Here’s an Autoweek article I ran across and thought it was interesting. I was looking for the Firebird version and came up with this one.

 

ahahaha, i love the side view mirrors on that thing.

sure must be a prototype.

 

I remember seeing that article when it was new. I already loved the style of the 1980 Z28 and earlier Rally Sport. I saw this article and cringed at the thought. I thought the new Camaro was the ugliest car I had ever seen because of this article. I will never forget the front shot pictured here. I'm glad the Z28 in 1982 looked so much better and worth getting.

My old 82 Z28

 

That must have been the berlinetta prototype. It's got the right wheels and bumper, and the correct 4x4 stance

 

It's a coupe proto type - not a Berlinetta. Berlinetta always had Aluminum wheels and clear park lights.

 

I remember how the 82's standard mirrors were similar to the ones in this article except they were black. The sport mirrors you see on 99% of all Camaros were an option in 82 and maybe even 83. (I don't have my White Book handy).

I also like how they had planned to use rack and pinion steering. Never knew that. Would have been nice!

Larry

 

Interesting post. I like this line . . .

 

Here's the Firebird version that I donated to the site a while back:

https://www.thirdgen.org/tech/images/autoweek1980.JPG

 

I recently ran into interesting piece of info on the Turbo V8 engine for third gens. I was at a car show hear in Arizona (you know the land of retired people) about a month ago and this older guy comes up to me after I pulled into the show with my 88 Camaro and says man do I remember these cars. He goes on to tell me he is a retired GM engineer and worked on the devolopment of the third gen cars.

He started to tell me about how they orginally planned on putting the Pontiac turbo 301 in our cars and how he even road tested it. However, they decided against it since they determined that a good running 305 or 350 would still outperform that motor. He said they track tested it several times against the Chevy motors and the Chevy always beat it.

He also went on to tell how he was the engineer that designed the Camaro TPI air cleaner and went on to get the patent for it.

It sure would be interesting to see an old photo of one of those protype cars with the 301 Tubro motor in it. But I am sure they were all crushed. But it would have been interesting to see.