3rd Generation History

Ever since the first Camaro rolled off the assembly line in 1966, one element had remained constant: style. From the first Nova-derived platform that wore such togs as cowl-induction hoods, hidden headlamps and Rally Wheels, to the lower, almost exotic styling of early second-generation cars, to the flashy spoilers and ground effects kit of the late '70s, Chevy's pony car always defined the sport coupe style. That was a good thing, because for a few years during the '80's, the Camaro had to rely on good looks to make up for the relatively little heat emanating from under its hood.

The '80s, of course, ushered in the third-generation F-body. The redesigned Camaro was introduced for the 1982 model year and was instantly hailed as a styling landmark. Th then-new Camaros chiseled profile not only gave the car a timeless look, but influenced sporty car styling for the next decade. Indeed, just as Duran Duran, Pac Man, and Miami Vice have become cultural icons of the '80s, so has the third-generation Camaro.

However, universal acclaim for the '82 Camaros styling was tempered by a similar level of disdain for what laid under the hood of the Z28. There were two choices: Slow and slower. The slower offering was a weak-kneed, carbureted 305 engine that produced 145 horsepower. Even when hooked to a four-speed manual transmission, the Z28 would only shuffle down the quarter-mile in the mid- to high-17-second range.

Twenty more horsepower was available by choosing the twin throttle body fuel-injection system dubbed "Cross-Fire Injection". In its defense, the Cross-Fire system looked the part- its pair of diagonally opposed air cleaners gave the impression of a cross-ram system from '69. Unfortunately, the promise fell far short of the execution. The 165-horsepower Cross-Fire system could only be had with a three-speed automatic and lolly-gagged down the quarter-mile in the low 17s. The '82 Z28 was fitted only with an 85mph speedometer, and top speed wasn't much more than 115.

Hindsight shows that while the '82 Z28 was not a super car in the traditional sense, its engineers made the best of a lousy situation. It's important to keep in mind that, just like any new car, the third-generation Camaro required years of development. In fact, sketches of that car were floating around GM's design studio since the mid-'70s. AT the time, the gas crunch was still being felt and performance meant big stickers and graphics. Lean times at General Motors also pushed back the Camaros introduction by a couple years, but the bottom line was still a public perception that high horsepower meant low economy. Advertisements touted miles per gallon, rather than miles per hour.

When the '82 Z28 was introduced, Car and Driver Magazine declared the small block "has virtually no future at GM". And one enthusiast magazine blew off the Z28 in favor of a V6 Camaro project car- then raved as they got it down into the 17s (from mid-18-second ETs). But beneath the shroud of fuel economy and tightening emissions regulations lurked the muscle car mavens who had been simmering for more than 10 years. The '82 Z28's performance was good as it got for the period, but enthusiasts were becoming more vocal and clamored for more.

They got it in '83. With few exceptions, the finicky Cross-Fire setup was gone. In its place was a 190-horse H.O. (high output) version of the 305. It was even hooked to a Borg-Warner five-speed. A big Rochester four-barrel carb and other tuning tricks allowed the small-block to push the Camaro into the 16-second range. Happy days weren't exactly here again, but they were on their way. Credit must also be given to the blue oval folks in Dearborn. Their high-output 302 Mustang GT helped re-ignite the Camaro vs. Mustang pony car war. Since these muscle cars were reborn, the rivalry has continued to heat up. Such competition is healthy- it not only improves the breed, but gives the Bow-Tie boys a reason to pump up the Camaro.

Although the third-generation Camaro was gaining strength with each new model year, it really came into its own in '85. That's the year "IROC-Z" and "Tuned Port Injection" entered the vocabulary of F-body enthusiasts. A new nose, lowered suspension and a 215-horsepower tuned-port fuel-injected 305 was available in the IROC model. You couldn't get a manual transmission with the fuelie motor but the car still delivered a level of performance not seen in years. Of course, the IROC model was named after the racing series of the same name which, at the time, just happened to use Camaros.

Improvements continued to come over the next several model years, with the return of the 350 V8 coming in late '86. Convertibles returned to the Camaro lineup in '87, and by '89 Chevy's engineers were attaching performance parts like it was 1970 all over again. That year, V8-equipped F-bodies got a true dual-exhaust system, complete with a pair of catalytic converters. Horsepower increased again, and the Camaro was a solid 15-second performer. By the end of the decade, however, the car that defined sport coupe style was beginning to look a little long in the tooth. Continual refinements enhanced the car's overall performance, but keeping the car trendy meant attaching all kinds of fake scoops and even a Ferrari F-40-style rear wing on the Z28. Horsepower had jumped from 145 in '82 to 245 in '92.

In its last year of production, the third generation Camaro also celebrated the car's 25th anniversary. Any model could be ordered with a heritage package, which included special striping and badging. A special Heritage Camaro equipped with a nearly 300-horsepower small-block came close to production, but the project was scrapped at the 11th hour.. The mere idea of such a high-powered F-body was enough to keep enthusiasts salivating as the new generation of F-bodies loomed on the horizon.

Written By Damon Lee of Super Chevy