ThePain

Curbside Classic: GM’s Deadly Sin #5 – 1989 Camaro RS



Story


Can I be the first to say this guy needs to get a clue?

At the bottom he notes that this may not be an 89 camaro. "It's not that important" Apparently equally as unimportant is finding a decent example of the car your bashing. Oh wait, but that wouldn't help his argument!

therealjcamry

I can't find any rattles in my car really, I had a 02' Accord that made just as much "rattles" I say its decent for my 84' And all the sports cars I've been in sit on the floor lol, ever drive an Audi TT. I agree this guy is a biased opinion and doesn't stray too far to see the facts. Oh well now we have the new camaro that kills the mustang in every way lol, so don't take it so hard, we have the upper hand now. Just need to get my hands on a new camaro now!

Scorpner

iTrader: (4)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uATv5alI1OM

https://www.thirdgen.org/besthandlin...driver-may1984

https://www.thirdgen.org/besthandlin...driver-oct1984

https://www.thirdgen.org/iroc_competion_cc_july_1984

https://www.thirdgen.org/1982-chevy-camaro
Probably has a better crash rating and drag coefficient than what he's comparing it to as well. Was also used for police service, must have been good enough for that too?

robertfrank

iTrader: (27)

This is the comment I left on that page...........


Wow, I have NEVER seen so much bloated, uninformed nonsense in my entire life. ALL of you people here don’t even have a clue what you’re talking about. Being the PROUD owner of a third generation Camaro I am sickened at the BULL that I have read here. A fellow member of https://www.thirdgen.org posted this link on our website and I couldn’t help myself in educating you on the “culture and standards” we thirdgenners live by.

First off, the IROC did in fact come with a T5 transmission. It was the 5.7 TPI cars that did not get the luxury of a 5 speed due to the fact that it would either (A) Get slaughtered by powershifting due to the main casing flexing or (B) walk all over Corvette’s, and you know that GM can’t have their flagship sports car get pounded on by a “lesser” car (think the Grand National and you’ll get a clue).

GM did in fact “skimp out” on a few items in their MANY attempts you make the smog police happy, but you can thank our law makers for that. With a little ingenuity many of these minor flaws can be remedied quite easily.

On a performance stand point, yes the Iron Duke, any v6 car and some tired 305 cars can be an absolute bore to drive but think about it, when these cars were purchesed they were rode hard and hung up wet. So yeah, when a new owner or even a temporary driver of one of these cars gets behind the wheel it’s going to be an uninviting experience. But….get behind the wheel of a Camaro/Firebird that has led a treasured life, not being beaten on like a prized race horse and it’s an awesome experience. These cars were built to handle. The 1LE/B4C/WS6 cars were awesome on the autocross and it doesn’t take much at all to get a “stock” thirdgen to perform the same.

Just take a tour of our website and you will find some of the most innovative, intelligent and knowledgeable people on the web. You will also find some of the most beautiful cars your eyes can behold.

One thing that is amazing about these cars are that they are amazingly cheap and easy to work on/modify. We have MANY fbodies that have had LSX/LTX swaps, Big block swaps, and even 4 cylinder diesel swaps (yes it’s been done). Let’s be clear here. I have owned many different types of cars in my short 29 years and this great green earth. From Audi’s to Acura’s to Dodge’s and a Pontiac or two. There has NEVER been a Ford in my driveway so I can’t comment on that nor will there ever be. So it’s not like I don’t have experience with other makes and models. So I hope instead of sounding a bunch of inexperienced 50 somethings that only like to drive old Datsun’s and new Prius’s take the time to check us out and allow yourself a better perspective on a fine piece of automotive history. rant over………for now.

therealjcamry

"robertfrank"- I will speak for all of us third gen owners, Thank You!

C-Titan

iTrader: (2)

It looks like he has a personal vendetta with ALL of GM...

He def. had a full bowl of D-Bag for breakfast...

CamaroIROC88350

iTrader: (1)

Honestly, I was going to start my own thread about the IROC-Z's of the 3rd Generation Camaro's but I changed my mind after realizing this thread is new.

So here's my opinion. I read that piece of crap article on the Camaro & I've read the other articles bashing 3rd Gen's. I never owned a Camaro before last year in March. I've had my IROC for almost a year now & it has run fine. It overheats a little & I got an oil leak but that's ok! I like to learn about my car.

My point is this.... All of these politically correct *** bashing on older cars, especially American pony/muscle cars have no real appreciation for the cars or they simply don't care. THE 3rd Gen's were the 1st Camaro's to produce real horsepower gains since the laws set in place in the late 60's, early 70's killed anymore of those horsepower big block crunching cars back then. It wasn't until 1988 with the relatively newer 350 sbc that GM brought something to the table with performance in both the horses dept. & the torque dept. Sure it lost to the Mustang GT but the frigging GT is also alot lighter for that era.

The best thing that happened to GM back in the 80's was introducing the IROC-Z. That was the SS of that generation of Camaro. It was the best Camaro & had awesome styling. So to the dumb ** who want to bash on 3rd Gen's & GM by saying nothing of substance was produced, you're very wrong!

t-top havoc

iTrader: (3)

robertfrank & other TGO members:
I must admit that years ago I heard some gearheads argue the point that the Camaro was getting too big for GM in the fact of HP & torque over the Corvette. One statement was GM would NEVER let another GM out-power or out-perform the Corvette.
The other statement was if Camaros aren't taken down the scale on performance the Corvette would be in serious trouble.
I often wondered how true these statements were.
Please forgive my ignorance-- how true is that? And--did the Camaro hang the Corvette on the skid pad in early 90's??

Agreed on the fact that if you drive a weezer expect it to weeze-- no matter who makes it!!

sonjaab

Figures............A bad article about a third gen from a "writer" and euro car fan
that prob. drives a toaster!...........err.............toyoyo

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Who cares? If you like these cars why even finish reading an article that obviously holds a different view?

Like it or not, that 91/92 RS is in better shape then most of the thirdgens I see driving around town. It's a lackluster 3.1 or toilet bowl injected 305, with fading, and peeling paint. Sure to rattle like a lumber wagon driving down the road. Everything he says about the 82 Z28 or the limp sixers or all but the top of the line TPI V8 is accurate. About the only place he slips up is when he says the Mustangs were built better. They've got the same clunks, rattles, plastic interiors, and junk construction piled onto even more obsolete engineering. Sure a Mercedes might have better build quality, but who cares? For a domestic 80's performance car the Camaro is hard to beat. Apples to apples, it's just about a wash between the Fox Mustang and the Camaro.

The writer is obviously a ****, but who cares? That article is as worthless as they come, it doesn't tell anything that anyone doesn't already know.

scottmoyer

I edited a couple posts here and deleted the swear words. The language being used in these posts in unacceptable on TGO. Please keep the language clean as children also read these forums.

Dr.NickRiviera

Thetruthaboutcars website needs to be renamed the truthiswedon'tknowsquataboutcars.com The site is very slanted and their version of the truth is more of an opinion that factual.
So the guy compared a luxury brand 2x as expensive car to a camaro made for the every day working man to have a spoty car. I think that's all you have to read of that article to find out the bias in it.

JeremyNYR

iTrader: (2)

it's not an article, it's an online editorial. Basically a blog. I just skimmed it since it wasn't worth reading all the way though, but I thought it fitting that he ended by saying a hideous toyota station wagon was much better thant he camaro and "never gave the owner any problems since new in 1984". suuure it didn't. People love to affirm beliefs they already hold. He believes Toyota is great and GM is crap and he'll go out of his way to affirm these beliefs and convert others to his way of thinking. Well good luck with your Toyotas and their current GIGANTIC recall for uncontrolled acceleration that has 8 models at a dead stop on the production line while millions wonder if their Toyota will kill themselves or a family member.

CapnCrunch53

He's just jealous because his trailer park doesn't look as good as ours, guys!

MotorMouth

I have always been a Ford man. I started driving in 1986 and my first car was a 1976 Mustang. From 1986 to 1999 I owned 5 Mustangs, Ford LTD, Ford Granada and a Dodge Dart. All of them was junked because of the problems I had with them except the LTD it was stolen. Since March 1999 I have only had one car may 1992 Camaro! I think the 3RD gen Camaros are better than the GT's were and a lot better handling too. The GT's can get very tail happy very quick.

When I went to the car lot to get me a new car if they would have had a GT I would have bought it. But this bright red Camaro black striped T-top 5 speed caught my eye and would not leave. I paid $7000 for it and it only had around 70,000. Best car I've ever owned!

The money I'm going to be putting into the car not to fix it but to add to it. I could buy a newer car but I would just not feel as good after.

stoning_volcom

I find i funny that the 350tpi that was in the irocs, formulas, and trans am. and could smoke the mustang all the way up to 97 kinda amazing i bought my formula 350 two years ago and smoked a 98 mustang gt no prob smoking the tires. I read once on a mustang forum that the 305 formulas and irocs rs's were something to be ready for if you were to race but the 350 tpi you might as well just lay off lol found it kinda funny these cars are the era that will be here for this generation. These cars own the streets as it is takin and swaping 4th gen styling to the 3rd gen makes these cars very very fun and stylish.
TO ADD THESE CARS ARE NOT BRAND NEW!!! SO THAT IS WHY THEY RATTLE!

florida_gators

iTrader: (2)

I really hate to drag a Michael Jackson quote into this, but I can't think of any better way to summarize this article than...

"That's just ignorant. He's just being ignorant."

L695speed

I heard that Chevy was ticked off when Pontiac stuffed the 3.8 Turbo in a TA to create the TTA. Looking back at all the road and performance tests, the vette couldn't hold its own against it til the ZR1 came out. And yes I've heard that rumor that there is an unwritten rule at GM that the Vette must be number 1 in the performance category. Pontiac I know underrated that TTA no way in hell 250 HP can generate sub 5 second runs to 60 in a 3300 lb car. Anyway back to topic. My 84 I could swear was the most rock solid car I've ever driven if it rattles I don't hear it. Maybe that big V8 has something to do with it. It doesn't make anywhere near as much noise other than the motor as some cars that we have that are 10+ years newer.

Brother Al

That guy made a similar post on another site thread awhile ago about the Trans Am. He was likely the kid driving the brand new Ford Festiva or Gramma's old Pinto back in High School and is still bitter about it.

Guy In A 90 RS

Meh, screw him. . . He's an idiot. That's all I got to say on the matter.

zraffz

If you ask me the article is all a matter of opinion that the author just tried to force onto the readers. I personally love my thirdgen, every girlfriend (except one) who has seen my IROC has disliked it. It's defiantly a great bang for the buck, being descent handling and quick... think for the price they are the best RWD cars you can actually buy.

But as far as rattling, my god. Every camaro and trans am that was a third gen has made some nasty noises by the time it hits the traps.

ls six

I was honestly suprised when I got my T/A, there was a lot of squeeking and ratteling just like I had been told to expect but I discovered a week or so in that the spare wheel wing nut was loose. After I tightened the spare down I was suprised to find that the car hardly made any noises at all!

Keep in mind that our roads are crap I have two gaping holes in the rockers and the previous owner put some of those stupid clamps on the rear springs causing it to ride like it's got a nearly solid suspension.

I can feel the chassis flex plenty if I hit bumps with one corner of the car.

86TA4SALE

"Ah, but there was a Z-28 on tap! And it came with an optional V8 that featured actual fuel injection. A fuelie Chevy V8 in a new lightweight RWD chassis; praise the Lord! And the Z came decked out in with the stripes and hood scoops guaranteed to raise a young man’s testosterone level. Unfortunately it was a ****-teaser and an exercise in frustration, because the Z-28 did anything but come."

What the hell is that all about? By the end of that paragraph he was doing more than just ranting. What a horrible article.

~Matt

Iroctopless

He sure writes like trailer park trash, you would think he would know a lot more about the 3rd gen Camaro! (insert irony here)
Definitely no Shakespeare or Mark Twain.