I've been in and out of the thirdgen scene for a while. Just sold a 85 trans am and am trying to get into a 91-92 Z28. Today I came across the following stuffed in a speed shop barn that had been taken in on trade and have the opportunity to buy it:

1991 Camaro Z28
- red w/black heritage stripes (would those be aftermarket since a 91?)
- 5 speed transmission
- TPI engine (assuming a 305 due to the 5 speed?)
- Hardtop
- 115k miles
- Interior/exterior in good shape

The car is only starting right now when spraying starting fluid into the engine. Assuming fuel pump? But what are your opinions on this car? Due to it's storage situation, I couldn't get the RPO codes today and forgot to get the VIN cause I was a bit involved in the starting issue. Can you vet's here give me a synopsis of what you think the car is and what it's worth?

 

pics are necessary if you want anyone to guess the value of a car over the internet

 

Fair enough. I'll try and get some tomorrow. Any idea if such a combo is rare? Would it be preferred to the usual l98 engine? I like the idea of a 5 speed, so am ok with the 305 - I have just never seen a 91-92 hardtop with a 5 speed. Thought it was kinda cool .

 

 

You couldn't get t-tops with a 5 speed 91-92 Z28 from the factory, so it's not all that rare. Lots of people prefer a 5 speed over the L98/auto. Personally, I don't care for them as the 5 speeds were very weak, and generally can't stand up to the added torque of a 350, which is IMO a must-have upgrade on a 3rd gen if you can afford the swap. If you don't ever plan on doing a 350 swap, the 5 speed is fine. I also prefer t-tops, and since you can't get them or a 350 with a 5 speed on a 91-92 Z28, that's another deal breaker for me personally.

IIRC, you *can* get t-tops and a 5 speed on 91-92 Formulas with TPI, so that's something to consider if you like t-tops and the 5 speed on a non-base later car.

 

More than likely if its been sitting for a while: and it will crank on starter fluid and continue to run, but will not crank and run without it the fuel injectors will need to be replaced. They get sticky and will run decently once you get it running but will not squirt right on the start cycle. I have never been able to get ones in this state back. Also if its been sitting with fuel in the tank personally I would drop the tank, clean it, replace the pump and sock, replace the filter, fuel injectors and put new gas in it (ethanol free if you can find it).

Check the pump relay and make sure the contacts are not melted, its pretty common. There is also a wiring block beside the battery that gets corroded and cause under voltage to the fuel circuit (at least on firebirds)--

So i would negotiate based on the cost of new injectors

 

T tops were available from the factory with the LB9 5 speed combo in 91/92. I have a 92 Z28 with LB9 and 5 speed.

 

Guess the Camaro White Book is wrong then. Wouldn't be the first time...

 

I really wish people would stop perpetuating this mis-information. 95% of the time T5s break when they are abused. I've had 4 heavily modded T5 cars, one with a 375hp 355 and another with a 400hp 350. I'VE NEVER BROKEN A T5. The 400hp car is still on it's original T5, not even rebuilt yet. Go out and abuse a T5 and it will break, just like a junk factory 700R4 will. The fact that anyone thinks a TPI 350 is so much more potent than a TPI 305 (in manual trans tune) is just silly.

 

I'm not saying that a 350 TPI is that much better than a 305 TPI, assuming they're both stock. Let's face it, they're both no-***** junk motors by today's standards. Driving them side by side, you're not going to notice much of a difference, if any at all. All I'm saying is that a 350 is a much better platform for adding performance parts than a 305, if someone wants to go that route. Personally I prefer cars that make more power than stock, but still look stock under the hood, which you can easily achieve with a built 350. While an LS swap is a much better upgrade in general, it's about impossible to do one and still make it look stock.

What was the real reason that they didn't allow 5 speed L98 cars again? Something to do with weight?

 

Does your 1992 with the T-Tops have the G92 3.42 gears or the standard 3.08 gears?

 

Thanks for the information guys. Helped a lot! Also, good amount of interesting reading. Aviator857 your information was particularly insightful. Thanks.

 

It’s not a G92, standard 3.08.

 

As I understood it you could only order the Z28 in 1991-92 with the CC1 T-tops if you didn't order the G92. This was because you got the added weight of the duel-converter exhaust with the G92 package which added extra weight to the car so you couldn't order the T-tops too. This might be incorrect, but that's how I understood it. Does anyone have a G92 package on a 1991-92 Z28 with T-Tops?

 

I agree with everything you just said 100%. I just think people think the T5 is weaker than it really is. I'm not saying it's the best trans out there, but I do think it's a great trans if you're at or below 400hp and you're on street tires. It is a light weight very good shifting manual transmission, and for a street car I think it's a great option. The L98 DID exceed the torque rating of the T5 as issued by Borg Warner, but there are various duty cycle and safety factor variables to account for there. So while it's partially true that a 350 made too much power, that doesn't mean that it's going to break the first time you pop the clutch. I've heard rumors also that GM chose not to pursue emissions certification of the L98/T5 combination, but I don't have data to back that up.

 

Id take a 5spd/ 305 TPI over an auto L98 every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

 

 

No doubt I do agree.. That's why ive swapped almost every 305 ive ever had out with a 350 and about to do another. But.. stock for stock id take the 5spd 305 TPI over the 350/auto for the fun factor, not because I think its faster or better

 

They got it right in the 4th gens making a 350 the only V8 used and LSD being standard on those cars. They just got uglier that's all.