okfoz

It seems that Silver is probably the worst color for striping and mismatched colors like this. You can go to any New car dealer lot and look at the differences between the silver colors from panel to panel, it can be quite noticeable

Keep in mind that the pieces and parts were painted separate from the car. The Front and rear fascias, the Mirrors, the rear hatch and the ground effects were all painted Off of the car. These pieces and parts were probably painted by the supplier, which the supplier was given a swatch of paint to match, they would ship the painted parts to the assembly plant. The rear hatch may have been painted at the Plant however... The Hood, Fenders, Doors and of course the body were painted at one time..

On a similar note, some cars where colors looked similar you will find written numbers... The numbers were used to identify the color of the car to match the correct pieces and parts IE fascias to the correct car. At the Trans Am Nationals a few years ago I noticed on a 1992 GTA that there was written with a Paint marker with 2 numbers IIRC it was "45" for the Dk Green Metallic. I would think that the Dk Green Met, Dk Jade Met and the Dk Aqua Metallic probably look very similar under some lighting conditions.

----------------------

Scott, your car looks like crap, you should sell it to me for $2000 and I will repaint it so it looks like it should ...

John

KMK454

Yeah, it's a combination of things - cost cutting, not everything painted at one spot continuously, and ever-changing environmental regulations (which also alters cost). I will never own a silver car again unless it is a custom paintjob from a professional third party painter. I hated walking up to my silver C6 Z06 and seeing noticeably different panel colors for "Machine Silver" on GM's flagship sports car. Orange peel never bothered me as much but panel mismatches did... Domestics seem to be worse at this than European cars, but then you're paying that premium for those luxury Euro brands.

scottmoyer

The "striping" is only noticable under certain lighting conditions. The worst part is the "stripe" just happened to fall at the front edge where the slightly different shade of urethane meets it making it look really off color. I can also tell that they are created by the metallic in the paint. Nobody has ever mentioned that they can see them and it took me a couple years before I knew they were there.

okfoz

As for cost cutting measures... Each year I think you can track things that were to cut things here or there. The things like the Fiberglass Hood and Aluminum hood on the Firebirds went away, Some years more than others it was more and more obvious that they were making some minor cuts to save a few bucks. Honestly they were trying to keep the price of the vehicle down, and then you had the introduction of Airbags in 1990, that did not help prices any. I would not be surprised if the Airbag introduction was more or less a means to meet safety requirements of some sort... I know that even "improvements" in the engine technology resulted in less expense. Take for example the TPI cars, In 89 they dropped the 9th injector ( a savings ) in 1990 they went to MAP, another savings over the expensive MAF...

These things are not "Bad" per se, but just a way to keep costs down. I would bet that the price for the 91-92 Hood on a Z28 was less than it was from 85-90, and I know that the later Formula hoods got a plastic hood scoop instead of the cast zinc ones from 82-84 T/A & 87-89 Formula had... not sure what the 90 & 91's had, but I know some of the later ones were plastic injection... The plastic spoiler in 1991 - 1992 on the Formula. T/A & GTA had to be less expensive than the heavy Polyurethane ones that had Steel inside from 85-90...

Scott, You ready to sell your car yet?... $2000 right now, I got it in the bank when your ready for your striped, mismatched car...

KMK454

I'll see your $2k and raise by 1k it to $3000, which will leave me plenty of funds to swap in the T56 and call it a day. PM me Scott.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Hey, uh John, why havent you sent me a memo on the plastic hood scoop insert?!?!?
I have NEVER heard or seen one!!!! Id like to have one!!
My cuz has one on the last 92 formy 350 cars and his is the metal??
my yellow 92 is metal??

Jason E

Scott, I have never seen striping like that before. I am surprised how different your front bumper is from the rest of the car. I just had my IROC out earlier, and while the front bumper is a little darker than the LF fender, its nowhere near as extreme.

Hearing all these paint issues make me feel not so bad about the state of my 3. The 86 will be completely redone effective Monday. My 88 TA was repainted about 10 years ago because of clearcoat and bumper issues...today it looks very good, but the bumpers have darkened a little and the LF fender is just a tiny bit brighter than the rest of the car (can only tell under flourescent lighting...broad daylight its ok). The most important one, my IROC, has a small amount of clearcoat peeling around the antenna mount, and some ugly orange peel on the RH B pillar (RH side of car was repainted for some reason, at some point...rest is nice original).

When buying third gens, I have decided they all have crap paint, and to just assume it!

80schild

iTrader: (5)

Scott, my GTA is also flame red, but I had it repainted last year. When the light hits it just right I can see light and dark areas in it too, and I can also see stripes in the hood. Makes me wonder if this color isn't highly susceptible to mottling, maybe just as bad as silver or pewter.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Forget these two cheapscates, Scott. $3250......cash!

FireDemonSiC

I was thinking the same thing, Then I tripped out because I thought I saw my '85 which was manufactured at the norwood plant in post #6. But mine is a Z28 and this one clearly has fog lights.

As I am to understand, this is a fairly rare color combo. It has the same rims on it now as in post #6. The PO put them back on before he sold it.

https://www.thirdgen.org/tech/images...evy_Camaro.jpg

cIaRmOaCrZo

just what i wanted to see. iv always dreamed about how it looked back in the 80's when these cars floaded the dealer lots and streets. since i was barely born in the 80's, i never actualy got to soak it in let alone see it. very very cool. and i swear i think i see one of my cars in there lol

HiPerf_Chevyman

Why dont they reproduce the 3rd gen style, with interior upgrades and Today's Drivetrain's... what was ever wrong with that body style... some day there wont be many left...

HiPerf_Chevyman

Why isnt this sticky'd?

Dartht33bagger

It's sad to think that most of these beautiful cars have probably seen the crusher or have been run dry. I wish I could go back in time and buy a third gen when it was new.

Motown

I have a fascination of how cars are assembled and the history of cars, but these pics are just beyond words!

I hope DavidM can get the rest of the pics up somehow or someway!

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

Wow - I know I am a little late to the game with this response, but I always thought the 9th injector on early TPI's was a bandaid for bad cold start computer programming. No EFI cars have a cold start injector anymore, and that is about the only car I know of that had it.

ZZ3 Z28

I was at the United States Camaro Club Norwood 1987 show. I also went to the USCC show at the Ohio zoo a couple years later. Here are some pics of the Norwood show.

ZZ3 Z28

More.

ZZ3 Z28

More.

Motown

My God those pics are amazing!

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

Wow, that is really going back in time LOL.

ZZ3 Z28

Here's a couple more. None of these are my cars btw.

A couple quick stories about this show. I was late getting to Ohio due to a giant rain storm coming through Indiana so I was late to my hotel. So I got shoved off to an alternate hotel in a very, um, unfortunate part of town. I had to stop for fuel and when I was paying the nice lady behind the 2 inch bulletproof glass asked me if I was lost. I told her no, I was in town for a car show. She told me good luck. I don't know if that was for the show or making it to my hotel.

At the show I was parked next to a guy who had an 1987 IROC with about zero miles on it. It was immaculate, like he just picked it up from the factory that day. He told me when he got back home he was going to put it in a vacuum sealed bag in his garage and not open it for 20 years. I always wondered what happened to him

I have no pics of the factory tour we got that weekend so I'm guessing cameras were off limits.

NowhereFast

I'm with you on that one.

b_thomas86

My 86 Camaro Sport Coupe was created in the Norwood factory, i found this forum interesting. I've seen alot of Camaros that looked similar but still off by a few specs. Has anyone ever seen a standard Camaro white w/black racing stripes and black trim with a carbeurated 305 (LG4), Borg&Warner 5spd, and t-tops?

Duane's 91 Z/28

iTrader: (1)

Those pics sure do bring back memories. Thanks for posting.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

What's the story with this car?

FireDemonSiC

^------------- Wtf?

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

I thought maybe my color settings were off on my computer - but that is pink right?

1985WS6TA

That last pic almost looks like it could be a 4th gen!

Dartht33bagger

Its just as ugly as a fourth gen too

1985WS6TA

Hey now, gotta respect all generations. I happen to a 93' Formula.

ZZ3 Z28

That would be a long lead time for the 4th gen since this show was the summer of 1987.

Chevy86 IROC-Z

iTrader: (17)

Subscribed

bombrcar

Does anyone have these in a place they can be downloaded? I don't have a photobucket account.

Chevy86 IROC-Z

iTrader: (17)

Right click, save as then choose location to save on your computer.

cerberus

Makes you wonder the fate of those once shiney cars.

Chevy86 IROC-Z

iTrader: (17)

Junkyards or backyards. That's the ultimate fate. My IROC was at a friends house. He was gonna rebuild my engine. To make a looooong story short, he sold my Camaro to a towing company which they then sold it to the junkyard. Then I found my Camaro at the junkyard, got it retrieved and now she has life. O yeah!!!!

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

I saw that on a magazine cover, late '80s-ish. I think it was called a GTZ. Obviously GM never followed-through with it. This would've been at a time when they were thinking about discontinuing the Camaro and Firebird models at the end of the thirdgen run. So this might've been planned for the last few years of thirdgen Z28 production, maybe as a replacement for the IROC, which they probably already knew they'd be losing. That's just a guess, but the timing of it would make sense. But it was canned when they decided to carry-on with a 4thgen, so this probably ended-up serving as an early concept for the 4thgen.

Chevy86 IROC-Z

iTrader: (17)

STICKY!!!!!!!

bombrcar

http://www.supercars.net/cars/4354.html

bombrcar

Was hoping I wouldn't have to do that for all 50 pictures...

1985WS6TA

I'm 98% sure I saw clay model photos of the 4th gen bird from 1987 and it was very similar to what was produced in 1993. I'll have to look for it.

cerberus

I was told that the paint was cruddy because of the metallic flake used in the paint? It oxidized causing the paint to do that voodoo it does so well.

Chevy86 IROC-Z

iTrader: (17)

Not too sure if this one is factory or aftermarket...
hatchback.jpg?t=1328174149

scottmoyer

That's the Kamback or whatever they called it. GM played with the idea of having a fbody station wagon. Didn't go over so well. It's just a replacement rear hatch, so the car's were never actually modified for this look.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Yes, GM started playing with the wagon Idea in the mid to late 70s with 2nd gen cars. Those weren't simple hatch replacements tho..

bombrcar

For the love of god, NOOOOOOoooo!!!!!

Kainsel

Agree 1000%
Would give my left nut to buy a new 92 Formula LB9 today

IMissMy86TA

I saw one for sale at an auction not street legal due to it was a concept car. went for about 17K if I recall within the last 12 months. It was the white 85

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

IIRC correctly, that white one was for sale recently for some ridiculous price.