F41eatsFords

I have a friend whose dad bought him an 84 berlinetta a couple years ago. The previous owner (original owner) claimed it was special ordered with a 350. I told them that 350s weren't available in 84, but they argue that "it's possible to order anything from the factory". Mine is an 84 sc with the base 305, now minus emmisions equipment, and a 700r4 (like his). His engine looks exactly like mine did when I first bought it (still has emissions stuff all over). Also, having ridden in his I'm sure mine could beat it. granted his needs (or needed) a tune up (i don't see him that often), but I'm suspicious.

First, I was wondering; it this even possible, to have a special ordered 350 car? Is there a way to tell easily just by popping the hood (numbers, physical details, etc)? It only had 54k when they bought it and it had been stored for like, 10 years, (really good body) so for 2 grand i guess it was still a good deal, but I've always been curious about the claims.

yo soy el warg

Just have him look at his vin# its that simple, but he probably won't do it and give you some excuse. Whatever is his 8th digit will tell you what engine is in it.
1=173ci V6 (LC1)
2=151ci 4cyl (LQ9)
G=305ci V8 (L69)
H=305ciV8 (LG4)
8=350ci V8 none known to exist!

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Ordering anything if you have the green doesnt really apply to thirdgens. It just didn't happen outside of a few GM test cars, and executive cars. Those cars weren't sold to the man on the street.

FireInMe17

My neighbor has a '91 RS that was special ordered with a 454, and I have seen the engine, its all there!

I credit this Camaro with inspiring me with the third gens....after they had me steer it into the garage when the gas tank needed fixing, I knew its what I wanted, and mines no 454, but its still a third gen!

yo soy el warg

Please get his vin# I've yet to see a third gen camaro with the claims for an engine like your talking about. I hear a lot of talk , but no Vin# to ever back it up! Be the first to show me!

FireInMe17

I'll talk to him and get the VIN for you as soon as I talk to him next, if hes like me he can remember the VIN by heart like I can

1G1FP23T0LL117029! WOOHOO!!!

TOM-1LE

It was not possible, at least not from the factory. In addition to the VIN#, look for the emissions decal under the hood. In the upper left corner it will tell you the engine displacement. My guess is that it will say "305 c.i." Although, as yo soy el warg said, when you start asking to see these things your friend will probably back off and start making excuses.

That is even less feasible than having a 350 in an '84 Berlinetta. No 454 was offered from the factory in any Chevrolet passenger car after 1976. If it really is a 454, it was installed after the fact. The VIN#, RPO sticker and emissions sticker will tell the tale.

I've always wondered why some people feel the need to brag their cars up to be something they are not?? They think they are impressing people, but it's only a matter of time before someone knowledgeable calls them on it and leaves them looking like a liar or a fool.

Thirdgen Ranch

iTrader: (5)

There is definitely no such thing as a factory built '91 RS with a 454. It's possible he could have had the dealership install it when it was new but factory didn't do it.

FireInMe17

Hmm...I don't know, he had a TPI intake on it but he went with a simpler set up so he could get rid of all the sensors that are involved for a TPI setup, hes turning it into a drag car for down at Beaver Springs, he repainted the whole thing himself too and its a beautiful car.

I wish I would have taken pictures, but he said that you can order anything from the factory, and the people he bought it from special ordered it with a 454.

If it is a 454 and there were none in passenger vehicles after 1976, then it must have been a tall deck from a truck because I know 454's were available in trucks.

I guess I never did ask him if it was dealer installed because at first I couldn't believe it either, until we walked over to his garage and he showed me.

Guest

That explains a lot right there.

FireInMe17

Yeah Juss sayinnn'......

92RS(real slow)

who would run tuned port on a 454 that would be a total waste

FireInMe17

Thats why he took it off!

calroc

Yeah, I tried to put a TPI on a 454 once. My single plane carb manifold just sucked it up, runners, plenum & all. It came out the exhaust as a polished shiny new nickel.

F41eatsFords

Thanks for the info. he's at school right now, so his dad's having some work done on it over the winter. next time I see it I'll check the vin; don't know why it never occured to me before. He's not the kind of person who'd be a jerk about it; he's already admitted I know way more than he does about our cars. like I said, they're going off of what the previous owner said. I think it's more a case where they wouldn't want to be disapointed, but would rather know the truth than not when it comes to buying parts and stuff. I'd prolly be more prone to believe it if it were a Z28, and not a berlinetta.

One more thing, though; there are a lot of GM workers up in that area. is it possible that the po worked for GM at the time and picked it up at the plant he/she worked at after having a truck motor installed in it there? or maybe that it was a dealer installed thing? I just don't want to completely crush the possibility if there really is a chance. Thanks again.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Man, everytime someone comes up with a thirdgen.org 'big fish' story, my head starts hurting. It always plays out exactly the same. Someone says "well, my cousin's, sister's, brother's, uncle said he knew a guy that bought a Camaro (sometimes Firebird) with twin Pratt & Whitney J58's". Then when someone questions this and points out the reality it's always the same follow up... "Oh, well you could order ANYTHING from the factory if you knew the right person, or guessed which hand the pebble is in". Then the call out for documentation and proof hits the table and either the one of a kind super car is proven wrong, or the poster just never posts again (at least under the same name).

F41eatsFords

Like I said, I'll check the vin next time I see it (prolly won't be til next spring or summer). I'm 99.999% sure it's a base 305 just from looking at it. I'll post back when I know for sure either way. I just wasn't sure at first how to verify and satisfy my own curiosity. Thanks for all your help.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Just get a TPI ish looking big block from a boat an install n car. simple. factory built? no, dealer? very very unlikely unless they have a shop full of racers, spare time and needed a promo car

check link, that would b cool na 3rdgen, heavy but cool..
AND yes it has boat parts on it that wont fit na car.

http://http://www.viciousmarine.com/...g.w560h420.jpg

John in RI

iTrader: (167)

Didn't happen.

Don't even bother looking at the vin ( There IS going to be an "H" there ! ) because the story will quickly chage to "The dealer must have installed the 350....." Just check the back of the block and set your buddy right so he doen't embarass himself to others.

F41eatsFords

can that even be done with the engine in the car? There doesn't seem to be enough room to look between it and the firewall.

Even if it turns out to be a 350, whatever; they're planning on modifying it for drag racing anyways. even if it was "dealer installed" (or installed by po when originally purchased), it doesn't seem they care enough about the "originality" to fight the point tooth and nail. Either way, all the aged parts (suspension, tires, plugs, wires, etc) need to be replaced before it can be any kind of contendor, so if he doesn't do that and decides to go up against anyone, he'll embarass himself regardless of cid.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

You can see the top of the block pretty easily if you're patient. It really doesn't matter though, you can rest assured it's BS without wasting your time. Let them live in ignorance.

87firebird305V8

So u read my story, that is so true lol

siduramaxde

My berlinetta was ordered with a 383. It was on order almost 25 years and it finally got delivered a couple weeks ago. As a matter of fact, I know the guy that was lucky enough to drop the motor in. The factory (AKA my shop) also, at my request, added a full custom exhaust. Just leave it to those guys at the factory.

Mark in Maine

Yah, my car had a single P&W J58 when I bought it, but I was able to track down and reinstall the original L03 . . .

F41eatsFords

But the whole point of this thread was so theey aren't ignorant about it. like was mentioned before, still not right to let them get "corrected", to put it lightly, by some a****** who they don't know and be embarassed about it after. I just wanted to know what to look for so, from their point of view, I'm not just saying so to say so. Why let them get humiliated by some stranger who knows better, and who might not feel the need to back up their point, when a friend can SHOW them why it's a 305 and not a 350, with some amount of tact?

darkhorse91

tell him he's dyslexic and mixed up the 0 and 5 on the order form. that should make him happy

Drew

iTrader: (58)

I understand that, but some people would rather be ignorant then to be proven wrong. Sometimes it's just better to leave em be, then to risk upsetting someone. On the forum we tend to be a bit voracious about it, like a heated game of Trivial Pursuit.

F41eatsFords

meh. they're the "oh, that kinda sucks but good to know" kind of people. either way, gotta wait 'til spring to find out.

F41eatsFords

haha. he's 19, so I doubt he would have ever seen the original order form.