Two page article in the back of the new Feb 2011 Automobile magazine. Has pictures of a 82 Z28 and a 92 Z28.

 

Maybe Ill find a copy and take a look! And scans of it?

 

ran across that this week what were they valued at ?

 

I was expecting some photo scans, an article link, something!

 

For those who wanted the link. Here ya go. Three pages total.
http://www.automobilemag.com/feature...z28/index.html

 

Nice article overall. I would have to say it was honest and not typical of what most people have to say/think about the third gen camaros.

 

Always good to read articles on our cars, but it really didn't say anything.

But 1300+ 1LEs? Either that's just plain wrong, or it's referring to the total number of cars ordered with deleted A/C, 1LE and others; the way it sounds though, you'd swear it was saying there were over 1300 1LEs across '89-'92, which of course would be wrong.

 

Put that in your 305 pipe and smoke it. They say a lot of things that some of us have been saying for years.

 

Yea Drew, they are only just admitting it.

 

Great article from what I've read so far on it. Thanks for posting the link.

 

A accurate and fair article. Can't ask for anything more. Opinions slowly are changing regarding 3rdGens.

 

I suppose most of the older Camaro's have had this issue of not alot of respect for awhile. The 2nd and 3rd Gen. Camaro's being it. The 1st Gen's are the god's of our legions of F-body's and the 4th Gen's were getting better and better in the block/intake/overall performance department. The 5th Gen's I'm not a big fan of though.

With our 3rd Gen's they do deserve alot of respect for what they were in the 80's, especially the IROC-Z28's with a 350. From 1974 to 1984 there were really no good engines in these cars and then fuel injection with the TPI came in 1985 and revolutionized fuel injection and performance with alot of torque. Then the 350 came in 1987 and made driving a Camaro the best experience since the big block era and the powerful small blocks from the 1st Gen's.

But suspension wise, style, options and a powerful torque engine are some of what makes a 3rd Gen. IROC/Z28 the best car for the money in this line of cars.

 

While that might be true for the Camaro, the Firebird had the SD455 in 74, the W72 400 in 77(or was it 78)-79. And people admitted at the time that the TA was the best handling American car with the WS6. I don't know how or why Chevy didn't keep up with the TA at first, since they ceased Z28 production in 74 only to revive it in late 77. But while the motors were certainly not what they once were (at least until the L69 started to bring back the performance. I don't care what people say but the performance did start to return with that motor), when optioned right, any late 2nd gen and third gen F body can be a blast to drive and handle among the best for their respective periods.

As for the fourth gens...their basic chassis is almost identical to the third gens. Shows what a lil more work can do to a platform. Look at the Fox platform for ford.....I hate to admit it but what they did with a platform that was 30 years old is impressive.

 

Ummm... In 0 to 60 , where it matters, my 5 speed GTA is as quick as a 5.7. Faster from 0 to 30

 

I think it was a very fair, accurate article. I think even 305 powered third gens, by their sheer number, will still command strong money in the future. With TPI, even saddled with an AT and 2.73s or 2.77s, they are still fairly fun, fairly snappy cars around town. If you aren't at a drag strip, a TPI 305 can provide a fun drive. Just my .02...but my demo for work is a 2010 Charger R/T. Is it faster than all my third gens? Absolutely. Do I hop in any of my third gens and feel they're grossly underpowered? Not one bit.

I think anything TPI will pull good money down the road. Regardless, its nice to see the cars getting respect in a national magazine. I know the longer I have my IROC tucked away, bringing it out for 500-800 miles a year, the more the value will climb and the respect it gets will increase.

This weak economy has given me the ability to get my IROC for a good price, and get a low mileage TPI Trans Am cheaper than I ever imagined. With the money I saved, it can get a fresh paint job and look better than new...and I could still sell it for my invested amount. It may be only a 305, but with TPI and some unique options, in a nice color, I think the car will be a fun thing to own, drive and watch appreciate a bit over the years to come.

I feel old to think that third gens are now considered "collectible classics," and not simply performance cars

 

Shoot, people in my general area selling IROC's and fake IROC's want on average $4,500 to $8,000 for their cars and most of those that I've seen on the ad's aren't that special. I paid $4,000 for my L98 350 and it was being sold for $4,500. If I knew I'd have to spend another $300 right after buying it to replace an alternator, battery, wiper blades, etc. then I would've talked the guy down another $300.

I guess what I'm saying is that alot of people selling these cars, especially those with 305's, think that their car is worth alot when it really isn't going to be more worth than a 350. I'll pay $4,500 for a straight bodied, good condition, little to no rust and great running 350 like mine and that's what I got. Would I pay the same for a 305 with auto or manual? No. I'd pay less because of the engine choice and various and other options these came with.

Sorry, I got off track....

 

Hey, I am old like you (class of 86) and I rode in a friends Nissan - GTR (skyline) and I have to say.. after riding in that... any third gen would feel underpowered.. it was a f***in rocket! amazing! we did like 0-80 in around 4 seconds. its like being launched...
I felt so depressed for my third gen after. and yes I have a friend with a GTR.... only one in columbus I have seen. Dark gray.

 

sorry.. just my 2 cents.. they only made 809 TPI GTAs with 5 speed in 88... so I think its worth more, rarity wise. also there is normally a 25% premium for a car with a stick in classic sales with those with similar power. I mean.. 10 HP more for a 5.7 come on... and only 809 GTAs of my year came with 3.45 gears rather than the 3.27 that came with the 350. Nice option

 

Hey, hey...I'm not THAT old...class of '98, here, my friend Anyway, 30 feels old for me, and I still remember looking at IROCs on the lot with my dad when they were brand new...not collector's items! I still remember vividly the Saturday afternoon my mother purchased her '89 RS, brand new. I was 9...so, so long ago!

CamaroIROC,
I wasn't claiming a 305 would be worth more than a 350...unless its an HO 5 speed, it never would be. But, 305s will have some good value to them. I'm not really worried about what some of the higher-mileage, driven-hard examples are running. Certainly, those will increase as well as time goes on.

I paid $3,000 for my Trans Am with 30,000 miles on it...the only real significant thing it needed was a paint job. Sure, I've spent a few hundred tuning it up, changing fluids, etc. Plus, now I need to add an A/C compressor because that froze. But, $3,000 for a tight-driving, 30,000 mile Trans Am? I couldn't be happier...the mileage alone dictates a lot of the usual wearables in these cars will not need to be replaced. Plus, no rattles!!!

 

Yeah, but 10 horsepower is 10 horsepower and that's alot of difference for a TPI engine. Plus there isn't alot of difference in the rear gears when comparing a 3:27 to a 3:45 as opposed to comparing a 3:27 to a 3:73. Now there's a huge difference.