Chevrolet Camaro III (1982–1992)

Lighter, shorter, fuel-injected: the 1982 car against its predecessor

The 1982 Camaro was smaller in every direction that mattered for weight. The wheelbase fell from 2,743 mm (108 in) to 2,565 mm (101 in), the fastback gave way to a hatchback with a large glass tailgate, and the base engine became a four-cylinder for the first time. Sales began in December 1981.

Fuel injection was the technical headline. The Z28's optional LU5 V8 used Cross-Fire Injection, two throttle-body injectors on a single manifold, and later cars moved to multi-point Tuned Port Injection. The new car made an instant impression: a Z28 paced the 1982 Indianapolis 500, Chevrolet sold more than 6,000 replicas, and Motor Trend named the Camaro its Car of the Year. The actual pace car ran a special all-aluminium 5.7-litre V8 that was never sold to the public.

For the generations before and after this one, the Chevrolet Camaro hub page gives the full timeline.

Jerry Palmer's hatchback design

Jerry Palmer's design dates from 1978. Its most debated detail was the windscreen, raked at 62 degrees, beyond a 60-degree limit in GM's internal rules. Behind the cabin the rear seat folded flat under the big glass hatch, which made the Camaro more practical than its predecessor; it now sits naturally among hatchbacks as well as coupés.

The third generation kept the F-body name and continued to share its structure with the Pontiac Firebird. The 1982 range had three models: Sport Coupe, Berlinetta and Z28. From 1983 the Berlinetta had electronic instrument displays.

Iron Duke to L98: third-generation power units

All figures below are SAE net, the basis used throughout this generation. kW values are converted from the quoted hp, and outputs changed almost every year as Chevrolet revised induction and exhausts.

The 1985 LB9 was quoted at 160 kW (215 hp); the 230 hp versions of 1989–92 had dual exhausts and a manual gearbox. Early Z28s had a four-speed manual, replaced in 1983 by a Borg-Warner five-speed. The automatics were a three-speed TH200 at launch and, from 1983, the four-speed 700-R4 with overdrive. When the L98 arrived in 1987, it was offered only with the automatic.

IROC-Z, 1LE and B4C: the performance versions

The IROC-Z, named after the International Race of Champions series, arrived for 1985 as an option package on the Z28. It brought Delco-Bilstein dampers, a front frame brace known as the "wonder bar", 16 x 8-inch alloy wheels with 245/50VR16 Goodyear Gatorback tyres and, as an option, Tuned Port Injection. A California-only version, RPO 1C5, was limited to 500 cars, half black and half red. From 1988 the IROC-Z specification became standard on the Z28, and the name disappeared after 1990, when Chevrolet's agreement with the race series ended.

Two lesser-known packages appeal to collectors today. The 1LE was a track-oriented combination of performance options; sources date it to 1988 or 1989, when the first 111 cars were built, and production rose to 478 in 1991 and 705 in 1992. The G92 Performance Axle package was fitted to 1,426 IROC-Z coupés for 1989. For 1991 Chevrolet added the B4C "Special Service" package for police and government fleets, a Z28 drivetrain under plainer RS styling, with just under 600 sold that year and 589 in 1992.

Convertible return and late updates, 1987–1992

The convertible returned for 1987, eighteen years after the last open Camaro. The American Sunroof Company (ASC) carried out the conversions, and the first 1,007 were 20th Anniversary editions. The same year the LT name replaced the Berlinetta, the L98 joined the options and the Norwood plant built its last Camaros.

The range was simplified for 1988 to the base coupé and the IROC-Z, and every engine was now fuel-injected. The RS returned as the V6 base model for 1989. The 3.1-litre V6 and an airbag arrived for 1990. A 1991 facelift brought new body kits for the RS and Z28, and the Z28 gained a tall rear spoiler and non-functional bonnet bulges. A 25th Anniversary model with Corvette cylinder heads and a six-speed gearbox was planned for 1992 but replaced by the Z03 Heritage Package, which was stripes and badges only. The final third-generation car, a red Z28 coupé, was built on 27 August 1992.

Third-generation body dimensions and weights

Sources give one set of dimensions for the hatchback, with small changes after the 1988 update. Kerb weight depends on engine and equipment.

Yearly output peaked in 1984 at about 261,000 cars, then fell steadily; by 1992 it was around 70,000. Of the 1,567,657 total, 1,417,021 were coupés, 119,197 Berlinettas and 31,439 convertibles.

NHTSA frontal results for the 1991–92 hatchback

NHTSA's public database lists frontal crash ratings for the 1991 and 1992 Camaro two-door hatchback, both with four stars for the driver and four for the front passenger. No side-impact rating was published, and the database lists no rating for the 1990 model year or for earlier third-generation cars.

These were results from NHTSA's original 35 mph frontal test and cannot be compared with modern ratings. A centre high-mounted stop lamp became mandatory for 1986, and the airbag arrived for 1990.

Picking a 1982–92 Camaro

No reliability survey covers this generation, so check each car's history rather than relying on the model year. The main decisions are about engine and specification.

• Strongest performance: a 1990–92 Z28 with the 5.7 L98 at 183 kW (245 hp), or a dual-exhaust 5.0 TPI manual at 172 kW (230 hp).
• Collector interest: IROC-Z, 1LE, B4C and G92 cars; confirm the option codes on the build documents, since badges are easy to add.
• Open-top driving: a 1987–92 convertible, of which only 31,439 were built.
• Simplest choice: the 3.1 V6 of 1990–92, which has more power than any earlier six in this generation.

Do not assume every Z28 has fuel injection: carburetted LG4 and L69 engines were fitted in the early years. In the 1980s the Camaro competed with the Ford Mustang, while Japanese rear-drive coupés such as the Toyota Supra offered a different take on the sports car. The wider Chevrolet story is told in the history of Chevrolet.