It may not seem like the options on a 1987 IROC Z Camaro wouldn’t matter that much. But as prices of these third-generation Camaros are starting to climb, that could very well become a more important topic of discussion. This one listed here on eBay is said to have all but two of the factory options in 1987.
One of the options that this car does not have is the L98 350 V8 option, which would have been an upgrade over the 305 V8 that it has. This one is an automatic with T Tops, which means that it could have been ordered with the 350. If I recall correctly, had it been a T Top car with a manual transmission, the 350 would not have been an option. Hopefully, you third-generation Camaro aficionados can help to verify this. Even though these cars were underpowered, at least the Tuned Port Injection adds a little bit of excitement.
The other option that this one is without is the rear window louvers. Apparently, the louver option was handwritten on the invoice but the Camaro sits without it. That rear louver could have potentially helped to protect the interior from some UV rays, but it still shows the wear of a 91k car. While it’s a little rough, it at least appears to be intact and is ready for restoration. At first glance, this IROC Z looks a little nicer than it really is. The seller states that it had a poor repaint at some point and is due for restoration.
This one isn’t perfect but it’s in good enough condition to drive while you work on it. Outside of the cosmetic issues, the items needing work don’t appear to be a daunting task to fix. Yellow seems to be the color that you either love or hate, but this particular color on this IROC Z Camaros just seems to work. So, with all but two of the factory options, does that merit any consideration on where the final bid will end up?
Haha this car reminds me of a Sir Mixalot tune lol.
This IROC-Z is a little rough needing interior work and maybe a re-paint. I think if I was looking for one I’d wait until I found something better. GM made a lot of these so there’s plenty to pick from..
Yeah it’s Rattier than Some that Have shown up on here BUT On the plus Side The body is straight & shows no signs of ROT, it’s Also the Desirable TPI car that is Worth allot Right there. Though i’d recommend buying a Good parts car to restore this one.
An ‘87 could have had an L98 with t-tops, but not a manual.
The L98 was ONLY available from the factory with the TH700R4/4L60.
T tops were not available on the 87’s with the L98. Later years it was available.
All through the ’80s and into the early 90s, Camaros and Firebirds could be had with a 305 or a 350. The 305 could be had with a 5-speed manual or an automatic but all 350s were automatic-only. AFAIK this applied to all engines — carbureted, TBI, or TPI — but magazines mostly only tested the TPI cars (when available) so I can’t say for 100% certain. (I’m doing this all from memory. If you want to know for sure, I’m sure the info is out there somewhere.)
On the Corvette side of the fence, C4s all came with 350s and either an automatic or the Doug Nash 4+3 manual. (4 speeds, 3 overdrive. It’s weird. Google it.) You couldn’t get a 350 in any platform with more than 4 gears until the ZR-1 in 1990, which had an all-new 350 with a 6-speed manual. That transmission also wound up in pushrod Corvettes (starting with the LT-1, I think?) and later in Camaros and Firebirds.
Period testing showed that Camaros and Firebirds with a 305 and a manual transmission were pretty close to a 350/auto — just a couple tenths slower in both 0-60 and the quarter-mile — so I don’t mind an automatic with a 350, but a 305 with an automatic is just sad.
AFAIK the roof choice (solid, T-tops, or convertible) was unrelated to which engine and transmission you got.
A few corrections to the above:
The 350 was only available from 87 on. It was only available in the L98 form with TPI and only with an automatic for the third gen cars. There were quite a few versions of the 305 over the years ( carb, TPI, TBI and CFI)and most of them could be had with either an auto or manual trans exemption being the 82-83 CFI which were auto only. T tops had nothing to do with engine choice for most years though in the early 90s some firebird models may not have offered t tops with the L98 by rumor but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen all the combinations so not sure on that.
Corvettes did use the 4+3 manual with only 350 engines L83 CFI in 84 only and the L98 up through 91 then replaced with the LT1. 89 was the first year for the ZF 6 speed which was the sole corvette manual through 96. The ZR1 used this transmission too as you pointed out
This has the infamous peanut cam LB9. The peanut cam, for those who do not know, was the standard 305 LG4 cam that they stuck in the 305 TPI for 1986 for whatever reason. It has 179/190 duration and .370/.390 lift. That’s very small for a Small Block Chevy cam, hence the name.
For 1987, Chevy brought back the hotter L69 cam for the manual 305 TPI and 350 TPI. It had 202/207 duration and .404/.415 lift. For 1988 it got even wilder at 207/213 and .415/.430. But it was only available with manual. The automatic LB9 cars retained the peanut cam motor through 1992.
I’ve owned both a manual LB9 and an L98 3rd generation. I can assure everyone the L98 is more fun to drive. It has a much better torque curve.
Growing up in the ’80s , I loved the look of the F bodies (Camaro/Firebird) and still do ! A high school buddy a couple years older had a 79 Mustang that he and his dad dropped a 5.0-4 barrel from an 84 model. Pretty well smoked every GM small block in the day. The F bodies would win the track/handling competition in magazine tests, but it wasn’t relevant to street racing city kids in central Ohio. I think about 1990 or so the Iroc 5.7 could out accelerate a Ford HO for a year, then they quit Camaro production due to poor sales. My dad has a beautiful 1991 Firebird vert, 305/auto. Love to joke around about my 89 Mustang kicking his arse !!! May be mine in the years to come, so…enough said ! We will both get blown out by a Subaru wagon today (?)
When did u say they quit making the camaro dude to poor production??
Yes I remember those days. I had a Mustang GT and the only people I knew that had IROCS and Z28’s were women. In fact I I dated a girl with the same wheezy TPI 305. It looked cool (The TPI) But no fooling the Mustangs would hurt these on the street. The GM clones of each other were under powered heavy pigs.
The problem lies with GM. They had everything on the shelf to turn the tables and make these cars king of the street. Cannot put the Camaro above the flagship…..choke….Corvette. We need huge sales numbers! So they put the mighty 305’s in them with automatics and sold the flash. So many in fact there are several local bone yards STILL dragging them in. I know of five that are fresh.
Got to hand it 100% to Ford. A manual transmission was standard at the blue oval. No games no special order crap. NO BS. You want a sunroof,T-Tops or a Convertible? You want a 5 speed manual? No problem. Simply they gave drivers what they wanted.
The formula still works today. Ford is still killing Camaros.
It’s true though about many of the older performance cars getting blown away by today’s newer cars like a Subaru STI , Mitsubishi EVO and any number of Hondas. Times change. You don’t have to like it. Just accept it. Tomorrow it will be high performance electric cars. Wait…..we have those now.
Nice words AMC. Family connection in Louisville to the AMC dealer for years (Heimendinger/Hartman on Bardstown Rd. I believe(?) . I will never forget the door handles as a kid in the ’70’s. Our family “royalty” drove the Ambassador and matadors, we had the Hornet..Extremely dependable. Dad decided to trade in on a last run 1980 Volare after Lee I’s inspiring words.. Should have bought a Concord for a few dollars more… Don’t get me wrong, love my dad and Lee, hindsight is 30/10(?) …something like that…
I had one of the first 4, 87 GTA Trans Am’s in Michigan. Wish I had it back !
It came with everything except the steering wheel controls for the radio !
L98 350 tpi. That only came with automatic that year. No T-top option for the 350. Only the 305. You could get T-tops on the side (after market) but needed the body bracing on the underside added. That was a must !
By the way I could beat my friends at the track with their camaros and all the stock mustangs including the svo turbos. My car ran a honest 14.7 quarter mile and with a few tweaks I was running a consistent 13.66. I got 19mpg around town and could squeak 24mpg on the highway. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z4yjJt5uWc55Jcva9
At that time the GT Mustang’s
Ran over these cars. They were pretty just like the girls that drove them. The Corvettes were the successful businessmans car and these and the firebirds were for the girls. Neither had much power only eye appeal.
. Never got beat by any mustang. Like I said, stock we ran side by side. But I always got them off the line. Never ran against a Vette, just didn’t have the opportunity. It was the grand National that would beat them all and give a Vette the run for they’re money
Mustang fanboys act like it wasn’t even close between the L98 cars and their Mustang GT’s, but the reality was, the difference was a couple tenths in the quarter, which really amounted to who the better driver was on the street. Sure, the LB9, LO3 and especially the LG4 cars were a significant step down in power from the Mustang and L98 F-bodies, but the person above who said these cars were heavy pigs is badly mistaken. Sure, they were a bit heavier than the Mustangs of that era, but 3300 lbs was hardly piggish, and it didn’t prevent 3rd-gen IROCs and T/As from absolutely running away from Mustangs once the road got twisty.
A little context and perspective on these things is nice.
Agreed Tower. I’ve had a few of them including an 85 IROC just like this one in yellow w/240 HP stock that I worked up as well as a 92 RS 5 speed that was hopped up too with gears, headers, chips etc. and they were both significantly faster than stock and I wouldn’t back down on the street to most. Mustangs were fast no doubt but fox bodies to me were ugly boxes with no lines so you could keep all of em. Oh and are we all forgetting the 89 T/A with Buick turbo 6 from the GN that pretty much blew Stangs into the weeds? Things that make you go hmmmmm?
Yup. I never got the Mustang thing, either. The LX 5.0 was a decent looking car, but the 87-93 GT was an overstyled mess.