Terry

I'm looking at 3rd generation camaros and want to pick something that will give good efficient performance and be worth something in the future (collectable). Will TBI or TPI give me better performance and be capable of future mods as compared to carb'd engines? Which engines are preferred?

Not trying to start arguments but would like some input.

Thanks

gmgod

I would look for a 90-92 L98 car without t-tops personaly

Jon92TA

Sounds like you're looking for an IROC with TPI, 305 5sp or 350 Auto. Happy hunting!

Mark A Shields

Any car with the L98, T-Tops are a definite plus. Or a G92 305/5spd car. That would be the only 305 I would buy.

Viprklr

iTrader: (5)

get something rare. you stand a better chance at the car increasing in value.
That's why I got a 92 GTA. I also happen to think it's the best looking 3rd gen out there.

Mark A Shields

92 GTAs are rare? How many were made.

Viprklr

iTrader: (5)

508.

That would explain why it was so hard for me to find one.

Drkhrse89

iTrader: (1)

Terry,

As far as looks go it is completely up to the owner. I do have to say that it is a good choice in the fact that you want a 3rd gen. As far as suspension goes I would definitely go for either a WS6, or a IROC/Z-28. I have an IROC and I love the way it handles but you throw a few bolt-ons at it and they just hug the ground. Now as far as a motor goes I would go L98 the only reason that I have a 305 in my is because it has a 5 spd and I got a smoking deal on it with 48,000 miles on it. Those are my opinions in the most unbias way possible.

Sorry almost forgot I love the TPI myself because of tuning capabilities on the Prom, that and I dont know sheet about carbs.

82camaro

A Firebird formula 350 is a pretty sweet thirdgen IMO. Or a B4C Camaro would be nice.

AlexJH

Convertables, Turbo Trans-Ams, 1LE cars (Players racing series), 1990 model years, would be my guess at the collectables.

There's a tech article on this site that has production numbers.

Remember that it won't be a collectable anymore if you modify it,

RB83L69

Depends on what you're looking for and how much you want to spend and what you want to do with it...

If you want one that will perform and/or is easily modded, stay away from any 6-cylinder one, LG4, and TBI cars. The best ones are the L69s, and 350 TPI, and 305 TPI with 5-speed. The Camaro is lighter and usually slightly faster as a result, the Firebird is a little nicer inside and some people like the looks better. They're the same mechanically though.

I doubt any except the 1LE cars and the TTAs and ones like that will be even remotely collectible. Even convertibes and the 350 cars are too commonplace. There just isn't that kind of interest in them in the world at large, and there were very few that were particularly special when they were new. I would strongly recommend against paying a dime extra for that unless it is a genuinely desirable car, not just a "rare" one; there are lots of "rare" ones that are rare because nobody cared to buy them then and no one will care to buy them in the future either.

Mark A Shields

I completely agree with that statement.

iroc22

Why would you say to stay away from the LG4's but the best ones include the L69? They're very similar except for the better cam profile, different rods and bigger exhaust on the L69. I would replace the exhaust and cam on any engine the in thirdgen lineup; so that would make the L69 and LG4 the same.

RB83L69

Depending on the year model, L69 cars also came with 3.73 gears, electric fans & flat top pistons, which the LG4s did not... and the exhaust issue is a pretty big one if you discover that every single piece from the heads all the way to the street has to be replaced all at once, when you could have got the other engine option and not have to deal with it so urgently. Plus, the L69s were not far from a 15 flat off the showroom floor, compared to LG4s that do 16.5 on a good day.

Same deal with 305 TPI auto vs. stick.

If you're going to get a car and you intend to pick and choose, go for the best of the kind you want. The L69 is far superior to the LG4 among the carbed ones.

RICHRAD

Look for the 84 Trans Ams or Camaro z28s with the 5.0 litre H.O. and 3.73 factory gears. Now that's T/A(in black and gold) that could've put the Bandit back in business. Those seem to be getting harder to find in great shape!

Kevin91Z

iTrader: (1)

The best thirdgens in my opinion are the 89-92 TPI's with dual cats and 4-wheel disc brakes. You can get a 350 automatic or 305 with 5-speed manual trans in this config.
Not counting the 89 Turbo Trans Am or 91-92 Firehawk, of course.

Sitting Bull

I do believe that my 86 LG4 has 9.5:1 flat top pistons. That's what the site's tech specs say anyway.

And my 86 definitely has the electric radiator fan

RB83L69

"Depending on year model..."

That was the point. But, a 86 LG4 car still came with terrible gears, in fact probably worse than the years that came with dish pistons and clutch fan, and the drinking-straw exhaust.

iroc22

My buddy's 87 auto LG4 Z came with GU5 (3.23) from the factory.

85-87 was 9.5:1 for the LG4's.

Hype

My LG4 came with an open-rear 3.73 gearset.

I still have it behind my new 350.

Yeah, my 60' times rock.

1BadGTA

I would only focus on the 87-92 models because they are better quality overall than the previous models. The 82-86 models sucked when power was concerned, and I don't see them ever really achieving collector status. The 87-92 models are by far superior for this group. I personally am all about the GTAs'. And those are getting hotter and hotter on the market now, as well as some other models. Quite a few of my friends have offered to but mine, and even some strangers.

MdFormula350

Any 91 - 92 thirdgen, 350 tpi auto or 305tpi 5 speed. Got to have t-tops, also disk brakes, posi rear. Other options would be up to you.

thunder87

I would look for the features that are most desirable to you - t-tops, power windows and locks, 5speed or automatic, convertible . . . etc and go from there. Once you know what features you want, then start looking for the car. Stay away from the 4 bangers, carbs, and TBI - the tuning possibilites with TPI are s much greater - unless you like messing with TBI and carbs and 4 bangers LOL. I would stay away from the 305 with an automatic - a little gutless. If you find a 305 car with TPI and 5 speed, I think you'd really have alot of fun with it. The Trans Ams are a little bit nicer inside than the 3rd gen Camaros, exterior amenities are the same with the exception of the headlights, front bumper/air dam, etc. I recommend that if you want alot of bottom end torque you look for a car with the Borg Warner posi rear end, preferably with 3.45 gears, but the 2.37s and the 2.23s are also good. The way to tell what manufacturer is the number of rear end cover bolts (10 or 9). That way, if you get a good base car to work with you'r not messing around so much with the rear end, the tranny, the engine trying to get it to perform. Also try to get a car with decent body condition. The front ends are commonly wrecked so your chances of getting fenders and bumpers in junk yards are slim, aftermarket stuff is flimsy and GM parts are expensive (see stupid car story on this. I also recommend that if you be ready to spend alot of coin if you plan on any add-ons underhood rather than staying stock unless you are really a creative guy (example cold air induction systems). good luck. hit me back with any questions.

MrsLottaBallsCamaro

Just remember that there were 1,528,561 3rd gen Camaros (that figure does not include firebird production) made. They aren't incredibly rare cars.

But if I had to pick, these are the ones I would go for:
-a convertible
-anything with a great body and great engine with very low miles
-any 1LE or B4C car

But don't buy the car because it is rare, but it because you like it. And don't believe the crap in the classifieds that says they have a "rare 3rd gen" for sale. I have seen so much in there.

Terry

'84 Z28 Camaro HO with the L69 engine with a 5 spd. The only problem is that it hasn't been cared for very well (maintained). So I could offer less to account for that. I'm thinking $1500.

I am still undecided about continuing to look for a 89 - 92 L98 Z28 or IROC.

How hard would it be to take the L69 from 190 hp to say 300 hp?

Thanks for the inputs.

Nate2

I don't really care for the engines in any of the 3rd gen rides, but I definitely like the look of the 88-92 cars. I'd chunk the TPI boat anchor and put in carbureted small block. EFI is just too expensive to justify it's use unless you're going to run an intercooled supercharger or turbo. The 700R4 and rearend would get replaced with a TH350 and 9" respectively.

ATOMonkey

The HO cars are definately worth having.

1 Firebird was made for every three camaros

TAs and GTA are even more rare

The BW rear is rare.

The manual cars almost always had bigger gears so they were better performers.

In late '84 GM beefed up the 700

'87 and later cars have roller cam blocks

I prefer the Firebird interiors and dash to the camaro

The black crosslace wheels are very desireable.

Get a car that's loaded, power everything. Or go the other way and get everything delete.

Look at 30 year old cars and see what makes them desireable and apply the same thing to these cars.

richardc

were all 1986 Z28's classified as 5.0L HO? I just bought a stripped one to use as a project, and thats what the VIN check brought up. Just wondering if there were z28's in 86 that werent classified that way.

Mark A Shields

I'm pretty sure that was mid '87 that they did that.

nitrobreth

hey, what's the fastest stock camaro? third gen of course? i was always under the impression that it was the 89 iroc with 305 and 5spd. am i correct?

iroc22

No it should be the 90-92 SD L98's.

87transam5.7tpi

where I live ALL of the other thirdgens well iroc-z and GTA's all have t-tops mine is the only one that doesn't. so people really check it out cause you don't see em alot around here. but I have heard that they are "rare" just not common around here. so as far as rare goes it isn't just only what YOU see. look at the total production numbers on them.

Josh

MrsLottaBallsCamaro

Richardc- to answer your question, I believe that they all were HO. Don't take my word exclusively, but I looked it up in the Camaro White Book (which has all production numbers, prices, and RPO codes for all Camaros thru 96) and it lists the 5.0L as the only engine for the Z28. I could be wrong, though.

richardc

thanks! thats what i thought, but i wasnt sure about it....this is my 3rd 86 camaro, but the other 2 were SC's, which arent worth a 2nd look in most cases any way....

RB83L69

The only engine that was actually known as th "HO" was the L69, which had become pretty rare by 86. It was being replaced by the 305 TPI as the optional motor. Both of these are of course 5.0L.

The LG4, which was extremely common in 86, is certainly not any kind of "HO" motor, even though it was also a 5.0.

So, no, all 85 and 86 Z28s were not "HO"s. All were however 5.0L, i.e. 305, as they had been since 82; no 350s were put into them in statistically significant numbers after 81 until 87. And for that matter, I would not consider any of the 350s in Z28s from 74 on as "HO", either; they were slug-slow, gas-guzzling pigs, barely even respectable boulevard cruisers let alone muscle cars. I should know, I had some of them, and ditched my last one when the actual HO Z28s came out. My 83 would tear a whole new one out of the 79 4-speed car I traded for it (8½:1 350 with 882 heads... what a joke)

I would not avoid T-top cars, or others with popular options, just because ones without them are "rare" or seem to be in your area. I'd be willing to bet that the rust-colored 82 and 83 model 4-cylinder cars were rare too; that doesn't make them more desirable.

Look for cars at the top of their year's product line, as I said earlier about the engines; ones in the popular colors; no rust or body damage; well-maintained, but not necessarily babied. Don't worry too much about whether they're absolutely original, or about keeping them that way, nobody cares now and probably never will. They will never be in the same league as a 57 Bel Air or a 64 GTO or a 69 Hemi Cuda or anything like that. Find one that you personally like, and don't worry too much about "collector" potential, because there is very little.

richardc

does anyone know how many HO Z28's were made in 86, or maybe where i can find out?

ATOMonkey

Half way through '84 they went from a 27 spline input to a 30 spline input. That's the biggest thing. I assume that other stuff accompanied that.

Records show that 74 L69 (5.0 liter H.O.) Camaros were built. The L69 is shown as being available in the 1986 Camaro brochure, but it was put on strict restriction.

That's off of the tech page on this site. C'mon do a little work.

richardc

sweeeet, so that would make my 86 fairly rare then....nice to hear that, thanks a lot!

ATOMonkey

So you're sure you have the L69 engine code then?

Synapsis

I love posts like this. It makes my car sound desirable (a few posts) and the fastest (one or two posts said that too). Thanks for the ego boost guys!

I chose a 1990 Iroc because I *really* wanted an Iroc, but didn't like the dashboard on the earlier models. And the fact that I found the 350, the G92 package with 4 wheel disc brakes and 3.27 Posi.. just makes me that much happier with the car.

Confuzed1

iTrader: (4)

I could be wrong, but I thought the 83 Z28 L69 (VIN '7') was kinda rare. Good luck finding one in decent shape!!

If's mine is typical, it took a pretty good beating in it's short 103,000 mile life. I agree with RB83L69 - but since we have almost the same car...I could be a little "biased".

richardc

yep, thats the one ive got...picked it up for 500 bucks off a guy who lost interest

richardc

Where can I get that info from? Id like to verify everything, maybe i'll just try to rebuild it to stock...