Comparison 3th / 4th Camaro

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

I would personally look to the 4th gen.  3rd gens are a little long in the tooth these days and they still seem to bring top dollar.  GM also hadn't figured out how to make hp and still conform to EPA regs, so the 2.8 V6 only made about 125 hp.  You could also get it with the 2.5L Iron Duke which was something like 108 hp.

The 4th Gen started out with the 3.4L as the V6 option but switched to the 3.8L in 1995 which at least made enough power to be decently fun.  The 3.8L has proven to be a very reliable rig.  Later model years also get you things like ABS and air bags if that's your jam.

Parts will be available for all of them, but you can probably imagine that the newer model years are more likely to have parts on the shelf instead of "we can get that for Monday if you'd like to order it."

If you're steering clear of the V8 for cheap insurance, I get it, but there is no problem with the V8s for reliability.  The TPI was still in the years of "we don't know how to make power" and they're not really a big jump in power, but the LT1 starting in 93 was a brilliant setup and about the only things you'll have to replace are water pumps.  People talk smack about the Optispark but it's total hype.  They are great engines.  When I sold my last LT1 with 145k on it, I had done two water pumps, one Optispark, and that's really it.  I did plugs and wires when I did the Opti, but it was bulletproof.

All I remember about my 4th Gen LT1 was that I spent an entire Saturday changing all 8 plugs and both of my arms were raw meat from the tips of my fingers to my elbows.  But I got it done.  I was under it, on it, in it - probably burned 10,000 calories that day.

John Welsh said:

Thir-th???

4rd.  Oh wait...that'd be a Mustang 

A 401 CJ said:

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

I would personally look to the 4th gen.  3rd gens are a little long in the tooth these days and they still seem to bring top dollar.  GM also hadn't figured out how to make hp and still conform to EPA regs, so the 2.8 V6 only made about 125 hp.  You could also get it with the 2.5L Iron Duke which was something like 108 hp.

The 4th Gen started out with the 3.4L as the V6 option but switched to the 3.8L in 1995 which at least made enough power to be decently fun.  The 3.8L has proven to be a very reliable rig.  Later model years also get you things like ABS and air bags if that's your jam.

Parts will be available for all of them, but you can probably imagine that the newer model years are more likely to have parts on the shelf instead of "we can get that for Monday if you'd like to order it."

If you're steering clear of the V8 for cheap insurance, I get it, but there is no problem with the V8s for reliability.  The TPI was still in the years of "we don't know how to make power" and they're not really a big jump in power, but the LT1 starting in 93 was a brilliant setup and about the only things you'll have to replace are water pumps.  People talk smack about the Optispark but it's total hype.  They are great engines.  When I sold my last LT1 with 145k on it, I had done two water pumps, one Optispark, and that's really it.  I did plugs and wires when I did the Opti, but it was bulletproof.

All I remember about my 4th Gen LT1 was that I spent an entire Saturday changing all 8 plugs and both of my arms were raw meat from the tips of my fingers to my elbows.  But I got it done.  I was under it, on it, in it - probably burned 10,000 calories that day.

Owner of FRAXX told me he can do it in less than two hours. One reason why we are friends. I'm not interested in making him do it but would like to be shown how since I'm thinking about swapping out my 3rd gen (that I've had 28 years!) for a 4th gen.

A 401 CJ said:

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

I would personally look to the 4th gen.  3rd gens are a little long in the tooth these days and they still seem to bring top dollar.  GM also hadn't figured out how to make hp and still conform to EPA regs, so the 2.8 V6 only made about 125 hp.  You could also get it with the 2.5L Iron Duke which was something like 108 hp.

The 4th Gen started out with the 3.4L as the V6 option but switched to the 3.8L in 1995 which at least made enough power to be decently fun.  The 3.8L has proven to be a very reliable rig.  Later model years also get you things like ABS and air bags if that's your jam.

Parts will be available for all of them, but you can probably imagine that the newer model years are more likely to have parts on the shelf instead of "we can get that for Monday if you'd like to order it."

If you're steering clear of the V8 for cheap insurance, I get it, but there is no problem with the V8s for reliability.  The TPI was still in the years of "we don't know how to make power" and they're not really a big jump in power, but the LT1 starting in 93 was a brilliant setup and about the only things you'll have to replace are water pumps.  People talk smack about the Optispark but it's total hype.  They are great engines.  When I sold my last LT1 with 145k on it, I had done two water pumps, one Optispark, and that's really it.  I did plugs and wires when I did the Opti, but it was bulletproof.

All I remember about my 4th Gen LT1 was that I spent an entire Saturday changing all 8 plugs and both of my arms were raw meat from the tips of my fingers to my elbows.  But I got it done.  I was under it, on it, in it - probably burned 10,000 calories that day.

I bought plugs and wires for my 4th gen LT1. I eventually was able to get the plugs. The wires just sat on the shelf. I have no idea how it is possible to change the wires in that car without dropping the engine

In reply to BlindPirate :

Plugs are pretty rough the first time, it gets easier every time after that. Wires never get much easier. It's considerably easier to do with most of the cooling system out. I normally like to do them when I'm doing another repair like swapping a WP or rad. They run behind the pass side accessories. 

The most difficult plug is, IIRC, number two, because the air pump tube is right there.  I usually unbolt the passenger engine mount and jack the engine as high as I dare to get access to it. 

Most of the plugs are from underneath, 2 and 4 I always remove the alternator.

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

The most difficult plug is, IIRC, number two, because the air pump tube is right there.  I usually unbolt the passenger engine mount and jack the engine as high as I dare to get access to it. 

Most of the plugs are from underneath, 2 and 4 I always remove the alternator.

Reminds me of the V8 Monza.  I think the factory service manual called for you to jack up the engine.  Had one of those too.  Dad did 7/8.  Somebody had swapped a big-car small block into that one.  400 we think.  Even with 1 iffy plug it'd still put down a single peg-legged black mark till you took your foot out of it.

Did someone say 3rd gen?

That's what it takes to get a 3rd Gen as wide as a 2nd Gen.

I'd argue, that chassis-wise, both 3rd and 4th Gen never saw the race development that the 2nd Gen did and therefore the ultimate potential of the 2nd Gen is higher. The 3-4 couldn't get as wide or low and the hard points were too difficult to relocate. But that's at the pointy end.

GCrites said:

That's what it takes to get a 3rd Gen as wide as a 2nd Gen.

I'd argue, that chassis-wise, both 3rd and 4th Gen never saw the race development that the 2nd Gen did and therefore the ultimate potential of the 2nd Gen is higher. The 3-4 couldn't get as wide or low and the hard points were too difficult to relocate. But that's at the pointy end.

That 3rd gen pictured got the FIA rules track layouts changed at both Daytona and LeMans.  I'd say it was pretty well developed.  If the reliability piece would've gotten sorted out sooner, it'd have placed very high at LeMans.  It did really well the last Daytona 24 it ran.  

I've owned both, currently have a 2000 3.8 V6 5 speed as a daily driver for the last 7 years.