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Tech / General EngineIs your car making a strange sound or won't start? Thinking of adding power with a new combination? Need other technical information or engine specific advice? Don't see another board for your problem? Post it here!
For me the answer is easy, the Third Gen Camaro is my favourite American sportscar because of it's slick timeless muscle/sports car looks, or at least this is what appealed to me first. Later things such as vastly improved handling over older American cars and the fact that everything is relatively affordable caught my attention, as it's also in my price class and an added benefit for my dreamer's mind is that so many GM and aftermarket performance parts are there and made to fit.
So what is the reason you got into the Third Gen 'scene', what appealed to you and why did you pick it over any other (sports)cars available? Plus what else do you have to tell about your passion for these cars? I'm very interested in hearing your responses.
91 formula ws6. Love the flowing body lines. Handling is great for how I like to feel when driving. Braking was to be desired. Easily put just about any drive train combo in them still as they are fairly popular still. Its when you sit in the drivers seat you have to feel a certain way or its not right for you. I liked my first 4 Firebirds but the ws6 just grabs me for some reason. Prolly the lack of a "body kit" if you will.
On a side note, this site has helped fix any lacking areas. We are an inventive bunch that take pride in seeing what fits. My only complaint has always been the stock brakes. With the c5 kit up front and 01 ss kit out back I feel fairly confident that I can stop easier. I enjoy reading peoples combinations for any particular system they chose to augment.
Last edited by fireburdluvr85; Mar 12, 2014 at 02:28 PM.
i was 17 years old, my mom said your limit is $1500, i found a 83 chevy 20 van, she didnt take me seriously lol but i did like it, i found the 88 firebird and loved it. 5 years later still own it!!! Done alot to her and very glad i got what i got.
Truthfully, I am an old school muscle car guy, early 70. I have a 72 nova with a blown 355 with a Muncie 4 speed strange spool 456 gears moser 30 spline axles, strange c clip eliminators, My son is the one that wanted a third gen, the neighbor has one and he just loved the car. Now my son being in the Marine Corps and over seas, I decided to hunt one down, found a 1990rs no motor or trans, all wiring gone front wrecked, had crager wheels, it was a piece of art to say the least! hahaha, well after a different nose and chin piece, a 355 full roller engine, a 5 speed, was an auto had to change parts over , wiring the entire car, bought factor Camaro wheels,( cragers look better on the nova haha). I now have become a third gen fan! Looking to buy another project third gen so the kid and I can roll together in third gens.
my uncle bought an 84 berlinetta in 86 or 87, and like all of his cars, i got to drive it the first day he got it (at about 13 or 14 years old) he loved that car (and so did i). it was maroon and gold outside, dark gray and black inside all mint still ... it was that way till the night he died in a roll over crash into a creek ... i couldnt get an 84 berlinetta, but i still think of all the fun and good times we had in that car every time i get into my iroc and i am sure he would be happy i got a 3rd gen
I could not afford the brand new '93 Mustang Notchback LX 5.0 5 speed that I test drove. LOL!
So for 4,900 $ that I made remodeling a kitchen that summer I bought my '88 Formula. Not having a car note was very appealing when I was 22 and still in college
3 years later when I started my career I did buy and finance a '91 Taurus SHO 5 speed for my daily driver, that's when I parked & started to "build" the f-body.
21 years and many daily drivers later... I still have the Formula.. sometimes I wonder if the same could be said if I bought that LX?
I chose a thirdgen mostly for the interior and exterior styling-my lust for a thirdgen goes back to the summer of '85 when I saw a dark brown '82 or 83 z28 for sale at a specialty car sales lot;thought the interior fittings were really cool-all the little torx screws and the console clock just to name a few.At that point in time these were too expensive for a 16 Y.O. kid,so had to settle for a '69 Camaro instead.Bought my '82 in 1990,and still like what I liked in '85
I chose a thirdgen mostly for the interior and exterior styling-my lust for a thirdgen goes back to the summer of '85 when I saw a dark brown '82 or 83 z28 for sale at a specialty car sales lot;thought the interior fittings were really cool-all the little torx screws and the console clock just to name a few.At that point in time these were too expensive for a 16 Y.O. kid,so had to settle for a '69 Camaro instead.Bought my '82 in 1990,and still like what I liked in '85
In my high school days there were lots of mustang 5.0s and iroc-z running up and down the road. the trans ams were the best looking in my opinion and my junior year i talked my dad into a 1987 ta with the gold mesh wheels. red with black interior. I own my third now a red 89 formula w/black interior. they are affordable cars and they just look so good. Also had an 82 z28 pace car and a 91 z28 that were fun as well. My dad still says these cars are junk but its what my generation grew up with and love
Wanted one since High School. Saw a punk azz kid wrap a brand new 84 Z around a telephone pole showing off and swore if I could ever have one I would treat it the was you are supposed to. Since then I have had 6 Third gens and haven't killed any.
I chose a thirdgen mostly for the interior and exterior styling-my lust for a thirdgen goes back to the summer of '85 when I saw a dark brown '82 or 83 z28 for sale at a specialty car sales lot;thought the interior fittings were really cool-all the little torx screws and the console clock just to name a few.At that point in time these were too expensive for a 16 Y.O. kid,so had to settle for a '69 Camaro instead.Bought my '82 in 1990,and still like what I liked in '85
Needed a daily driver that was fun, easy to work on, & had a cool factor. Had just traded my 78 TA project for a nice 87 SWB Chevy truck. After a couple weeks realized it was not fun as a daily driver as I could not zoom around traffic etc....In scouring the Clist found my 84 Z28 for 1K, no wheels, no seats, no headliner, but had an immaculate 305 w/headers,new exhaust, new bushings etc. I had never liked them when they first came out, but this one just called out to me. So I got it, fell in love, and have enjoyed the f"""" out of it, now I'm planning to swap the drivetrain from my 96Z28 as I downsize my life, LOL
Hadn't even thought about it. We bought our son a cheap little 4 door 1500 cc Civic when he started driving. Then one day he announced that he'd sold the Civic and bought a '91 Firebird (V6 base model). It was in pretty bad mechanical shape. Very badly maintained. Despite the issues it was way cooler than the Civic and after some maintenance it wasn't too bad. Then he left home in the Camry and left the 'Bird which promptly died. That's when I joined TGO and started learning about 3rd gens. With help from the board got the car running, started auto-x and now spending whatever time and money on it I can. I'd still like my '67 convertible back but the 3rd gens are great looking and now I'd like more!
Easy...... Nice or rebuild-able 2nd gens are crazy in price, I owned 5 back in the 70's and 80's. When I decided I wanted one last hot rod car (have my hot rod truck) I found my 88 GTA roller for 300 bux, It was headed to the crusher the very next day so I couldn't pass it up !!!
For me the answer is easy, the Third Gen Camaro is my favourite American sportscar because of it's slick timeless muscle/sports car looks, or at least this is what appealed to me first. Later things such as vastly improved handling over older American cars and the fact that everything is relatively affordable caught my attention, as it's also in my price class and an added benefit for my dreamer's mind is that so many GM and aftermarket performance parts are there and made to fit.
So what is the reason you got into the Third Gen 'scene', what appealed to you and why did you pick it over any other (sports)cars available? Plus what else do you have to tell about your passion for these cars? I'm very interested in hearing your responses.
back in late 85 I saw a IROC at my local dealer. interested, I took it for a test drive and fell in love with everything about it.but at $20,000 so not possible to buy it. and I thought ,some day.fast forward to 2009 when I found my car.a one owner 86 IROC with most options .it had been parked in a barn when the 305 started knocking in 1991. with 27,563 miles . now I love my car and drive it every day with a sh%$ eatin grin
I always did love the thirdgens though. It also helped that a buddy of mine owned 3 after we graduated high school and we always had fun cruising around in them. Mine was wrecked by another friend who never got around to fixing it. So after a few years, I talked him into selling it to me with all the parts he had accumulated plus a good 350 for $600. And with all the small, twisty back roads around here, I wanted something that could handle them.
Just the connection when I was little that I saw them here and there and I remember the rear tail light and was attracted to it. Fast forward to the day I was looking for a first car and found out what it was exactly as it was a Camaro ( never liked cars til then, and I would had probably gotten something cheap on gas) and got my first car a 85' Z :')
I have always been a muscle head. loved the older muscle but one of dads friends had an 86 iroc that was killer. I was 10 yrs at the time and it was the coolest thing. t-tops black car red interior blaring heavy metal doing 90 with my dad flipping out as we blew past him on the highway. I fell in love that day.so I remember all the other cars I have had waiting for my chance to pick up a third gen camaro. move to 2013 I found it a decade after my experience in a really bad 88' sport coupe. the exhaust was messed up,the floorboard partly rotted,body work in sad shape, interior torn up the last kid had a jury rigged subwoofer sound system I hated and half butt wiring. but as soon as I heard that mechanical thrum from the tired 305 it was like I had found my peace. here we both are now about a year and $5000 later and still going. slowly back to rebuilt like stock. or something that resembles it. ;-)
for some a camaro is a state of mind or even a way of life or a status symbol or even just another car.
for some its a way to be free if only for a while
My first Car was a 72 rs and then I owned a 67 Camaro. Sold my Camaros off to raise a family and save money on my drive to work. Got back into drag racing in 1990 with my family and later in 2002 I decided I wanted my own a sports car again. At this time 2nd gens were either too rusty or too pricey for what I wanted to do so I started looking for 3rd gen f-birds. Started with a $800 87 Formula 350 that had over $1100 worth of SLP stuff on it and drove it for a little while until the wife spun a bearing racing it at Edgewater Sportspark. I wanted a car with a solid body to start with and the Formula had too many bad spots on it. Sold it and wound up getting the 86 I have now in 2003.
Now I got my dad's 70 Z28/RS which needs A LOT OF LOVE to start messing around with. The ONLY reason I'm bothering with this one is that it is an original Z28/RS and there is less and less of them around. The only thing that wasn't original when he got it was the motor
My mom had a 87' Formula 350, I would always see the pictures as I was growing up I always vowed to get a 3rd gen since. I remember as a kid it would scare the cr*p out of me when she punched it, one time I spilled a red snowcone on her seat(as a kid) she wasn't very happy needless to say haha..
I know this thread is ancient but I came across it... I had an 89 firebird 2.8v6 car back in 1999. It was graphite Gray and light gray two toned t-top and the most gnarly car I owned. Always wanted another. Fast forward to 2023 and the world has gone crazy and I come across an 89 formula that has been beat to hell. Well, I got it and am pickled tink! 89 formula, red, black interior, 205 tbi that was blown up literally. Had to have it. One 93 roadmaster donor engine and some time and it's up and running with no check engine codes! Now to sort out everything else.
I know this thread is ancient but I came across it... I had an 89 firebird 2.8v6 car back in 1999. It was graphite Gray and light gray two toned t-top and the most gnarly car I owned. Always wanted another. Fast forward to 2023 and the world has gone crazy and I come across an 89 formula that has been beat to hell. Well, I got it and am pickled tink! 89 formula, red, black interior, 205 tbi that was blown up literally. Had to have it. One 93 roadmaster donor engine and some time and it's up and running with no check engine codes! Now to sort out everything else.
