBIRD-2.8 V6,5spd super economy model
no options except t-tops( not even locking),no tilt,no cruise,no delay wipers,no rear defroter,no a/c,no rear spoiler(i put one on)no pw,pdl,pm,pseat,no gauges(just a 85 mph speedo with no trip odometer and a big f***in' gas gauge)
90 FORMULA 350-
Edelbrock t.e.s,gutted cat,Borla cat-back,LT4 hot cam ,24# injectors,holley h.p. fuel pump,K&N Throttle Body mounted air filter,52mm throttle body,accel 8.8mm wires,plugs cap and rotor,ADS superchip,GTA tailights,T-tops
No E.T's yet.

Previous 3rd gen's
83 Trans-Am 305 CFI auto T-TOP
84 Firebird 305 H.O. auto HARDTOP
87 Firebird 2.8 V-6 auto HARDTOP

 

There was a 4 banger Camaro for sale in the paper a few weeks back for $1200. It was an 84 model. If I would have had the money to throw around, i would have liked to buy it. I guess that's just b/c you never see them and they were only produced for a few years. Kinda doubt they'd be worth anything in the future, but for some reason I'd just like to have or at least see a 4 cyl f-body.

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1986 Berlinetta, 2.8L, newly rebuilt 700R4, 3.42 Posi. 131K miles and counting, K&N air filters.

 

I had an 85 Camaro w/the 4 cyl--it was my first car--slow as hell!! Couldn't even turn the air on(yes it had air!!)took too much power. Thank God it wasn't an 8 cyl, I would've killed myself! Had lots of fun in it tho, couldn't kill that car!
Only options it had was rear defrost, auto,air and the ERS sound system.

 

I did the brakes on an 83 with a 4 cylinder once. The car was immaculate, and and a range on one tank I could only dream about. The 5-speed behind the Iron Duke made up a little for the lack of oomph. It'd be cool to have just because nothing short of a grenade could break that motor.

 

I had a 79 sunbird with the iron duke. We put one head from a 60's 389 and one header on it. Bolted right on.

 

That old Iron Duke motor is 1 tough engine. And think about how little stress that motor would put on a drivetrain! If taken care of, one of those things would probably run forever!

I worked with a lady a few years back who had an '82 SC with the 4 banger/5 speed combo. She had just had it repainted (Arctic white), and it had the ralley wheels and A/C...that was it. But she said she'd get almost 40 MPG on the highway! (EPA rating was 36). Think about it...Camaro style and Civic gas mileage. That ain't so bad

 

there is a 4 banger bird in a junk yard by me manual trans I think it is only a 4 speed but I stop every time to laugh at it then I cross over to the camaros and laugh at the two there also.

 

Hey I have to agree Jason E. Gas mileage and style with the little four in it is cool. Jis don't try to show off at all. Just cruise calmly.

 

I dated this girl back in 87 and she had this shiny,cool-looking 84 firebird.I, myself had a 6.6 liter 77 TA.
So one day she complained that her car was having trouble going up-hill. Me, being mechanicaly inclined, offered to look under the hood. I drove the car,first and I thought it needed a tune up.
When I finaly took a look down-under, I quickly pointed out the problem to ,ahrr, I forget her name.
"Your trouble is that you got cylinders missing" I said and "Some idiot put a 4-banger into your firebird"
Up until that point I didn't know that they(firebirds)came w/such motors.
I've known they came w/sixes but a FOUR?
I think that as heavy as the 3rd gen body is, it should at least start out w/a V-8.
Anyway I though I'd share my story w/you guys.The 4 cylinder F-bird was so slow, I thought I was going backwards.

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90 Formula-WS6-TPI-305/5 speed. Slightly worked.

 

when ever i see a 4-banger car, i say " hey, i think your car is only running off of 4 cylinders, you should get that checked out" LOL.

I think putting 4 bangers in our cars was the biggist mistake. its like owning a honda. EEEEWWWW yuck.. but those iron dukes last along time. my dad has a Olds Cutless Supream with that engine and it has over 300,000 miles and it still runs. well.... it cranks anyway. its sitting out front and hasnt been run for 4 months because it has a fuel problem. and it does have ok power for a 4 banger. when i drove it i could chirp the tires. it has 225/60/15s. same size tires that are on my T/A. but with my T/A i can rost my tires LOL. soon i will be getting some wheels that have 245/50ZR16



------------------
RED82TA5.7L

1982 Pontiac Trans Am
Cross-Fire Injected 5.7l V8
Eldebrock Headers, 3" Hooker Cat-Back, duel outlet with quad tips.
Mods: 1.6 Proform Roller Rockers, electric fan, Corvette 5.7L computer chip, K&Ns.
Audio: JVC Kameleon CD deck, Jenson 4x6 front, Eclipes 6x9 rear, 2 10" mTx T4000 powered by a mTx 200watt amp.

 

MY 82 bird was 4 cyl, When I bought it it was scatterd beyond recognition. Check my sig to see what it is now. By the way I could stand on the ground in the mngine bay and work on it, now is that conveniant or what.
Later
John

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82 Firebird,355,Cam 224/234, .466/.488,TH350 Tranny,650 HolleyDP,Hooker Headers(I.E. POS) Manual steering
Best 8th et 8.62@80mph.
NEW for 01
Holley street dominator intake w3/4 in spacer, And a big hole in the hood.

 

The 2.5 litre TBI 4 used in the Fbodies came with 95hp and 132 ft/lbs of torque...hence why it felt so slow.

And as for Pontimaniac's comment about 3rd gens needing at least a V8, let me say with just a few basic mods I've embarrassed a couple V8 Fbodies and a Monte SS. V6s can be fun too you know

 

My second car, also my second Pontiac, was a 84 'Bird with the 4 cylinder and a 4 speed. Got me hooked on 3rd Gens. Had a lot of bad luck with the engine though. It had already bee replaced at 50,000 when I bought it and over heated and cracked the block and head when the new engine had 32,000 on it. That car spent as much time on jack stands as it did on the street.
But like I said, not all bad. I've been hooked on 84's since then. My wife has an 84 that she owned when we met and is soon going to be a 4th gen powered 3rd gen.

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One Man...One Search...One Goal...MORE POWER!!!!
Just a Nitro guy living in a Nitro world!!!!!

 

I have an 84 camaro that was 4 cyl. 4-speed, no a/c , and no radio, my dad bought it brand new , first time it gave us trouble was 24,437 miles pulled it out dropped in a 300hp 327 and put in manual clutch linkage, it was a fast ride , Drove it for 8 yrs, Then well, just look at my sig, !!

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84 Camaro SC w/o 2.5 4spd
69" 302 575hp 4spd
narrowed 12-bolt 5.14s
Best 1/4 10.90s
Fully Streetable!!! -------------------

 

In responce to Jason E
I didn't mean to put down V6s in no way.I think that both the 305TPI and the 350TPI are not exactly hot rods, w/out mods.It's just the 3rd gen F-bodies are heavy. These cars were meant to be muscle cars,but lacked muscle, from the factory.
BTW,I know a way to make a 4cyl Firebird do low 11s in a 1/4. Fill it up w/rocks and shove it of a clif.Note: mark off 1/4 on cliff.lol.