I know a junkyard out of town that has about 25 camaros/firebirds and
I was wondering if there is a check list of special parts only on 1LE cars,
what can i look for to be sure its a 1LE? or another rare option??

 

Well, the chances of finding a 1LE car in the junkyard are extremely slim. However, the quickest way to spot one in a junkyard would probably be to look at the front brakes because they are complete different from non-1LE cars.

 

When you get down to it, the only special part on 1LE's are the front brakes. Everything else is normal late thirdgen hardware or base model hardware.

 

Drew is right. Its just brakes.

Below is "just brakes" part numbers:

 

Mhmm... And just about everything on that list (except the front brakes) was used on other thirdgens.

 

Over the winter, I'm going to replace all my bushings and additionally, I may upgrade my front brakes. Although the already upgraded suspension parts are Moog, being somewhat of a purist, I wanted to use some Delco as well.

Based on the above posts, there seems to have been two differing opinions about 1LE parts. Is there, somewhere, a definitive list of truly 'upgraded' parts that the 1LE option provided? Perhaps from an original GM document?

I ask because when I browse EBay and performance sites, I find an abundance of ads claiming "as found on the 1LE optioned Camaro". As an example, the LCA bushing # 10164152 is listed as 1LE on some sites but other sites say it is a standard part.

 

As Drew states, the 1LE option provided for a larger brakes system for the road courses. Every other part that people state are 1LE specific have been shown to be the same parts used in other Camaros. fuel tank, sender and pump have been found to be used elsewhere. Even GM documentation states that the 1LE came with an upgraded suspension. However, the upgraded suspension was based on what? A base model. The springs, sway bars, bushings, struts, braces, etc are all found on IROC-Zs and later Z28s.

 

At a minimum the 1LE gave you the "Best of the Best" of available parts. At best, you got upgraded parts unavailable to the lesser models. If you wanted to race Showroom Stock (and that's really the primary reason this car exists), this car gave you EVERY advantage. You could not put the 1LE parts on another car and still qualify as stock.

There is no substitute.

 

Didnt the 1LE cars get a special fuel sending unit that had a swinging pick-up that wasnt available on the base cars?

 

Yes. Works like a champ too!

 

I have never seen a swinging pickup. (I have changed a few 1LE pumps)
It was just a fuel pump strainer/sock that was double sided...
89 TTAs, B4Cs and 1LEs used a "1LE" tank and pickup as did ALL 90ish and up to 92 F-cars.
When looking for a fuel tank, get one from a 91-2 with the plastic baffles and you'll have a "1LE" tank..

 

wait - maybe I am wrong but I thought as well as brakes most were AC delete, Dual Cats and performace axle or N10/G92. Yes availbile on other cars but in the yard AC delete, dual cats might be a place to start to see if it has the big front brakes.

 

Not to start an arguement but this is from the 89 camaro tech data on the home page.

1LE package was obtained by ordering the following:

Level 1 IROC-Z with 5.0 TPI engine with 5 speed or 5.7 TPI engine Optional axle ratio (G92) (305/3.45, 350/3.27) and its required options.
Air conditioning delete (C41) (standard heater)

Then the 1LE performance package was installed consisting of:

Fog lamp delete Aluminum driveshaft (JG1) Performance exhaust system (N10) (dual catalytic converters) Special deflected disc shocks Aluminum spare wheel with smaller spare tire (N64) Larger (11.86 inch) front rotors with Girlock or PBR Australian built HD front dual piston aluminum calipers Special swinging fuel pickup in gas tank and special 18 gallon baffled fuel tank for fuel pickup down to .5 gallon reserve to prevent fuel starvation in hard cornering.
Some came with special 16x8 light alloy mesh wheels. (XWL)

Dont know if this data pertains to other years.

 

That information is incorrect and was originally found in print and put up here. No 18 gallon gas tanks have been found either. I have never seen any with "special" rims either. They came with the standard IROC-Z rims.

 

Thanks for clearing up the info scott. I guess some things arent always true.

 

I am curious is Scottmoyer or someone else very knowledgable might know... Could this 18 Gal rating have come from adding the regular 15.5-16 gal to the coulple of gal reduced from the reserve. If so then the tank is the same just the pickup different resulting in a '18 gal tank'. Is this possible or am I putting to much thought into this.

 

My understanding is that due to the baffling some GM media said the the 1LE tank had an extra 15% (or some number like that) fuel "capacity". That was taken as that the 1LE had a bigger gas tank when they it really meant is that because of the baffles the tank had 15% more *usable* capacity because it didn't end up starving for fuel.

I couldn't find the thread on that, but it makes sense.