Were there any 1989 z28 camaros? I see on efor sale in my area but I heard that in 1989 the z28 was discontinued for Iroc-z's? please help

 

according to this page: https://www.thirdgen.org/1989-chevy-camaro
there were no z28's that year. So it could be a clone or they did make them. Possible very early 89 car that was still an 88 model

 

Z-28 was discontinued in 88, 89 and 90, only models available in 89 was RS and IROC-Z

 

The Z28 (and derivatives of some form of it) were offered in all years but in different formats.
'82 - '84 . . . The Z28 model was the top performing model.
'85 - '87 . . . Chevy acquired the IROC trademark and made it an option only available on the Z28. You could order a Z28 or a IrocZ (RPO B4Z) Z28.
'88 - '90 . . . The Z28 model was dropped. IrocZ was now a stand alone model but the RPO Z28 was now part of it's performance package (replacing the previous IrocZ RPO B4Z).
'91 - '92 . . . Chevy lost the rights to the IROC trademark (now found on the Chrysler/Dodge Daytona). No IROC trademark meant no IrocZ model could be offered so it was dropped. The Z28 model was back as the top performing model.

 

The Z28 was always the top performing model during the 3rd gen years. The IROC-Z was an option package that was only available on the Z28, thus making the Z28 still the top dawg. In 1988, Chevrolet was downsizing the fleet of cars available and decided to make all Z28s, IROC-Zs. There was no base Z28 anymore as in years 85-87. You could now get the base Z28 options, or lack of, on any IROC-Z. In 89, you could only get an RS or an IROC-Z. The IROC-Z is a Z28.

 

Right on the money.
When the Iroc trademark was acquired by Chevrolet, it created somewhat of an unnecessary overlap in model confusion and complexity during the '88 - '90 Camaro model years. The "downsizing" simplified things for Chevrolet Camaro Sales dept, dealers, and customers.

 

Just to add another layer of minutia, when Penske, Les Richter and Jay Signore came to see Chevy General Manager Bob Burger in '83 about using Camaro sheet metal on the tube frame cars getting built for the resurrected International Race of Champions, the notion of an IROC Z28 materialized. I don't remember whose idea it was, but I'm thinking it came out of the Chevy camp, not Penske. The '84 Camaro was already frozen. So the IROC badge didn't surface until '85. If memory serves me, there are subtle differences between IROC Z28s and regular Zs in '86 and '87. In a meeting in mid-89 called to review '90 plans for the series, Chevy's Bob Emerick told Jay the contract would not be renewed and that Chevy would stop building production IROCs in December, 1989. Jay was able in just a few weeks to put the deal together that had his cars rebodied as Dodges in time for Daytona.

 

THat sounds about right,
Some of the differences were that the IROC were only monotone and the Z28 I belive were almost all 2 tone, but I think you could have ordered a Z28 with the stripe Delete WX1 option... Also I belive that the IROC came standard with the fog lights where the Z28 Might have had them an an option (not really sure). The fact that the 1984 camaro being frozen I think is not really the whole story. More than likely it probably had to do more with the fact that 1985 Z28 was already slated to get some slight cosmetic changes and it would be better suited to introduce the IROC with the new updated look, rather than introduce a mid year Model addition and have to revise Brochures, literature etc. Add to that there was not a FI V8 in 1984 and the TPI was the big story for 1985... I think all that compuonded to the decision to actually introduce a IROC-Z in 1985...

John