I have an 82 obviously and the more i read on here the more i realize that it seems like they had a lot of year specific parts and alot of carried on parts. So here is what im asking can you tell me about your personal experience not from reading different forums and what not ide like this to help my self and others new to 82 and maybe even do one for every year. Pictures would be very nice as well
Thanks
Kenneth

 

Are you asking what is different between an 82/83 Z28 and later models? Some things I can think of right off the top of my head are:

• Kick plates
• Seat belt retractors (roof vs. sill mount, which is why the kick plates are different than later years)
• SMC hood on Z28s (82 only)
• Dash pad ("flat" front edge vs newer chiseled edge)
• Hatch release switch is a rocker switch vs. slide switch
• Hook style t-top latches vs. 84+ pin-style
• Catalytic converter air pipe
• Z28 emblem on rear bumper does not have Chevy bowtie
• Rear storage container cover missing "grid" inserts from vents (not sure how else to describe this)
• Windshield washer reservoir
• Power window switch - same switch as later models, 82 has UP/DN lettering vs the window icon on later switches
• Exhaust - original exhaust has two resonators with a pipe between them - not sure when this was changed but think it was 82/83 only.

I'm sure there are a lot more mechanical things I'm not remembering.

What's a bummer for anyone trying to make an 82 correct is that most of the 82/83 specific stuff is not reproduced in the aftermarket because the original parts were ultimately superseded by the newer part numbers.

Things like the 82 bumper emblem without the Chevy bowtie aren't available and most places list the one with the bowtie as "correct" for 82, which isn't the case.

 

That's very helpful thank you for the information. Funny thing I actually just called year one about a rear emblem and the guy had no clue about the lack of the bowtie as for the exhaust what do you mean about the pipe between the resonators?

 

The 82 used two resonators (mufflers) with a pipe between them. Here's a pic from a fellow TGO members site who restored his:

 

a few '82 only details i can think of:
-A/C hoses go over engine instead of radiator
-million mile odo
-8-track cartridge player avalible
-last install of super T-10 4spd(also last "old skool"heavy duty stick tranny)
-blue-painted engine
-"real"leather steering wheel and shift ball covering?-seems later is different material?(not totally sure on this)

 

Anybody have a clue why that did the exhaust the way they did? And why the odometer was a million miles and other years didn't have that?

 

The Crossfire injection set up was supposed to be a nod to the old 69 Z28 cross ram set up, so perhaps the use of two resonators was was a similar attempt to pay homage to a true dual exhaust set up.

The cynic in me says that after 82, GM realized the cars were going to last no where near a million miles so they changed the odometer. Seriously, my opinion is that it was likely a cost cutting measure. One less tumbler saved a few cents per car. I did a quick search and found that the 1988 federal regulations stated that odometers only had to read up to 99,999 miles traveled. I didn't dig any further to see if this was in effect sooner, but I'd bet it was. If that's the case, the extra digit would not have been legally necessary so GM probably changed their design to meet the minimum federal requirement and to save a couple bucks. Just a guess.

 

The SMC hood was also available on the 83 cars as was the flat front dash pad. The troop latch style changed a couple times over the entire third gen years. I'm assuming that most of what listed above for 82 should also include 83.

 

the early 82s for both camaro and bird had emblems covering the window crank hole in the door panels on cars with power windows.

 

Mine doesn't have them they are very interesting i guess because mine is a late 82 is why it wouldn't have them?

 

yes that is my understanding i have seen 82s both with and without the emblems but never for 83 and up. this applies to both camaro and bird, then it was either sometime in 83 or 84 that started the map pocket in that spot for power window cars, my 84 had them

 

I always wondered about the manual window crank plug. My car was built in April of 82 and has the logo'd ones. I've seen both logo'd and blank plugs on the '82s and figured it was a mid-year change over.

 

Mine was built in July and it doesn't have them i had never even seen them before

 

I've noticed it seems certain '82 z28s and trans ams had aluminum core radiator while most had copper/brass radiator;my 3/82 built LG4/4spd had copper/brass,while a loaded CFI 4/82 TA i saw had an aluminum core radiator that looked original.A 7/82 CFI z28 i saw had copper/brass that looked original.

 

How would you go about finding out about the radiator? And now that I think about it I saw a picture of an 82 that had window cranks on the door but power window controls in the center console something was obviously off there

 

Parting out my 82 guys if y'all need anything let me know

 

What color interior ?

 

Charcoal gray "leather"

 

Charcoal grey vinyl is more like it.