When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
History / OriginalityGot a question about 1982-1992 Camaro or Firebird history? Have a question about original parts, options, RPO codes, when something was available, or how to document your car? Those questions, answers, and much more!
I didn't notice til about half way thru this thread started 3 years ago, lol! Just curious, are we 100% sure only 88 GTA's had the 350 and t-top? I bought one out of a neighbor's yard a few years back and i seen to recall it had t-top. That's why I bought it at the time...
I didn't notice til about half way thru this thread started 3 years ago, lol! Just curious, are we 100% sure only 88 GTA's had the 350 and t-top? I bought one out of a neighbor's yard a few years back and i seen to recall it had t-top. That's why I bought it at the time...
GTA 350/T-top
1987 - Canada Only
1988 - None ever found or reported confirmed
1989 - Widely available, about 50%
90-92 - None
Years ago when I bought mine and looking and researching I think it was '87 and '89 had the 350/T-top option, all other years 350 cars were hardtop. I didn't know '87 was Canadian only though.... learn something new everyday!!! That's cool.
This might have been covered as I realize this thread is pages long, but why was the Trans am heavier? Aside from the rear spoiler & maybe some interior panels I can't think of much that should have weighed more than the camaro & let the car squeak under the weight limit & the Trans am go over. Was always curious about that. Maybe the extra red instrument cluster lights weighed more.
The Trans Am was heavier:
1 - headlight Assembly
2 - Urethane Ground effects weigh more than the fiberglass on the camaro
3 - Rear spoiler is very heavy compared to Camaro
4 - Extra sound dampening on Trans Am
5 - Different sway bars (some years, although Camaro had wonderbar)
6 - Seats were different.
This might have been covered as I realize this thread is pages long, but why was the Trans am heavier? Aside from the rear spoiler & maybe some interior panels I can't think of much that should have weighed more than the Camaro & let the car squeak under the weight limit & the Trans am go over. Was always curious about that. Maybe the extra red instrument cluster lights weighed more.
Don't be knocking the red dash.. that was extremely cool!!! I owned a Camaro and a TA and GTA and have to say the night look was worth the price of admission
Originally Posted by okfoz
The Trans Am was heavier:
1 - headlight Assembly
2 - Urethane Ground effects weigh more than the fiberglass on the camaro
3 - Rear spoiler is very heavy compared to Camaro
4 - Extra sound dampening on Trans Am
5 - Different sway bars (some years, although Camaro had wonderbar)
6 - Seats were different.
Sounds like they could have done a few things to make it lighter and still had the look.
the ground effects could have been fiberglass and the spoiler could have been made with different material as well.
Don't be knocking the red dash.. that was extremely cool!!! I owned a Camaro and a TA and GTA and have to say the night look was worth the price of admission
Absolutely. First time I drove my 87 at night, I was in awe how lit up everything was!
Absolutely. First time I drove my 87 at night, I was in awe how lit up everything was!
Same with my 86. I had never driven one at night till I ordered it from the factory. Never mind that the car overheated due to the fans not being connected and it had to be towed to the dealership that night.
Red instrument lights are the ideal color for driving at night. It is the same reason why they use red lights when developing pictures, and why they use Red lighting when in a planetarium. Your eyes do not dilate from red light like they do with Purple/Blue/Green/Yellow & orange. So at night time you actually see better with red dash lights than with other colors. I imagine there is also less eye strain...
87-89 could have both
90-92 no 350 T-tops were produced
Its that easy
Actually I had a bone stock 1986 that had a 5.7 with T-Tops built from the factory. Straight from the factory. My uncle and I got into a debate because I pointed out how my registration said it was a 5.7 and he said unless it had a swap that it was impossible, so to settle our debate I went to a Chevrolet dealer and they pulled up the vin because they though it was odd that munchkin registration said it had a 5.7 and sure enough it did. Matching numbers. Idk Who the person was that I bought it from, or How they acquired it, but I do know that car was not sold to the public
Actually I had a bone stock 1986 that had a 5.7 with T-Tops built from the factory. Straight from the factory. My uncle and I got into a debate because I pointed out how my registration said it was a 5.7 and he said unless it had a swap that it was impossible, so to settle our debate I went to a Chevrolet dealer and they pulled up the vin because they though it was odd that munchkin registration said it had a 5.7 and sure enough it did. Matching numbers. Idk Who the person was that I bought it from, or How they acquired it, but I do know that car was not sold to the public
So not only did it have t-tops, it was a 1986 WITH a 350... right....
Actually I had a bone stock 1986 that had a 5.7 with T-Tops built from the factory. Straight from the factory. My uncle and I got into a debate because I pointed out how my registration said it was a 5.7 and he said unless it had a swap that it was impossible, so to settle our debate I went to a Chevrolet dealer and they pulled up the vin because they though it was odd that munchkin registration said it had a 5.7 and sure enough it did. Matching numbers. Idk Who the person was that I bought it from, or How they acquired it, but I do know that car was not sold to the public
I've never had a vehicle registration state the engine displacement. Just checked my vehicle title, too. Nothing there either, not even showing it's a V8...
Actually I had a bone stock 1986 that had a 5.7 with T-Tops built from the factory. Straight from the factory. My uncle and I got into a debate because I pointed out how my registration said it was a 5.7 and he said unless it had a swap that it was impossible, so to settle our debate I went to a Chevrolet dealer and they pulled up the vin because they though it was odd that munchkin registration said it had a 5.7 and sure enough it did. Matching numbers. Idk Who the person was that I bought it from, or How they acquired it, but I do know that car was not sold to the public
So not only did it have t-tops, it was a 1986 WITH a 350... right....
So, what's the VIN?
You don't have to believe me like many others did until they found out other wise. 86 had 5.7s that were mainly given to the automotive press to get the hype going, they were basically promo cars. As a matter of fact the 86 IROC 5.7s had iron heads, instead of the aluminum ones. Do your homework and you'll see. Everyone was saying the same thing as you until I took it to the dealer and they verified that my registration was correct. Just google "86 iroc 5.7 iron head"You can watch this, start it at 6:00 for your reference https://youtu.be/GlfBDeurWu4
These guys replying to you could write a book about these cars. They simply want to see some proof.
Seems to me that if you had the car you'd have some sort of documentation and would be eager to provide it. You state having to argue about the car's existence back then, so you'd know the car wasn't normal.
I could be wrong, but I would have expected a VIN that didn't have an 8 for the engine code. Such as the car originally being a 305 with a 305 VIN that was simply swapped with a 350.
These guys replying to you could write a book about these cars. They simply want to see some proof.
Seems to me that if you had the car, you'd have some sort of documentation to provide. You state having to argue about the car's existence back then, so you knew the car wasn't normal so I'd think you'd have some documentation and be eager to provide such details.
I could be wrong, but I would have expected a VIN that didn't have an 8 for the engine code. Such as the car originally being a 305 with a 305 VIN that was simply swapped with a 350.
I had the car over 2 decades ago in 1994. The 1986 5.7s came with Iron heads and Iron exhaust manifolds. I'm not trying to prove to you that I had one because you will never believe me just like when no one believed me when I was 16 years old. My whole point is that the 1986 5.7s are real and we're not sold to the public. They were basically promo cars
I had the car over 2 decades ago in 1994. The 1986 5.7s came with Iron heads and Iron exhaust manifolds. I'm not trying to prove to you that I had one because you will never believe me just like when no one believed me when I was 16 years old. My whole point is that the 1986 5.7s are real and we're not sold to the public. They were basically promo cars
Post. The. VIN.
Once you do that we'll believe you.
You are not the first to make this claim, however, you post the VIN you will be the first to do that. There are also claims of 350 5-speeds and 1986 GTAs, yet somehow they've never appeared either.
Oh sweet, sweet lil baby Jesus. Can we please just lock this thread before it goes completely bonkers?
It's been decades and not one single authentic 86 5.7L car has ever been documented on this forum. If anything the community here has proven exactly what was and wasn't built, and members have gone out of their way to obtain and document those cars.
If the stupid thing ever existed, one of the usual suspects here would have a file of photos, nice clear photos of the cars, copies of build sheets, and probably the car sitting in their driveway. We even have documentation on real concept cars, and factory test vehicles that were sold by GM. But not so much as a Patterson–Gimlin film of a real 86 5.7L car in the wild.
With respect, either back up your claims with documentation, or get lost.
You don't have to believe me like many others did until they found out other wise. 86 had 5.7s that were mainly given to the automotive press to get the hype going, they were basically promo cars. As a matter of fact the 86 IROC 5.7s had iron heads, instead of the aluminum ones. Do your homework and you'll see. Everyone was saying the same thing as you until I took it to the dealer and they verified that my registration was correct. Just google "86 iroc 5.7 iron head"You can watch this, start it at 6:00 for your reference https://youtu.be/GlfBDeurWu4
Pssst.... F-Body TPi cars, all of them, regardless of year, came with iron heads.
When you can, please post pic of vin or SPI label. We'll wait. Thanks
Well, there were aluminum headed 5.7 TPI's in 1986, but they were in corvette convertibles.
But to tell people here to do there homework with these claims is very bold. There are members here that could probably tell you the first color iroc off the assembly line while reciting every RPO available. A couple of them worked for GM in the Era.
Before taking this any further, I would say the same thing as others mention above. If you can post even the Vin, not only would it confirm a car that should not exist, it would make whomever owns it now a very rich person.
Anything short of a Vin or SPID decal is a moot point imo.
I don't know guys. He owned the car when he was 16 and had to prove what it was. That should say something. I would like to know what part of the registration was used to verify that the car had a 350. All you need to do is to provide some proof of this car's existence.
You keep saying that these were promo cars and not sold to the public, yet you, at 16, being part of the public had one. If they weren't sold to the public, they can't legally be registered to be driven on the streets. We do know that some existed as test mules, but your claim that they were different because they had iron heads and iron exhaust manifolds just described every Camaro 350 during the 3rd gen run.
And Drew, we can't lock this thread as it may be the ONE.
I had the car over 2 decades ago in 1994. The 1986 5.7s came with Iron heads and Iron exhaust manifolds. I'm not trying to prove to you that I had one because you will never believe me just like when no one believed me when I was 16 years old. My whole point is that the 1986 5.7s are real and we're not sold to the public. They were basically promo cars
if you could post some documentation about it that would make you a hero....I know it may be difficult since this was 20 years ago. Also, I think the promotional cars did not have AC because that was still being engineered so there is another way to jog your memory.
At the very least, if you truly had a 86' with the 5.7 and if I was in your shoes, I would be taking the day off work or the week, and doing everything I possibly could to track this car down and get it back. Being a prototype year, only a handful made and not sold to the public would make this a very desirable car worth big money......better go find it.
I think he scurried, He was a new member, not holding my breath for him to come back with some hard evidence either... Granted I do not have VINs from all of the cars I have owned over the years, missing my 77 Buick Electra, and my 83 Buick Rivera... but I do have the rest of them...
I love the: I had one, and I could prove it, but I won't because I don't care what you guys think response. Typically it's in response to certain members being, meeny magpie doo doo heads.
My fellow doo doo heads, Weren't all the 86 350 test cars vin'd as 305 cars then the motor swapped out anyway? So how could the vin show that info anyway?
I love the: I had one, and I could prove it, but I won't because I don't care what you guys think response. Typically it's in response to certain members being, meeny magpie doo doo heads.
Typically Scott and Drew.
Hey now! I represent that remark!!!!
I believe the cars were 305 VIN'd cars, which further makes it difficult for him to prove anything. The vehicle registration wouldn't show anything about the engine, only the VIN. If the VIN on the '86 registration showed an "8", and it passes the check digit test, then we may be on to something.
My question though, is, if you are trying to prove that you have a "test" car in your possession, why would you get rid of the car when you know how unobtanium it is? What did this supposed owner use the car for? Again, all test cars and promo cars received a title that didn't allow them to be registered, in any state!
Now, back to the rest of our fellow magpie doo doo heads. And for the record, I learned a lot of what I know about 3rd gens from Drew, so maybe he's the doo doo head and I'm just repeating what he said.
Oh sweet, sweet lil baby Jesus. Can we please just lock this thread before it goes completely bonkers?
It's been decades and not one single authentic 86 5.7L car has ever been documented on this forum. If anything the community here has proven exactly what was and wasn't built, and members have gone out of their way to obtain and document those cars.
If the stupid thing ever existed, one of the usual suspects here would have a file of photos, nice clear photos of the cars, copies of build sheets, and probably the car sitting in their driveway. We even have documentation on real concept cars, and factory test vehicles that were sold by GM. But not so much as a Patterson–Gimlin film of a real 86 5.7L car in the wild.
With respect, either back up your claims with documentation, or get lost.
Instead of getting all upset, why don't you do your homework yourself. Do you want to just think you're right or do you actually want to go out and investigate it and figure it out yourself. You can be stubborn and set in your ways, or you can go do your homework, research the facts and be educated. Some people are perfectly fine being stuck in their ignorance. If you don't want to do your homework and actually look it up then I've got nothing else to say to you.
if you could post some documentation about it that would make you a hero....I know it may be difficult since this was 20 years ago. Also, I think the promotional cars did not have AC because that was still being engineered so there is another way to jog your memory.
At the very least, if you truly had a 86' with the 5.7 and if I was in your shoes, I would be taking the day off work or the week, and doing everything I possibly could to track this car down and get it back. Being a prototype year, only a handful made and not sold to the public would make this a very desirable car worth big money......better go find it.
Are you kidding me? I was a kid in 1994-1995 when I had that car? As a kid I honestly didn't even car about that car, so it was nothing to brag about. All I'm saying is they existed and I know with my experience first hand, because when I saw my registration I thought it was off, and my family member who swore he knew everything just like you obviously think you do swore it was a 5.0 because he said they didn't exist in 86 so my dad and I took it to the Chevy dealership and they're the ones that told us everything. Even then we didn't think it was big big deal. We didn't get into production numbers because I didn't care about that as a 16 year old kid in 1995, I was more into females and newer cars like the Ram-Air to be honest, I just wanted to get to the bottom of it to see if my uncle was right or if I was right. I was trying to share my knowledge and experience with you guys, but then for some reason people think I'm trying to brag about it or something like that. I don't brag about cars that I have had, I share experiences, that's it. I thought thats what this forum was about, but if people want to think I'm lying about a vehicle that I sold over 20 years ago then that's their issue not mine.
Instead of getting all upset, why don't you do your homework yourself. Do you want to just think you're right or do you actually want to go out and investigate it and figure it out yourself. You can be stubborn and set in your ways, or you can go do your homework, research the facts and be educated. Some people are perfectly fine being stuck in their ignorance. If you don't want to do your homework and actually look it up then I've got nothing else to say to you.
I'll tell you something, Drew knows his stuff. But since you've piqued our interest maybe you should try and work with us. The folks on this page right now can be considered world experts on 3rd gens. You have our attention. Don't waste this opportunity.
Gotta admit, unsubstantiated claims of 5.7L 86 Irocs, give me rage induced blackouts. They're the super-cringey kind of non-car-enthusiast, BIG FISH story, told around the opened hood of your buddy's cool new car. Some blithering idiot desperate for some attention says something so monumentally stupid that it sends you into an epileptic episode.
Noteworthy examples I've heard
- Sixties Dodge cop cars all came with superchargers.
- my put a marine cam in his 4cyl Blazer, it popped into gear, drove into a lake, and kept running underwater.
- in the 80's my brother's, sister's, uncle's third cousin, twice removed, nextdoor neighbor's penpal's crush had a 84 Z28 with a quad-turbocharged LT5 ZR1 engine out of a Vette because her dad was friends with the guy who went to sleepaway camp with the second cousin of the chick who was working at the McDonalds cross the street from the Pontiac dealer. If you know the right people, you could order anything you want.
- I had a 5.7L 86 Camaro, it was one of those 50 test cars you read about all the time.
Honestly, if, and I mean BIG if... If GM built more than a couple 5.7L 86 Camaros for prototyping, and showing off to the magazines, etc. I'd expect that they wouldn't have conventional VIN numbers anyway. They wouldn't be legal to sell to anyone since they weren't EPA approved. When the powers that be were finished with the car for whatever reason, they wouldn't have been sold to execs or gifted to the King of Siam, the car would have been destroyed as a tax credit, or repurposed for the next test. At one time or another, GM had warehouses full of test and concept cars, including notable one-of-a-kind thirdgens. Test mules, prototypes, etc. Some of those notable cars have been documented here, some have had their scrapping documented here. Some even made it to Barrett-Jackson several years ago. But strangely with all those magazine articles, and cars that escaped the guillotine, there's never been a single 86 5.7L Iroc documented after those first few magazine test cars.
The myth of the 86 5.7L Iroc starts at the car rags of the time. Like all good myths based in a hint of truth, someone said something, that was probably heard wrong, or plans changed, but once Motor Trend puts something in print, it dies hard. Factor in the "every small block Chevy is a 350" mentality of meatheads, the cheap cost of 5.7L stickers and emblems, and "Oh man, why didn't you get a 350?", and by the dawn of the internet, 86 5.7L cars were EVERYWHERE.
So really, not trying to be mean, or rude, just trying to keep the record straight.
Son, my bodily waste contains more thirdgen knowledge than you.
My Thirdgen specific reference library, just the physical printed material I have on file, almost certainly weighs more than you.
If you want anyone to believe your full retard claims, all you have to do is show your own research. But you won't, and you can't, because regardless of what you believe, you didn't own a factory built 86 5.7L Iroc.
I don't brag about cars that I have had, I share experiences, that's it. I thought thats what this forum was about, but if people want to think I'm lying about a vehicle that I sold over 20 years ago then that's their issue not mine.
This forum is not about just sharing "experiences". It's also about sharing information. Anyone on the Internet can make claims and statements and write fiction. This section in particular is about documentation. There's plenty of questions and less answers.
You claim to have had a 1986 5.7L ThirdGen from the factory. Post the VIN. If the car really is a 5.7L 1986 ThirdGen from the factory, it is worth tracking down to find out the history of the car.
As some have said, including myself, it was my understanding the cars had the 305 from the factory and was selected for the 5.7 upgrade for internal testing. So it would seem to me the VIN would not indicate an 8 for the 5.7L.
Also, how did you end up with a car that you say was not meant for the public? Who did you know? Where did the car come from?
I was just telling people my experience and that was it. I wasn't trying to boast or brag or anything of the sort. I was just telling you guys my experience and I feel like everybody's jumping on my case and telling me I'm lying for something that I went through. people don't have to believe me, because it doesn't change the fact of what I experienced. I feel like people are grabbing their torches and pitchforks. It's the exact same argument I had with one of my family members over what a little 5.7 on a registration meant, and I took it to the dealer and they verified it. Even then as a kid I wasn't looking at rarity, I was looking at it as a "See, I told you so moment" to prove the other person wrong. And I remember them saying that the numbers all matched so the engine wasn't swapped. But if people don't believe me that's fine, I just know now that I can't share my experiences without people calling me a liar. In all honesty As a kid I didn't care if it was a 5.0, 5.7, or even 6.0 for that matter, all I was saying is that the 86 5.7 do exist and I gave the story of what I went through. And it's funny how people say let me see the van let me see the vin after I said that was over 20 years ago LOL I wasn't thinking about keeping Vin numbers in high school, I was thinking about keeping track of girls phone numbers written down napkins. Lol
I was just telling you guys my experience and that was it. I wasn't trying to boast or brag or anything of the sort. I was just telling you guys my experience and I feel like everybody's jumping down my case for something that I went through
Well, who or how did you get that car? Who did you buy it from?
It's cool man. A lot of kids believed in a jolly fat man riding reindeer delivering toys to all the good boys and girls. That's an experience, doesn't mean it's factual.
It's cool man. A lot of kids believed in a jolly fat man riding reindeer delivering toys to all the good boys and girls. That's an experience, doesn't mean it's factual.
True, but I'll believe what my registration said, and the reps at my Chevrolet dealer who actually looked it up, before I believe some random guy name Drew who would rather sit online argue with a stranger then do his homework
I can understand those who questioned you because you have not be willing to provide the information that was asked. Posting a VIN? Answering how you obtained a car that was apparently not supposed to be sold to the public? Where the car came from? Who did you know? Instead, we keep hearing several homework references.
But what I can't understand is why there is no effort made to provide the requested information that would not only prove others wrong, but to also help the community document these cars. I don't think this is really a story time section as much as a documentation section. I personally don't believe you had a 1986 ThirdGen with the 5.7L from the factory. You have the ability to make me and others wrong if what you say is true. But that probably won't happen. That doesn't mean I'm calling you a liar as you claim. But you would have been 15-16 and it's possible the car was not what you thought or recall - especially since you said you didn't care about the car then.
Originally Posted by RDPrime
True, but I'll believe what my registration said, and the reps at my Chevrolet dealer who actually looked it up, before I believe some random guy name Drew who would rather sit online argue with a stranger then do his homework
they wouldn't have conventional VIN numbers anyway. They wouldn't be legal to sell to anyone since they weren't EPA approved.
That's always the end all be all of this discussion. It couldn't legally exist. ...and let's be clear, we're talking about the VIN. No VIN could legally show an 86 with a L98/350. Not because Drew said so or ever some magazine. It legally HAD to be certified with the EPA (and it wasn't). which was an extensive and expensive undertaking.
Did your local Chevy dealer tell you it was a 5.7 numbers matching? Maybe, heck, how would I know? Doesn't mean they were right. Just because they punch a clock for Chevy doesn't make them above a mistake. OR....maybe you misheard or misunderstood some details. Heck, you were only 16, and it was 20 years ago.
But I'm telling you....it legally couldn't have possibly been an actual VIN'd 86/350 car. It's a fact. No homework needed.
Just curious, as part of the homework that was suggested by RDPrime, are we by chance talking about some of the old magazines that had articles about the 350 Irocs in late 86? I do recall those articles that later turned out to be debunked, bad info articles.
Otherwise for the life of me I can't think of any other research that would support the cars existence from a homework perspective. If I was seriously trying to research anything 3rd gen, I would be messaging between the members that are all joined in this very discussion before I would trust anything else. I know that sounds biased, but spend enough time here & eventually I think you might feel the same way........
True, but I'll believe what my registration said, and the reps at my Chevrolet dealer who actually looked it up, before I believe some random guy name Drew who would rather sit online argue with a stranger then do his homework
RDPrime - Not sure how long you have been on this site or how much research you have done on the site but as one of the somewhat newer guys here I suggest you give these guys the respect they deserve. After doing a lot of homework on this site it's my opinion the regular contributors of this forum are indeed the worlds foremost experts on 3rd gen F-body cars. This site is a treasure trove of information offered up by these experts. I have been involved heavily with 3rd gens since 1985 but my knowledge only scratches the surface of what some of the other guys here know about the cars, production, statistics, data, etc. - In the words of Mr. Miyagi - wax on, wax off - Once you have been here a while you will you will understand Grasshopper.
I'll tell you guys one thing, if I thought I owned a 5.7, '86 IROC, I'd move heaven and earth to find it's current whereabouts and then secure it for myself if at all possible.
Then, I'd give someone like Dennis Collins a call and come up with a commensurate price.
05-24-2017, 10:27 PM
Can we please just lock this thread before it goes completely bonkers? 
They're the super-cringey kind of non-car-enthusiast, BIG FISH story, told around the opened hood of your buddy's cool new car. Some blithering idiot desperate for some attention says something so monumentally stupid that it sends you into an epileptic episode. 
