“… just about everything a road car should be.”

In its second year, changes to the third-generation Chevrolet Camaro Z28  centered on the powertrain. The Z28 gained a new standard Borg-Warner five-speed manual transmission and a new optional four-speed automatic. Both carryover V8 engines gained horsepower, and a new top-of-the-line H.O. engine became available mid-year. Detail changes included new patterns for the optional L/S Conteur bucket seats that repeated the Camaro name in the design. Chevrolet refined the instrument panel graphics, and electronically tuned stereo radios were newly available.

All Z28 engines for 1982 were variations of the Chevrolet’s 5.0 liter/305 ci V8. The Z28‘s standard engine was the LG4 with a four-barrel carburetor, uprated five bhp to 150 bhp. An optional $450 LU5 Cross-Fire with throttle-body fuel injection gained 10 bhp to 175 bhp and required the $295 automatic. In April 1983, the L69 H.O. with 190 bhp became available for $505 and required the five-speed.

Motor Trend recorded a 0-60 time of 7.4 seconds with the top-of-the-line H.O. motor and the five-speed—about 1.5 seconds faster than the best from 1982. Fuel economy ratings for the H.O. were 16 city/26 highway by the day’s standards—the highway rating two mpg better than 1982’s base engine. With a 16.1-gallon gas tank, a Z28 owner with the H.O. could expect a range of 250 to 270 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

The 1983 Z28‘s base price was $10,336—about $34,200 in 2025 dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on all 1983 Z28s included a front air dam, “ground effects” rocker molding design, body-color dual Sport mirrors, a rear deck spoiler, power steering, a power front disc/rear drum brake system, and P215/65R-15 steel-belted radial ply white letter tires (a size still readily available) on 15 x 7 inch 5-spoke aluminum wheels. Inside, every 1982 Z28 came with vinyl reclining front bucket seats, a fold-down rear seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, special instrumentation, and a quartz analog electric clock.

Options & Production Numbers

Exterior and mechanical options available for the Camaro Z28 include tinted glass ($105), electric twin remote Sport mirrors ($89), removable glass roof panels ($825!), a rear window wiper/washer ($120), a power antenna ($60), a limited slip differential ($95), and four-wheel power disk brakes ($179). Interior options included power windows ($180), a power door lock system ($120), an electric rear window defogger ($135), automatic speed control with resume speed ($170), air conditioning ($725), a Comfortilt steering wheel ($105), and Deluxe luggage compartment trim ($164).

The Custom interior included the Berlinetta-style seats, seat trim, and door trim, and then added some Z28-specific touches. Pricing for a Custom interior depended on which seats were paired with it, and topped out with the cloth L/S Conteur bucket seats ($650). Five different radios were available, with the fanciest being an electronically tuned AM/FM stereo radio with seek/scan and clock ($520). A loaded Z28 could easily hit $15,000—real money in 1983 and almost $50,000 in today’s dollars.

Chevrolet sold 62,100 Z28s in the 1983 model year. However, the most popular Camaro remained the base Sport Coupe, which moved 63,806 units. The somewhat more luxurious Berlinetta sold another 27,925 copies.

The View From 2025

Third-generation Camaros attract plenty of collector interest, and there is substantial club support. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1983 Camaro Z28 hatchback coupe with the H.O. motor and t-tops in #1/Concours condition is $46,400, while a far more typical #3/Good condition version goes for $14,600. 1983 Camaro Z28s are often available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and at online (Bring a Trailer) and in-person auctions. As I write this blog entry in October 2025, a Silver Metallic Z28 with the Cross-Fire, an automatic, and 4,200 miles is for sale on Hemmings, asking $28,000.

Make mine Red, please.

Other Camaros I have written about include the 1980 Rally Sport coupe, the 1980 Z28 coupe, the 1982 Z28 Indy 500 Commemorative Edition hatchback coupe, the 1984 Sport Coupe hatchback coupe, the 1985 IROC-Z hatchback coupe, and the 1986 Berlinetta hatchback coupe.

In early 2022, Bring a Trailer featured a 1984 Chevrolet Camaro Sport Coupe that was generally original except for the wheels and tires. It sold for $8,000.

“Looks. Performance. Price.”

For 1984, the Chevrolet Camaro Sport Coupe had relatively few changes. A four-speed automatic became the only automatic available (1983 Camaros had three-speed and four-speed automatic options). Steel-belted radial tires were newly standard on all Camaros, and all manual transmission vehicles received a hydraulic clutch.

The standard powertrain for the Sport Coupe continued to be the LQ9 “Iron Duke” 92 bhp 2.5 liter inline four with fuel injection, paired with a four-speed manual transmission. Optional engines were two: the LC1 107 bhp 2.8 liter V6 with a two-barrel carburetor ($250) and the LG4 150 bhp 5.0 liter V8 with a four-barrel carburetor ($550). A five-speed manual ($125) and a four-speed automatic ($525) were optional.

With the standard powertrain, the Sport Coupe was all show, no go. 0-60 tests of four-cylinder F-cars are rare to nonexistent, but reasonable estimates are in the high 14 to high 15 second range. For all that trouble, mileage wasn’t that impressive: 24 city/36 highway by the day’s standards. With a 15.5-gallon gas tank, a four-cylinder Sport Coupe owner could expect a range of 340 to 375 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

The hot setup for the Sport Coupe, such as it was, was the LG4 V8 paired with the four-speed automatic (five-speed manuals with V8s were Z28-only in 1984). For a total of $1,075, this combination changed the car’s character, with the 0-60 time dropping by almost four seconds compared to the base four. These changes did not mean that a V8 Sport Coupe would see anything but the taillights of a Z28 with the 190 bhp “H.O.” V8. Fuel economy ratings with the V8 also dropped significantly to 18 city/29 highway, but a slightly larger 16.1-gallon fuel tank reduced the range penalty—a V8 Sport Coupe owner could expect a 280 to 305 mile range.

Perhaps the most engaging Sport Coupe—but certainly not the fastest—was the LC1 V6/five-speed manual combination. At $375 over the base car, it was about a second faster from 0-60 mph. Fuel economy ratings of 20 city/31 highway along with a 16.1-gallon fuel tank meant a 330 to 330 mile fuel range.

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment for the $8,097 Sport Coupe (about $26,000 in today’s dollars) included dual black side mirrors, fast-ratio power steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P195/75R14 radial tires (a size still reasonably available) on 14-inch body-colored wheels with hubcaps. Inside, reclining front vinyl bucket seats, a floor console, and an AM radio were included.

Options & Production Numbers

Options were many and included body color Sport mirrors ($139), a rear deck spoiler ($69), tinted glass ($110), removable glass roof panels ($850), and four-wheel power disc brakes ($179 and V8-only). Inside, buyers could add a gage package with a tachometer ($149), Deluxe luggage compartment trim ($164 and including a locking rear compartment storage cover), Custom cloth bucket seats ($359 and including quiet sound group), and air conditioning ($730).

Six different optional radios were available, with the top-of-the-line being an electronically tuned AM/FM stereo radio with seek and scan, cassette tape, clock, and graphic equalizer ($493). A well-equipped Sport Coupe could easily sticker for substantially more than a base Berlinetta or Z28.

The 1984 Sport Coupe sold quite well—Chevrolet moved 127,292 units, making it about 49% of overall Camaro sales. 1984 would be the peak for Sport Coupe sales in the 1980s, and it isn’t obvious why.

The View From 2025

Third-generation Camaros have substantial forum support and they attract collector interest. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1984 Camaro Sport Coupe with the V8 in #1/Concours condition is $21,400, with a far more normal #3/Good condition version going for $7,000. V6 versions get a 30% deduction, while four-cylinder cars go for half price. These Camaros are often available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and at online auctions such as Bring a Trailer that cater to the eighties car market.

Make mine Charcoal Metallic, please.

Other third-generation Camaro hatchback coupes I have written about include the 1982 Z28 Indy 500 Commemorative Edition, the 1985 IROC-Z, and the 1986 Berlinetta. I have yet to write about any of the 1987 through 1989 Camaro convertibles.

Last updated October 2025.

“Make the earth move.”

In 1985, Chevrolet kicked the third-generation Camaro up a notch (or more) with the release of the IROC-Z, inspired by the International Race Of Champions race series. The IROC-Z was an option package (B4Z) for the Z28 and cost $659 in addition to the Z28‘s $11,281 base price.

Suspension upgrades specific to the IROC-Z included Delco/Bilstein shock absorbers for the rear wheels and 16-inch wheels all around with Goodyear Eagle GT P245/50VR16 tires—large for the day and a size still readily available.

The IROC-Z also included louvered hood inserts and more aggressive ground effects and spoilers than the Z28. Finally, it was lowered half an inch compared to the Z28.

Three engines were available in 1985 for the IROC-Z, all sized at 5.0 liter/305 ci: standard was the LG4 carburetted motor at 155 bhp. The optional engines available depended on transmission—if you chose the five-speed manual, you could get the High Output carburetted L69 with 190 bhp ($680 and not available on the garden variety Z28) while if you went with the four-speed automatic ($425), you could choose the Tuned Port Injection LB9 at 215 bhp ($695).

Performance with the LB9 was impressive—Motor Trend recorded a 0-60 time of 6.9 seconds. If you cared (and I think most of the target market did not), mileage wasn’t great: the EPA ratings of the day were 16 city/22 highway for the LG4, 15/24 for the L69, and 16/22 for the LB9. With a 16.1-gallon gas tank, the proud new owner of an IROC-Z could expect a range of 250 to 275 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Standard equipment on all versions of the Z28 included Sport mirrors, rack and pinion steering, power front disk/rear drum brakes, reclining front bucket seats, a folding rear seat, and an AM radio with dual front speakers.

Options & Production Numbers

Options included four-wheel disk brakes ($179), Custom cloth front bucket seats ($359), a six-way power driver’s seat ($225), air conditioning ($750), Comfortilt steering wheel ($115), power door lock system ($130), power windows ($195), electronic speed control with resume speed ($175), and a rear window wiper and washer ($125). A range of stereos was offered up to an electronically tuned AM/FM stereo radio with seek and scan, a cassette tape player, a clock, and a graphic equalizer ($469).

Chevrolet sold 21,177 IROC-Z versions out of 68,199 Z28s in the 1985 model year, marking an impressive debut. One year later, the IROC-Z would account for 56% of Z28 sales, and in 1988, Chevrolet would phase out the Z28 in favor of the IROC-Z.

The View From 2025

According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1985 IROC-Z with the top-of-the-line TPI motor and t-tops in #1/Concours condition is $52,500, with a far more normal #3/Good condition version going for $20,200. IROC-Zs regularly appear in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and at online auctions such as Bring a Trailer that cater to the eighties car market. As I update this blog entry in June 2025, there’s a Yellow 1985 IROC-Z with 66,000 miles for sale on Hemmings, asking $29,500.

Please make mine Red, with the optional and expensive when new ($846) t-tops. I know they often leak, but I like the look.

Other third-generation Camaro hatchback coupes I have written about include the 1982 Z28 Indy 500 Commemorative Edition, the 1984 Sport Coupe, and the 1986 Berlinetta. I have yet to write about any of the 1987 through 1989 Camaro convertibles.

Last updated June 2025.