Anyone know when HO's were released in '83? My Camaro was made on 4-14-83, anyone got one produced before that date? Thanks.

 

They were introduced late in the '83 model year... around April or so I beleive?

 

I had an order sitting on a salesperson's desk in February, waiting to get the "OK" from GM. The dealer got that in early April, so it was prolly released then or in late March. Mine was built in late June, and I got it in early July.

 

LA, We you pleased with your HO after having to wait several months for delivery?

 

Interesting that you'd ask that question.

I'd already sold my '82 Z, so yeah, the wait seemed like a long one! The car arrived with a quarter-sized dent(more like an impression) in the driver's door, which I was very upset about! The dealer and I went around about that one. Finally decided it was prolly better to leave it as is since no paint was actually damaged. Other than that, it was exactly as I'd ordered it--black w/t-tops, silver gfx, red exterior stripe, and charcoal interior. It was beautiful!

Mechanically, the engine sounded awesome, and the car screamed down the road! No complaints about that!

The only continuously-serious issue to deal with was the hot fuel pick-up problem, which made the car buck like a wild horse, lol. Yeah, almost comically sometimes. Even the tech told me... when he took the service manager for a ride, it got to bucking, and the manager thought the tech was making it do it, lol. He's like, "stop doing that!" And the tech's like, "I'm not doing it. It's doing it on it's own!"

That issue led to the installation of the in-tank fuel pump, which didn't really help much.

But even with that, along with all the other bugs being still needing working out in the still-new thirdgen... was I happy with the car? YES! I loved that car! Even though it was pretty much a 'bucket-of-bolts,' squeaking and rattling a lot, and only having it for three years, if it hadn't been stolen, I'd still own it.

On the otherhand, if it hadn't been stolen, I prolly wouldn't have ordered my current '87 Formula, which, surprisingly, I love even more! Kind of ironic, I guess.

 

Great story LA, thanks!

 

Yes, the Camaro White Book states an April introduction for the L69. Still looking for the official press release from Chevrolet to see what the date on it was.

 

Is this what you’re looking for? Pontiac dealers officially found out about it on May 12 1983.

 

Makes me wonder when the Chevy folks found out about the HO.
My original block was assmbled on 3-24-03 and the car was put together on
4-14-03. Block appears hand stamped with the DUT code. Contrary to the
database, it is a stick HO block, VIN code 7. Appears to be a pretty early car.

 

I first read about the L69 in January of '83. I spent a few weeks going to Chevy dealers in and around Indy(hometown), but no one had heard of it. I was just some crazy kid(maybe true, lol), so none would even look into it. I was driving an '82, so you'd think they'd have taken me more seriously.

FINALLY I met a woman who WANTED to sell a car! She checked into it, found it was coming, wasn't released yet, but would be soon, so we wrote up an order.

7 was the VIN code in 1983, shown in the driver's manual on a supplemental page. It was changed to G for 1984.

L69 was suggested because management wanted a code that was attention-getting, seductive and sexy. It was meant as a joke to get a laugh, which it did, but they really liked it... "let's go with it."

Unfortunately, the DMV wouldn't let me 'go with it' in anyway, shape or form on a license plate!

 

That is an interesting story LA and similar to why I gave up on ordering an '85 IROC(if only one could know the future).And if you would have requested "L-69" the DMV might have released it to you.
It's interesting that the VIN designator for the '83 L69 was "7".The VIN designator for the LU5 305(CFI) was "7" in '82 but was changed to "S" for the '83 model year.Kind of makes me wonder how long GM was contemplating releasing the package given how long it takes,especially then,to pass the EPA tests for a drivetrain package.Wish they would have added the cam profile and exhaust to the LU5 for '83(not to mention the 5 speed).But then the TPI induction system was more than likely already in the works.And the carb'ed L69 was much simpler way to up the horsepower.

 

In the spring of '83 while my HO was on order, my dealer got one of the all-new '84 'Vettes. Naturally, everyone was gathered around it, and I was talking to a guy who'd been waiting for the new 'Vette. But he planned to wait for the '85 model because it was gonna have a new "port fuel injected" engine that was going to be much better than its current CFI engine.

So yes, apparently TPI was all ready to go.

Regarding the DMV, 69 didn't have a chance in any combination of letters or numbers, lol.

 

I wondered if I would get my presteige plate when I submitted it with L69 on it. Well it got by the censors and I've had now for two years!!!