Factory Race Cars IROC-Z 1LE

Hello, I would like to weigh-in just a bit on the IROC 1LE article. The 1985 B4Z (IROC) option- coupled with the L69 option ( IROC-Z28 H.O.5.0L ) gave you an aluminum set of rear drum brakes, a nodular flywheel, 305 C.I. V8, with a 4 Barrel electronically controlled carburetor, 3.73 rear differential, 5 speed transmission which could also include the G80 Limited Slip and J65 disc brakes front and back. This was the "Before 1LE option". Also the L69 was discontinued during the mid 1985 run with only 2497 models that year. Merely 74 held over model 1985's were tagged in 1986. The L69 was not available in 1988 when the four 1LE Camaro's were born. The 85 IROC H.O. debuted at the 24 hours of Nelson Ledges in 1984 as a Prototype and still holds the record for that class to this day. I was there in 84. I own a pristine 85 H.O. with 16k on the clock. It still smells new. Thanks for listening! it was larry

That is cool--thanks for sharing.

The other day I noticed a 5.7L IROC-Z in our local supermarket parking lot. It wasn't a 1LE, but it was still cool to see.

Had a customer who's other car was an IROC-Z, it was always a treat when he came in. Acid washed jeans, snake skin boots, a leather duster, and you guessed it, permed mullet.

I still want one, IROC not a mullet.

Today I found out that a friend in the biz had a Pontiac GTA. JG and I might need to check it out soon--you know, for editorial purposes.

not an iroc, but I had a boss with who had a Camaro with the Crossfire injection. It was very cool to watch the two vents on the hood snap open at WOT. He spent a lot of money keeping that car pristine and running. I wonder what happened to it when he died

Players Challenge series up here. I miss tobacco sponsorship.

http://www.thirdgen.org/forums/history-originality/146806-if-you-have-players-3.html

Firebirds, too.

I worked for a Firestone Firehawk team in 1988. We started off the year with two IROC-Z's and two Trans-Am's. The 1LE's had a lot of trick parts, including the quick disconnect 'Australian' brake calipers.

A few races into the season, we switched to all T-A's, as GM decided they wanted Pontiac to win the IMSA Firehawk series, and Chevy to win the SCCA Escort series, which happened exactly that way.

I remember watching this series in it's era. Yes it had TV coverage!! It was amazing. Richard Spenard, Rick Bye, Scott Goodyear, etc. Until they all moved on to the Porsche Turbo series that replaced it.

Streetwiseguy wrote: Players Challenge series up here. I miss tobacco sponsorship. http://www.thirdgen.org/forums/history-originality/146806-if-you-have-players-3.html

How I lusted after these in my early teenage years...though I wanted mine with red lettering. I remember building a large scale model of one. And yes...I had a mullet.

While they of course have flaws, they are cheaper than they should be. A 78 Nova is not a better car than an IROC-Z, but these days the Nova usually fetches more $$.

If you want one, I'd get the nicest one you can find soon. There is no way they will stay this cheap long-term. I had one briefly that I raced in an enduro at the awesome Crash-A-Rama event in Bithlo FL. It was a 5.7 liter auto, and pretty darn quick. Yes, it was a total POS, but at least it hauled ass!

And no....I did not have a mullet--- it was more "Hockey Hair" no business in front, just party all over!

bigdaddylee82 wrote: Had a customer who's other car was an IROC-Z, it was always a treat when he came in. Acid washed jeans, snake skin boots, a leather duster, and you guessed it, permed mullet. I still want one, IROC not a mullet.

You can have one without the other?

Isn't the Camaro ownership requirement (1st through 4th gen) based mostly on having a mullet as well as being able to shift while simultaneously smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer?

markwemple wrote:

bigdaddylee82 wrote: Had a customer who's other car was an IROC-Z, it was always a treat when he came in. Acid washed jeans, snake skin boots, a leather duster, and you guessed it, permed mullet. I still want one, IROC not a mullet.

You can have one without the other?

Well, I haven't tried, though at various stages in my adolescence I could be seen with a mullet, rat tail, or bowl cut. I know I've had acid washed jeans, and a pair of fake rattle snake Justins at one point, matching belt even. Never had a leather duster, or a Camaro, but all of the other similar "Camaro owner accessories," I wore were WAY before 2012, which is when I first met customer "IROC."

I shouldn't pick on just the Camaro owner, customer "240Z" had the gnarliest pewter cobra head shifter with red light up eyes and similar fashion sense...

If I hadn't been a poor college student I would have purchased a 92 B4C in 1996. Sure, it was an auto, but it was also the 5.7L L98 with TORQUE. actually, I think it had ALL THE TORQUE. I still have a soft spot for Turd gens.

One more (maybe two) IROC facts. There was only one Camaro offered during the entire 85-90 year run of IROC's that coupled a high performance engine with the coveted 5 speed transmission. That is the L69 H.O. package. The only way to get a 5 speed, even in 1988 was to settle for the LB9 Throttle Body 305 C.I. engine. I think it was 1993 before that changed with 5.7L engines and 5 speed manuals. The HO is one of the rare Camaro's nobody knows about. Also there was only 1 year an IROC could be ordered in Silver Metallic. 1985. I have only seen mullets on guys that drove TA's by the way.

I 100% approve of this thread. I would love to get my hands on another 3rd gen someday.

In reply to Bluegill Dingus:

You could get a 3rd gen F-Body (including the IROC) factory equipped with a 215hp 305 TPI and a 5-speed starting in 1987. You could also get the 5-speed in a TBI car, but the TPI ones were obviously a lot better. The 5.7L TPI cars were never offered with a manual transmission. I've heard that test mules were produced, but the era's T-5 transmission couldn't handle the power the 350 was putting down. Kinda sad, considering basically the same engine in the Corvette was offered with a manual transmission.

Here's a 1990 1LE 305TPI 5-speed car that sold a couple years back:

http://bringatrailer.com/2014/12/26/one-of-34-123-mile-1990-cmaro-iroc-z-1le-5-speed/

The 4th gen cars (1993-2002) were offered with a T56 6-speed manual throughout that model run if you got the 5.7L V8.

That race team I worked for, did a lot of prototype work for GM as well. They were the company that did all the work for the 1989 20th Anniv. Trans-Am. I was 19 years old, driving the boss' 1986 T-A test mule to the parts store for some non-detergent oil to break in some motors on the dyno, when I surprised the hell out of a guy in a new Corvette leaving a stop light!

They were also working on a turbo-charged Pontiac Bonneville SSE at the time, which later turned into the supercharged 3.8L when it hit production.

In reply to SilverFleet:

We were making 255hp on the dyno with the "stock" 305's in Firehawk, all running through bone stock five speeds. We had more problems with the rearends failing (mostly due to a certain driver) than the T5. I don't ever recall replacing a trans at the track.

I have a pretty rare 1987 iroc convertible with the 305tpi/5-speed/3.45/1 rear end and it is a blast to drive. Nice clean original cars are an uncommon sight in most places now.

I had the opportunity to tool around in (and autocross a couple of times) a '91 1LE/5.7 that someone had swapped a T-5 and a Torsen into. It was a good car. Torque for days. Just felt the need to add my two cents.

I have to say, i as with the masses thinking the third gens were turd gens until i rode in a friends bone stock clapped out 305 auto and was pleasently surprised by its torque and the fact we didnt die despite the sea sickness inducing blown suspension. One on these days i need to drive (or own) a well sorted version. Preferably with a 5 speed. I dont know how to drive an automatic.

my dads old neighbor had an all orginal 89 gta with the tune port 350. he bought it himself for college graduation in 89 and it only had 36k on the odometer in 2010. its now burried in pigeon E36 M3 in his barn

The blue IROC's were my favorite color on these.

My sister had a red IROC with the Tuned Port 305 and 5 speed combo.