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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!
Another one? Sheesh folks must REALLY hate driving them L1-E Cameros.
Call it a "L1-E" or "just brakes," but the undeniable reality is the 1LE is the top performing variant of the stock 88-92 f-body Camaro. Yes, an 88-92 G92 car can almost be identical in configuration, match straight line performance, and match handling, but it can't match braking. In real world conditions, those three elements work in concert. Let's see who's leading after a few laps on a road course.
The market is already beginning to leave 1LE criticisms and misconceptions in the dust. Collectors and those who know these cars seek 1LEs, Firehawks, TTAs, R7Us, B4Cs, Z03s, IROC-Z G92s; basically any variant that represents peak available performance or a unique option configuration.
As for why so many haven't been driven? I have no idea. I'm surprised at the number of low-mile thirdgens...
Relax Francis, I was poking fun at the sellers that can't even get "1LE" right in their descriptions.
Originally Posted by KMK454
As for why so many haven't been driven? I have no idea. I'm surprised at the number of low-mile thirdgens...
It's because they'd been around for two production years and Motor Trend ran a big spread about how the 1LE was going to be the next Yenko, and how the smart collectors were trying to buy all of them to resell at Barret-Jackson someday. I'm paraphrasing, but it's true. The stuff of myths and legends conceived by Snidely Whiplash style car prospectors looking to greedily cash in on the next fool's desire for a "factory race car".
Originally Posted by PurelyPMD
I'm not a fan of the stripe delete look.
Oh Shi#$ now you've done it! Anything less than total fanboy adoration of such things will win you the title of AT LEAST "Meanie" if not "Big Meanie".
But yeah, I'm with you. The car is missing it's identity. Looks like a corny Maaco paint job with red door handles and locks, or a 6er RS, regardless of what it really is.
The car looks pretty good.. The louvers look kinda cool with the stripe delete.. It looks like the driver door gap with the fender is a little off and shouldn’t it have door mouldings even with the stripe delete?
the dented runners are a little odd for such low mileage as well..
I’d be curious to see it in person and drive it.. I wonder if it was hit and fixed up.. Working in the autobody world I had seen some low mile cars that were wrecked and fixed up and kept with low miles as a collector piece after.. some were pretty tough to tell but we had photo evidence of some decent damage..
Sorry guys, not hating but was/am never a fan of that look. Agreed Drew, looks like the 1/2 finished paint job, still needing something to finish it off.
Funny story about IROC's and Maaco paint jobs - shortly after I got mine I moved in with my then girlfriend/future ex-wife in her apartment complex in Framingham MA & there was a guy there with a black 86 IROC who for whatever reason had just gotten painted by Maaco - gloss black headlight buckets, hood louvers, handles, locks, window sweeps, windshield and back glass moldings, bad taping around each of the rocker & bumper emblems - the Tuned Port emblem on the rear bumper just had a 1" tape placed over it - you could see the old paint behind & around it He was very unhappy!
Back in the day, I thought the IROC stripes and graphics were tack-ey. I felt that they took away from the seriousness of the car's looks. I was more than happy to check the DX3 box and get that $60 credit. I feel different now and have a better appreciation for them. I also hated how the Conteur CAMARO seats looked, super-duper tacky, now I love 'em!
I also would have never bought a yellow IROC new, yet I have one now.
When I got my Formula, it had a spot on the passenger's door where a rock chip had formed a rust spot about the size of a golf ball. I asked the salesman why the spot hadn't been fixed when the dealer's body shop repainted the front end, and they used the excuse it was too close to the door decals. Since one side was missing the 'R' already, I told them to remove the decals and fix the rust spot. I left the decals off for about the first year. Finally I decided to put them back on, and paint the nostrils black again (body shop painted them white). Was much happier with the overall look of the car after changing it back to the stock look.
As tacky as a huge call out decal may be, it's a key part of the car's ornamentation. It looks "off" when they're missing. Just like a Z28 with silver or gold gfx looks "off" with IrocZ door decals.
When I got my Formula, it had a spot on the passenger's door where a rock chip had formed a rust spot about the size of a golf ball. I asked the salesman why the spot hadn't been fixed when the dealer's body shop repainted the front end, and they used the excuse it was too close to the door decals. Since one side was missing the 'R' already, I told them to remove the decals and fix the rust spot. I left the decals off for about the first year. Finally I decided to put them back on, and paint the nostrils black again (body shop painted them white). Was much happier with the overall look of the car after changing it back to the stock look.
As tacky as a huge call out decal may be, it's a key part of the car's ornamentation. It looks "off" when they're missing. Just like a Z28 with silver or gold gfx looks "off" with IrocZ door decals.
One of the reasons I've loved these cars from day one is because, imho, they look bad *** just sitting still. Can the term "sleeper" really be applied to any third gen f body?
Can the term "sleeper" really be applied to any third gen f body?
It's a tough call. All the low output 305s, V6s, and even some castrated 350 cars, combined with 305 cars that people claimed and assumed were 350s, a large segment of the population always considered thirdgens to be slow. But they're still cars that attract attention, and probably aren't really "sleepers" with loud exhaust, big wheels and tires, or a lumpy camshaft. Only a dummy would miss the obvious clues. But then the entire "sleeper" thing is kinda played out anyway.
It’s interesting because my Vert is considered slow as hell.. It feels quick though.. puts you in the seat and sounds like a beast..
It kinda quits after top of third gear, but stoplight to stoplight it’s fine. It’s not going to win any races.
I never found too much difference between the stock 305 and 350 either. It doesn’t feel drastically different stock. The horsepower difference isn’t all that much and if you pop the hood there’s nothing noticeabley different. I want a 5.7 T-Top car as a collector and afficionado. Obviously a 305 is more limited if you’re going to build it.
Sometimes I wonder if new car’s horsepower ratings are a little padded because my 210 hp feels a lot more powerful than the 278 hp my Accord has or some 300 hp imports I’ve driven.
It seems thirdgens are more “torquey” feeling which adds a surprise when you’re expecting a slug with not much over 200 hp on paper..
It’s a muscle car and a classic car now so it’s about looks, fun, nostalgia, and turning heads.. I think a sleeper would be more like a Prius outfitted as a rear engine 6.2L supercharged 800hp RWD monster.. a sleeper to me is turning no heads until you smoke everybody on the road..
Can any sports or muscle car be called a “sleeper”. I wouldn’t even consider a Monte Carlo SS a sleeper and they were super slow..
One of the reasons I've loved these cars from day one is because, imho, they look bad *** just sitting still. Can the term "sleeper" really be applied to any third gen f body?
This Plane Jane Sport Coupe,No Stripes,No Ground Effects,No Spoiler,No Hood Louvers,No Mag Wheels,No Big Tires,If It Had An L69 Or LB9 With A 5 Speed Or An L98 With An Auto And 3.73 Gears,It Would Be A Sleeper Car.
This Plane Jane Sport Coupe,No Stripes,No Ground Effects,No Spoiler,No Hood Louvers,No Mag Wheels,No Big Tires,If It Had An L69 Or LB9 With A 5 Speed Or An L98 With An Auto And 3.73 Gears,It Would Be A Sleeper Car.
Sexy Sport Coupe. I spy what may look to be P195/70 14 tires on that car which originally came on my car.
Did anyone take a peek at the underside pics of this car? There is some questionable stuff under there to me. Lack of factory overspray in areas, especially by the drivers side front jacking location
Looks like the exhaust has been painted from the cats to the I-pipe. End links look a little off. Yeah they should be blue, but not that blue. Pretty sure the washers shouldn't be cupped either. It's a shame about the anchor points in the frame that are boogered from transportation, and the car hauler scrapes in the cats. I changed out my clunky cats with a perfect set, then U-haul's shitty car hauler dented the new cats like the Ebay listing...
Erik, the body sits on a buck when it's in the paint booth, I can only surmise that stripe of grey in the front is one of the mounting points on the buck - like the lower frame points in the back where there is no over-spray.
...and yes those frame points have been ratcheted one too many times! Damn!!!
I'm paraphrasing, but it's true. The stuff of myths and legends conceived by Snidely Whiplash style car prospectors looking to greedily cash in on the next fool's desire for a "factory race car".
Anything less than total fanboy adoration of such things will win you the title of AT LEAST "Meanie" if not "Big Meanie". 
