Hey guys I am looking for a camaro or GTA and I posted a wanted ad in the classifieds section of this board and someone replied to it with a few adds that he has seen in the newspaper. He says it has a 350 with t-tops, but he also mentions (mind you this is not his car)I should get the VIN number to check and see if it is really a 350. He mentioned that 350's were limited in 86. Now I am not trying to prove this guy wrong (he is helping me out a lot) but i want to know if i can tell by the VIN if it really is a 350. Also if 350's were that rare in 86.
Thanks
Tom

 

The 8th digit of the VIN will be a 8 if it is a 350, assuming the 50 350 cars produced in 86 use the conventional VIN pattern of later 350 cars. These 50 86 350s were test cars, supposedly not sold to the public. I highly doubt the car you're looking at is a real, original 86 350 TPI. People swap engines all the time though. It will be a F in the 8th digit for a 305 TPI, and there is also a G and H I believe that coorespond to the carbed 305s.

Again, I'm assuming the 86 350s would use the same scheme to identify the engines in the VIN, but I'm not sure. For all I know GM could have simply taken 305 cars w/ the 305 vin and swapped in the 350, maybe someone knows for sure...

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Ray87Z
-Vortec headed 350.
86 IROC w/ a cammed 305 TPI.
Formerly Ray86IROC.
www.inter-scape.com/Ray

[This message has been edited by Ray87Z (edited April 15, 2001).]

 

To add to Ray's comment, these 50 1986 350 IROC-Z's that were produced did not come with t-tops nor air conditioning. The one in question is almost guaranteed not an original 350.

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Willie

Supercharged 1987 305 IROC-Z, Daily-Driver, Emissions-Legal.
Former Paxton (6-psig): 12.57 @ 111 mph.
Former Paxton (6-psig) & former 50-hp nitrous: 12.04 @ 114 mph.
Current ATI D1SC (Initially 10-psig): Projecting high 11's.
Future ATI D1SC (15-psig): Gotta catch them pesky 26-psig boosted TTA's!!

http://willie.camaro-firebird.org/

1987 "20th Anniversary Commemorative Edition" Z28 Convertible -- Super Chevy Show Class Winner, 1998.

 

Right... it's so rare, it's built from sheets of the purest vigrin nonobtanium.

They didn't make any such car. No 350s in 86. However, lots of people have done the swap, so it's not impossible that there's a 350 in it now. However, let me repeat my favorite advice about used car buying: Never believe a single word that comes out of the mouth of someone selling a used car unless you can verify it with your own eyes! People will tell you anything they think you want to hear to get you to fork over your money. If it really matters to you whether it has a 350, check the casting number! There's no other way to be sure.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

You are wrong!! There were FEW 350s in 86, however, none of them were PRODUCTION models and NONE of them were firebirds...only camaros!! So if it's a GTA you're looking at then you can bet the 350 is not the original engine!! As far as the t-tops, yes that's possible! My '86 TA has T-tops!!

 

Hey guys thanks for all the info. I guess the gentleman that I talked to knew exactly what he was talking about. Now my next question is how hard is it to see the castings numbers on a block in the cramped engine compartment of an 86 camaro?
Thanks
Tom

 

Actually, it wasn't that pure. Rumor has it that is was a 65/35 alloy of nonobtanium and irreplacium, with some trace rare earth elements, like urdreaminum and moonigen...

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Later,
Vader
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"What a Day..."
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

50 is the magic number, correct. and deffinitly without t tops. they were only sold within gm and were never offered to public. it maybe a 350, but not factory. although, in the 80's, many t top aftermarket conversions were done. if i had to guess, i'd say it's bulls**t.

 

As far as GTAs go, '87 was the first model year. As far as T-Top cars go, the 350 (5.7litre) option was NOT available on any third gen F-Body car from the factory with T-Tops and last but not least all 5.7litre optioned cars came with automatics only.

You can decode your VIN code on this site to be sure. Check the articles also.

 

Thank goodness somebody cleared this up. I have a friend who's got 1986 IROC w/ T-tops and he claims it's a 350. If only 50 of these cars were built and never offered to the public, I find it hard to believe that one would find its way to rural Arkansas. His justification is that the motor's serpentine setup has different belt routing and different accessory locations. His alternator is on the passenger side and the A/C compressor is on the driver side, while my 1988 305 TPI has alternator on the driver side and compressor on the passenger side. Although I take this to be just a minor variation in accessory locations from year to year, he's convinced it's a 350. Guess I'll have to run his VIN and find out the truth for myself.

The guy who sold me my car also tried to dupe me with its so-called Corvette motor. I shut him up right there when I told him that 350s and T-tops were never offered together. Sure enough, a VIN check verified the engine was a 305.

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'88 IROC 305 TPI
Crappy 700R4 slushbox
Gutted airboxes
180 degree T-stat
Advanced base TPS voltage
Relocated IAT sensor
Momo steering wheel (gotta luv it)
Ram-air setup coming soon
Flowmaster muffler (puke)
Taylor SpiroPro wires
Accel cap and rotor
Ported plenum
Kills: '94 Z28, Olds Aurora V8, bunch of Mustangs, T-birds, ricers, and others who assumed a 12 year-old car would be too slow.

 

As "official production", the fact that the "50" were never made for the public makes RB's statement correct.

 

>>>Originally posted by nFORM91:
As far as T-Top cars go, the 350 (5.7litre) option was NOT available on any third gen F-Body car from the factory with T-Tops

When the 350 debuted(besides the 50 in 86) you could get t-tops and a 350 until 91 when only the 305s could have t-tops.(dont ask me why?



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1986 305 TPI
8.0 @88 in the 1/8
**Soon to be 355

 

moving to the history and restoration board

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ICON Motorsports

1st & 3rd
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