The Chevrolet Camaro convertible is a model that is synonymous with many qualities that are undeniably American. For generations, the Camaro has been associated with a powerful image and one that considers the open road and two lanes of blacktop as much of an unalienable right as the freedom of speech. The Camaro convertible had been a distant memory on our landscape after last being seen in the late 60s, and the arrival of the third-generation droptop in late 1986 was a big deal. This no-reserve 1988 Camaro convertible here on eBay is currently bid to just over $3,000.
In addition to simply being a four-wheeled piece of Americana, the Camaro convertible in third-generation form was simply a great looking car. If you’re like me and judge convertibles by how good they look with the top up and down, the Camaro easily wins most beauty competitions. The roof stows nicely beneath the tonneau cover on the rear deck and disappears from view. When it’s up, it looks quite tidy as well. All of these years later, the Camaro from this era is one of the best convertible conversions I’ve seen, and it complements the squared-off looks of the car perfectly.
Inside, it doesn’t get much more 80s than this. The all-red interior, down to the carpets, the door panels, and the seat trim, is just fantastic. If you want a vehicle that screams Americana and is peak 1980s, this is your ride. Oftentimes when you step into a convertible, you see the ravages of years left with the top down in the form of faded upholstery and cracked trim. In the case of this Camaro, the dash pad is cracked but the cloth seating surfaces and carpeting actually look pretty fresh. The dash pad is an easy part to source from any number of Camaro parts suppliers, so I wouldn’t worry much about replacing that.
With under 80,000 original miles, this Camaro has likely been reserved for weekend and fair weather use. The 5.0L V8 and automatic transmission are both said to work well, and this generally low-upkeep engine should continue to provide dutiful service with only nominal upkeep. With 215 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque, this is still a compelling setup even if the automatic limits some of the fun. Sadly, despite its clean appearance, the seller does confirm the presence of rust in the floors, and this is likely the motivation behind the no reserve offer. But floor panels are available and straightforward to replace, and at the current bid price, an easy repair to justify.
Has to be near the top of the list of best looking cars ever made. The big engines were the icing on the cake.
I would check the mechanical health, probably go through the transmission and beef it up, adding a shift kit and .411 gear. That would wake it up and be a blast to drive.
I bought an 89 iroc vert in about 93. It was my daily driver until I restored it a few years ago. Now it’s fair weather only, and probably my favorite car of all time. Looks good, exciting to drive (with upgrades), easy to maintain, and versatile for a sporty car. Mine started as a 305/auto, but nitrous killed the automatic early on. The 305 with a 5 speed went over 320K and was still running fine when I changed to a 350/6 speed. In that time, I’ve replaced/changed/upgraded almost everything at least once.
Biggest weaknesses before upgrades were excessive body flex, grossly insufficient brakes, and weak driveline.
For years I took heat from my friends and neighbors for driving a third-gen, but the attitude towards these cars has finally started to come around, which is kind of nice.
This one has the tuned port 305 which was a hot thing back in the late 1980’s when I was in high school. I remember you could only get a manual trans with the 305 engine. The 350 you could not. This one has rust underneath but could be saved/restored if you get it at the right price.
I’ve had 2 87 Iroc Z’s with T tops and loved them. Both got rebuilt 350’s with built 700R4 trans. A set of weld in frame connecters really stabilize and wake these cars up. As long as the rust in the floor hasn’t gotten to the front frame under the firewall area it shouldn’t be an expensive fix.
This seller loves to exaggerate. They mention that the top, interior, and exterior are in excellent condition, then describes the issues with each one.
And to top it off, they mention that it needs restoration.
I would have simplified matters and just said it is “pretty good for its age”.
Author has significantly overstated the factory hp. Factory brochure shows LB9 with automatic was 195, not “215” as stated in article. Stick cars had 220hp. Reason for difference between auto and manual was a different camshaft. Auto cars got a “torquey” cam, whereas stick cars got a higher rpm cam.
SOLD for $6,700.
39 Bids.