Camaro Faqs

The 2nd Generation Camaro design made its final bow for the 1981 Camaro model year. Though the basic package was altered only in detail, Chevrolet did its best to make the valedictory edition the nicest of this long line.

The elimination of the Rally Sport variant, really just a “cosmetic performance” car in later years, left three (3) models for the 1981 Camaro model year. Base power for the standard but well-equipped Sport Coupe and the even better-equipped Berlinetta was provided by Chevy’s 229cid V6. Though its 110 bhp wasn’t much to move a 3400-pound car around very quickly, it would deliver reasonable gas mileage, especially when teamed with the new 4-speed manual gearbox.

The second generation certainly main­tained its style and a good deal of its performance as it moved through its long production life. Even after 11 years, Camaro still looked great, and remained one of the quickest cars in a land increasingly populated by four-cylinder econoboxes and “paint-on performance” cars. Its basic shape, on the drawing board as early as 1968, had defiantly stood the test of time.

The 1981 Camaro model year served as a fitting finale for the enduring 2nd Generation Camaro. To quote that year’s brochure (which, with its Art Deco cover, is nearly as much of a collector’s item as the car itself), the last of this hardy breed was “sleek and crisp [with] show-stopping good looks, unmistakable zest for hugging the road and capturing the heart, and a flair for moving through life with style.” 

Appearance changes were limited to minor color and trim variations in the1981 Camaro model year, the last model of the 2nd Generation Camaro’s. New options included RPO TT4 halogen headlights, and RPO N18 locking wheel cover locks for the Berlinetta’s standard wire wheel covers.

The standard Delco Freedom II battery for 1981 Camaro’s featured a new low weight design. The new design was said to be more durable and less susceptible to vibration damage, and had a greater charge and discharge life cycle. As before, a hydrometer was built in. 
 
Deletion of the Rally Sport model in 1981′reduced the choices of Camaro configurations to Sport Coupe, Berlinetta, and Z28. This permitted clear definition of mission. The option list permitted each model to have elements of the other, but the Sport Coupe was the economy choice, the Berlinetta the luxury model, and the Z28 meant performance. 
 
The 1981 Z28 continued to feature the functional rear-facing hood scoop introduced the previous year, and the functional side fender ports for exhaust of engine compartment. It’s single catalytic converter exhaust system split into dual resonators and tail pipes.

Manual transmissions were available with Camaro’s in California after a 4-year absence. But the only engine Californians could link with a manual transmission was the 305ci RPO LG4. If it was a Sport Coupe or Berlinetta, power was rated at 155hp. If it was a Z28, power was 165hp. 
 
With the exception of the Z28, the standard transmission with all Camaro models was the three-speed manual. This was the last year for use of a 3-speed in the Camaro lineup. All 1981 Camaro’s were equipped with Chevrolet’s “advanced computer command control” engine management system. 
 
Computer-controlled torque converter clutches for second and third speed ranges were standard in Z28 models with automatic transmissions; for all other automatic-equipped models, converter clutches operated in third gear only. 
 
4-speed manual no longer standard (nor available) for the LM1 (Z28 only engine). Now the the 3-speed automatic transmissions was a requirement in order to have the LM1 engine.