OK, kinda need to vent here...some dumbf*ck nailed me at an intersection, running their stopsign. Their insurance totalled my 84 Z28 H.O.....I loved that car. They gave me $3800, so I went out and bought a really nice 87 Z28/Iroc-Z, automatic. Not a high output. Sure, it gets up on it....it's an LG4 though, and I know they aren't made to perform!

So I want to know what the hell happened to the performance! GM screwed everyone!?

 

GM didn't screw anyone. Your the one who spent your money on a LG-4 car when you could have spent it on a TPI car ..... And then you complain where did the power go LOL .... It's a LG-4 you can't compare it to the 5.0 h.o.

 

Yeah, you got the base model V8. It was like 30HP down in it's official rating from the L69 and the real difference was probably a bit more than that. Back when neither engine was rated over 200HP a 30HP difference is quite a bit.

LG4 cars also typically came with 2.73 gears vs. the usually much steeper gears in an L69 car. That difference alone often makes an LG4 car feel like a pig compared to an L69 car.

 

Did you get to keep the '84? You can always swap over the good 'HO' related stuff to the new car - the engine, trans, rear end...

 

Nope, didn't get to keep the car. A friend of mine is pulling out his 402 big block and selling it for $3,000...might have to start a little project.

 

How long ago did this happen? Lots of insurance co.'s give you the option of buying back the car for like $500 or something.

 

September 2nd was the accident. They gave me the check and picked the car up this past Thursday. Said the damage to it was not worth repairing because it would cost more than the vehicle was worth...they cashed me out at $3800. I paid $1250 for the car so it was a gain for me, but at the same time a loss because I loved that car to death.

The insurance company was State Farm. They mentioned nothing of a buyback and I went to sign the title over and everything and they just said "that's it, we're all done, good luck" or something to that effect. Not a huge deal, I like my new car, but it was just really odd to me that the Z28 in 84 had a lot more power than a Z28 in 87.

 

Only if the '84 Z28 had the L69. FWIW, the '87 LG4 was only 20 horses down from the '84 L69.

It's not that hard to get better than L69 power out of an LG4. https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/faq-...5-engines.html

 

Mine was a 86 LG4 when I got it. 2.73 Open diff car with a 700R4. Not a total pig and I did do quite a few mods short of cam and heads. Best was a 15.250 in the Qtr at Gainesville and backed it up 2 runs later. I was running a Holley, Performer intake, Open K&N 3", Headman Headers, 3.42s Auburn, Dynomax ST cat-back, Gutted cat, underdrives and a HEI vacc advance big-cap dist with Accel Coil and wires (suck a$$ crap those were). That was many years ago but I still got all my slips. I remember playing with timing advance, curves and some jetting on it. Probably could have gotten in the 14s IMO with some more dialing and a stronger tranny.

 

I don't think your missing power as much as your missing the H.O.'s 3:73 gears ... I remember when I blew up my 84's 3:73 rear and dropped a rear with 3:08's in it. dogged it down real hard power braking wasn't as easy after that LOL .... Just throw a TPI exhaust on that LG-4 a better intake and some steeper gears and you'll like it.
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Oh and don't ask how I blew the rear up cause I won't say to this day but will say it only did the one wheel peels after that LOL

 

the gearing of our H.O.'s are great from the start, makes everyone else jealous

 

I do miss the H.O. but I guess with some mods I can get my car to run just as good. Only thing I liked was the fact that I smoked everybody with a stock car....don't think I can say the same now.

Damn thing didn't pass emissions either...gotta get it checked out today. Did fine on the dyno when I was cruising....failed when I was idling. 357 on hydrocarbon's and the limit was 220. Ouch.