3rd gen problems

[gen2guy]

I am going to look at a 86 camaro 5 speed car on thursday are there any "special" things or areas i should be aware of like common rot spots

[subliminal1284]

Check the fender wells and the area where the spare tire goes. Also make sure the floor boards are still solid.

[TransAm12sec]

Here are some details on 1985 Camaros.

http://www.thirdgen.org/1985-chevy-camaro

Take a good look at the paint all around, the clear coat on the wheels, etc. How many miles are on the car?

If the tranny is stock, the car is either a tbi or has a Q-jet.

[Poncho]

what engine? what are you planning for it? it's stock 305 is garbage, as is it's 5-speed manual.

[MARO-MAN]

305 car would be better then a V6 car. :thumbsup

[Poncho]

marginally :stare

[Karps TA]

I would personally take a quadrajet car over a TBI car.

[UnderPSI]

I had my 305 TBI car in the 13's :thumbsup

[loudrsls1]

ill take a tbi over quadra puke any day of the week! check the body, but drive train depends on your plans for the car.

[Karps TA]

IMO alot easier to swap to a better carb and dizzy on a quadrajet engine then it is dicking around with TBI system not designed for anything then being a economy cruiser.

[loudrsls1]

either way i dont like either one im happie with the ls1 in place of that tbi 305. the tbi never gave me a problem, but i can see where your coming from as well, easier to wrench on the quad by far a 305's a 305. they only make one or 2 replacement tbi units, compared to a carb. wich sucks.

[lilws6]

hey i think i've run your car on hwy loudrsls1. it was rainy out and we had no traction but it was still fun. lol now back on topic. Check all the panels as said before i was looking for one a while ago and couldn't find anything that was decent for the price they were asking and they wern't willing to go any lower. so i gave up. found my T/A a couple years later.

[MARO-MAN]

marginally :stare

Obviously your spoiled with your Goat, so you have to hate on the 305s of this world. :shades

[Prince Valiant]

Comprehensive guide to 3rd gen buying:
Avoid IF:
It's got a 2.8/3.1 v6
It's got a 305 carb
It's got a 305 TBI
It's got a 305 TPI
It's got a 350 TPI
It's got a Automatic
It's got a Manual Trans
It's got a 10 bolt
It's got T-tops
It's got 4 seats
It's got Body Panels
It's got Fuzzy Dice
It's got a chevy Badge

Purchase IF:
I can't think of one good reason to purchase a 3rd gen


Joking, joking :goof

And I agree...while the 305 isn't the greatest platform to begin with, it can be made to perform nicely. I'd prefer a carbed example so that I could real easily, and more importantly, cheaply get the performance up into the respectable catagory. The 5 speeds are suspect, but should live with care even behind a 300hp 305.

[MARO-MAN]

The later year World Class T5 trannys are a little better. For what its worth my uncle is still using a stock T5 behind his 327(300+hp) in his '85 Firechicken. He is also using the stock 10 bolt peg leg. :alcoholic
I personally like the stock TPI for its low end torque. Lots of fun from stop light to stop light. I can't complain about the handling either. :headbang

[Poncho]

trust me, not a 305 hater, i just remember how anemic they were, we've had our share of g and f bodies from the 80's new and used down the line.

[Karps TA]

The WC T5's are still not very good. The case is just too weak and flexes too much. It's funny companies like G-Force come out with the tougher gears and shafts, but it still ignore the main problem which is the case flexing.

I've gone thru a bunch of them in mine. Now granted until this one they were all used units. My current one a bought new/rebuilt from a place in TX and it's been holding up pretty good. And I am very hard on it. I don't drive my TA alot, but when I do I drive it pretty hard. I'm not putting a ton of power down @ 325hp RWHP and 336 RWTQ