I'm looking down all the parts for sale and parts wanted,and I wonder which of these parts are the same on all model years and where dose the firebird and camaro go in difrent directions.It's not all spelled out in the tec data,and there are all kinds of threads to go through.LIKE headlights for firebird,they all the same 82-92 or not.In looks.t-tops 82-92 firebird and camaro??Rear decks all the same less spoilers?Inside plastic?Know what I mean? Any one else wonder about this?Bobby

 

as far as firebird and camaro, the differences are everything including the front nose/headlights, the dashboard, the rear bumper/spoiler, and ground effects.

if you read through the years on the tech data it will tell you what changes (if any) were made each year i.e, the dashboard for the camaro changed a bit in 83 or 84. different ground effects starting in 85, louvers on the hood of the irocs, guage cluster changes in 90 or 91, along with the steering wheel since they were now equipped with airbags.

 

Body parts wise, the Camaro and Firebird have the same doors, glass, roof, and decklid (assuming both cars don't have spoilers, cause Camaro and Firebird never shared spoilers).

Interior shares more parts... The seats, door panels, and dash are all specific either to the Camaro or Firebird.

Drivetrain is really about the only part that are virtually identical, except when you get into the TPI cars the battery and air intake is different between the Camaro and Firebird.

As far as 1982 parts being the same as a 1992, not really much that is the same. GM changed the special blend of eleven herbs and spices every couple years to keep things interesting. In general, you can usually break it down to large changes... 1982-84 are usually pretty similar. The same applies to 85-87, 88-89, 90 is a crossover year that can be grouped with 88-89 for body, or 91-92 for interior and drivetrain. You've almost got to take each part into consideration.

Headlight assemblies on a 82 are only the same up until about 84, when the headlight motors wiring changed. 87 the motors changed. 91 the bulbs, bezels, doors, etc changed.

The t-tops changed in 85? or 86? The early tops have a steel edge around the glass and hook latches. They changed again a couple times before the end of production in 92.

Decklids I already mentioned...

Plastics... The door sills are 82 only, everything else is basically the same up until 85 when they added the pull down hatch motor, and 88 when cars started getting rear shoulder belts. Some of the parts cross over, some don't. Options dictate differences from car to car more then year to year.

I've mentioned it before, but I'll point it out again... An 82 Trans Am is only a good parts car for another 82 Trans Am, maybe up until 84 at the latest, but later cars can't use hardly any of the parts off that car.

 

Cool summary Drew...only thing I can add is that 89 was the first year for rear shoulder harnesses, not 88. My 88 has lap belts in the rear.

 

thanks,I guess car shows and looking at all the third gens as close as I can when chance comes along with doing my home work on this web site.I will reflect back on your post for a while till I get it down in my old thick skull.Bobby