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I'm 32 and have had dozens of cars over the years, but always FWD except for a Fiero back when I was ~19... that was my favorite car, and I always lusted over the Camaro of the same generation...
Well yesterday my friend sent me a link for a car forsale locally that was just too good of a deal to pass up, so I bought it.
1985 Camaro Iroc-Z (as far as I know, not positive it's an IROC-Z or a Z28).
I'm picking it up tomorrow so I don't have it to take photos, but the photos the seller had are attached....
I'm STOKED to have a car to play with!!
First thing is to take that damn push bar off, and then my neighbour mechanic is going to help me install a GM Posi rear end.
After that it's detail-city to get it cleaned up to my OCD level, and then a list will be made.
It has a 350 from a '80 GMC pickup, with Edlebrock intake/carb, hooker headers, stock otherwise. Will be looking for some Vortec heads / cams...
So yeah I'll be around browsing threads now! Glad to be here
Awesome car. I got myself an '85 Z28 as well! I love finding other people with one, as everyone has Irocs. I wanna say that is only a Z28 as it has 3 stripes above the ground effects, where as the Iroc only has 2. At least, from what I know. Do you have the rpo codes? That should tell you.
Are the RPO codes the list of 3-digit codes in the center console?
I am not sure if it's an IROC or a Z28 or just a base with the bodykit added... not sure what to think. I just got it home at the end of the day and left it at work, gonna clean it out and get it presentable before I bring it home to show the wife
Yes, the 3 digit codes will tell you. There is or was an rpo decoder on this site. The vin alone will tell you if it's a base model or not though I believe.
Today I removed all the purple tint, saved the heater lines on the backglass.... that was an hour of torture getting the glue off!
Also did one of the valve covers with new cork gaskets, polished it before it went back on.. next one tomorrow morning.
I am searching for a 14" max diameter low profile air filter, checking Lordco tomorrow morning. The one that was on the car was 14.5" and did not fit properly, total hack-job.
After that I am removing the seats to shampoo the carpets, scrub the panels/dash/seats and put it all together...then insurance and driving time!!
Sat around having a few beers tonight I realized what the car needs...
SHIFT KIT!!
The lazy shifts from the 700R4 tranny are whats bugging me most of all, so what would you recommend for a shift kit? B&M? I'm gonna call my buddy at a tranny shop tomorrow and see what he thinks, but that's definitely top of the list right now...
That, and I am on the lookout for lowering springs, where are these available for a reasonable price? I am in Canada if there are any Canadian options!
LOL, he's a weird guy... he just put it on for the laughs... but not many others laughed
I got quoted $400CDN for a TransGo shift kit including installation and all fluids, etc... with our dollar so bad that's ~$290usd installed. I've read it's the best kit available
Dude I would buy the shift kit follow the instructions and install it yourself. Shift kits are not hard to install at all. It is replace a spring here, remove a ball there.
It has replacement plates, etc, and it's opening up the bottom of a transmission so gaskets fluids etc... I ain't doin that. I got pissed off enough trying to change spark plugs / wires today because the headers are in the way of one plug, couldn't even get a plug socket on it... so I did 7 of 8 plugs.
I am waiting for someone to help me with the timing since the previous owner did not tighten the distributor and it just spins freely, and the timing is all messed up.
I did wetsand the passenger side and most of the hood today, polished it all up, so it is looking a lot better. Wondering what to do with the wheels though.. thinking of painting the recessed areas gunmetal to match the paint and polishing the faces.
Also polished one of the taillights and took a before/after photo
Well it's at the shop right now awaiting Axles, turns out my Posi was a 28-spline unit for a 4th gen I assume, so instead of sourcing another Posi for my 26 spline axles I found some 28 spline axles for about half the price... for upgraded axles it seemed like the obvious choice.
I also ordered new door seals, window rain seals, and shocks for the hood...
On the hunt for 4th gen seats, or Fiero, or something else that looks good... lol.
This should get me happy enough to start driving and enjoying it, then I can save up some $$$ and do the Eibach Sportline springs and LS1 front brake upgrade...then figure out about swapping to rear discs.
I miss my '85... It was my first 3rd gen and I was lucky to have had the rare L69 five speed. Too bad it got wrecked in '98 and I didn't realize the motor/trans combo was rare and let it go.
I picked up a set of Corvette wheels today, 19x10 & 18x8.5.... not gonna put them on right away because I gotta save up for tires... but I'm pretty excited. I hope I won't run into too many issues with that size wheel combo when I am lowered! I don't mind rolling some fenders etc...
Probably a Z28, not an Iroc. The giveaway is the paint and whats left of the stripe decals. All Irocs are monochrome, ground effects would be painted the same color as the body. Also, the Iroc would have a gray and black stripe. The stacked stripes were used on the Z28. Not that it really matters, but fwiw.
Yeah I should edit my OP but oh well, I've come to terms it's a Z28, not an IROC in any way. Just has an IROC-Z sticker on the dashboard, but everything else is Z28.
With those wheels your gonna want to get an adjustable pan hard bar. I have the same ones. 285/35 rear and 275/35 front. I had 2.5 inch spacers in the rear but switched to 2. You will still have to massage the inner fender well and roll the lip some. I took out the bump stops when I changed to the 2 inch. Look into ground control weight jacks for some adjustability. I love mine.
Last edited by Citation X; 06-19-2017 at 01:44 PM.
Made some progress tonight on it, got both door seals done, new door handles on, body seals where the glass meets done, new seats are installed, and new doorlock switches
It's really coming together!
I'll likely be taking it on a Track Day at Area27 in Oliver end of next month, that's gonna be saweeeet.
04-30-2017, 10:03 PM
