Buyer's Guide: 1982-1992 Chevrolet Camaro Enthusiasts didn't have much to get excited about in the early 1980s. Former performance kings were all but neutered V-8 shadows of their old selves, and tightening fuel economy standards made it seem the malaise was here to stay. And then something changed. A new attitude was spurred on by a new style of music. Formed in the underbelly of Los Angeles' Sunset Strip, and fronted by bands like Moetley Cruee and Quiet Riot, this rising movement spurred young enthusiasts to seek out a car that matched the music and the attitude of the era. They found the 1982 Chevrolet Camaro. In the late '70s, there was some controversy at GM over what the next-generation Camaro should look like. Many thought performance was dead, and that the Camaro (and its Pontiac Firebird twin) should follow the lead of the rest of GM and switch to a front-drive setup. Fortunately, Camaro chief engineer Tom Zimmer and his development team leader Fred Schaafsma decided early on that handling should be the third-gen Camaro's top priority, and
Buyer's Guide: 1982-1992 Chevrolet Camaro
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Buyer's Guide: 1982-1992 Chevrolet Camaro
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Buyer's Guide: 1982-1992 Chevrolet Camaro
it demanded rear drive. The mandate also put the new Camaro on a diet and earned it a revised suspension. Though the traditional live rear axle remained, the old leaf springs were replaced with coils. Up front, double control arms were swapped for a pair of struts and springs. Optimization of the F-car's unibody helped the third-gen Camaro lose around 470 pounds. This paid off with 0.83 g on the skidpad and dynamic handling Motor Trend described as among the best available, bar none. Chevrolet Camaro Rear End Powering the new 1982 Camaro were the infamous 2.5-liter Iron Duke I-4 producing a measly 90 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque; a 2.8-liter, 102-hp and 142 lb-ft V-6; and two 5.0-liter (305-cubic-inch) V-8s: a carbureted version making 145 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque and a Crossfire Injection fuel-injected version with 165 hp and 240 lb-ft. Transmission options were limited to a four-speed manual and a three-speed automatic for 1982, unless you opted for the CFI V-8, in which case you were stuck with the slushbox. The car was offered in hardtop and T-Top body styles. While the third-generation Camaro was initially designed around the all-important high-performance Z28 model, Chevy offered two additional trim levels. The base trim was the Camaro Sport Coupe, which could be had with the Iron Duke, a V-6, or the carbureted 305. Sandwiched between the Sport Coupe and Z28 was the Berlinetta model. Chevy hoped the Berlinetta would be to luxury what the Z28 was to performance, and so it came with a plush interior, toned-down exterior styling, and a soft suspension. Berlinetta buyers chose between the V-6 or the carbureted 305. But not many people bit, and the Berlinetta was axed by 1986. Though by modern standards the '82 Camaro Z28 is far from quick, we were so blown away by its performance that we named it our 1982 Motor Trend Car of the Year. Our CFI and automatic-equipped Camaro accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 9.4 seconds, finished the quarter mile in 17.10 seconds at 80 mph, and stopped from 60 mph in 149 feet. One of our editors was particularly impressed: "If you're making up your personal shopping list of great road cars and you don't have a Z28 or Trans Am on it, you need a new list." The Camaro would only continue to get better. Just one year later, Chevrolet added an extra cog to each transmission, giving the automatic four speeds and the manual a whopping five. To go with the new transmissions, in 1983 Chevy also introduced the High-Output 5.0-liter V-8 on the Z28. The new engine used a higher lift and longer duration cam, larger exhaust, and new Quadrajet carburetor to produce 190 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque.
Chevrolet Camaro Cockpit
Chevrolet Camaro Engine
Chevrolet Camaro Front Thre Quarters
In 1985, the Camaro received a face-lift and added the legendary IROC-Z, named for the International Race of Champions that featured F-cars for 23 of its 30 seasons. Available initially as a performance and appearance package on the Z28 before becoming its own trim level in '88, the IROC-Z would go down as perhaps the most iconic and memorable Camaro of the '80s. It featured a lowered suspension with unique front struts, Delco-Bilstein rear shocks, and additional chassis reinforcements. Goodyear Gatorback tires on 8.0 x 16-inch aluminum wheels and loud and proud IROC-Z decals on the rocker panels completed the look. Backing up these go-fast bits was the choice of a 305 HO V-8 or the new Tuned Port Injection 5.0-liter V-8, which produced 215 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. It would be another two years before the Camaro received any major changes. In 1987, a convertible returned to the lineup for the first time since 1969, for the marque's 20th birthday. Convertibles started life as T-Tops shipped to American Specialty Cars (an aftermarket convertible manufacturer that also built Cavalier and Toyota Celica convertibles) for conversion. All 1007 '87 Camaro convertibles produced that year wore a badge on the dash reading 20th Anniversary Commemorative Edition. The convertible wasn't the only trick Chevrolet had up its sleeve in 1987. It also introduced the Corvette-sourced 5.7-liter (350-cubic-inch) TPI V-8 in an effort to keep the Ford Mustang GT in check. Though the engine was detuned and available only with the four-speed slushbox (because the five-speed couldn't handle the torque), the new engine still produced 225 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque for a 6.4-second 0-60-mph run, and a Mustang-beating 14.43-second quarter mile at 94.6 mph.