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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!
The airbag is a bummer, but the Camaro cluster in 90-92 is a huge upgrade. It only took them 4 years to catch up with the Firebird in that regard. Unfortunately on the Firebirds the airbag blocks the view of the bottom 1/3rd or 1/2 of the speedometer and tachometer. The Camaro didn't have that problem because they designed the cluster to only use the top half of the gauges.
I’ve never driven a 91/92 Thirdgen... I actually wish I could compare how they feel...
I never cared for the interior updates and the airbag... I did like the leather seats and the exterior...
They do actually seem to feel a little tighter all around. I had a 92 Z28, hard top, LB9, 5 speed for a while and LOVED that car. I think my 1990 feels as tight. I really don't have any weird rattles, etc in this car, either.
I didn't really care for the newer interior at first, either....but after owning a couple of them, I've actually grown to like them. Now when I climb in an 89 and older car...they feel way older. I guess i appreciate the changes over the years....it'd be pretty boring if they were all the same. I really don't have an interior preference anymore. I think they're all pretty frickin RAD
Yep they made them. Only pic I could find. I think they made a few for the 86 Players series. I'd have to go and look at all the Vins and RPOs to tally it.
Photo Credits - Gridworks!
If compnine is to be believed, 7 86 L69s were code 51 yellow.
They do actually seem to feel a little tighter all around. I had a 92 Z28, hard top, LB9, 5 speed for a while and LOVED that car. I think my 1990 feels as tight. I really don't have any weird rattles, etc in this car, either.
I didn't really care for the newer interior at first, either....but after owning a couple of them, I've actually grown to like them. Now when I climb in an 89 and older car...they feel way older. I guess i appreciate the changes over the years....it'd be pretty boring if they were all the same. I really don't have an interior preference anymore. I think they're all pretty frickin RAD
Don’t get me wrong... If I found a black or flame red 5-speed 1990 IROC I’d find a way to get it even without any income right now! I’d love to have those full leather seats..
Its not that I don’t like it as much as I love the 80s interior and that’s what takes me back to the cars I owned and reminds me of the first IROC I sat in...
Compnine's database just has the Canadian A4Q Players cars. There were allegedly 10 or 11 more 86 L69s that weren't race cars. About 10 years ago I had a contact I had within GM try to find out anything he could about them, he did find a guy that remembered them but not much else. I've always thought that would be a 3rd gen holy grail of sorts!
There are quite a bit of responses to your question, and that’s cool.I’ll try to be brief with my thoughts.
- Yellow is rare but definitely an attention getter.
- it may have been a special order
- Sentimental cars are usually maintained well
Last edited by johnw999; Apr 17, 2020 at 03:33 AM.
And I have an opinion about rigidity. I used to own an ‘89 Iroc, and it creaked like crazy. My ‘84 Trans Am seems more solid. Both cars have T-tips. Weird
Last edited by johnw999; Apr 17, 2020 at 03:36 AM.
A lot of the noises and perception can be cured by replacing worn and dried out rubber. Weatherstrips, window stop bumpers, the foam rubber inside the dash. It's not uncommon to find loose hardware, retaining clips, etc. Probably 90% of the thirdgens I've owned had been taken apart and reassembled wrong by previous owners. Almost always the spare tire, jack, and related hardware is incorrectly stowed. Most of those issues can be corrected. But other things, like all the metal on metal push rods and keepers in the doors vs the plastic clips on later cars, and improvements in body construction and updates to the weatherstripping, t-top latches, door latches, etc are just par for the course with early cars. That's before you fight with things like V-belts vs serpentine, the hard stainless steel AIR injection crossover pipe around the back of the engine vs the molded rubber hose on later cars, or the rat's nest of hoses around the front of the engine on really early cars. Or the wiper motor systems that got better every few years, "wet-wipers" with the squirters on the wiper arms so they spray the wiper instead of spraying washer fluid on the roof of the car, or the external washer pump in the washer tank instead of the pump mounted in the motor with that goofy clip on the mid-80's cars. Or the speedometer cables that dry out and get noisy until they finally break vs the electronic VSS/speedo that are completely silent. There's just so much about the later cars that is upgraded, an normal person will never notice half of them, but if they pay attention most people will notice the later cars feel better.
If compnine is to be believed, 7 86 L69s were code 51 yellow.
I have all the VINs for the A4Q Players cars ... and their RPO codes. Yes they are correct. Somewhere I have poster pics from 86 ... should showcase a few of the yellow cars.
Back in the day, GM lined up all the 86 cars and spelled GM with the underline and took a picture from a crane. A cool pic. They had quite a production ... car owners had to know where in the "letters" their car was.
This the one I was thinking of. It sounds exactly like it with no AC, yellow, stick, Canadian car, same miles, etc. Very well could be another one though.
Drew, this is either great sarcasm or a hilarious coincidence. Do you know what Charlie does for a living?
Just assume whichever is more clever is the way I intended it. Admittedly I'm bad with names and member's personal/professional lives off the forum. As a general rule, it's none of my business.
Just assume whichever is more clever is the way I intended it. Admittedly I'm bad with names and member's personal/professional lives off the forum. As a general rule, it's none of my business.
Hilarious coincidence then. Charlie and I are friends, I've been to his house and his workplace. Not my business to air his vocation here but lets just say, he knows a LOT about eyes LOLZ
I have all the VINs for the A4Q Players cars ... and their RPO codes. Yes they are correct. Somewhere I have poster pics from 86 ... should showcase a few of the yellow cars.
Back in the day, GM lined up all the 86 cars and spelled GM with the underline and took a picture from a crane. A cool pic. They had quite a production ... car owners had to know where in the "letters" their car was.
Mark.
Cool, that's good to know, questioning compnine seems common, but everything I've checked there has been spot on with the car in front of me, SPID, or build sheet. I'd love to see that pic!
1. My first third gen was a 91 RS 5.0 tbi 5 speed with ttops. Brought it used in 1992 and had this car for abofor8. Put 100k miles on it. Stiff car imo but did squeak a little as I drive up on an angle on my semi steep driveway. Best everyday car in and out of traffic.
2. 92 Heritage z28 with 5.7 and of course no ttops. Stiffest suspension and a few creaks I need to find and fix. Even with only 59k miles it still squeaks a little.
3. 85 z28 hardtop 305 auto. Not bad but did away more than the 91 and 92.
As for interiors, I prefer the 90 and above camaro interiors. Never been a fan of the firebird interiors with buttons galore.
This the one I was thinking of. It sounds exactly like it with no AC, yellow, stick, Canadian car, same miles, etc. Very well could be another one though.
A lot of the noises and perception can be cured by replacing worn and dried out rubber. Weatherstrips, window stop bumpers, the foam rubber inside the dash. It's not uncommon to find loose hardware, retaining clips, etc. Probably 90% of the thirdgens I've owned had been taken apart and reassembled wrong by previous owners. Almost always the spare tire, jack, and related hardware is incorrectly stowed. Most of those issues can be corrected. But other things, like all the metal on metal push rods and keepers in the doors vs the plastic clips on later cars, and improvements in body construction and updates to the weatherstripping, t-top latches, door latches, etc are just par for the course with early cars. That's before you fight with things like V-belts vs serpentine, the hard stainless steel AIR injection crossover pipe around the back of the engine vs the molded rubber hose on later cars, or the rat's nest of hoses around the front of the engine on really early cars. Or the wiper motor systems that got better every few years, "wet-wipers" with the squirters on the wiper arms so they spray the wiper instead of spraying washer fluid on the roof of the car, or the external washer pump in the washer tank instead of the pump mounted in the motor with that goofy clip on the mid-80's cars. Or the speedometer cables that dry out and get noisy until they finally break vs the electronic VSS/speedo that are completely silent. There's just so much about the later cars that is upgraded, an normal person will never notice half of them, but if they pay attention most people will notice the later cars feel better.
Hey Drew,you mention the washer spray nozzles spraying on the roof,is this common on the mid eighties cars?
I just got my washer pump working(yes with the silly metal clip),and I thought I got a special "high powered pump",because up over the roof it went.
Shawn
Last edited by Monteman71; Apr 17, 2020 at 09:17 PM.
Reason: typo
I don't know if it's from age and the nozzles drying out and warping, or just the design in general, but all my early thirdgens with fixed nozzles on the cowl would spray over the roof of the car. I remember at one point my 83's washers would stick sometimes in the on position. That car just had all kinds of issues like that. Things my later thirdgens never had issues with since they were more developed.
I saw this car at a car show Friday night. It is SUPER NICE. It looks about as nice as they come, condition wise. I was chatting with the owner, and didn't look it over REAL close, but standing next to it, it looked GORGEOUS
And it's parked next to the only other GM car I love as much as the third gen F body , a zillion years ago when I was young I owned a 61 caddy just like the one parked next to the Camaro
That is a beautiful car... obviously won't say it is flawless because I have not seen it in person, but it looks fantastic. Would I pay his asking price though. hard to say with everything else that is out there similarly priced. Investments are not purchased to be enjoyed and driven, and I think this is where everyone is getting caught up with colors and yearly options. IMO, Drew sounds exactly like my father and my uncle when talking about the Hemi Cuda's, because they remember them when they were new and selling for less than ten grand fully optioned for that time, and now you can't even touch them. It's a bitter sweet sensation. Nobody even wanted Hemi Cuda's back in the day as per them, regardless if it had the infamous hemi engine. But now though, they just can't believe that they are selling for as much as they are. It's an illusion, Kinda like kids idolizing Bruce Lee posthumously during the 80's and fighting over collectibles, but men laughing at him while he was still alive because they know it was just movie magic. Might not be the greatest of analogies, but that is what time, demand and the market does to the generations that follow. Everyone eventually wants to go back, and after years of enjoyment sitting in a yellow '86 Iroc in the driveway. that, although may not deliver from a performance perspective, still made them feel all cozy inside, it is then time to sell it to the next guy so they can feel the same way. But it doesn't last forever. Even Cuda's will eventually fall in pricing because as the generations come to a close, the need for it drops because it no longer has any meaning.
