I read the thread about the berlinetta's not having analog dashes etc. and there only being some 4000 86 berlinettas sold. I have a (supposed) 85 Berlinetta with an analog dash, I'd like to find out what it really is. It's had tons of swaps done so it might have just been swapped out, the other funny thing is that I was told (@ purchase) it has an engine from an 86 berlinetta, Is there anyway I could check that? Here is the VIN maybe that will be enough to help to figure out what it is, if not I am almost positive the RPO codes are intact inside the glove box. I would check them now but it's negative something out and it's under a foot of snow :-) SO anyway here's the VIN

1G1FP87S5FL447404

Any help would be appreciated :-)

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85 POS
92 RS

[This message has been edited by auxout (edited December 14, 2000).]

 

1984-1986 Berlinettas had a option for a digital dash. From the reading I've done I assumed that they all had them standard but I've seen 2 84-86 Berls so far that have analog dashes.

There was something like 4500 86 Berlinettas made in 1986. Production was stopped partly through.

What engine does your car have in it? There were 2 engine options in the 86 Berlinetta, the 2.8 v6 and the 5.0 V8. Both were slow (I should know, I have the V8 -=)).

If you need any more help, feel free to drop by the Berlinetta board that is it 3rdgen.org


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Luke
94 Saturn SL (1.9L)
86 Camaro Berlinetta (5.0L) *TPI 350 In Progress*
Berlinetta Board Mod @3rdgen.org
Non-Tech Mod @LG4 Performance Team

 

Auxout,
You own a Sport Coupe. The fifth digit of the VIN is an "S" for all Berlinettas and "P" for Sport Coupes and Z28's.

Sven,
All 1984 - 1986 Berlinettas came standard with digital dash with NO options to downgrade to an analog. Have you authenticated the two analog dash '84 - '86 Berlinettas? If you have, you have discovered two of the rarest (and officially undocumented) third generation Camaros ever made. I would have to go with the odds that what you saw were Sport Coupes until you have provide some sort of proof....gotta to with what all books say!! Hope you understand.


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Willie

Supercharged 1987 305 IROC-Z, Daily-Driver, Emissions-Legal.
12.57 @ 111 mph.
12.04 @ 114 mph (50-hp nitrous).
http://members.optushome.com/au/downunder1/rides/willie/willie.html

1987 "20th Anniversary Commemorative Edition" Z28 Convertible -- Super Chevy Show Class Winner, 1998.

 

Anyway to tell the difference between an SC and a Z28?

and what the hek is with everyone making SC's to look like berlinetta's lmao, it's even a berlinetta on the title...

 

Sometimes. The eighth digit is the engine code. If the car in question came with an engine that was offered in both the SC and Z28 (i.e. 305 LG4 or 305 TBI), then there is no way to tell (at least as far as the VIN is concerned). In your case, the eighth digit is an "S". For 1985, that translates to a 2.8L MPFI. This engine was not offered in the Z28, so it's conclusive that your car is a Sport Coupe.

I'm not surprised your title states Berlinetta. It's amazing the number of discrepancies you see in "official" documents, including reference books.

I'm curious about one thing. Does your car appear to be a Berlinetta? That would include gold pinstriping, Berlinetta badging (all four sides), gold 14" Berlinetta wheels (or covers) and a horizontal gold stripe on your taillights at mid-line? And how about the interior...does it have the deluxe interior with interior roof console, carpeted cargo area (on the side plastic panels) and a locking floor storage cover (it covers the well in the rear)? All these amenities were standard on the Berlinetta.

Willie

 

There was NO option to downgrade at all? I'll be damned. My friend has a 86 that is supposidly a Berlinetta without the digital dash. I'll try and get a hold of him to see if I can go look at his car more closely and get the VIN number on it.



[This message has been edited by sven86berlinetta (edited December 15, 2000).]

 

Correcto!! The digital dash was THE primary difference between the Sport Coupe and Berlinetta. Take a look at the following base pricing:

1985
Sport Coupe...$8363.00
Berlinetta...$11060.00
Z28..........$11060.00

It was primarily the digital dash that you paid for in the base pricing of the Berlinetta. You could not delete it. So you've got to ask, if a Berlinetta was produced without the digital dash, what would cause its base price to be almost $3,000 more than the Sport Coupe? Believe me, it never happened.

That would be great. All you need to know is the fifth digit of the VIN. As stated before, a Berlinetta has an "S" as the fifth digit. A Sport Coupe and Z28 displays a "P".

Willie

 

Nope it's not really disguised as a berlinetta, no badges, wheel covers, locking storage cover etc.... Thanks alot for the info I will definetly be hanging around the boards now :-)

 

Willie - you were correct, the "berlinetta" was actually a Sports Coupe. A quick look at the VIN established this.

I never realized there were so many poser Berlinettas out there -=)

------------------
Luke
94 Saturn SL (1.9L)
86 Camaro Berlinetta (5.0L) *TPI 350 In Progress*
Berlinetta Board Mod @3rdgen.org
Non-Tech Mod @LG4 Performance Team

 

Just a note on Berlinettas, The 5th digit of the VIN will always be a "S", there was was no downgrade to analog guages from 1984-1986, all Berlinetta's come with the custom interior also. and the V-6 was standard. If your car was built at Norwood, the letters "BER" appear on the lower part of the body plate. Late '85's and all '86's did not have a body plate at all. these cars would be impossible to fake, and even harder to cover up. Chris

[This message has been edited by cs2000 (edited December 18, 2000).]

 

I have an '84 Berlinetta with a digital dash, with a 5500 rpm red line bargraph tach. It has a TPI 305, auto trans, 3.42 posi disc rear, 36 mm front & 23 mm rear sway bars, dual electric cooling fans, and a gold 5.0 Liter H.O. emblum on the rear bumper opposite the gold Berlinetta emblum - this must be a rare find.....Ever seen one like this, Willie??

Also, it runs high 13's in the 1/4.

Tim

 

Wooo.. say that again? If I'm not mistaken, the only V8 available in the Berlinettas was the LG4. Not only that, but TPI engines weren't even available in 84! 3.42 posi rear? With disks?

Are you sure this is a 84 Berl?


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Luke
94 Saturn SL (1.9L)
86 Camaro Berlinetta (5.0L) *TPI 350 In Progress*
Berlinetta Board Mod @3rdgen.org
Non-Tech Mod @LG4 Performance Team

 

Tim,

As a matter of fact, I HAVE seen one just as you describe, but with one difference.... It has emblEms, not emblUms, haha!!

For everyone else,

The car Tim describes is his wife's. It is an '84 V6 Berlinetta. Earlier this year, Tim removed the tired carbed V6 and replaced it with a 305 TPI. Tim's attention to detail shows... the engine compartment is spotless and looks all original.... if they only had made them this way...WOW!!

Willie

 

When I saw the 5500RPM redline tach and the 3.42 gears I knew it used to be a V6 Although admittedly, the gears could have come from anywhere....

Sounds like an awesome car Tim. My uncle just sold his '90 IROC 350 for a mint (much to my chagrin...if he had kept it another year I'd have bought it!!) and bought his next project...an LG4 black '84 Berlinetta. For 165k miles and being a Northeast car, it's amazing that its in beautiful shape (was always a daily driver).

Rather than go the TPI route, he just ordered the GMPP 350 Camaro conversion kit (he's keeping all the original parts as well)...with a ZZ4 in a stock appearing Berlinetta, it should be one heck of a sleeper!!

 

Bah! TPI is the way to go! -=)


------------------
Luke
94 Saturn SL (1.9L)
86 Camaro Berlinetta (5.0L) *TPI 350 In Progress*
Berlinetta Board Mod @3rdgen.org
Non-Tech Mod @LG4 Performance Team

 

Ah! I've been found out......And I admit that I kan't spell, all that great, either.......I used to have another '84 Berlinetta, as well - it had T-tops & all the power goodies and a dog of a LG4 (although less of a dog than the LC1) with an auto - the motor was completely stock. My wife & I had matching cars - both beige - our plates read 1 BERLY and 2 BERLY - until I totaled mine back in the summer of '92 - the '92 Z that replaced it made the loss easier to take.....the 3.42's in her '84 Berly Z actually came out of my '92 Z28 G92 5 spd Camaro. The '84 LC1 Berly came with an open 3.23 cast iron drum rear end with an auto trans. 3.42'S only came with a 5 spd trans with the LC1 2.8L.

Tim

 

Glad to hear that I wasn't the only one fooled into thinking my SC was a Berly.

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Red 1986 SC, 2.8L, newly rebuilt 700R4, 3.42 Posi, t-tops, 133K miles and counting, K&N air filters, hopefully more to come!

 

Hey tim - Haven't you noticed that your Tach is about 20% off ????? Everytime I plug a V-6 dash into my car to test it the reading is wrong..... And you guys must know - I have owned 3 berlinettas that had FACTORY rear disk posi (D80) rear ends. 2 of them were 84's (3.08 gears) & one 86 (2.73 gears) People always sound surprised to hear that. I still upgraded to a BW 9-bolt with 3.45's in my good berlinetta - but that was only to handle the excess tourque from the replacement motor.

 

Yes, the tach reads 20% high, due to it expecting 3 pulses per revolution (V6), and it now getting 4 pulses per revolution from the V8. The problem is easily fixed by adding a circuit which masks 1 of every 4 pulses to the tach. I built the circuit, but have not installed it as of yet.

Tim

 

Tim - I am also very interested in getting this modification made once you perfect it. The reason - because the V-8 Tach starts to flash at 4400,... the 2.8 carb'd flashes at 5000. (manuals even describe a "LL1" HO V-6 motor that has a flashing tach at 5500). Since my motor red-lines at 6000 I need to get a more accurate warning of my engine speed.

 

No prob...

Tim