By 1990 there were clear signs that manufacturers like Chevrolet had recaptured some of their lost youth and that their performance models were worthy of that tag. A case in point is this 1990 Camaro IROC-Z that appears to be a beauty. It recently emerged from the private collection of a true enthusiast and has a genuine 12,975 miles showing on its odometer. Its condition is extremely impressive, but it now needs a new home. Located in Pleasanton, California, you will find the Camaro listed for sale here on eBay. The bidding has hit $25,099, but this remains short of the reserve.
This Camaro is an original and unrestored survivor wearing Code 40 White paint. It probably isn’t the most striking shade the company offered in that model year, but it still looks crisp and clean. It retains an impressive shine, with no obvious issues visible on the panels or paint. The owner supplies an excellent array of photos, and the underside shots reveal spotless floors that also wear their original paint. The exterior plastic and stripes look flawless, as does the glass. Some people aren’t sold on the styling of the Third Generation Camaro, but it represented a seismic shift in thinking by General Motors. As matters transpired, many manufacturers followed a similar line of thought. They recognized that extracting additional performance from their hobbled V8 engines was going to be a slow process, but aerodynamic improvements and lower weights would help their issues. Thus, many cars from this era appeared significantly sleeker than their predecessors.
While it may not be loaded with optional equipment, the Camaro’s interior presents exceptionally well in its Gray cloth and vinyl combination. There is no evidence of significant deterioration or wear and no signs of crumbling plastic. A meticulous buyer might choose to protect the eats with aftermarket slipcovers, which may not be a bad long-term strategy. This would be a matter of choice but is a path that I would probably choose. I would also add a cover to the dash top to further protect a vulnerable aspect of the interior. It seems the original owner was focused primarily on performance because this Camaro features few luxury options beyond air conditioning, an AM/FM radio/cassette player, and a leather-wrapped wheel. If power windows or seats are on your wish list, you’ve come to the wrong place!
Powering this Camaro is a 305ci V8 that sends its 230hp to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. With the IROC-Z tipping the scales at 3,263lbs, it should be capable of covering the ¼ mile in 14.8 seconds before hitting 150mph. To understand the impact that the “lower weight/improve aerodynamic” philosophy pursued by Chevrolet had, it is worth comparing performance figures between this Camaro and the previous generation. The 1980 Z/28 weighed in at 3,516lbs, with its most potent 350ci V8 producing 190hp. If the driver pointed that classic at the same piece of road, the journey would take 16.1 seconds before the Z/28 ran out of breath at 124mph. While the additional power available to the later car’s driver would have been welcome, a significant percentage of the performance gain stemmed from having less weight to move and slicing through the air more efficiently. The seller indicates that after liberating the IROC-Z from the private collection, they replaced all fluids and the fuel. It runs and drives well, but they recommend replacing the original tires as a safety precaution. The odometer shows 12,975 genuine miles, and it appears the seller holds verifying evidence.
There’s no denying that the presentation and overall condition of this 1990 Camaro IROC-Z are impressive. While its odometer reading isn’t the lowest we’ve seen at Barn Finds, it is well below average. The low production figures for the Camaro in that model year, coupled with it being the final year that Chevrolet offered the IROC-Z, make these a pretty desirable classic. Of the 83,089 Camaros that rolled off the line in 1990, only 4,213 were the IROC-Z Coupe. The Convertible version is rarer, with a figure of 1,294. The bidding is heading into the territory where it is likely to hit the reserve, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it reach $30,000 before proceedings end. Recent sales results for low-mileage examples suggest this as possible. Even if this classic is a bit rich for your blood, the auction could still be worth watching.
Anybody out there ever put a fuel pump in one of these, besides me??
2 actually, easy job once you cut the hole….
I did the trap door on my ’88. And my 2002. And my 2011.
“Powering this Camaro is a 305ci V8 that sends its 230hp to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. With the IROC-Z tipping the scales at 3,263lbs, it should be capable of covering the ¼ mile in 14.8 seconds before hitting 150mph.”
You really need to clarify your 1/4 mile estimated top speed unless you meant kph.
Rear gearing and torque motivated these cars better than the hp numbers state. Fuel injection was getting better every year to boot. Owned a ‘90 w/a 350 auto that was quicker than you’d expect.
My favorite quote about that generation from one of those automotive periodicals; “the Camaro cuts through the air like a hot knife through butter, the Mustang with the brute force of a sledge hammer”!
This is NOT the 230 hp LB9 engine, it does NOT have the N10 dual cat exhaust
This is an extremely low option car, 15” wheels even
There were not very many 1990 IROC-Z’s built due to a short production Model year. The 91’s were introduced very early in 1990
I just saw this after I posted. Good catch. It is not the 230 horsepower engine. Even though it’s called the “LB9” in both G92 and non-G92 applications, they have different camshafts.
This car is rather oddly optioned in that it has the LB9 305 with manual but no other performance options OR t-tops.
The G92 package was the hot ticket from 1989-92. So equipped, the car would have had 3.42 gears (v. 3.08), rear disc brakes (J65), performance exhaust system with dual catalytic converters (N10), engine oil cooler (KC4), the hotter Corvette cam, and 16″ wheels with 245/50 tires. And if you ordered it this way without air conditioning, you would have gotten the 1LE package, which added even more performance stuff, like the lightweight aluminum spare tire, twin piston front disc brakes, aluminum drive shaft, special fuel baffle, special shocks, and so on.
Some people didn’t order the G92 package during these years because you couldn’t get it with T-tops. But this car doesn’t have T-tops either. I think this is the first time I have ever seen a manual LB9 IROC with no T-tops and none of the performance options. I’ve seen LO3 cars and LB9 automatic cars equipped like this, but never an LB9 5-speed.
On this note, this car does Not have 230 horsepower. Even though it has the manual transmission, it has the peanut cam so it only has 210 horsepower, just like the automatic version. You had to order the G92 package to get the hotter cam in the LB9.
It actually does have the G80 (limited slip) but no factory A/C (no RPO C60). The wiring and compressor are definitely not OEM, so this is an add-on unit for sure.
My high-school, best friend’s brother-in-law (yeah, I can hear it now) was the sales manager at a local Chevy dealer in 1990, and I went by to visit him one day after I graduated high school to found a car exactly like this one sitting on the lot. He grabbed the keys, and we took it out for a spin. I think it had the 2.73’s, and IIRC, it was rated at 215 hp. I also remember it had the 215/65R16 tires on it as well. It was a stripped down car just like this one with the 5-speed, LB9, and manual windows. It did have factory A/C, but that was it.
Add-on A/C was not that unusual during those days. I drove a brand new, 1LE T/A with no A/C in 1992 right after a summer thunderstorm in south Alabama once. The dealer tried to get me out of my 1991 Mustang LX 5.0, but the hellish experience of trying to drive in 90 degree weather with fogged up windows was too much. He offered to have the A/C installed which would have been a unit similar to this. Might have been a great deal, but 30 years later, I still have the Mustang. Who’d have thought it?
Good eye! That is definitely not a factory AC unit. That makes the option combination even stranger. I can’t believe somebody is willing to pay $38,100 (thus far), for one of these without any of the IROC performance options. Without them, this is a slightly quicker RS. The market is crazy!
So what, even 210 HP was pretty good in those days, plus with a high rear end, nicer to drive on the freeway plus better MPG. Also, I bet a nicer purchase price. You got the slick look at a more friendly price. I see nothing wrong here. Not everyone lives and dies to have cutting edge performance.
Well, I didn’t say there was anything wrong with it. I’m just saying that without those options, it has a lower value. As you said, nicer purchase price.
But 38k for a 3rd Gen Camaro is anything but a nice purchase price, and I say this as somebody who has owned 2 of them and knows them pretty well.
Bick, I was thinking about buying one brand new back then. You are right, todays value a different story.
Cutting a hold is BS and potentially dangerous, proper way is to drop tank, anybody out there done that?
I don’t think “true enthusiasts” keep cars in garages for 30 years. True enthusiasts, while maintaining their cars, drive them, usually, as much as possible, because they enjoy their cars.
Absolutely!
Ridiculous price!
I sold a near mint 65k mile 1991 Z28 with G92 and LB9/5 speed for 7,500 in ’12 and I felt lucky to get that. 2-3 years ago, you could get a low mile 1LE in the low twenties. Non-1LEs with all the performance stuff were in the mid/high teens. This is either a shill bidding situation or people have truly lost their minds. 38 grand is rationally impossible to justify.
Never cut holes to do fuel pumps.
On most fuel injected vehicles, use PB Blaster on the strap bolts, remove as much fuel as possible, return the next day and remove the bolts and straps,
drop tank replace pump. Reverse to reinstall.
Or pay $500.00 to a mechanic.
Super glide you are correct but a little more to it than that on these cars rear axle also has to drop,and exhaust if memory serves me right.
And the signs were clearly that the Van Nuys plant was on its way out and the Canadians were going to take 5000 jobs away
“Buy It Now” of $58k?!?!?!?! C’mon folks, that’s re-dic-ulous! That’s GN territory (which I still think is obscene). People are crazy, which is making this a harder hobby/enjoyment to get started in…especially for the younger generations.