1985...IROC Z, Mustang GT, Pontiac Firebird - Page 2

Abubaca · 06-03-2020, 11:17 AM

The L69 with a 5 speed and a 3.73 was a fun package! ...and though the rated horsepower was still relatively low for the TPI cars, they made their power pretty low in the powerband, and felt faster than they really were. ...and while the power wars of the 60's made some big numbers, the tech just wasn't enough back then to allow the majority of them to turn impressive numbers.

What current muscle/performance cars are doing today is really quite impressive. If you don't have the perspective of what the older generations of performance cars really were, then you really don't know how good we have it.

Abubaca · 06-03-2020, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Forgive me, I'm just going to reminisce on my 89 IROC 350TPI for a bit. It's the ONLY car I've sold that I wish I hadn't. I owned it in college and awhile after from about ~97-04.

Heck yeah! I had an 89 350 car too. With only cam, exhaust and a t5 swap, it would pull a length or two on an LS1 any day of the week....'til that LS powerband reeled my in! In it's final form is was a forged 383 with Holley EFI, TKO 600, and full aftermarket suspension. All the bells and whistles. It'd come off the line as hard as my SS. ....again....powerband wouldn't win me a 1320 run though. -but I built it that way on purpose. SOOOO much fun!!!!! I've got the full build and TONS of pics on FB. Check it out. Page is @thealphamullet.

95 imp · 06-03-2020, 01:15 PM

I had a 71 Nova in the 80's 350 2bbl. 245 net up and it kept up with most anything new until mid/late 80's

Nucdancer01 · 06-03-2020, 02:00 PM

A 92 25th anniversary 350, T-Tops, with the G92 package was my introduction to Camaros (and fuel injection for that matter) in 1996. That aluminum driveshaft, 4 wheel discs, better suspension, and shorter gears really did a number on me until.. I started reading about the M6, LT1 in the 93 model. I figured with 4 wheel discs, the better engine and the manual transmission would be an upgrade. That was my first manual car, and I have been hooked ever since.

I have to say, even though it was slightly faster, it was WAY softer. I was a 17 year old kid then, but I couldn't get over how well the 25th ann. car handled.

I have often though about building another one.. I'll have to settle for the ZLE instead I guess.

Baldilocks01SS · 06-03-2020, 02:34 PM

My first Camaro was a 1988 Camaro LT with the 170HP TBI V8. Man, I thought it was fast at the time (1991-1995).

Looked exactly like this one:

wjones14 · 06-03-2020, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noize

I had an ‘84 Z28 with that L69 H.O. engine with a quadrajet. It was pretty stout with 190 hp and a TransGo No Yoyo shift kit on the 700R4. It was a good handler, quicker than most other Camaros of the time in a straight line, but dang I couldn’t outrun those fuel injected low 14 second Mustang 5.0s from 1986 In a straight line. :(

Had the same one in 1984. A co-worker with a Ford Capri 5.0 told me his car could take mine, but I brushed him off. We met up randomly later on a highway, and sure enough, his Capri blew my Z28 away.

Next car I bought was a 1987 Mustang GT.

MATEOLT1SS · 06-03-2020, 05:15 PM

I'm looking for an 87-90 IROC 350 TPI my self. I love those things.....

mikeman · 06-03-2020, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wjones14

Had the same one in 1984. A co-worker with a Ford Capri 5.0 told me his car could take mine, but I brushed him off. We met up randomly later on a highway, and sure enough, his Capri blew my Z28 away.

Next car I bought was a 1987 Mustang GT.

Did you mod the quadrajet so the secondaries would open up fully at WOT? Stock, GM restricted the secondaries from opening 100% on the L69.

KenKat · 06-03-2020, 08:03 PM

The HP was lower but some of those cars still had the low end torque of the V8 to get off the line. For example, my dad has an 87 Mustang GT. Only 225hp but 300pf of torque, so with a 5 speed, it hauls a— pretty good.

wjones14 · 06-03-2020, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeman

Did you mod the quadrajet so the secondaries would open up fully at WOT? Stock, GM restricted the secondaries from opening 100% on the L69.

Haha no, I never even heard that until you mention it now, 35+ years later!

The car was fast enough for me at the time, until that Capri stomped me.

Petrol Head · 06-03-2020, 09:53 PM

I think the 80s era might be the Camaro’s peak. Everybody loved those cars, and thanks to some of what I think is the best GM advertising in the company’s history (certainly exponentially better than today), The Heartbeat Of America ad campaign - especially for the Camaro - drove people to dealers to look at these cars.

On a side note, since the BMVs have been closed and just opened, and my temp tag is good till Aug 29th, I’ve been trying to figure out how to condense “Heartbeat of America” into a license plate format of 7 letters. Any ideas?

lemontwist · 06-03-2020, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zaqwert6

Anything in the 13s stock was pretty damn fast back then.

IMO 13's stock ant bad now....anything in the 13's is kinda still considered a performance car

Scrappy Doo · 06-10-2020, 08:20 PM

I remember the late 80s Firebird GTAs being cool. But there is something about the IROCs that I still like.

My buddy has a 92 formula he is going to sell. I'd probably buy it if I had the space to keep it.

KJZ28 · 06-10-2020, 08:31 PM

Motorweek Retro is one of my favorite things to watch on YouTube

06-03-2020, 01:15 PM	#17
95 imp Dumb Ass Deluxe Drives: A Tricked Out Mountain Bike Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,959	I had a 71 Nova in the 80's 350 2bbl. 245 net up and it kept up with most anything new until mid/late 80's __________________

06-10-2020, 08:31 PM	#28
KJZ28 Drives: 2018 Buick Regal TourX Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: North of NYC Posts: 546 View My Garage	Motorweek Retro is one of my favorite things to watch on YouTube __________________ SOLD: 2010 2SS/RS L99-A6 K&N CAI, Speed Engineering Long Tube Headers, Stainless Works hi-flow cats, Flowmaster American Thunder Cat-back. Tuned by Corvettes of Westchester. 1/LE rear suspension conversion, Bilstein B6 Stuts/shocks.

06-03-2020, 11:17 AM	#15
Abubaca Drives: 2016 SS Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Jamestown NC Posts: 450	The L69 with a 5 speed and a 3.73 was a fun package! ...and though the rated horsepower was still relatively low for the TPI cars, they made their power pretty low in the powerband, and felt faster than they really were. ...and while the power wars of the 60's made some big numbers, the tech just wasn't enough back then to allow the majority of them to turn impressive numbers. What current muscle/performance cars are doing today is really quite impressive. If you don't have the perspective of what the older generations of performance cars really were, then you really don't know how good we have it.

06-03-2020, 02:00 PM	#18
Nucdancer01 Drives: 2019 Satin Steel ZL1 1LE Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Mount Juliet, TN Posts: 49	A 92 25th anniversary 350, T-Tops, with the G92 package was my introduction to Camaros (and fuel injection for that matter) in 1996. That aluminum driveshaft, 4 wheel discs, better suspension, and shorter gears really did a number on me until.. I started reading about the M6, LT1 in the 93 model. I figured with 4 wheel discs, the better engine and the manual transmission would be an upgrade. That was my first manual car, and I have been hooked ever since. I have to say, even though it was slightly faster, it was WAY softer. I was a 17 year old kid then, but I couldn't get over how well the 25th ann. car handled. I have often though about building another one.. I'll have to settle for the ZLE instead I guess.

06-03-2020, 02:34 PM	#19
Baldilocks01SS Drives: SEARCHING Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Delaware Posts: 411	My first Camaro was a 1988 Camaro LT with the 170HP TBI V8. Man, I thought it was fast at the time (1991-1995). Looked exactly like this one:

06-03-2020, 05:15 PM	#21
MATEOLT1SS Drives: 2019 Camaro 2SS 10-speed Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: SACRAMENTO Posts: 135	I'm looking for an 87-90 IROC 350 TPI my self. I love those things.....

06-03-2020, 08:03 PM	#23
KenKat Drives: 2014 2LT RS Summit White Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 622	The HP was lower but some of those cars still had the low end torque of the V8 to get off the line. For example, my dad has an 87 Mustang GT. Only 225hp but 300pf of torque, so with a 5 speed, it hauls a— pretty good.

06-03-2020, 09:53 PM	#25
Petrol Head Account Suspended Drives: Fast if no one's looking Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 1,794	I think the 80s era might be the Camaro’s peak. Everybody loved those cars, and thanks to some of what I think is the best GM advertising in the company’s history (certainly exponentially better than today), The Heartbeat Of America ad campaign - especially for the Camaro - drove people to dealers to look at these cars. On a side note, since the BMVs have been closed and just opened, and my temp tag is good till Aug 29th, I’ve been trying to figure out how to condense “Heartbeat of America” into a license plate format of 7 letters. Any ideas?

06-10-2020, 08:20 PM	#27
Scrappy Doo Drives: Callaway Rogue Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: W8n 4 Snow, Minnesota Posts: 4,738	I remember the late 80s Firebird GTAs being cool. But there is something about the IROCs that I still like. My buddy has a 92 formula he is going to sell. I'd probably buy it if I had the space to keep it.