locke577

I've been lurking on this site for years, and just newly became a member, so maybe there's something I'm missing, but it seems like nobody talks about the Berlinettas.

IMHO, they're really cool. Digital dashboard, swivel pod radio, pods to the left and right of the steering wheel for controls. Hell. Mine has power seats and door locks. On an 84!

I can understand that they didn't have the best engines, and that they weren't even that popular, but they're still really cool cars.


So, basically what I'm asking is: Am I the only one here that likes berlinettas, or is everyone just more into the Iroc zeds?


(Also, I just put my LT1/460LE swap in to by berlinetta today)

DrewsCam

iTrader: (2)

Think its just an engine thing bro. For me I liked the accessories but hated the modified look they tried to do with paint and body panels...

locke577

Yeah, but you can always swap the engine (I did). And the body panels are the same, save for a slightly different nose. And you can always repaint.


Also, out of curiosity, what is a fully restored berlinetta worth? Since they're somewhat rarer than other 3rd gens, I'm curious. The sticky thread says nothing about them.

DrewsCam

iTrader: (2)

Given all that you just said wouldn't it be easier to take the dash, pods and everything else inside the car out and transfer it into a z28 with a tpi motor...? Rarity does not mean valuable.What determines somethings worth is what someone would pay for it and its demand..

locke577

It was my understanding that berlinettas were wired differently and that you couldn't just put a berlinetta dash into a z.

Also, you can't put the pods in an iroc zed.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

I wish the History/Originality section had more, Berlinettas, Sport Coupes and V6 cars.

DrewsCam

iTrader: (2)

Where there is the will there is the way. I have transferred everything electronic you have been told you can't into my friends 1985 rs.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Considering that you just swapped out it's drivetrain, the question might be, what do you have against Berlinettas?

LeonardS

No offense, but originally I think the Berlinetta's were marketed toward the female population. It was more about bells and whistles and less about performance and macho looks.

Leonard

locke577

84 Berlinetta LC1 V6 8.5:1 2.8 (173) 107@4800 145@2100

Straight from the tech boards. That's what I've got against them.

Besides, even the Iroc guys are constantly doing a LSx or LTx swap. The 3rd gens had some of the least powerful engines ever to go into a camaro.

I don't think they were marketed towards women. I think it was moreso marketed as a cool "look what we can do, it's like a spaceship" model. It was one of those weird, unique ideas that was a bit ahead of its time, but those who are lucky enough to have one are absolutely in love with them.

DrewsCam

iTrader: (2)

Nice .. open mouth insert foot. I can't believe I missed that opportunity

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Bingo.. "most" girls want bling and don't care about the zing...

locke577

But... But... Sigh. Has anyone posting on this thread ever OWNED a berlinetta?

LeonardS

I sat in one at the Dealership once......but I bought a Z28 instead.

Leonard

White93z34

iTrader: (1)

I think its the same reason why today there are more (or so I'm told) 1969 Z28s and SSs then the General produced in the first place. The high performance/option cars survive and the base models are generally used as a driving appliance then junked/parted out to save the HIPO ones. I think some of what the Berlinettas could get was neat the dashboard and almost all had the deluxe interior. They didn't earn the nick name "Girlenetta" for nothing though, slower engines, softer suspension, nice interior features.

LeonardS

Sometimes I do know what I am talking about......watch this Berlinetta advertisement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQN91okEfYU

White93z34

iTrader: (1)

As much as I like driving my Camaro, she probably should have done something about that bridge problem.

navy02ws6

Other than the ugly front bumper with the holes in it, I actually like Berlinettas for all their standard features, weird digital displays, overhead consoles, and movable pods and such.

Don't get me wrong though, I still totally can't stand the ugly base model (Sport Coupe) cars. Basically I just hate no-option cars.

Apeiron

Exactly, Chevrolet tried to sell the Berlinetta the same way that Pontiac marketed the Firebird.

ZZ3 Z28

Not only was it geared towards female drivers it appealed to owners who enjoyed spending half their life at the dealership since that digital dash was a mechanical nightmare.

.

Phenom-1

To me The berlinetta was always that Camaro for females or for teen beginner drivers. It's that car you and me The Iroc Drivers forget about just like the Firebird V6. The RS to me is a nice car for daily driving a grocery getter run some errands around the neighborhood and The Z28 or Iroc is for the weekend when you just have to GET AS FAR AWAY FROM THE WOMEN AS POSSIBLE !

patricklav

iTrader: (7)

I have nothing against 4 and 6 cylinders (my DD is a 4 cylinder), but to put one of those engines in a sports car, that mainly comes with 8 cylinder engines makes no sense. Ford did the same thing with the 4 cylinder mustang in the 80's, which was one of the most horrific looking/performing cars ever built.

Phenom-1

Yeah haha, but now you can get that v6 firebird or 4cyl 80's mustang for under 2,500 because their all beat up and swap in a killer Engine you get at a steal from Craigslist or from a buddy.

GerryCat09

iTrader: (1)

I think the Berlinettas are cool, I had searched for one for a while, just for the unique features they have. I also really appreciate the base cars as well, doesn't matter who these cars were marketed too in my opinion.

FWIW I think there is a lot of odd biases on this forum for a site that is dedicated to enthusiasts of 3rd gens. There are a lot of complaints about the engine options, lack of power, decisions GM made option wise back in the day...I simply enjoy these cars, from the 2.5s up to the L98s for what they were. Nothing wrong with improving on the 3rd gen with engine swaps etc. but lately these boards seem to be more of a customization resource than a serious enthusiast community...just my $0.02.

Phenom-1

I don't have as many complaints as I do beliefs in the f-body there ate a few select I feel should remain original and not be subjected to alterations because if everybody does it then one day there won't be a completely original example of what it truly was from the factory. I speak of course of the rarest most limited productions cars.

GerryCat09

iTrader: (1)

I'm not talking about everyone here, I think some of the customizations are cool, and not everyone will like a stock car, It just seems to me that for every post on repairing or reconditioning a factory part there are 10 on customizing or swapping parts in from other generations or other types of cars. My point is there are other sites for that stuff. Its kind of like the recent post pointing out all the spray bomb threads...I just see this site going in the wrong direction when every other post is about some hacked up, spray bombed "custom" instead of someone fixing up a car the right way.

I've gotten off track, but this thread kind of brings up the point that there is a lot of subject matter that seems to be lacking, Berlinettas for example, because more recently the general informative quality of threads has dropped.

Back to topic though, locke577 you should post a thread about your car if theres not one already, It would be interesting to see an 84 Berlinetta in general, plus the engine swap and what it took to get everything working with the original cluster, etc. would be an interesting read.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

That's fine. But they were what they were. That being the "luxury GT" version of the Camaro. Personally, I can appreciate them for what they were/are.

But...... you've come to the History/Originality part of the board, asking what anyone has against Berlinettas, when it seems like you, yourself are the one who has something against them.


Just seems weird.

algershick

iTrader: (1)

My first third gen was an '84 Berlinetta. I really did enjoy the styling of the interior and all of the electronic gadgets and pods. Everytime someone saw my interior for the first time, the first question was always about the radio pod. Over the 3 years I owned it, I had failures of the ECU, the Light Control Module, the digital dash unit itself, and had to take apart and rebuild the wiper pod. I sold the car 5 months ago because I was tired of replacing failing components with other, hard to find used components which were going to fail in the same way soon.

locke577

I'll do that now. What board should I put it under, since it's definitely not original/stock?

Andrew James

iTrader: (3)

They have an ugly front fascia in my opinion.

yaj15

iTrader: (3)

I don't think it’s that we have something against them. It is still a thirdgen. You can argue that some of them are better than others. Some people have preference for one specific type of thirdgen or another.

If you like Berlinettas pick one up and enjoy it. The best thing about thirdgens is that they can be kept stock or modified to many different degrees. You can look around on this site and see that. There are modified and stock cars all over the site. These cars have a lot of potential.

Just keep in mind though that the Berlinetta was a luxury / base model. It was supposed to be a car that was below the performance standard of a Z28. Most of the people on here are going to look at a Z28 or IROC first. This is especially true when you look at the Camaros that were made at the same time as the Berlinetta. I think the Berlinettas’ were produced between ’82-’86 if my memory serves me right.

Starting in '83 the performance came back with upgrades for the LU5 and the L69/5-speed/3.73 gears combination became available. The only V8 option I think for the Berlinettas was the LG4.

We also all know that the LB9 became available in '85 in the IROC's and Z28's. This gave the IROC & Z28 crowd a chance to choose between the L69 and the new LB9 in addition to the LG4.

A real sleeper (in my opinion) back then would be if you could get a Berlinetta body and order it with all the upgrades that the IROC's got in terms of suspension and drive train.

There is nothing wrong with a Berlinetta. It's still a thirdgen and you can leave it stock or modify it from mild to wild. You just have to understand the pecking order a little bit. Especially when you look at cars from the time frame when the Berlinettas were produced. Most people are going to look at an IROC or Z28 first.

locke577

Luckily, when my dad bought the car from the dealership back in '84, he ordered it with IROC suspension and handling. As he describes it to me, "I went though and checked all the boxes."

It's a bad *** car, IMHO. There is no cooler feeling to me than having a friend get in, having never been in it before, and see an 84 that has power seats, power windows, power door locks, and power mirrors. Some people flat out don't believe you until you show them. Even then they think you had it added, and that it couldn't have come from the factory like that.

okfoz

I always thought the Berlinetta was a neat car.. Unfortunately I think most people want a car they can say, "Get in, Sit Down, Shut Up and HANG ON!!!"

Personally a Berlinetta with a L98 would have been a Cool car, unfortunately it was never available, for many reasons.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

I'm at that point with my thirdgen interests (or maybe it's just because I'm getting old) that I can enjoy and appreciate any thirdgen that's super clean and in great shape because that in itself has become a rarity. A few years ago at Carlisle I spent more time going over a super clean, low mile unrestored iron duke firebird than I did on any of the IROCs, but from an owner/driver perspective, there's nothing about the Berlinetta that interests me. I hate their appearance because of the lack of ground effects and all the gold/silver trim, and I hate the interiors because they look extremely dated and make it virtually impossible to install a modern stereo into.

ThePain

Omg haha,

"If this is today's Chevrolet, I'm FREEEEEE"

85_ZED28

There were no IROCs in '84.

locke577

Sorry. I meant Z28.

Stevolwevol

iTrader: (1)

Didn't Knight Rider help sell the Berlinetta? All the digital stuff seemed similar to the Kit car. Digital was cutting edge stuff in the 80's.

locke577

Seems like it. I think there was a thread on here somewhere about someone building an exact replica, including a rotary engine.

80schild

iTrader: (5)

The wheels were ugly too. The base steelies looked better.

jrz28

iTrader: (6)

I know Im in the minority, but I love my Berlinetta. I find it more atractive than the "more" desirable 85-90 IROC's and the 91-92 Z-28's. I own a 90 RS vert and I personally find the Berlinetta more attractive. I still have yet to figure out why they get such a bad rap. Everyone has their excuses that they are a "chick" Camaro and they have the digital dash and this and that. It seems that if I had a sports coupe or IROC with the same options I would have a "rare, awesome car," but since it says Berlinetta on the bumpers its huge pile of junk!

locke577

Finally, somebody who agrees. :-D

cIaRmOaCrZo

i love my berlinetta, as well as i love my irocs and rs's. they are all differant and better than eachother in their own ways. they all serve a certain purpose that differ from eachother, and give you differant feelings when driving each of them. no sense in making every single 3rdgen into the same model (absolutely HATE iroc clones)

locke577

What would you qualify as an IROC clone?

jrz28

iTrader: (6)

Is that not why some people buy cars of this generation??? If I wanted a modern car, I would buy a modern car. I am all in to making a car your own, but I really dont understand the 4th gen dash swaps and the "modern" stereos. Buy a 4th gen or a new Camaro if you want those things. Hate is such a strong word. Are you not a moderator on these forums???????

jrz28

iTrader: (6)

I have an 84, you have an 85, both pretty outdated by today standards......

adamemerson

I like the berlinettas always have, never had one tho

ghost91

the seats how the said camaro horizontal like everywhere. i just think its hideous...like if we dont already know its a camaro...the seats can sure as hell tell us haha

Stevolwevol

iTrader: (1)

Can you rephrase this?

locke577

Listen, all of you. I don't understand why everyone has these wars about the different models. It's part of why I made this thread. It's YOUR car. Do what YOU want to it. And then post it here. So I can look at it and get ideas.

If you want to buy a SC and add IROC trim and engine and stuff to it, then doesn't that make it an IROC? If it has all the parts of an IROC, isn't it an IROC?

I've taken my berlinetta and added an IROC hood (soon to be turbo hood), an LT1, and a firebird spoiler. I think it looks brilliant. Because it's MY car. When I'm done with it, it'll be a "frankenmaro", but it will be my car, and I love it. I smile every time I look at it, despite the fact that since I got it five years ago, it's only driven 200 miles.