History of the Gen 3 Camaro ('82-'92)

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Chevy Camaro Gen 3

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Gen1(1967-1969)

Gen2(1971-1981)

Gen3(1982-1992)

Gen4(1993-2002)

Gen5(2010-2015)

Gen6(2016-Current)

Gen31982-1992CamaroHistory Gen3CamaroHistory

TherunonCamaro'sthirdgenerationdatedfrom1982to1992.Theyear1982dawnedwithapowerfulstart.Thenewlydesignedthird-generationCamarowasnamedtheMotorTrendcaroftheyear.

Camarobodystyleshavechangedandevolvedovertheyearsandthethirdgenerationwasnoexception.TheCamarohadundergonesomemajorchanges.Thewheelbasewasshorter,anditsweightdroppedbyalmost500pounds.

TherewereseveralfirstsfortheCamaro.Thegasolineshortagesandinflationofthe1970shadtakentheirtollondrivers'patienceandwallets.Forthefueleconomy-mindedconsumer,theCamarowasfinallyavailablewithafour-cylinderengine.In1982,theCamarowasonceagainpressedintoservicetopacetheIndianapolis500.

By1983,Camarohadintroducedthefirstfive-speedmanualtransmissionandfour-speedautomatictransmission.

Fortheperformance-mindedcrowd,thethird-generationCamaroofferedseveralmodelsthatarehighlydesirabletocollectors.Thebest-knownmodelistheB4ZCamaro,betterknownastheiconicIROC(InternationalRaceofChampions)andlatertheIROC-Z.Anothercuriousmodelwasthe1LE.Checkingtherightboxesontheorderform(withoutairconditioning)trippedthelightfantasticandbroughtyouaCamarotobeusedontheSCCAShowroomStockClasscircuitwithbigCorvettebrakes,aluminumdriveshaftanditemsremovedforweightsavings.

AnothernewpackagethatappearedinthisgenerationwastheB4CSpecialServicePackageorPolicepackage.TheB4CgotyouanRSwiththerip-roaringZ/28drivetrain.Thisspeeddemonwasofferedforsaletopolicedepartmentsnationwide.Ifyouwereamemberofthegeneralpublic,youcouldgetyourhandsononeifyourdealerknewtherightboxestocheckontheCOPOform.

Fortheluxurycrowd,theBerlinettawasavailable.TheBerlinettamodelhadbeenaroundsince1979.Butthis"StarshipCamaro"waslight-yearsaheadofitstime.Futuristicfeaturesincludeditsall-digitaldashandstalk-mountedAM/FMcassetteplayerattachedtotheconsoleforwardofthegearselector.

AftercompletelydisappearinginthesecondgenerationCamaro(exceptforsomenon-factoryconversions),theconvertiblereturnedduringthethirdgeneration.TheseconvertibleswerenotactuallybuiltbyGM.Rather,theywereconversionsofT-topmodelsdonebyASC.Theconvertiblecouldbeorderedinanyflavor,includingtheIROCZ.

The1992markedthe25thanniversaryoftheCamaro.Tomarkthismilestone,GMmadea"Heritage"packageavailable.ThepackagegavetheCamarostereostripesupthehoodanddownthedeckreminiscentofthestripesofthelate60s.

From1982to1992,therewere1,184,433Camarosproducedwithmyriadoptions,interiorcolorsandtrimlevels.Duringthisdecade,theCamarowasinasee-sawsalesbattlewithitsarchrivaltheFordMustang.TheCamarodominatedsalesintheearly'80s,buttheMustangbegantopullaheadlater,onlytobebarelyeclipsedbytheCamaroin1991,accordingtoCarandDriver.

ThethirdgenerationCamaroisonitswaytobecomingahighlysought-aftercollectiblecar.TheaveragesalespriceforvintageCamarosfromthisgenerationis$16,637,accordingtoClassic.com,whichreportedthehighestsalespriceas$60,500.

WhetheryouviewyourCamaroasaninvestment,acollectibleoradailydriver,Rick'sCamaroshasallthepartsandaccessoriesyouwillneedtokeepyourthirdgenerationCamarolookinggoodandrunningright.Whetheryouarerestoringyourthird-genCamaroorjustneedpartsforatune-uporperformanceboost,Rick'shaseverythingyouneedforyourdailydriverorpro-touringCamaroaswell.

FunFacts:

In1982and1983,theLU5V8wasofferedwithCrossfireFuelInjection.ItwasathrowbacktotheCrossramintakeavailableforpurchaseoverthepartscounterin1968and1969.

In1984,theCamaroZ/28tooktophonorsfromCarandDriverandRoad&Track.Itevenbeatoutthebrand-newCorvettebodystyle.

OneoddoptionfortheCamaroin1984wasthe'84SarajevoOlympicsPackage.ItconsistedoforangeandbluestripesandWinterOlympicsdecalemblemsplacedon3,722all-whitecars.Nowordonwhetherthisoptionwonanygoldmedals.