1982 Pace Car is Home
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 8,463
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From: Florida
Car: 87 IROC-Z, 82 Pace Car
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
Drew, I agree. The suspension upgrades BETTER improve it's handling. That's the whole point.
As for the engine, I'd love to drop in a crate engine, but the cost isn't in my budget. I have a son in college! I did look at some crate engines and found that a complete 350ci/300hp engine could cost around $3k. And of course, the cost goes up as I increase the hp. The best option is to build an engine, but I still have to acquire a good block and hope that I'm not wasting money on a cracked block. So, since I don't need 400 plus hp out of this car, I figure I'll just beef up what's there and make it more enjoyable as a cruiser. That's all it will ever be, anyway.
As for the engine, I'd love to drop in a crate engine, but the cost isn't in my budget. I have a son in college! I did look at some crate engines and found that a complete 350ci/300hp engine could cost around $3k. And of course, the cost goes up as I increase the hp. The best option is to build an engine, but I still have to acquire a good block and hope that I'm not wasting money on a cracked block. So, since I don't need 400 plus hp out of this car, I figure I'll just beef up what's there and make it more enjoyable as a cruiser. That's all it will ever be, anyway.
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 12,223
Likes: 1,148
From: Il
Car: 1989-92 FORMULA350 305 92 Hawkclone
Engine: 4++,350 & 305 CIs
Transmission: 700R4 4800 vig 18th700R4 t56 ZF6 T5
Axle/Gears: 3.70 9"ford alum chunk,dana44,9bolt
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
You could do a vortec 350 truck engine, quick freshen, flat top pistons, decent cam and cleanup heads on a serious budget.. Done correctly, I bet you could double the HP fairly easy.
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,629
Likes: 17
From: Somewhere
Car: 88 IROC
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 3.73
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
Scott, Yearone makes a great 400 hp horse crate motor that would drop right in for $3,200. A couple of guys here in AZ have it and it’s a real tire burner. It actually has the GM hot cam in it with Vortec heads. I plan on using it for my next motor swap project.
https://www.yearone.com/Product/1982-02-camaro/ct350pc1
https://www.yearone.com/Product/1982-02-camaro/ct350pc1
Last edited by burnout88; Sep 25, 2018 at 09:52 PM.
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From: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
Scott, Yearone makes a great 400 hp horse crate motor that would drop right in for $3,200. A couple of guys here in AZ have it and it’s a real tire burner. It actually has the GM hot cam in it with Vortec heads. I plan on using it for my next motor swap project.
https://www.yearone.com/Product/1982-02-camaro/ct350pc1
https://www.yearone.com/Product/1982-02-camaro/ct350pc1
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,629
Likes: 17
From: Somewhere
Car: 88 IROC
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 3.73
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
Valve lift:.520"
Duration @ .050" (int/exh): 218deg/228deg
Lobe separation 112
Supreme Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,629
Likes: 17
From: Somewhere
Car: 88 IROC
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 3.73
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 8,463
Likes: 218
From: Florida
Car: 87 IROC-Z, 82 Pace Car
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
The rest of those mentioned components were recently replaced. I need to check on the brand, but my father replaced a bunch of parts before I got the car.
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 9,941
Likes: 641
From: Chicagoland
Car: 1989 IROC-Z. Original owner
Engine: LB9. Dual Cats. Big Cam
Transmission: World Class T-5
Axle/Gears: BW 3.45
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
You'll feel the difference with the Wonderbar, for sure.
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,984
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From: North Central Indiana
Car: 86 IROC
Engine: 383
Transmission: TKO 600
Axle/Gears: 3.54 Dana 44 IRS
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
Scott have you shopped for any low mile L83 corvette engines? 84 Corvettes are practically given away these days, I'd imagine an engine and ECM should be pretty easy to find?
Last edited by 1MeanZ; Sep 28, 2018 at 12:36 PM.
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 582
Likes: 205
From: DFW
Car: 90 Formula 350
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: Dana 44 3.54
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
Scott, I just read most of this and Its cool to see an early 3rd get respect they came a long way in 10 years of them! I was surprised that its T-10 4 speed- didnt know thought they were 5 speeds! As nice and easy as upgrades are you gotta save the OE stuff cause in 20-30 years it will matter, keep going looks great so far! I used to own a 69 Pace car in the 80's, yeah still kicking myself keep us updated
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From: New England
Car: 1988 IROC Z Convertible
Engine: 305 TPI (LB9)
Transmission: 700 R4
Axle/Gears: G80 GU2
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
Drew, I agree. The suspension upgrades BETTER improve it's handling. That's the whole point.
As for the engine, I'd love to drop in a crate engine, but the cost isn't in my budget. I have a son in college! I did look at some crate engines and found that a complete 350ci/300hp engine could cost around $3k. And of course, the cost goes up as I increase the hp. The best option is to build an engine, but I still have to acquire a good block and hope that I'm not wasting money on a cracked block. So, since I don't need 400 plus hp out of this car, I figure I'll just beef up what's there and make it more enjoyable as a cruiser. That's all it will ever be, anyway.
As for the engine, I'd love to drop in a crate engine, but the cost isn't in my budget. I have a son in college! I did look at some crate engines and found that a complete 350ci/300hp engine could cost around $3k. And of course, the cost goes up as I increase the hp. The best option is to build an engine, but I still have to acquire a good block and hope that I'm not wasting money on a cracked block. So, since I don't need 400 plus hp out of this car, I figure I'll just beef up what's there and make it more enjoyable as a cruiser. That's all it will ever be, anyway.
I love the Third Gen pace cars. They are elegant and Iconic. Especially the 82. I feel like Chevy promoted that one well and I remember seeing pictures of it a lot so It’s like seeing a celebrity (person, not the car) when I see one.
Beautiful cars, both of them!
Side note from earlier discussion:
I love Simple Green for tire cleaning. Pretty much anything that isn’t painted or glass. It doesn’t seem to damage wheels like some of the stuff in the 80s/90s did. Even diluted it works great. I don’t clean wheels with it, but the overspray washes away fine.. I clean wheels the same way I clean paint pretty much and don’t let them get too dirty. Most wheels have some finish or clear on them so always careful of that.
I like a little tire dressing, but tire dressing looks like crap if you don’t get the tires really clean first. Sometimes I won’t dress the tires as well. I appreciate both looks. With white letters you don’t really need dressing either IMO
Also, I’m sure the front end upgrades will be quite nice! I remember in my old IROC how much a difference those little upgrades made.
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From: North Central Indiana
Car: 86 IROC
Engine: 383
Transmission: TKO 600
Axle/Gears: 3.54 Dana 44 IRS
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
No, they had the same 165hp LU5 or 145 LG4 the regular Z28s had.
EDIT: do you mean the actual car that paced the race? I think that did have a modified carbureted 350 but I've never heard confirmation of that. I'm sure someone on this forum can correct the record there.
EDIT: do you mean the actual car that paced the race? I think that did have a modified carbureted 350 but I've never heard confirmation of that. I'm sure someone on this forum can correct the record there.
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,376
Likes: 7
From: Northern California - Bay Area
Car: 1988 IROC-Z
Engine: L98 - full intake & exhaust boltons
Transmission: Bowtie 700r4, 2400 rpm stall
Axle/Gears: Borg-Warner 9bolt, 3.45 gears, posi
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
From the information I have read the cars that paced the race all had modified 350's with 3-speed automatics.
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
Car: 82 Z28
Engine: 305
Transmission: BW T-10
Axle/Gears: 3.23
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 2,406
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From: New England
Car: 1988 IROC Z Convertible
Engine: 305 TPI (LB9)
Transmission: 700 R4
Axle/Gears: G80 GU2
Thread Starter
Moderator
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 8,463
Likes: 218
From: Florida
Car: 87 IROC-Z, 82 Pace Car
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
Well, I thought I had a cool find, but I lost it!! I found the original rubberized CAMARO license plate that I mentioned earlier and I was waiting for it to arrive. I got an email from the seller stating that the post office lost the plate and they refunded his shipping costs and he refunded my purchase. Crap! I wanted that plate. On the search for another now.
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 9,941
Likes: 641
From: Chicagoland
Car: 1989 IROC-Z. Original owner
Engine: LB9. Dual Cats. Big Cam
Transmission: World Class T-5
Axle/Gears: BW 3.45
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
It was a 250+ hp, Crossfire equipped, aluminum 350.
http://www.indypacecars.com/1982/pressrelease2.html
Last edited by chazman; Oct 1, 2018 at 09:12 PM.
Re: 1982 Pace Car is Home
You could get a 4 bolt main, one piece rear seal professionally built shortblock for about a grand, then piece together the top end as money allows.
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