The 1LE Camaros are a rare breed in the third generation Camaro family, a specially equipped and limited production model designed to bring race-ready equipment to owners looking to use their cars in competitive driving events. The upgraded hardware was like a shopping list of equipment that amateur racers would have gotten around to installing themselves, except these parts came with a factory warranty. You could get the 1LE cars in two distinct flavors – with a manual gearbox and a 305, or an automatic with the 350 – and this one sports the former, making it one of just 289 with the three pedal option. This Camaro has an interesting back story and is listed here on eBay with bids to $12,500 and the reserve unmet.
The seller has included the option to buy the Camaro outright for $19,500, and it’s located in Tampa, Florida. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Larry D. for the find. The Camaro supposedly sat for 12 years, in which time the finish got bad enough that the car was recently repainted. This period of abandonment occurred despite the Camaro being in the same family ownership until the third and current owner took over, so despite not changing hands all that often, this chain of ownership didn’t prevent the rare Camaro from being forgotten about and left to the elements. The seller notes the repaint turned out well, and that tires were also replaced and wrapped around reconditioned OEM wheels.
The Camaro 1LEs came with a variety of improvements, including heavy duty brakes, an aluminum driveshaft, firmer performance shocks and struts, and fuel tank baffling. The Camaro 1LE really was designed to give folks who spent their weekends at the track a car that could be driven hard and then driven home afterwards, and the performance-oriented package really didn’t get a ton of exposure outside of amateur motorsports circles. That’s what makes it a bit of a best kept secret today, and while the 1LE nomenclature has continued to be used, this era of the Camaro seemingly had a much tighter bond with the SCCA and other amateur racing circles. The interiors were spartan affairs, so it’s hard to take issue what we see here for cockpit condition – it is what it is. The seller does disclose the driver’s seat upholstery and headliner have both been replaced.
The seller indicates a faulty fuel pump issue is what led to the 1LE Camaro sitting for over a decade, which seems like an easily preventable event if the repair was so simple. Regardless, the seller has installed a new pump and sending unit, along with new injectors, and he references giving it a “tune up.” The engine bay is pleasingly stock, and while the mileage is on the high side, the rare and preferred manual gearbox more than makes up for the non-time capsule mileage. The Buy-It-Now price may be a touch ahead of the market, but it’s likely not far off given the sub-300 production numbers with a manual and the abundance of work that’s already been done by the seller.
Quoting the author “The seller indicates a faulty fuel pump issue is what led to the 1LE Camaro sitting for over a decade, which seems like an easily preventable event if the repair was so simple.” This repair isn’t so simple on a 3rd gen fbody, if you’re not mechanically inclined this is a rather lengthy project, exhaust needs to be removed, shields, rear axle needs to be dropped, etc. It’s not really a cheap fix to take to a mechanic either, that’s the reason it sat all that time.
Had a similar situation on a Volvo awd with no access to the top of the tank. Forums told you where to cut the body under the back seat to make it easy. Fuel lines were right there – to make it interesting.
Are these pumps installed in the fuel tank? Hate those!
Yes, they are a pain!
I own a black 91 RS that will probably soon need one. It involves either dropping the rear axle & tank because the pump is on the top of the tank. Some folks cut through the trunk floor but there are fuel pump door kits that you can buy & install if inclined.
On my convertible it only took jacking the car as high as possible and removing the wheels, rear axle, brake line, sway bar links, springs, panhard bar, drive shaft, exhaust, muffler, tank, and some heat shielding. I think that was about it.
Or just cut a hole in the hatch area and replace the pump like us poor people did…..
Yes that works too lol, but hardcore Gen3 guys lose their minds when you do that.
I recently sold my 93 G20 Rockwood conversion van (56,000 mls). Partly because the internal fuel pump went, mostly because the kids are older and the wife and I are the hunt for something to cruise. I just didn’t want to put the effort into replacing it. You have to remove quite a bit just to drop the tank.
Can’t believe GM couldn’t offer a manual 350 at the time. Seems lazy on their part.
I thought these came w/o a/c or even a stereo.
Hood insulation seems out of place on such a car.
Can i assume these got at least the better aussie rear differential? – tho i’m not sure if those are as good as even a ’70s GM 10 bolt, let alone an earlier 12 bolt.
You’re correct – A/C was specifically not available on the 1LE, and no radio was included. The eBay listing indicates that the A/C and radio were dealer-installed.
Hood pads are considered safety equipment, which is probably why it wasn’t deleted on the 1LE. In the event of an engine fire, the plastic retaining clips melt, allowing the pad to drop down on the engine and theoretically extinguish the fire.
JoeNY
The 91 Camaros had the Auburn rear axles.
You could get any option on these with the exception of t tops and the B4C cars could have AC. So, in reality, the B4C cars were the ones to have
Autocrossing and road racing, the target environments for the 1le cars, is not that hard on driveline parts, so the puny T5s and ten bolts will live for a good while…unless you start powershifting out of corners.
anyone that “power shifts coming out of corners” is a clueless twit that never learned HOW to drive. Reminds me of all those videos of idiots in Mustangs leaving car shows that hit curbs and worse
You’ll see at least one or two people doing it at just about any autocross event. Powershifting, I mean.
Dealer installed air, huh? …on a third gen where 99.99% already came with air.
Using ‘factory race car’ to describe a GM car with a 305 is an oxymoron for sure…
Maybe GM meant that the car was set up to race against factory *buildings* :-) :-)
Ended: Sep 12, 2021 , 9:24AM
Current bid:US $17,600.00
[ 41 bids ]
Reserve not met
Located in:Seffner, Florida