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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!
Not sure if this is the correct forum for this, but here goes.
I have a friend who is interested in finding a true IROC. Year, color, and tranny are not important. He is willing to pay for a car in good condition, the better it is, the more he is willing to pay. I have yet to own an IROC myself. Looking for advice on what to look for, year, options, etc. and what should he expect to pay? He would like to find an all original car that doesn't need work, but will settle for one that needs minor work. Must be a drivable car, than can handle the ride back to Louisiana without mechanical issues. Thanks in advance!
1987-1990.
TPI 305 5spd or 350 auto.
16" wheels.
Hard top.
85 & 86 are needlessly complicated and down on power respectively, and aside from 305HO (carbed) cars they're automatics.
87's are OK, but personally I feel the serpentine setup is a very nice feature to have, so I'd look at 88-90.
89 are the least complicated MAF cars.
90s have the later style dash and all the interior markings are yellow. If you can handle those things they're good to go.
After 88, the Irocz package was applied to all Z28s, so you start to get mid-level Irocs. 15" wheels are a good way to spot one to avoid. The same applies to TBI.
Personal preference, but T-tops are a pain. They kill structural rigidity, add weight, can leak, rattle, etc. Really not worth it unless you have a ton of nice mild days to get the good out of them, in which case a Convertible is a better choice anyway.
Budget $7500 or more if you want something decent. The more you spend on the front end the better off you'll be. You get a lot better car for your $15k by buying a nice original instead of restoring a POS.
Not sure if this is the correct forum for this, but here goes.
I have a friend who is interested in finding a true IROC. Year, color, and tranny are not important. He is willing to pay for a car in good condition, the better it is, the more he is willing to pay. I have yet to own an IROC myself. Looking for advice on what to look for, year, options, etc. and what should he expect to pay? He would like to find an all original car that doesn't need work, but will settle for one that needs minor work. Must be a drivable car, than can handle the ride back to Louisiana without mechanical issues. Thanks in advance!
1987-1990.
TPI 305 5spd or 350 auto.
16" wheels.
Hard top.
85 & 86 are needlessly complicated and down on power respectively, and aside from 305HO (carbed) cars they're automatics.
87's are OK, but personally I feel the serpentine setup is a very nice feature to have, so I'd look at 88-90.
89 are the least complicated MAF cars.
90s have the later style dash and all the interior markings are yellow. If you can handle those things they're good to go.
After 88, the Irocz package was applied to all Z28s, so you start to get mid-level Irocs. 15" wheels are a good way to spot one to avoid. The same applies to TBI.
Personal preference, but T-tops are a pain. They kill structural rigidity, add weight, can leak, rattle, etc. Really not worth it unless you have a ton of nice mild days to get the good out of them, in which case a Convertible is a better choice anyway.
Budget $7500 or more if you want something decent. The more you spend on the front end the better off you'll be. You get a lot better car for your $15k by buying a nice original instead of restoring a POS.
Awesome info. I found a few cars that he wants, an 86 with a 305 that's clean but has a little surface rust but overall a pretty clean car, an 88 with surface rust and a 350, pretty clean car, and a low mile 89. He might buy a few of them.
Awesome info. I found a few cars that he wants, an 86 with a 305 that's clean but has a little surface rust but overall a pretty clean car, an 88 with surface rust and a 350, pretty clean car, and a low mile 89. He might buy a few of them.
Enough. Trust me.
If it's "enough" you shouldn't even be considering anything with rust.
For $12-$15K you could get a low mile IROC-Z which will be in the top 5% of cars in the nation.
It is, I just don't want to put his business all out there, and have someone try to rape him on the sale price.
the main question will be does he want a 5 speed or automatic .. there are a ton of nice irocs always for sale .. the other question will be t-tops or no t-tops ? if you can find out those two questions i will keep a eye out for ya .. i buy and sell third gens all the time ..
Budget $7500 or more if you want something decent. The more you spend on the front end the better off you'll be. You get a lot better car for your $15k by buying a nice original instead of restoring a POS.
If he has the budget and money is not a problem for him then this is the best advice in the thread so far - that and to not buy an 86.
Right now, were looking at spending that $15k on three cars. 2 with mild rust, 2 with 305's, 1 350, all TPI, all red, and possibly all automatics, still awaiting info on one. I would love to own any of them myself.
you may want to avoid cars that were painted in california? from what i understand that was some of GM's first experimentation with water based paint, and they had problems.
87 is the 20th anniversary, and last year of the single vein iroc wheels.
Thanks *******! Paint is not an issue, unless trying to mug an all original, low mile car for him. He has his own painter. I didn't think anything was special for the Camaro 20th anniversary, and I though that all IROC wheels were the same. Good info regardless!
Yellow is definitely the rarest, very seldom have I ever seen one. I suggested looking for one of those last night, as well as silver. Red is easy to find, then the blue, black, white and maroon cars are all easy to find.
Nothing wrong with an '86, but they do have the third brake light mounted on the hatch glass and power was reduced on the LB9 in order to meet emissions.
All has been good advice but a lot of members forget to mention DO RESEARCH. find out what SPID & RPO codes Mena & what to look for. When I bought the 1st IROC, I was really in the market for a 2nd gen. The car I looked at was a 5.7, Ttop in deep red with Tan Beechwood interior. I made a deal on it & drove it home. LUCKY for me that after I leaned more about what the car actually was & how original it was, I did okay.
After buying my 1st one & looking to add to the collection, the cars are getting harder to find that are actually original. 50% of the ones I look at don't have original engines, Interiors have been swapped or pieces dyed, most have been repainted, missing original steering wheels, gauges don't match up with drive train options (140 speedo in an 86?), Rear ends have been swapped with a 4th gen and the list will go on & on.
When buying also take into consideration that certain interior colors are easy to aquire pieces for, while others are very costly (Beechwood).
I am 99% sure that in 87 GM started putting VIN #s on most body panels. That is also something important for me in determining a solid car, doors, hood & hatch matching up to the VIN as well as the SPID matching. The blocks are all stamped with the last 6 of the VIN as well on the passengers side front just in front of the head. You'd have to remove the alternator or AC compressor to see if, but if a big enough of a deal to get a matching numbers engine & enough money being spent, it shouldn't be overlooked.
The 1st one we bought.....got LUCKY!
Right now, were looking at spending that $15k on three cars. 2 with mild rust, 2 with 305's, 1 350, all TPI, all red, and possibly all automatics, still awaiting info on one. I would love to own any of them myself.
Nothing wrong with an '86, but they do have the third brake light mounted on the hatch glass and power was reduced on the LB9 in order to meet emissions.
Gotcha! I rather have the 3rd brake light in the spoiler. Power isn't that big of an issue, we can mod them. The 86 I did find seems to have a little cam in i already.
Originally Posted by M G Brewer
Find him a medium orange one!
That might be tough, I don't recall ever seeing one like that. Got a pic?
Originally Posted by 1987L69
Or try and find an 85 IROC 305HO 5 speed car, very very rare.
I don't see that happening. He's ready to buy now. Maybe later on I can find him one.
Originally Posted by chazman
What's he planning on doing with them?
He's owned quite a bit of toys, but never owned an IROC. It's always been a car that he's loved. He's about to buy an 86 Monte Carlo now. It has more invested into it than he's about to pay for it. Crate motor, aftermarket hood and rearend, on TT2's I believe. The current owner got it for $6500, he offered $10k for a true SS with a lot of work, and from what I heard it's an amazing car.
