TP355Z

Hey guys - I've got two severe identity crisis that i'd like to clear up with my camaro - hope you all can help!

1) I bought a 1985 IROC parts car that had an old pair of what looked like nice seats in them (tan colored). The seats have a ton of adjustments on them (recline/leg support/headrest, ect...) and I think THINK that its a set of Trans-AM seats from a 3rd gen Pontiac but my problem is that I can't find any covers for them! I know they'd look beautiful with black leather/vynil on them in my new interior - whaddya think?

2) The car i'm working with I bought thinking it was a 1988 IROC-Z, but now i'm kinda uncertain. The rear taillights have only one black stripe separating them horizontally - all the IROCS i've seen had 3 black strips. Also, the "IROC" decal is on the front of the door - not the back - but i think this could be b/c the car's been painted. Lastly, the interior bears no Z-28 IROC Badges and the front grille is one of those big black plastic inserts, no fog lamps or mount for a plate. I'm lost. HELP!

TP

Blue502

1) could be the optional contour seats or else maybe they were swapped. Pics?

2) Does the car have the RPO sheet in the console? Sounds like a sport coupe to me.

jermdm

sounds like the seats have been swapped at one time or another. i would do what blue 502 said, run your vin # to see if its an iroc. really sounds like a sport coupe. some people dress up there sport coupe to look like an iroc so they can sell it for more money. if its an 88 iroc, it would of come with a tpi motor. check your 8th digit on the vin code. if its an 8(350) or F(305) it is an iroc.

Blue502

Not true. The standard engine in an '88 IROC is the throttle body equipped LO3, engine code E. This was also the optional engine in the sport coupe.

Base IROC wheels were the same 15" that were available on the sport coupe (looked like earlier Z28 and later RS wheels). This makes it almost impossible to know which it is if the rpo codes are missing, at least from a quick visual. The IROC has the upgraded suspension, and that is one giveaway. Also the dash emblem, foglamps, hood, and rear taillights. The sport coupe received the earlier IROC style stripe above the gfx, while the IROC received the '88-'90 style stripe (basically reverse from each other).

Luckily my '88 IROC with LO3 and 15" wheels had its RPO sheet.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Are the GFX silver or body color and have they ever been repainted?

Sport Coupes in 88 had silver GFX, Iroc's were always monotone.

Also some 88 sport coupes had a different spoiler... Check the readers rides and see if you can find a couple 88 sport coupes so you can see what they look like. I would have to say the car is a coupe, Iroc's are pretty gaudy and most people wouldn't remove the tell tale signs of the car being an Iroc. However dressing up a lesser car to look like an Iroc has been around since these cars were new.

Blue502

Sport coupes also got gold gfx. Whether it was silver or gold depended upon the interior color, in the same manor as earlier Z28s.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Sorry, forgot about the gold...

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

You might check for the old 'wonderbar.' Indeed, it could have been swapped in; however, I doubt that anyone would have gone to that extent to hide an RS.

JamesC

scottmoyer

This could be kinda crude investigating, but what steering wheel is on the car? The square horn is the coupe and the round would be an IROC, unless that too has been changed. Either the car was rearended and the coupe style lights were easily available, or someone wanted to clone the IROC. also, what badge is in the GFX? Does it just say "Camaro" or does it say "IROC-Z"? Drew or Blue502, On the older style Z28 rims, the area surrounding the lugnuts was painted black. The 88 sport coupe was all grey. Did the IROC 15" wheel have the painted area around the lugnuts? This might also be more help as replacing all these items to clone an IROC would be very spendy!

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Keep in mind some berlinetta's also used the 3 spoke steering wheel with a round button, and if the Classic Industries catalog is right some early RS's got the z28/Iroc steering wheel. As for the wheels, were all the 88 coupes equipped with gray centercaps? I dont think they were all that way, but some were.

Jason E

The '87 RS I know for a fact came with the Z28/IROC leather wheel, shift **** and ebrake handle...I have a Motor Trend road test of an '87 RS that clearly explained that these were part of the package...

davecamaro

Son..
u have a Camaro Sport Coupe just like me!


ANd HOW DARE YOU FORGET ABOUT THE GOLD!
Anyways yah the one line across the back lights (SC) does your car have a Spoiler on it? Oh well.. oh well.
mabye its a IROC wannabE?

TP355Z

Guys - i kinda just ran across what i've been looking for with this 'sport coupe' designation. Here's what i know about my car - i hope someone can tell me what i have. I kinda want the IROC b/c its a flashy performance label (altho - i only had a 305 TBI lol) but i'd like the 'sport coupe' label on my insurance - here goes...

--1988 IROC (?)
--305 TBI
--700-R4 Tranny
--2.73 limited slip (posi?) (I THINK!!)
--Black Plastic Front Grill Insert (no fog lights or lisence plate)
--No interior Z-28 or IROC labels (nothing the dash or anything)
--2 tone (like the black/gold car above) only its maroon / gold
--Gold 16 inch IROC Rims (they say IROC on them)
--IROC Decals on FRONT (!!??) of door
--Leather GM T-Top bags
--Factory Trunk Shade (looks like a giant window shade in behind the rear seats)
--Raised wing (not the normal IROC spoiler) with 3rd brake light
--Rear tail-light lenses w/1 black strip down center
--Power windows / power locks

I hope some expert can let me know what i've got - i know the IROC door sticker is in the wrong spot, so maybe its a clone?

TP

scottmoyer

This car is far from a clone. It is a full blown 88 Sport Coupe! The rear spoiler you mention was available for part of the 88 year on the sport coupe only. The 2 tone color scheme is a sport coupe color scheme as the IROC is monochromatic. The rims were put on by a past owner. IROC's have front fog lights unless it's a 1LE and that ain't what you got. The IROC had the egg-crate tail lights and the sport coupe had what you have. Your car is a sport coupe with IROC stickers and rims only.

Blue502

Yeah, I'd definately say you have a sport coupe, not an IROC. Take off the IROC decals, and enjoy it for what it is.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Don't think of it as "damn its only a sport coupe" think of it as "cool I've got a car that was offered one year only".


Enjoy having a more unusual car.

TP355Z

So what you guys are saying is that I have a Sport Coupe that was only offered in 1988, which sounds cool enough. However, does that mean my car shouldn't have a posi and the other IROC toys? (sway bars, brakes? ect..?) was the sport coupe anythign more than a v-6 car with a 305 and spoilers? I'm curious here And this also - will the car be cheaper to insure than a comparable IROC b/c its not the performance camaro? Throw me a line fellas - you've all been really helpful (scott!!). I guess what the car WAS doesn't matter b/c now it'll embarass most stock irocs. hehe...

TP

scottmoyer

This car will be cheaper to insure than an IROC and won't have the IROC goodies. Posi was an option on the SC, but 4 wheel discs was not. 16" wheels were not offered on the SC, but a sport suspension was. The IROC "wonderbar" will not be on the SC. The SC could be optioned very well. I had an 88 Sc in red with the silver ground effect and it had the V8, TTops, deluxe interior trim, Auto and power everything. The only thing it didn't have was posi. It was fully loaded and a very nice car.

TP355Z

Interesting, b/c i'm certain mine has a posi unit - which would support your theory. Also, I noticed on my 1985 IROC parts car there was a bar tieing the front frame together where the front sway-bar mounted (its for sale in the next gen. year one catologue) - so i'm thinking about throwing this on my SC. Oh yea, my suspension has Hotchkis springs and KYB shocks - so considering the 330hp 350 i installed, and the posi option, and the suspension mods and aftermarket rims (IROC rims) i've basically got an IROC w/o the VIN number hu?

always learning
TP