This 1989 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z has been off the road since 1998, and despite residing in Londonderry, New Hampshire, this is a California survivor that still wears its original California license plates from the 1980s (it’s the same plate design on the DeLorean in Back to the Future, just FYI.) That time off the road has helped protect and preserve the Camaro, which has clearly never seen a snow- or salt-covered winter road. The Chevrolet has been painted at least once before and is described as a five-footer. But with the rare manual gearbox nestled in the console, I’ll bet most potential buyers will forgive some paint runs from what is likely an amateur paint job. Find the Camaro here on craigslist for $15,000.
The third-generation Camaro still strikes me as a fairly common classic, but some recent auction sale prices show us that top-shelf examples are no longer readily attainable. Some of the recent sale prices for what was admittedly for the best-of-the-best specimens, but still – prices at auction shot up to $60,000 or so for total creampuffs with original paint. While I love the third-generation model (it’s my favorite design), it’s hard for me to get my head around paying that kind of money for a car that for years was cheap as chips to buy and just another old muscle car beater. I know, I know – times change. Still, the good news is that if you can settle for a more driver-quality example, plenty of cheap buys are still out there.
The seller claims the Camaro just turned over 100,000 miles and the interior and engine bay both present well for that kind of mileage. Despite being a performance car, five-speed manuals in this generation of Camaro and Firebird are surprisingly hard to find. While I don’t want to see this clean Camaro modified in any way, I do like the idea of removing the passenger and back seats, installing a cage, and going racing. Some of my favorite cars to watch on the local autocross course were Camaros and Firebirds (and C4 Corvettes), as with the right driver, they could really dance. And I believe the IROCs came with Bilstein shocks right from the factory.
The 5.0L V8 presumably runs and drives, but the seller doesn’t explicitly state this. He has installed numerous new parts and body components, including: new fuel injectors; a new fuel pump and filter; a fresh battery; rear hatch window struts; rear polyurethane sway bar links; a new starter and ignition module; new tires; and more. The gas tank was also drained and the seller confirms the inside of the tank was rot-free. The original converter and all smog equipment have been retained by the seller. This is a sharp example of an appreciating muscle car and with the rare manual gearbox, it’s all the reason you need to Buy It Now.
Hold out for a 5.7
Can’t get a 5.7 with a manual. Would rather have the manual and the smaller motor. Or do what I did…get a 5.7 car and swap in a T56.
That’s what I did too; but to a T5. Seems like only about 10% were manual trans from the factory, but yeah, swapping in a manual is a weekend job with a T5.
That handbrake lever needs to be adjusted…
There’s more and more of these IROC cars popping up here on barn finds I can only attribute it to people are waking up and finally getting rid of those pieces of junk
They’e no more junky than any other domestic from the era. Yes, the early 3rd-gens had all kinds of problems, but the later cars, especially the ’89-up models, were very reliable when new.
Definitely better than a Fox Body Mustang, even if not as quick out of the box.
I had a 86 for about 6 months and after putting hundreds into it just so I can keep getting to work and back I sold it and got a 82 F150 with the inline 6 that was a far more dependable rig.
Go ahead and do tune up there not that bad ,haha.
Im amazed he got 100k out of it! I’ve had 22 daily drivers in my lifetime and my 87 Iroc had the most problems out of all them put together. Beautiful car, quality was for crap.
I’ve been pretty lucky I guess. My 89 is still sporting its original long block TPI 5.0. I’ve autocrossed it, bracket raced it, juiced it, and, except for about 10 years that I was out of the country, beat on it just about daily. It’s a 5 speed now with a deeper gearset so I can only estimate mileage at 210-220K. It’s required upgrades and regular attention to keep it on its game, but so far, she’s still going. Thirdgens are not great cars, but don’t deserve the ‘terrible’ rap they get either. With the right equipment they are a blast.
My friend in High School had a 5.0 TPI with the manual tranny. It beat just about everything on the street. It had a high ratio rear end (3.73?) that came stock. Something like a Police interceptor configuration/package I think we found out later when running the VIN for options. The amount of pissed off dudes with overworked muscle cars that lost in the quarter mile races on saturday nights was long. All other IROC’s and Formulas with automatic were far and away slugs comparatively.
I – roc(k), but Toyota sold the better Supra.
Junk. It’s a $5k car at best. The exhaust holds it back big time. 2 into 1 with no way to properly do a true dual exhaust. Horrible design. Suspension too. Worst riding/handling Camaro ever made. The rare 1LE kinda handledon R compound tires.
The $15k asking price is a bit optimistic, and while it may be a $5k car to YOU, the market will view it otherwise. My guess is that it goes for somewhere around $10-12k.
As far as having the worst ride and handling of any Camaro, you’re half right…and half wrong. Yes, 3rd-gen ride quality was godawful when the cars were equipped with the FE2 suspension and 16″ wheels. That setup would jar your fillings loose when running over a bubblegum wrapper.
On the other hand, this was one of the best handling cars produced in the US during the 80’s, with the caveat that you’re driving on smooth pavement. Given a well-kept, windy road, my ’88 IROC (T56-swapped) could hold it’s own against my 2011 Camaro 2SS, even with the enormous power deficit.
The 3rd-gen cars had a lot of flaws, and I’ll be the first to admit it, but they weren’t the “junk” that most Ford fans seem to think they were.
Interesting comparison between the years. Have a 2015 2SS and the car handles like a dream. Thanks for the info
I owned 3 different Gen-3 Camaros. They all handled like they were on rails.
Seller proudly announces several times that it is a one owner car, but doesn’t know exactly when it was repainted. Hmmm.