Third-generation Chevrolet Camaros have been making a turn as of late, picking up steam in the collector car marketplace as enthusiasts realize clean examples are hard to find. The Z28 with a 5-speed is a sought-after model these days, but the top banana in the family tree is the track-inspired 1LE. This sharp-edged Camaro is hard to find these days, and this one has just 2,181 miles on the clock. Find it here on eBay with bids to $29,100 and the reserve unmet.
The Camaro 1LE was built for SCCA’s popular Showroom Stock racing series and the Canadian Players Challenge series. The early 90s was seemingly the peak of manufacturers building cars for the purpose of going racing on weekends, seemingly giving drivers permission to beat the hell out of their warranted coupes. The 1LE is the same idea, in theory, as the eminently collectible BMW E30 M3 and Audi Coupe Quattro, but available for far less money.
The 1LE gave drivers ten additional horsepower; more powerful brakes lifted from the Caprice; a baffled gas tank; aluminum driveshaft from the Corvette; and a close-ratio gearbox. Of course, in the spirit of a performance-oriented track car, any luxuries were deleted, including air conditioning, power windows, and fog lamps. The Camaro remains in excellent condition inside and out, looking like a brand-new car – and certainly not one that’s been wrung out on the track every weekend.
The best part of the 1LE story is how difficult it was to unlock this option at the dealer level. It wasn’t as if Chevrolet was sending banners and marketing literature to dealers to let the world know the 1LE was available. Via a clever selection and removal of options unique to the 1LE and proving to your local sales rep that you did indeed go racing every weekend, it became possible to own a genuine 1LE – which explains why examples such as these are so hard to come by today. Hopefully, this beautiful example get the money it deserves.
I’m somewhat surprised at the bidding for this ’92 z28, it’s quite impressive. It’s a beautiful car and the claimed low mileage is amazingly low. The exterior color is very attractive though, of course, the ’90s mundane gray interior is well, blah. The winning bidder will face the dilemma of whether to avoid driving the car too much to keep the miles low or saying to hell with it and drive the car as much as he wants to (that would be my choice!). I have a 4th gen z28, a convertible with only 52k on it and I drive it whenever I can. I’m not keeping the mileage low for the next guy, I’m going to flog it, sorry; drive it, as much as I want to. It’s a car with decent power, good handling and it’s a lot of fun to play around with. It will be interesting to see the winning bid on this ’92 z28, I’m curious to see how high it will go.
I’m with you. Drive it!
Who ARE you and what did you do with FordGuy1972?
Back in the day, I had a ’70 Nova SS with a 396, probably my favorite car of all the cars I’ve ever owned. I had a GMC pickup, a Chevy pickup, a Cadillac, a ’57 Chevy and I still have a Dodge Magnum. I even owned a little Rambler. I do prefer Fords (I still have two) but I like all classic cars. I bought my z28 because it was a really good deal, I just couldn’t pass it up.
Don’t worry Boatman, I’m still in the Ford camp, even if I stray once in a while!
I had a 95 firebird with same color combo (green/tan interior). Only the V6 though. Thanks for posting yours!
The bidding is at nearly twice the cost of this car new. I’m sorry but one day the bottom will fall out and everyone who paid 2-3 times new price won’t be able to sell it except at a huge loss.
By that logic, Robert, anyone paying over $15,000 or so for a 1969 ZL-1 Camaro is going to have to sell at a huge loss at some point, even though one sold at Scottdale this year for $770,000.
Granted, a 1992 ain’t no 1969, but this 1LE is the apex of third gen development, and therefore the generational equivalent to a ZL-1.
Definitely fun cars and still miss my ’99 Z/28.
A last model ’02 SS Convertible is another entry on my short list of cars I want to own.
Love the color
I had a 305.v8..92 rs camaro..I knew the 1LE car was out there..when I bought mine in Oct 92..plenty 305 cars were available at low hp.170 horse.motors.on the dealer lots…these cars had bad converters that will plug up..and bad fuel.pumps and forget getting the gas tank out..watch the utube video..on pump removed.thru.trunk hump.from the top…it’s spot on…crazy car and the radiator is to small..it over heats like crazy..general.motors….the car did drive well.
Less front overhang, & more metal/length between the wheels front to back would have been better – for more rear seat leg room. Back seat looks almost useless on this gen if you are a tall driver, unlike in prev gen.
Glad I reported this site, I commented and it’s not their, must be broken lol.
These F body’s were all junk. These were made for looks and nothing else, I had a 1986 Bright blue like this one. The transmission was junk they were weak, the radiator let go on me, it had a crack in the plastic tank and to top it off, the rear end blew out which was a 7.5 , they used these in the Chevrolet Monza with low Horsepower like 140, GM did this on purpose so you had to keep buying a rear end. I finally sold that junk and never would by one of these junks unless it had a Dana 44 rear end. It stinks how they made these things so frail, it was really made as a Grocery car and that was it. Mustang had the 8.8 rear end which was as strong as a Chevrolet 12 Bolt.
Never really cared for these but that’s just me.They look like wedges imo.The next gen like the convertible someone has pictured are much cleaner of a design imo.My 66 ss396 impala 4 speed 4:56 gear used to eat these up straight line.Now if I had to do a road course I’d be toast.One thing that makes this car look so much better are the style of these factory wheels and it does wear it’s spoilers much better then a Fox mustang Gt from the same era imo.Nice color nice car just not for me. glwts.
Chevrolet did all they could to make the 3rd generation Camaro slower than the Ford Mustang. Cast iron exhaust manifolds instead of headers like the Mustang, single exhaust instead of true dual exhaust like the Mustang, the 5 speed could only be had with the smaller 305. They never gave the car the chance to really do what it could do.
Glad I reported this site, I commented and it’s not their, must be broken lol.
I understand that to collectors, its more about rarity and that speed in the quarter mile or whatever but I don’t think I’d be bragging about the car NOT having A/C. Maybe the guy is trying to make lemonade out of lemons a bit.
These things weren’t really THAT fast regardless, were they?
I’d gladly trade off a little acceleration or top end and have air conditioning and not roast in summer, driving to a car show.
But what do I know?
No they were not fast. Well off the line for a 8th mile they were or light to light. But not really able to keep up with the mustang except in the corners it handle better.
The tanks were never plastic. Don’t know where you got that.