Camaro Faqs

There are at least four generations of Camaro vehicles. The ”Third Generation” Camaro vehicles began in the year 1982 and did not end till 1992. The first ”Third Generation” vehicle was the F-car. The Third Generation Camaros were manufactured in Norwood Ohio (’82-’87) and in Van Nuys California (’82-’92) and resulted in a production run of over 800,000 cars.

The “Third Generation” of the Chevrolet Camaro F-car was introduced in 1982 and had a production run which lasted an entire decade to 1992. The “Third Gen Camaro” went through various trim, facia, suspension and wheel changes as well as engine options. All were of a steel unibody, hatchback design. Various models included the Berlinetta, RS (Rally Sport), Z28 and IROC. If it wasn’t for it’s ubiquity, it would have been more of a head turner, with it’s aerodynamic, Italian supercar inspired lines.

All Third Generation Camaros came with a pushrod-actuated valves, a cast iron block engine, front disk brakes and rear wheel drive. The front “subframe” of the older second generation Camaro was now part of the integrated unibody in the third generation Camaro. Rear leaf springs were dropped in favor of coil springs. The rear was controlled by a long torque arm, a sway bar, a panhard rod, two trailing links, coil springs and shocks.

The front suspension used a MacPherson strut design with a lower A-arm and coil spring. The V-8 horsepower grew from a 145 hp 305 cid (5.0 L) in 1982 to a 270 hp 350 cid (5.7 L) by 1992. It is the ease of engine swaps which makes the Third Generation Camaro superior to the fourth generation for the backyard hot rodder. The third gen Camaro engine is removed by removing the hood and radiator and lifting the engine up and over the engine compartment while the fourth gen swap requires lowering the engine from a raised vehicle.

The Third Generation Camaro was introduced and chosen to be the Indy 500 pace car. It was available with a 4, 6 and 8 (305 cid) cylinder cast iron engine with a 4 speed Borg Warner manual transmission or 3 speed automatic. The Z28 package included a aluminum 15×7 inch wheels, a SMC (Sheet Molded Compound) hood, ground effects / lower body valances which ran the full circumference of the vehicle and a rear spoiler. The Camaro became Motor Trend magazine’s Car of the Year for 1982. It was also the Indianapolis 500, 1982 pace car. Six thousand pace car replicas were sold.