for the cup holder: i went with the cutting a hole into the center console in between the window switches and the console and putting a single boat cup holder in there. superglued it in and it looks good and works perfectly. best “quality of life” thing i’ve ever done to my 87 z28 i daily drive mine at 18 for the record. it was a necessity!
@@chriscarpenter7137 Cool man, I wonder how that would work with the stick shift…I’ll check them out, but I still use my ash tray for my Marlboros…jk jk jk LOL
I've had 3rd gen my whole adult life. I have two right now. When my hoods started doing the uneven wobble I loosened the hinge bolts that go through fender for mounting. Loosen all bolts on both sides and slide the hinges as far apart(toward the outside/fenders) and tighten the bolts. Of course check the gap and make sure it doesn't rub on the fenders. But widening the hinges help reduce flex. It has worked on my hoods so far. Try it out. Edit: just loosen the 10mm bolts going to the fender. Not the hood bolts. Just making sure no one mistakes that.
I remember those cars well. Here is my list. 1) Leaky T-tops. 2) the plastic switches, buttons, screws and more always breaks. 3) The hood won't raise correctly, as you noticed 4) the headliner sags 5) the material on the visors is cheap
I had a 1982 berlinetta V8, it was a great car and I never had any problems with it, until it started leaving at night on its own. I didn't even know it was happening until the police came and told me they had my car and it had killed 6 people over the the weekend.
The camaro doesn’t have a little vinyl pouch where a glovebox would be? My third gen trans am has one. You can only put a few napkins/papers in there as there’s nearly no room. But it’s better than nothing at all!
#8 Opening the hatch in the rain all the water from the glass runs down inside the plastic upholstery panels. GM fixed this in the fourth gens, where it drains to the side gutters. You are right about the flexing of the car, Spohn subframe connectors fixed my Z-28. It now goes over train-tracks like a big sold piece of metal. Nice IROC.
As a Fox body owner, I get the bit about the seats (I owned a turbo t bird that rode much better than my same year 1986 GT) and the ground clearance issue. A problem shared with the Mustang, F body and G body from GM was they were all produced for too long--the stampings making the body panels had to wear out, and on a unibody, that's a real support issue. The fibreglass hoods on the Camaros seemed neat at the time, but the heavy side doors with no window frame seemed to be an issue on many high mileage GM vehicles so equipped (my Mustang also needed its bushings replaced just to get the door to latch, but with a window frame i was able to lift it up from the outside to shut it until it was warm enough in the snow belt to get around to fixing it). Hatchback cars love to flex with that big hole in the back--Mustangs had a coupe option, but if you can find a convertible in the junkyard (there may have been more built including the SN95?) you can nab its factory braces. not hating on the F bodies, I remember when these were "affordable" and anyone smart enough to get past the mullet jokes saw a 350/383 swap created a sweet street machine. Now the prices are going up for clean ones, but if you enjoy hunting for deals or have a garage to detail a barn find car....
I enjoyed the vid. I have a 02 Trans Am, with a good bit of work. But I previously owned a 87 Camaro for around decade . Really don’t missed it. But it’s crazy watching the vid and seeing pros and cons to the 4th vs the 3rd Gen.
Never knew about the hood flopiness. Mine seems really solid, but I’m the only person who’s opened it since it was new. On that note, my driver’s door shuts beautifully but my passenger door has a slight clunky rattle. I tried to stop people from slamming but 😤
If your not careful opening the hood and put too much pressure on one side you can bend where it mounts then it won’t close properly previous owner fucked my hood up so I have to wobble it to make it open
Got an 87 iroc with factory cloth seats,had since 91,had a 2001 trans am non ws6 with leather seats,they look sportier than my Camaro's,but when I sat in my Camaro's,they do feel more comfortable.
I had a red 89' Iroc, put in different springs to lower the ride height. I removed the decals and stripes. I liked it better without them, took them off soon after I bought it new off the lot. Wish I could have kept it. Yours looks great!
My hood never used to wobble; then one day when I popped it I didn't lift it up the way I usually did and that's all she wrote - from that point on I have to use both hands to 'guide' it up to prevent it from bending And yeah, ground clearance is awful - I don't think the extra-long overhang from the front wheels to the tip of the nosecone helps. I just had the front end repainted and you become VERY conscious of how easy it is to scrape the paint off the tip. Angled turn-ins wherever I find a speed bump or driveway
I'm gonna add my 2 cents to this. I always thought the seats where comfortable but I could see how a bigger guy wouldn't like them. The cup holders also bothers me and because Mines not really a show car at all I just jam the cups into the gap between the door and arm rest. I've also never had any issue with my steering it's as precise as I could want it, literally even the slightest turn and it moves the car so maybe I'm just lucky
Yeah, I definitely think the size of the person matters… And yeah you probably got lucky with your stock steering box it’s probably good but those who have tried to replace them it’s very hard to find something that lasts lasts
You’ve done a great job with your car. I have a 1LE that we put factory A/C and R12 in - it’s a 92 the last year for R12. I’ve come to the realization that I too hate the factory seats.
Nice! 1LE is a nice 3rd gen! Yeah, I am temporarily running a buddy of mine while my seats are getting custom upholstery and I remember how much I really dislike the stock seats LOL
Clean third gens will turn heads all day long. Beautiful cars. I have a clean 89 Formula L98 black with ttops and it's stock except for headers. I Need subframe connectors asap.
Had an 86 Camaro and presently have an 86 Firebird. With all the flaws, I love the 3rd gens!!!! It is not in pristine condition and not the safest, but I get comments/compliments (and offers) every day!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
6:50 The Hood wobble when i bought my new 1982 Camaro was there but not something then I would think as an issue. I think this is because it had brand new factory gas struts and the hinges were new and free to pivot. This with a California bought car made in Van Nuys. It was not until the late 90s and the car in the humid south east that I noticed the wobble. By noticed I mean it bugged me. The coastal salt air and humidity here on mine have me getting oil then some grease in the hinge pivots to reduce the wobble. The actual friction is hard to feel because to the hoods weight and struts force. When one side has more friction you can see the hood flex to port or starboard since the one side has more friction.
Thanks for that detailed observation! I have some new hinges and hood struts, I may try to grease them again and maybe a little more adjustment. Thanks for watching!
My son's 88 GTA used a 4th gen center console for the cup holder. Had to fab a bracket for the window switch where the ashtray goes. Not a perfect solution but it's a cup holder
6'1ish and they're dumb comfortable, got an '89 and just chillin in the car on the phone I've almost fallin asleep, had about a 2 hour drive before it got out on jack stands, no pain at all
I'm gonna be honest I'm 17 I love my third gen berlenetta the seats are comfortable I'm a pretty bug guy 6ft and pretty heafty I only wish I had longer seat rails
Right on man! I bet you definitely don't hate how it sounds! Body flex is maybe my number 1. I have a convertible as well and even though it looks awesome you can feel it now and again and putting the car up I'd be scared to open the doors. Even though I have a low mileage car I may just get SFCs because I do enjoy driving it. Cup holders are a bummer too. This is such a good cars and coffee car but you can't sip and drive on the way... Not many cars in this era had cup holders though. Definitely love all the love Thirdgens get driving around. Compared to owning one back in the day they have become real respectable classic cars now to a lot of people!
Man, I’m actually really jealous of low mile stock cars some times. I think some of the things I fight is a result of someone screwing with it through the years. But , I would have been crucified doing what I did to a low mile original Iroc 😂 like I recently found out there is supposed to be a seal at the back of hood at the cowl. I love your vert, I always had convertibles until I moved to FL and they suck when it’s 100 most of the year 😂
@@FireballMullet Some people remove the seal at the back of the hood to help get the heat out of the engine bay. Make sure the rubber bump stops at the hinges and center of the hood are adjusted correctly. this keeps the hood from sagging when closed, and from dancing around at 100 + mph.
I have a 91 third gen pontiac and i agree with the seats uncomfortable i got some viscount pmd seats from an 82 trans am and what a difference also my hood wobbles too
Amazing, bout the Flex' that's awesome you pointed that out, air gets in alot of these cars and warps, like dude metal bends and gets warped! Love your car's rims and color is poppin!
Very nice car!!! I own a 1986 Trans Am, I’ve had her 32 years. I agree with everything you mentioned. For me unfortunately, it’s lack of power, it still has the stock 305, I’ve thought about getting a crate motor, which would be about $10,000, a friend of mine said whatever price you think it’s going to be, add another $5,000 to it, (since I can’t do the work myself it would probably be more) so at the moment I’ll stick with what I have. Thanks for all the ideas.
The hood thing must be from age. I had one back in the day, and I didnt have any hood issues. Mine was stock, just an auto 305. It was an 83 with an 87 body and ground effects. 30k miles. Great car, but the problem, was being overseas. No parts, and way too much attention sometimes. I still regret selling it when I joined the military. Should have brought it back home with me.
@@FireballMullet Thats the name of the game. Rarely do I see aftermarket parts that are as good. But, its a livable probalem at least with the hood. Just eager to get another F body. Hopefully my deal goes through so next week Ill be rocking a Trans Am for 500 bucks lol. Hinges are the least of its issue, though the hood shocks work lol
I’ve got these 3-D printed cupholders that replace the ashtrays in the front and back seats. They just slide right in, they are great, life changer. It is annoying, but we really shouldn’t be eating in these cars lol
9:00 besides the steering box slop/play there can be a crack in the frame where the box attaches. A buddies 1985 Camaro had this issue and my 1982 does not.
Good one, I think I had it in my notes and totally forgot to mention that. It’s definitely an issue to watch out for! Thanks for hanging out in the channel!
Hey Stan, are you still rocking your original steering shaft? I'm not sure if you know this or not but the rag joint in the steering shaft itself is known to have alot of slop after time. On my old 84, when i got it, the slop was so bad i was actually scared to drive the car over 40. I install a modified "astro-shaft" in my old 84 and that took care of the slop 100%. But then it blew the seals out of the original steering box and I spent a alot of time hunting down an iroc spec steering box. I wanted a tight turn raidus. I was aware before ordering that a lot of companies claimed to sell iroc boxes but really didn't. Had to do a lot of homework but I found a company and paid 430 for an iroc spec rebuilt steering box.
Thanks for that info! I’m running a modified Astro shaft as well. That definitely eliminated some slop, but the thing I don’t like is I feel way more vibrations now. I saw a shaft that was similar but had a bushing to help eliminate vibrations - flaming river maybe??? Thanks for watching bud
@@FireballMullet we had a 86 S10 that had same rag joint and i replaced shaft out of a jeep 96 jeep Cherokee, the grand Cherokee won't work though. It took VERY little modification and was a easy upgrade. Don't see why it wouldn't work on a 3rd gen f body too. From what i found the lower intermediate shaft is same on s10 as f body.
Hey man! Those 5th gen seats look awesome! would love to get a hold of those seat brackets that your buddy fabs! Any more info on that or link / email? You can PM that's okay! Thanks man! Great looking IROC btw and love ur vids!
Yep.. all the same things that bug me with my 85 iroc-z. I thought it was just my hood that had the wobbly issue. The one thing that I really need to work on is the 305 tpi cooling. I don't like when sitting in traffic it heats up to 230 before the fan kicks in. I'm looking into getting a dual fan to replace the stock single fan. The other thing I had to change was the terrible lighting on the gauge cluster. I replaced the stock bulbs with LED bulbs... Wow what a difference!
Yeah, maybe look at the 4th gen (or 3rd is fine) dual fans. I had 4th gen at one point and they did nice, but I had to do some minor plastic trimming on the shroud I think
I used 4th gen fans out of a 2002 camaro I got for 40 dollars on Craigslist. I got a radiator hold down out of a 91 firebird and a bit of trimming with my dremmel and 2 bolts at the bottom and it fits real nice. The biggest issue I had was I went through 3 temp senders and a couple relays. So I keep a few in the little glove box in the trunk. Now I run between 185 and 200.
@@FireballMullet I went ahead and bought a champion 3 row radiator with dual cooling fans. Having a 195 thermostat and 185 fan switch installed, This should help with this Phoenix heat.
So addressing the uneven hood opening. It is actually the struts. they are sticking on the upstroke. test the hood opening w/o the struts and it should open evenly. At least this has been my experience with them and I have owned 4 of them through the years.
Your videos are real and appreciate that . I thought about doing some s modifications, but it’s all original, except for paint, wheels, top and muffler. 45 k on the clock. I just like to drive it and I think subframe connectors will definitely be a good idea. My 1st convertible
LOL #7. That's been top of my list since May 1993 when I first got my 92 Z28 !!! But previous owner used the small screws on flat part of center consol by radio to screw in some cup holders on the side...puts them by drivers right knee and passengers left
I can't believe the thing you hate most is lack of cupholders! 😂 I had 2 of these and a 2nd Gen...all of them manual transmission...I drank in the car alllll the time no problem. Your crotch makes a great cupholder. J/S I never had a problem with the hood, but I didn't make louvers functional. Well.....hood shocks died quick so I often wedged it up with a little piece of wood at the hinge. I actually really liked my seats, but I'm skinny. Tall, but definitely on the skinny side. Clarence was always my biggest gripe. Especially that air damn. I always wanted to make the fog light holes more functional and/or force the air through the hood so I could confidently remove that damn sir dam that scrapped eeeeeeverything. Tying the frame is a must.
sweet ride, keep the hood hinges lubed up with white lithium grease....mine gets wobbly when it's time for more grease, but i have those fancy billet hinges saved to my wish list with hawks motorsports....i'll have them some day
why i hate this year i was driving my 84 when i notice the shifter getting shorter / bang the 5 speed was on the highway the bolts fell out of the 2 inch tin frame ,
I have the 82' Camaro Z28 stock 5.0l 4-speed and love everything about it. I could easily find 7 things I don't like about any vehicle I've ever owned. Not this 82 - it's precious!
The only things I really didn't like about my '88 gen 3 IROC were the exaust system and the shifter. I replaced the shifter with a B&M Mega shifters, but the exaust was another matter. There is only one path for the exaust pipe and you CAN'T run true duals. The pipe coming off the headers is double the size of the individual pipes so that it can run through the only path available which was only designed for one pipe. The catalytic converter is a Thrush Performance unit, and the stock single muffler have been replaced with two Cherry Bomb glass pack bullets.
These cars are a classic piece of art. Love em! I don’t care what little quirks they have. You have to consider the age and time these vehicles were made. I could say that about my 79 or 04 vettes. Not a huge game changer. Enjoy these cars for the works of art they are
Not sure what you have for inner fenders, but eventually rocks will fly up and make an outie on your front fender if you don't run something. I learned the hard way....Telling for the knowing. Nice car, like the stance and wheel/tire. I still have my 92 Z that I bought new. As for fitment, I swear every panel on my car fits a little different every year....gravity???
I agree, F-body front suspension has a sloppy steering box. I've a Deer Park '91 16K mile GTA. Haven't figured what suspension, gonna have to check that air-ride. Been searching the web for improvement. Seen someone install a rack&pinion, but the common denominator is the weak frame mount. So that's key to improvement. These GEN3s were only designed for about 350 horsepower, so it will flex, T-tops, more so, more flex with a 5-speed. But, my #1 complaint is the rear hatch that always needs readjustment and breaking the rear latch. My hood doesn't have a problem. 👍🏾
Yeah, I’m definitely going with the Borgeson…have heard really great feedback on those and it feels modern. The rack and pinion is not worth the effort in my option and I know there is geometry issues with the stops, etc. Makes me nervous on such a safety item. Yeah, my hatch is out of line now, I’m living with it for now.
I hated how hot my 305 TBI runs. With AC on in the Arizona heat it gets too hot for my comfort. Fixed it with a new lower temp fan switch. Cupholders is my second gripe.
I just moved to Rio Rico AZ and I've seen a few third gen Camaros out here. I was wondering how they do in the hot AZ desert. Mine has 305 accessories with a 350 block & I put in a mishimoto racing fan & a fan control switch that comes on @ 180. Hottest it's gotten is 200 & I heard 220 is normal temp.
I was going to flush my coolant but I'm first going to check if it even has a thermostat lol first year with my IROC so a lot of investing & investigating haha
As I mentioned in another reply, the temp is a nagging issue. i converted my AC to the R134 and it is nice and cold so plan to run it this summer. The temp at 220 I've been reading is normal, but I haven't driven it in our Phoenix heat yet. I'm worried the 108 to 115 degree heat will overrun the cooling system. FireballMullet is right the lower air dam is a must and it makes a difference. It's the sitting in traffic not moving is what will scare me. Dual fans I hope will help out and a 185 switch.
I had 2 Irocs and a GTA in the 80's, 90's, early 2000's and never had a problem with the hoods. Now I have a 92 RS and an 88 Iroc and both hoods are difficult to open...definitely sucks
@@FireballMullet well I wound up sliding at a stop light and I rear ended a car. No real damage but it separated the fiberglass hood from it's steel frame in the front. The body shop wanted $400 for a new hood. I told them fix the old one. They did a crap job and the wind caught it going down the interstate and tore the hood completely off the car. I went to a local shop that sold only Camaro and mustang parts. Got a brand new steel hood for $140. Took me 20 minutes to bolt it on.
That's crazy that you have so much play in your steering I have an 89 firebird formula with a WS6 package which has the fast ratio steering box and I don't have any slop in my steering and I still have a stock rag joint
Detroit dpeed offers a quick ratio steering box. Take a look at their catalog. They dont sell junk. As a matter of fact, the founders of the company are ex GM suspension engineers.
Get you a spare lid for the console and cut two holes glue two stainless yeti bottoms in the lid. Neat and cheap to change back!! I have 5 3 gens 1 2nd and one 1 st.. hate is a you-go term. And drowning Mona they made them cool!!!! Good stuff
You forgot 3 other important issues 1..the fact that the rear brakes are almost non-existent..furthermore you brake hard and you come to a complete stop 10 ft down the road 😮 2. Constantly changing the MAF sensor just about every 5 years and you can only buy rebuild ones😮 3... super traction when the roads are dry..one drop of water on the road and you might as well be steering it over a river..😢..no traction whatsoever
the Iroc had crappy seats... The GTA had awesome seats!! power lumber, power side bolsters, tilting of back and seat at the same time, like a reclining chair, amazing.
could i get the info on the seats and your friends info on his brackets so i too can replace these seats. 33 years ago when i had this car and i was 150 lbs i didnt have a problem with the seats now at 330 lbs i have a major issue with them.
One could argue there’s nothing to hate about this car lol
For sure. It's the kind of car a guy strives to build. It's one sweet whip
Haha, it was tough coming up with these 😂 thanks bud
Thanks Jerry!
The only thing I don't like about the car is the Bucs plate 🤣
@@levisouder5777 lol 😂
for the cup holder: i went with the cutting a hole into the center console in between the window switches and the console and putting a single boat cup holder in there. superglued it in and it looks good and works perfectly. best “quality of life” thing i’ve ever done to my 87 z28
i daily drive mine at 18 for the record. it was a necessity!
Very cool man! I’ll have to look at that again, and how it may work with stock shift. Thanks for watching
@@FireballMullet People are selling ashtray delete cup holders on Ebay for about 40-80 bucks depending on how fancy they are :)
@@chriscarpenter7137 Cool man, I wonder how that would work with the stick shift…I’ll check them out, but I still use my ash tray for my Marlboros…jk jk jk LOL
91-92 Firebirds had an optional door mounted cupholder, not sure if it would swap into the Camaro.
Ruins interior
I've had 3rd gen my whole adult life. I have two right now. When my hoods started doing the uneven wobble I loosened the hinge bolts that go through fender for mounting. Loosen all bolts on both sides and slide the hinges as far apart(toward the outside/fenders) and tighten the bolts. Of course check the gap and make sure it doesn't rub on the fenders. But widening the hinges help reduce flex. It has worked on my hoods so far. Try it out.
Edit: just loosen the 10mm bolts going to the fender. Not the hood bolts. Just making sure no one mistakes that.
Yeah, my gap is still not perfect…but that is the aftermarket nose that is killing me in terms of aligning it. Thanks Joshua!
I remember those cars well. Here is my list.
1) Leaky T-tops.
2) the plastic switches, buttons, screws and more always breaks.
3) The hood won't raise correctly, as you noticed
4) the headliner sags
5) the material on the visors is cheap
👍
And the dash will crack. My bump stops on the rear axel rotted pretty fast too.
The one thing I really hate about the third gen is the hump in the floor pan on the passenger side. I hate it!
Oh yeah, that is a good one… I agree 💯
Try driving one that has been converted to right hand drive!!
@@CPMest81 no thanks
I never sat there, to bad for my passenger 🤣🤣🤣
Nothing compared to the 4th gens
I had a 1982 berlinetta V8, it was a great car and I never had any problems with it, until it started leaving at night on its own. I didn't even know it was happening until the police came and told me they had my car and it had killed 6 people over the the weekend.
Another one to add to the list is no glove box. It’s annoying having no room in the armrest compartment because it’s full of papers
That's what the panel is for in the trunk. It's just not as convenient because it's back there.
@@ToriL97 and it is lockable.
@@melissadunagan6596 That lock is useless.
True, would be nice to have one up front!
The camaro doesn’t have a little vinyl pouch where a glovebox would be? My third gen trans am has one. You can only put a few napkins/papers in there as there’s nearly no room. But it’s better than nothing at all!
I've got a 89 iroc I bought in 1990. I always Loved them cars and it's still a thrill to drive to this day.
I love the 89s! Thanks for watching, Trent!
#8 Opening the hatch in the rain all the water from the glass runs down inside the plastic upholstery panels. GM fixed this in the fourth gens, where it drains to the side gutters. You are right about the flexing of the car, Spohn subframe connectors fixed my Z-28. It now goes over train-tracks like a big sold piece of metal. Nice IROC.
I have to say the engine sounded amazing. My dad built a completely custom first gen with the same engine so the sound just made me happy
As a Fox body owner, I get the bit about the seats (I owned a turbo t bird that rode much better than my same year 1986 GT) and the ground clearance issue. A problem shared with the Mustang, F body and G body from GM was they were all produced for too long--the stampings making the body panels had to wear out, and on a unibody, that's a real support issue. The fibreglass hoods on the Camaros seemed neat at the time, but the heavy side doors with no window frame seemed to be an issue on many high mileage GM vehicles so equipped (my Mustang also needed its bushings replaced just to get the door to latch, but with a window frame i was able to lift it up from the outside to shut it until it was warm enough in the snow belt to get around to fixing it). Hatchback cars love to flex with that big hole in the back--Mustangs had a coupe option, but if you can find a convertible in the junkyard (there may have been more built including the SN95?) you can nab its factory braces.
not hating on the F bodies, I remember when these were "affordable" and anyone smart enough to get past the mullet jokes saw a 350/383 swap created a sweet street machine. Now the prices are going up for clean ones, but if you enjoy hunting for deals or have a garage to detail a barn find car....
I agree with ALL the gripes! The frame might be #1 on my list...mine looks like a sub-connector heaven.
I enjoyed the vid. I have a 02 Trans Am, with a good bit of work. But I previously owned a 87 Camaro for around decade . Really don’t missed it. But it’s crazy watching the vid and seeing pros and cons to the 4th vs the 3rd Gen.
I’ve never had a 4th gen. Had a 5th gen that I loved, it was totaled and the power plant inspired the Iroc build.
Never knew about the hood flopiness. Mine seems really solid, but I’m the only person who’s opened it since it was new. On that note, my driver’s door shuts beautifully but my passenger door has a slight clunky rattle. I tried to stop people from slamming but 😤
If your not careful opening the hood and put too much pressure on one side you can bend where it mounts then it won’t close properly previous owner fucked my hood up so I have to wobble it to make it open
I lost my exhaust once on a dirt road, solution was side pipes and 15 in tires
Got an 87 iroc with factory cloth seats,had since 91,had a 2001 trans am non ws6 with leather seats,they look sportier than my Camaro's,but when I sat in my Camaro's,they do feel more comfortable.
I’ve heard that before, guys liking them better than 4th. But I’ve also seen a bunch of 4th seats swapped in our cars. Thanks for watching Walter
My biggest gripe with my 92 was the door pins and the dash that inevitably cracks.
You didn't mention the sun visors. They don't come down far enough, extend, and like to slide off (my passengers do it - grrrr 🤬).
Yeah definitely lacking in terms of functionality there too! Thanks for the input!
And they’re so thin.
That too plus like the other guy said they are so thin and over the years just pulling it down to use how it’s supposed to could break it
I am contemplating roll cage or fabricating interior floor subframe connectors to not lose exhaust clearance
Redhead gearboxes are top notch.
I had a red 89' Iroc, put in different springs to lower the ride height. I removed the decals and stripes. I liked it better without them, took them off soon after I bought it new off the lot. Wish I could have kept it. Yours looks great!
Sounds like that was a nice 3rd gen! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment
My hood never used to wobble; then one day when I popped it I didn't lift it up the way I usually did and that's all she wrote - from that point on I have to use both hands to 'guide' it up to prevent it from bending
And yeah, ground clearance is awful - I don't think the extra-long overhang from the front wheels to the tip of the nosecone helps. I just had the front end repainted and you become VERY conscious of how easy it is to scrape the paint off the tip. Angled turn-ins wherever I find a speed bump or driveway
I'm gonna add my 2 cents to this. I always thought the seats where comfortable but I could see how a bigger guy wouldn't like them. The cup holders also bothers me and because Mines not really a show car at all I just jam the cups into the gap between the door and arm rest. I've also never had any issue with my steering it's as precise as I could want it, literally even the slightest turn and it moves the car so maybe I'm just lucky
Yeah, I definitely think the size of the person matters… And yeah you probably got lucky with your stock steering box it’s probably good but those who have tried to replace them it’s very hard to find something that lasts lasts
I like my stock seats
Definitely do a fiberglass hood!
Yeah I may look at that if I ever have to replace this one
Yep, and the hood struts will last longer.
You’ve done a great job with your car. I have a 1LE that we put factory A/C and R12 in - it’s a 92 the last year for R12. I’ve come to the realization that I too hate the factory seats.
Nice! 1LE is a nice 3rd gen! Yeah, I am temporarily running a buddy of mine while my seats are getting custom upholstery and I remember how much I really dislike the stock seats LOL
Yeah. Cheapo seats from egay are much better than the oem.
Clean third gens will turn heads all day long. Beautiful cars. I have a clean 89 Formula L98 black with ttops and it's stock except for headers. I Need subframe connectors asap.
I love black formulas! I agree, set up right these cars are freaking head turners!
Had an 86 Camaro and presently have an 86 Firebird. With all the flaws, I love the 3rd gens!!!! It is not in pristine condition and not the safest, but I get comments/compliments (and offers) every day!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Couldn't agree more! thanks for hanging out on the channel!
6:50 The Hood wobble when i bought my new 1982 Camaro was there but not something then I would think as an issue. I think this is because it had brand new factory gas struts and the hinges were new and free to pivot. This with a California bought car made in Van Nuys.
It was not until the late 90s and the car in the humid south east that I noticed the wobble. By noticed I mean it bugged me. The coastal salt air and humidity here on mine have me getting oil then some grease in the hinge pivots to reduce the wobble. The actual friction is hard to feel because to the hoods weight and struts force. When one side has more friction you can see the hood flex to port or starboard since the one side has more friction.
Thanks for that detailed observation! I have some new hinges and hood struts, I may try to grease them again and maybe a little more adjustment. Thanks for watching!
I hate that I never have enough money to spend on mine!
Lol we never have enough 😆
My son's 88 GTA used a 4th gen center console for the cup holder. Had to fab a bracket for the window switch where the ashtray goes. Not a perfect solution but it's a cup holder
That is a great option also, good idea! Thanks for the input!
I've always thought the stock seats were some of the most comfortable stock seats, but I'm also a much smaller guy lol. Great video and nice car man
Maybe that helps lol, thanks for watching!!
6'1ish and they're dumb comfortable, got an '89 and just chillin in the car on the phone I've almost fallin asleep, had about a 2 hour drive before it got out on jack stands, no pain at all
@@Athoroughgamer Yup I'm around 6'1 too, guess it depends on whether you're built like an alpha gigachad or not
@@ProdigyAutomotive Indeed, then again my seat rails are rusted back so I had to drive it practically fully laid down, still comfortable too 😂
I'm gonna be honest I'm 17 I love my third gen berlenetta the seats are comfortable I'm a pretty bug guy 6ft and pretty heafty I only wish I had longer seat rails
If you re crimp the hood rivets it actually works amazing. Did it to mine before I got my car painted. My hood works perfectly now 👌🏽
Okay, that is exactly what I e hers before, probably worth trying next time I have the hood off. Thanks!
Right on man! I bet you definitely don't hate how it sounds!
Body flex is maybe my number 1. I have a convertible as well and even though it looks awesome you can feel it now and again and putting the car up I'd be scared to open the doors. Even though I have a low mileage car I may just get SFCs because I do enjoy driving it.
Cup holders are a bummer too. This is such a good cars and coffee car but you can't sip and drive on the way... Not many cars in this era had cup holders though.
Definitely love all the love Thirdgens get driving around. Compared to owning one back in the day they have become real respectable classic cars now to a lot of people!
Man, I’m actually really jealous of low mile stock cars some times. I think some of the things I fight is a result of someone screwing with it through the years. But , I would have been crucified doing what I did to a low mile original Iroc 😂 like I recently found out there is supposed to be a seal at the back of hood at the cowl. I love your vert, I always had convertibles until I moved to FL and they suck when it’s 100 most of the year 😂
@@FireballMullet Some people remove the seal at the back of the hood to help get the heat out of the engine bay. Make sure the rubber bump stops at the hinges and center of the hood are adjusted correctly. this keeps the hood from sagging when closed, and from dancing around at 100 + mph.
Check for stress cracks behind the steering box, it happened on my 84 Z28 back in the early 90s I miss that car
Yep, good one! Thanks for the input!
I have a 91 third gen pontiac and i agree with the seats uncomfortable i got some viscount pmd seats from an 82 trans am and what a difference also my hood wobbles too
The first ones with the TBI had fiberglass hood ... maybe some cross bracing would help I miss my 84 HO
Strut bar both front & rear, & as you said, frame connectors, & what about Corvette drop spindles & disk brakes?
I’m not familiar with the vette drop spindles but sounds interesting
Amazing, bout the Flex' that's awesome you pointed that out, air gets in alot of these cars and warps, like dude metal bends and gets warped! Love your car's rims and color is poppin!
Very nice car!!! I own a 1986 Trans Am, I’ve had her 32 years. I agree with everything you mentioned. For me unfortunately, it’s lack of power, it still has the stock 305, I’ve thought about getting a crate motor, which would be about $10,000, a friend of mine said whatever price you think it’s going to be, add another $5,000 to it, (since I can’t do the work myself it would probably be more) so at the moment I’ll stick with what I have. Thanks for all the ideas.
Look into a turbo kit
The og material on the SS seats is an awesome touch
I put new parts on the front end, urethane where possible, then adjusted the steering box. No slack, tight steering
Nice, I did the Astro shaft removing the rag joint and new box. Worked for a while and now the box is trash again 😂
Man this red and gold looks gorgeous, love those wheels
The hood thing must be from age. I had one back in the day, and I didnt have any hood issues. Mine was stock, just an auto 305. It was an 83 with an 87 body and ground effects. 30k miles. Great car, but the problem, was being overseas. No parts, and way too much attention sometimes. I still regret selling it when I joined the military. Should have brought it back home with me.
Yeah I may try some things to see if I can fix the hood, I think you are right that from factory they aren’t this bad
@@FireballMullet Thats the name of the game. Rarely do I see aftermarket parts that are as good. But, its a livable probalem at least with the hood. Just eager to get another F body. Hopefully my deal goes through so next week Ill be rocking a Trans Am for 500 bucks lol. Hinges are the least of its issue, though the hood shocks work lol
I’ve got these 3-D printed cupholders that replace the ashtrays in the front and back seats. They just slide right in, they are great, life changer. It is annoying, but we really shouldn’t be eating in these cars lol
9:00 besides the steering box slop/play there can be a crack in the frame where the box attaches. A buddies 1985 Camaro had this issue and my 1982 does not.
Good one, I think I had it in my notes and totally forgot to mention that. It’s definitely an issue to watch out for! Thanks for hanging out in the channel!
That’s because you don’t know about the simple fix of the “wonder bar”. Costs $125 1989 and later have them from the factory
Hey Stan, are you still rocking your original steering shaft? I'm not sure if you know this or not but the rag joint in the steering shaft itself is known to have alot of slop after time. On my old 84, when i got it, the slop was so bad i was actually scared to drive the car over 40. I install a modified "astro-shaft" in my old 84 and that took care of the slop 100%. But then it blew the seals out of the original steering box and I spent a alot of time hunting down an iroc spec steering box. I wanted a tight turn raidus. I was aware before ordering that a lot of companies claimed to sell iroc boxes but really didn't. Had to do a lot of homework but I found a company and paid 430 for an iroc spec rebuilt steering box.
Thanks for that info! I’m running a modified Astro shaft as well. That definitely eliminated some slop, but the thing I don’t like is I feel way more vibrations now. I saw a shaft that was similar but had a bushing to help eliminate vibrations - flaming river maybe??? Thanks for watching bud
@@FireballMullet we had a 86 S10 that had same rag joint and i replaced shaft out of a jeep 96 jeep Cherokee, the grand Cherokee won't work though. It took VERY little modification and was a easy upgrade. Don't see why it wouldn't work on a 3rd gen f body too. From what i found the lower intermediate shaft is same on s10 as f body.
Hey man! Those 5th gen seats look awesome! would love to get a hold of those seat brackets that your buddy fabs! Any more info on that or link / email? You can PM that's okay! Thanks man! Great looking IROC btw and love ur vids!
Hey Marc, The 5th gen seats information is on a previous video. th-cam.com/video/lR69HcLKNLI/w-d-xo.html
Love the gen 3’s, any recommendations on the best place to look to buy one?
I appreciated this video, I'm looking into getting a 3rd gen as my next car !
Yep.. all the same things that bug me with my 85 iroc-z. I thought it was just my hood that had the wobbly issue. The one thing that I really need to work on is the 305 tpi cooling. I don't like when sitting in traffic it heats up to 230 before the fan kicks in. I'm looking into getting a dual fan to replace the stock single fan. The other thing I had to change was the terrible lighting on the gauge cluster. I replaced the stock bulbs with LED bulbs... Wow what a difference!
Yeah, maybe look at the 4th gen (or 3rd is fine) dual fans. I had 4th gen at one point and they did nice, but I had to do some minor plastic trimming on the shroud I think
Also, I noticed the biggest issue of you don’t have the stock plastic shrouding in front of radiator.
I used 4th gen fans out of a 2002 camaro I got for 40 dollars on Craigslist. I got a radiator hold down out of a 91 firebird and a bit of trimming with my dremmel and 2 bolts at the bottom and it fits real nice. The biggest issue I had was I went through 3 temp senders and a couple relays. So I keep a few in the little glove box in the trunk. Now I run between 185 and 200.
Al, which bulbs did you use?
@@FireballMullet I went ahead and bought a champion 3 row radiator with dual cooling fans. Having a 195 thermostat and 185 fan switch installed, This should help with this Phoenix heat.
So addressing the uneven hood opening. It is actually the struts. they are sticking on the upstroke. test the hood opening w/o the struts and it should open evenly. At least this has been my experience with them and I have owned 4 of them through the years.
Thanks, I’ll look into that! The hood struts are new but they might be junk
I have a black 1991 RS that I've had since 2008 my favorite reactions are the *"WOW, COOL!"* from the little kids that have never seen them before 😂
I just bought an ‘88 convertible. Definitely going with sub frame connectors and I absolutely love the seat idea
Right on! Love the 88 verts! Yeah, especially a convertible, that would be a good idea. thanks for watching man
Your videos are real and appreciate that . I thought about doing some s modifications, but it’s all original, except for paint, wheels, top and muffler. 45 k on the clock. I just like to drive it and I think subframe connectors will definitely be a good idea. My 1st convertible
@@ScootertheMover Yep, I’d keep it stock also in that case! And SFCs is hidden and if you get black it is pretty much hidden.
There's some hinges at hawks had my steering box rebuilt no slop
I own a 83 z28 I can agree with alot of these lol I put a 383 stroker and I am so happy I got the frame connectors
Ring Brothers make some slick hinges for this car. I believe they'd fix it up.
LOL #7. That's been top of my list since May 1993 when I first got my 92 Z28 !!! But previous owner used the small screws on flat part of center consol by radio to screw in some cup holders on the side...puts them by drivers right knee and passengers left
LOL…yep, now I just have bottle water in the car hahaha
What's the matter with cup holders? I'm asking genuinely, all my cars don't have cup holders, is like an american thing?
I can't believe the thing you hate most is lack of cupholders! 😂 I had 2 of these and a 2nd Gen...all of them manual transmission...I drank in the car alllll the time no problem. Your crotch makes a great cupholder. J/S
I never had a problem with the hood, but I didn't make louvers functional. Well.....hood shocks died quick so I often wedged it up with a little piece of wood at the hinge.
I actually really liked my seats, but I'm skinny. Tall, but definitely on the skinny side.
Clarence was always my biggest gripe. Especially that air damn. I always wanted to make the fog light holes more functional and/or force the air through the hood so I could confidently remove that damn sir dam that scrapped eeeeeeverything.
Tying the frame is a must.
sweet ride, keep the hood hinges lubed up with white lithium grease....mine gets wobbly when it's time for more grease, but i have those fancy billet hinges saved to my wish list with hawks motorsports....i'll have them some day
Haha, yeah I need to regrease these already! Yeah, I’m curious how much they would help…thanks for hanging out on the channel bud
The hood on my friends 3rd gen was fiberglass and the top half of that hood blew off as we were going down the highway
The sensors on those years are expensive as hell. Had a 89 Iroc and loved it, but damn it was expensive.
Did you do anything for the frame twisting issue? Could you perhaps doing a in-depth video of it? Love the content!
Sub frame connectors and a good strut tower brace fixed mine.
why i hate this year i was driving my 84 when i notice the shifter getting shorter / bang the 5 speed was on the highway the bolts fell out of the 2 inch tin frame ,
Car is sitting low and he says he likes driving it like this high. LOL.
As far as no cup holder. At least GM was thoughtful enough to provide a deep enough dashpad to hold a tumbler or medium sized cocktail glass. Lol
I have the 82' Camaro Z28 stock 5.0l 4-speed and love everything about it. I could easily find 7 things I don't like about any vehicle I've ever owned. Not this 82 - it's precious!
What rims u got on your Camaro? Thanks Beautiful car!!
To the wobbly hood, if you have a fiberglass hood, its barely noticable
The only things I really didn't like about my '88 gen 3 IROC were the exaust system and the shifter. I replaced the shifter with a B&M Mega shifters, but the exaust was another matter. There is only one path for the exaust pipe and you CAN'T run true duals. The pipe coming off the headers is double the size of the individual pipes so that it can run through the only path available which was only designed for one pipe. The catalytic converter is a Thrush Performance unit, and the stock single muffler have been replaced with two Cherry Bomb glass pack bullets.
I agree about not running duals, I hated them
I have true duals on my z28
You should link your buddie's seat brackets. That was one of my biggest gripes when I had third gens.
These cars are a classic piece of art. Love em! I don’t care what little quirks they have. You have to consider the age and time these vehicles were made. I could say that about my 79 or 04 vettes. Not a huge game changer. Enjoy these cars for the works of art they are
Thanks for the video. I really love my IROC and your video makes me want to upgrade it more
I have a 86
IROC-Zand a 92 Z28 I can't say enough about how much I love the two they are too bad boys
Not sure what you have for inner fenders, but eventually rocks will fly up and make an outie on your front fender if you don't run something. I learned the hard way....Telling for the knowing.
Nice car, like the stance and wheel/tire. I still have my 92 Z that I bought new. As for fitment, I swear every panel on my car fits a little different every year....gravity???
Wow, great timing, they have a few broken mounting holes and I was literally going to pull them off. Thanks for letting me know!
Cool Car!! Great mods, seats and all. Its your car. 1 of 1.
#11. Having all the old half broken parts strewn around for that beater that will turn up.
One thing that bothered me on my firebird was the hatch motor always going out
Oh yeah, I have heard that a lot for later model 3rd gens. My 85 does not have it.
I agree, F-body front suspension has a sloppy steering box. I've a Deer Park '91 16K mile GTA. Haven't figured what suspension, gonna have to check that air-ride. Been searching the web for improvement. Seen someone install a rack&pinion, but the common denominator is the weak frame mount. So that's key to improvement. These GEN3s were only designed for about 350 horsepower, so it will flex, T-tops, more so, more flex with a 5-speed. But, my #1 complaint is the rear hatch that always needs readjustment and breaking the rear latch. My hood doesn't have a problem. 👍🏾
Yeah, I’m definitely going with the Borgeson…have heard really great feedback on those and it feels modern. The rack and pinion is not worth the effort in my option and I know there is geometry issues with the stops, etc. Makes me nervous on such a safety item. Yeah, my hatch is out of line now, I’m living with it for now.
@@FireballMullet I'm gonna be watching, cause if it works, I'll be doing the same thing.👍🏽 yeah buddy!
@@alexanderspenser4960 sounds good!
I hated how hot my 305 TBI runs. With AC on in the Arizona heat it gets too hot for my comfort. Fixed it with a new lower temp fan switch. Cupholders is my second gripe.
I just moved to Rio Rico AZ and I've seen a few third gen Camaros out here. I was wondering how they do in the hot AZ desert. Mine has 305 accessories with a 350 block & I put in a mishimoto racing fan & a fan control switch that comes on @ 180. Hottest it's gotten is 200 & I heard 220 is normal temp.
I was going to flush my coolant but I'm first going to check if it even has a thermostat lol first year with my IROC so a lot of investing & investigating haha
@@josesanchez8216 Yes, 220 is normal. I was getting 240+ with AC last summer so I got a new temp switch from Hawks. Should help out this summer.
Make sure your plastics shrouding in front net the nose is lol there too
As I mentioned in another reply, the temp is a nagging issue. i converted my AC to the R134 and it is nice and cold so plan to run it this summer. The temp at 220 I've been reading is normal, but I haven't driven it in our Phoenix heat yet. I'm worried the 108 to 115 degree heat will overrun the cooling system. FireballMullet is right the lower air dam is a must and it makes a difference. It's the sitting in traffic not moving is what will scare me. Dual fans I hope will help out and a 185 switch.
I had 2 Irocs and a GTA in the 80's, 90's, early 2000's and never had a problem with the hoods. Now I have a 92 RS and an 88 Iroc and both hoods are difficult to open...definitely sucks
Interesting, yeah this has been my only 3rd gen so never had anything to compare to
I fixed my wobbly hood by replacing the struts, but my rivets still suck so my one strut pops off every time I open the hood
That’s great you fixed it. I may have to look at some different struts
I had a 1983 Z28 and I replaced the fiberglass hood with steel. Never had any wobble or problems
Oh wow, I have heard the fiberglass works better, so this is interesting. I don’t think there is a fiberglass Iroc hood?
@@FireballMullet well I wound up sliding at a stop light and I rear ended a car. No real damage but it separated the fiberglass hood from it's steel frame in the front. The body shop wanted $400 for a new hood. I told them fix the old one. They did a crap job and the wind caught it going down the interstate and tore the hood completely off the car. I went to a local shop that sold only Camaro and mustang parts. Got a brand new steel hood for $140. Took me 20 minutes to bolt it on.
What kind of tires do you have ? And where do I get the info on air suspension? I have a 89 rs
I’m driving an 89 formula.
I can’t wait to drop something into it
Nice, one of my favorites!
That's crazy that you have so much play in your steering I have an 89 firebird formula with a WS6 package which has the fast ratio steering box and I don't have any slop in my steering and I still have a stock rag joint
It’s the steering box, it’s high ratio but sucks… pretty new and already has play
Saw the third gen instantly subbed 🤘🏼 third gen life!
Thanks!!!
Did you get that badge for the supercharger custom made, or was this a limited run of cars
It is a guy on eBay that custom makes them for whatever you want it to say.
Detroit dpeed offers a quick ratio steering box. Take a look at their catalog. They dont sell junk. As a matter of fact, the founders of the company are ex GM suspension engineers.
Get you a spare lid for the console and cut two holes glue two stainless yeti bottoms in the lid. Neat and cheap to change back!! I have 5 3 gens 1 2nd and one 1 st.. hate is a you-go term. And drowning Mona they made them cool!!!! Good stuff
Great idea!
You forgot 3 other important issues
1..the fact that the rear brakes are almost non-existent..furthermore you brake hard and you come to a complete stop 10 ft down the road 😮
2. Constantly changing the MAF sensor just about every 5 years and you can only buy rebuild ones😮
3... super traction when the roads are dry..one drop of water on the road and you might as well be steering it over a river..😢..no traction whatsoever
the Iroc had crappy seats... The GTA had awesome seats!! power lumber, power side bolsters, tilting of back and seat at the same time, like a reclining chair, amazing.
Did you buy those front blinkers?
Great video I have an 85 z28 no cup holder drives me nuts too lol
Do the ashtray delete cup holders it's like 20 bucks
Just pick up a pair of seat gap cup holders from $5 and below. They’re black, sleek and fit well. 😊
Damn, that sounds good, I’ll check those out man!
Have you seen the new mittler brothers hydro shocks there not lowrider springs there for hot rods.
No, but now you got me interested! I’ll go check them out!
Most would love to have it. No car is a hundred percent perfect
could i get the info on the seats and your friends info on his brackets so i too can replace these seats. 33 years ago when i had this car and i was 150 lbs i didnt have a problem with the seats now at 330 lbs i have a major issue with them.
The 5th gen seats information is on a previous video. th-cam.com/video/lR69HcLKNLI/w-d-xo.html
I was wondering, how hard is it to put those fifth gen Camaro seats in?
One of my earlier videos has the install. My buddy Tim made the adapter brackets
I got the purple heritage edition rs and I’m restoring it and the cup holder drives me crazy
That’s a great car and color!
I hate the noise and clunky from front end. How do I fix that??
Hmmmm I don’t experience that, is it a ball joint maybe ?