Chevrolet Camaro
The IROC-Z era and the first fuel-injected third-generation Camaros.
Made to order: your copy is researched, fact-checked, and typeset to our standard, then delivered within about two weeks. We'll email you the moment it's ready.
About the Chevrolet Camaro (1982-1992)
The third-generation Camaro dragged the nameplate into the modern era. Launched for 1982, it was the first Camaro with fuel injection, a hatchback body and overdrive transmissions, and it was much lighter than the car it replaced. More than 1.5 million were built in Van Nuys, California and Norwood, Ohio.
Today it is the cheapest way into a quick, analogue V8 coupe. Early cars were slow, but from 1987 the 5.7 litre L98 with Tuned Port Injection gave 225 hp and later 245 hp, and the IROC-Z made Car and Driver's Ten Best list. Parts are everywhere and nothing is hard to reach.
Specifications at a glance
| Engines | 2.5 L four, 2.8 and 3.1 L V6, 5.0 and 5.7 L V8 |
| Top output | 245 hp, 5.7 L L98 Tuned Port Injection |
| Torque | 345 lb-ft (468 Nm) |
| Transmissions | 4- and 5-speed manual, 3- and 4-speed automatic |
| Layout | front engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Curb weight | 3,087 to 3,362 lb (1,400 to 1,525 kg) |
| Production | 1,567,657 |
Known issues to check before you buy
- Water and rust. The seam sealer at the rear corners, where water drains around the hatch above the taillights, cracks with age and lets water into the spare tire well. Check there first, then the floorpans and rear wheel-well lips.
- T-tops. Removing roof panels takes structure out of a unibody shell, so T-top cars leak, flex and rattle. Look for cowl stress cracks, a rotted T-bar and interior water staining.
- Cross-Fire Injection (1982-1983). The twin throttle-body LU5 5.0 litre V8, 165 hp in 1982 and 175 hp in 1983, has a long reputation for unreliability, and few shops still know it.
- The 700R4 and its TV cable. On the four-speed automatic, the throttle valve cable sets hydraulic line pressure, not just shift points. Run it misadjusted and the transmission destroys itself quickly.
- T5 five-speed behind a V8. The Borg-Warner T5 was marginal even behind the 305: the pre-1985 version was rated near 265 lb-ft, and sheared splines and stretched cases are known failures.
- Interior and trim. Cracked dash pads, sagging driver's doors and dead hatch struts are near universal.
Owning one
They are cheap to buy and cheap to run, so the savings belong in the shell: bodywork is the one thing that is not cheap. This volume documents the third-generation Chevrolet Camaro (1982-1992) specifically: verified specifications, the documented weak points and how to inspect each, service data, and the parts and owner community that keep them on the road.
Inside this volume
Known issues & a survey guide
The documented weak points for this exact model, how to inspect each, and what a proper fix costs.
Full specifications
Every published figure, engine option, and running change, with the conflicts flagged, not guessed.
Systems & maintenance
Electrical, fuel, cooling, and drivetrain, plus service schedules and torque and fluid data.
Parts & community
Where the parts are, what cross-references, and the clubs and forums that keep the model alive.
Make it your car.
We fold in your year, your engine and options, your refits and modifications, your VIN, and your own car's photo on the cover. The book stops describing the car that left the factory and starts describing the one in your garage.