does anybody knows why the camaro is named Z28, cause I really donīt know why is named like that. thnks

 

Z28 is an RPO code.

 

Gm has production codes. Every car gets a list of options (standard or extras, whatever) that are 3 character alphanumeric symbols. L98 is the code for the 350 TPI engine. L03 is code for the 305 TBI. LU5 is Crossfire 305 from 82-84. FE1 is a code for the IROC suspension package, G92 is another code involving differentials, etc. LS1 is code for the Gen III 5.7L smallblock in the 98-02 camaros, LT1 for the 93-97 Camaro engine... etc. Theres a code for air conditioning and T-Tops and 16 inch wheels and all that sort of stuff.

Each car gets a list that goes along with it on the assembly line (I suppose) and that determines what options and equipment it gets.

In 1969 the standard sport-optioned Camaro was the SS, the super sport. That is NOT a 3 letter code, but it was just the badging and title the sport-optioned car got.

But there were some people who were buying Camaros explicitly for racing. There was a very obscure production code to get a basically race prepped 69 Camaro, and that code was Z28. It's sort of like the thirdgen 1LE code.

The 69 Z28s got the chevy 302 and some other goodies. It got a chevy 302 smallblock due to Trans Am racing series limits on displacement. I think the limit was 305 cubic inches, and there was no chevy 305 at the time. The 302 uses a 4 inch bore block like the 350 so it would have been used regardless.

There's a LOT of mythology around those 1969 Z28s, but that's where the Z28 started. It became a well known designation and GM started calling their top line Camaros Z28s and putting Z28 badges all over them and that's where the Z28 came from. You know how you see firebirds with WS6 on them? That's another production code that just became well known to the point they started badging it on cars.

So that is, to the best of my knowledge, the story of the Z28.

Notice a lot of other GM cars have performance-oriented option codes taht start with Z. The trucks have Z71, the Cavalier had z24. Ive see some Z66 Avalanches I think.

As for why the letter and numbers Z 2 8 were used, I think it was just random for the most part.

 

I thought "Z" usually means fast.

 

Only for Japanese cars.

Different RPO codes mean different things depending on the prefix. The Z code is a package code. 28 just happens to be that performance option. Package codes usually mean it includes a bunch of different things or elimination of other things.

The 1LE package code includes a bunch of options but also removes a few options. Lets say you wanted the 5.7L engine in the late 80's but didn't want air conditioning. To get that option, a package code was required which may have added aluminum driveshaft, posi, baffled fuel tank etc. To remove one option added a few thousands of dollars to the car because it added a bunch of other things.

Over time, the Z28 title was change to IROC-Z but GM eventually went back to just calling them Z28 or Z-28.

Many other modern cars are only optioned as packages. Back in the 60's and 70's, it was easy to order just about any option available. Good example is pickup trucks. Back then you could order any engine available for the truck that GM made. By the 80's and early 90's, GM still made 454 engines but you couldn't get one in a 1/2 ton or a 1/2 ton short box. The only way you could get the BBC was to buy at least a 3/4 ton. The 90-93 454SS trucks were a special production line where the BBC was available in a small stuck.

Getting back to the cars, the BBC option stopped being a car option in 1971. That didn't stop people from installing the engine into the cars but you couldn't option the car for a BBC even though GM still produced the engine and the engine fit with no problems.

Gone are the days when you could tick off any option box you wanted for a new vehicle. Now you tick off packages to get a particular option. Tick off the Z28 option and you get a performance handling package.