Hey there.

I know it sound like a wierd question, but I found what IROC-Z means so then what does Z-28 means ?

Next thing is: which year is to most value for the money

Best wishes Countryspeed

 

Z-28 was a RPO number for performance equipment in the early Camaros and GMs Marketing types thought it had a nice ring to it. So it became a car model line. So Z28means Performace at Chevolet Div..

 

that little badge was also justified excuse to charge the consumer considerably more for not really alot if that makes sense.

 

Okey, well that answer'd my question.

So now I know more.
Thaks to you.

Time is: 10:56 pm here im Mid-Denmark and it's bed-time, would be back tomorrow I think.

 

In the middle of the Z28 run that may be true, but at the end and especially at the beginning 67-71, the Z28 pkg was way more than a standard Camaro or even an SS. Between say 73-93 it was basically just a badge, with not much extra for your buck.

 

Just a badge?
- You couldn't get an L69, LB9 or L98 engine in anything lesser than a Z28/IrocZ.
- You couldn't get the G92 performance axle ratio (and related package) in anything lesser than the Z28/IrocZ.
- You couldn't get the 1LE on anything lesser than the Z28/IrocZ.

In other words, while the Z28's & IrocZ's could be optioned out to be not much more than the lesser models, it did offer the potential customers additional options and performance/hp not available on the lesser models.
They are also more sought after today and carry a little higher value (optioned right, a lot higher value).

Check out the history of the different models of Camaro here at Thirdgen and you'll see what I mean.
So while things might not have been as extravagant as the 1st gen Z28 set-ups, there was potential to be found.

 

As Iroctopless pointed out most of the performance options weren't generally available on anything but with the Z28 and/or IROC model/package on 3rd Gens(2nd and 4th Gens are very similar).It's an oddity that Z28 has always been an option package on the Base/Sport Coupe and not a separate model.Even though most consider it to be.

The 1st gen's 302 only came with RPO-Z28(and it's only available motor technically)but just about every other performance option could be found on the Base,RS or SS(but the SS package couldn't be combined with Z28 package)and Z28.

Even the 2nd Gen '77 1/2-'81 Z28 package had specific engine/trans/suspension pieces.

The only exception to the rule for 3rd and 4th gen cars are the ones with option B4C.But thier numbers are small in comparison(and the package had conditions).

 

And also, in 88-90 Z28 became the RPO for the IROC-Z.

 

Turboman did you mean that '88-'90 Z28 was a mandatory RPO with the IROC package which in turn technically was still an option on the Sport Coupe?

 

Starting in '88 there was only the Sport Coupe or IrocZ models (although there might have been a limited number of RS models specifically for the California market). Anyway, RPO Z28 was not an option on the Sport Coupe.

Unlike '85-'87 when the RPO B4Z meant you had an IrocZ (when both the Z-28 model and the IrocZ model were both available), in '88 when the Z-28 model was dropped, the RPO Z28 then meant your '88-'90 Camaro was an IrocZ.

I wonder if that made any sense?

 

One thing to consider is that the Z28 used the same VIN identifier in the 5th digit as the Sport coupe. It was a P for 1987 & up at least. The Berlinetta however recieved a different Identifier per se. On the Firebird side the Firebird = S, Formula = S, S/E = X (IIRC) and Trans Am = W as did the GTA. I want to think that the Berlinetta was S as well but I really do not know.

John

 

I keep hearing people say that the Z28 went away in 1988. It did not. The only years the Z28 was not availabale was '75-'76. In 1988-90, you had the SC and the Z28. The Z28 came packaged with the IROC-Z appearance package. All 88-90 IROC-Zs are Z28s, just like all 85-87 IROC-Zs are Z28s. There were just 2 appearance/option levels on the 85-87.

 

BTW Scott, your Iroc's homepage is down.

 

It was an attempt by Chevrolet at simplification of the Camaro model line-up. The Z-28 "model" name was dropped and replaced by the Iroc-Z, however Chervrolet still continued to use the RPO Z28 for that new model name. When that name's license (Iroc-Z) wasn't renewed at the end of it's contract, the RPO Z28 continued also as the model Z-28 once again.

So yes, while the "Z28" did not technically go away, the format as to which it was applied did change slightly. The Z-28's were now simply referred to Iroc-Z's during that period.

Back then ('88-'90), a customer would not go to the Chevy dealership to buy a Z28 model Camaro with the Iroc-Z appearance package. He could however get the Iroc-Z model which then automatically came with the RPO Z28 package as opposed to the only other model offered, the Sports Coupe.

So somebody could claim to have an '89 Z28 and be correct, but not truly accurate.

 

Iroctopless the Z28 has never had a separate VIN model identifier as Okfoz pointed out.And yes the Belinetta's modle identifier was S.It's the same with the Formula being an option package to the base Firebird where as the T/A had a different VIN identifier.The fact that Z28 is an RPO makes it an option package as opposed too a separate model.The same can be said for RPO-B4Z.

 

True. I've never stated anything to the contrary (or anything about the VIN).
True, the Z28 is an RPO making it an option package, but it also appears that this debate has shifted to whether the Camaro existed as seperate models (Base, RS, Berlinetta, Z-28, Iroc-Z, RS, etc) or were they all just a single base model and optioned up from there.
I would toss in my for arguments sake, that the Z-28 was, at certain times, not only just an RPO, but also a model of Camaro based around it.
Chevrolet refers to the Z-28 as a seperate model (along with the other versions of it's Camaro) in it's literature. Many examples of this are out there. Here's one from the back of the '84 brochure . . .

What models of Camaro does it say are available in the top left?
I see no reason why an RPO code and a model name can't run concurrently with each other.

 

damm i didn't know any of that ROP stuff , but one of my teachers that was into muscle cars said the 2 and 8 in z28 stood for duel exhaust and 8cly engine.

 

Sounds cool, but the the best factory exhaust offered on any 3rd gen Camaro was the RPO N10 (dual catalytic converters), and the vast majority had the single cat and muffler with dual exhaust tips.
But they did all have V-8's.

 

if thats the case then my dads z71 silverado has 7 exhaust and 1 cylinder? but for the argument of z28 and iroc being different ive always understood that iroc-z basically stood for international race of champions edition z28

 

That's funny!
This topic splits hairs so small that it almost just boils down to semantics.
Hard to say if others or myself are completely right or wrong. The case can be argued pretty convincingly both ways.

My guess is for '85-'87 you would be completely correct. Even Chevrolet blurs the distinction between the two by sometimes referring to them as Iroc-Z28's.
Later during '88-'90 the "other" edition was dropped in favour of the single "model" name Iroc-Z.
Plausible?

 

sounds about right to me, however all the irocs had the z28 dash badge and only 85-87 had rocker z28 badges and 88-90 had iroc rocker badges. the bumber im not sure but i assume they matched the rocker. when it comes to this kinda stuff GM really makes me wonder. i doubt anyone knows the real answer, to be honest im not that sure on the question anymore

 

Marketing, the car was super popular. BTW, if it's an IROC, it's a Z28.

 

I'd have to agree with the marketing aspect and performance package of the name. Look at Chevy's product lines and you'll see "Z" models all over, Z28, Z34,Z38,Z51 (Corvette), Z71. These all were performance package models over the base models. What was or one of the first performance packages...the Z28

 

Another mistake: It was the OLDS 442 in the 70s.
4-4 barrel carb
4-4sp tanny
2-dual exhaust

Don't belive this teacher about anything on cars.

 

Don't forget the ol' Z24

 

Iroctopless that's a good point on the marketing aspect.I hadn't looked at that way and the '83 brochure does the same(dealer and consumer version).You're right it could be discussed both ways.

And AC the "Z" section of the RPOs goes back to the lightweight RPO-Z11 package(Biscayne or Impala) of the early '60s - possibly even before that.And DJP87Z28 that's good because about any car after '74 model year,and light weight truck after '78,was single exhaust.The '84 up 5.0 Mustang/GT being one of the few exceptions that come to mind.

 

What's kind'a ironic about the "Z" moniker meaning performance is that the Z28 model didn't always get you top performance. Take '87 for example. The Z28 model and IrocZ model could be optioned out quite different (also an example that the IrocZ wasn't always just an appearance package) . . .
The Z28 model got you the RPO Z28 performance package and the top engine was the LB9 305 TPI.
The IrocZ model got you the RPO Z28 performance package and the top engine was the L98 350 TPI. Plus you got the got the G92 performance axle ratio (not available on the Z28) at 3:27 and the KC4 engine oil cooler (also not available on the Z28).

While this is a unique example, it does show that almost anything is possible.

 

Again another good point made about options and packaging.But this was in a time when you could option a vehicle the way you wanted(the 1XX packaing was just starting to appear).
But the IROC didn't start out as just an appearance package because it came with the larger anti-sway bars,wonderbar,better springs and 16" wheel/tire(for most years anyhow).But on the other hand look at the standard engine for the IROC-Z28 for '88 being the LO3 305.Bottom line the Z28/IROC packages contained the suspension goodies,and for the most parts engines, that you couldn't get on the Sport Coupe,Belinetta or with the LT or RS(unless with B4C)packages.

 

The short and sweet version is, Z28 was a RPO for performance items that evolved over the years. From indiviual items to a Z28 car model in later years.
The Z28 number ment nothing until GMs marketing people made it ino what it is.

That it and you can post until the cows come hone with various meaning but it just rambling on by most people.

 

One thing I do know in 1990 when I went to buy my Camaro New. called Geico on a quote for this amazing looking black Iroc-Z28 and the insurance was arouind 9k for the year. The RS with the 8cyl engine was 5500 for the year...

The 6cyl RS I ended up getting for obvious reasons was only 2500 for the year.

So if the name did not mean much to people here... I did not save a lot on my car insurance......

 

Its no wonder that our cars did not sell better with insurance rip offs like that...

John