Were 1980s cars really that bad?

[Chazman]

Originally Posted by old5.0

That's my understanding as well. A roller cam 5 speed Fox coupe with those mods could crack 12s with a very good driver before the factory Goodyears become an insurmountable obstacle, so I'm curious as to why a TPI Camaro can't at least get in the bottom half of the 13s.

Here's a Motorweek road test of an '89 G92, dual cat, LB9, 5 speed with a 3.45 gear.

This is the fastest one I've ever remember seeing from the day and may not be representative of the typical production car - but they got a 13.9 second 1/4 mile.



https://youtu.be/aCL-odNmuGA

There were a number of free/cheap mods on the TPI back in the day, (similar to the 5.0 Mustang), which could REALLY wake it up.

[old5.0]

Originally Posted by Chazman

Here's a Motorweek road test of an '89 G92, dual cat, LB9, 5 speed with a 3.45 gear.

This is the fastest one I've ever remember seeing from the day and may not be representative of the typical production car - but they got a 13.9 second 1/4 mile.



https://youtu.be/aCL-odNmuGA

There were a number of free/cheap mods on the TPI back in the day, (similar to the 5.0 Mustang), which could REALLY wake it up.

Yeah, I remember back in the late 80's MCR testing a 350 Iroc and running a 14.2 or 14.1, and all that jibes with the fastest 5.0 road tests I remember from back then:

85: Autoweek, 85 GT 5 speed car with A/C, 14.38@92

86: Car Craft, 86 LX coupe, 5 speed, no A/C 14.33@97 (with 2.73 gears)

87: Cars Illustrated, 87 LX hatch, no A/C 5 Speed radio delete, 13.73@101(?)

I also recall SSDI going 14 flat at 100 mph in a stock 87 hatch with air and Hot Rod (maybe) going 13.9x in a stripper LX coupe.

I suppose you could argue that those results aren't typical, but you could make that argument about things like 12 second Hemi cars, as well. Depends on how they're optioned, maintained and driven. I've been messing around with these piles of junk for the better part of 30 years, and putting a near stock Fox into the 12's just isn't particularly difficult. I can't imagine what would make it so hard (or near impossible) on a 3rd Gen, but I don't know near as much about them.

[Chazman]

Originally Posted by old5.0

Yeah, I remember back in the late 80's MCR testing a 350 Iroc and running a 14.2 or 14.1, and all that jibes with the fastest 5.0 road tests I remember from back then:

85: Autoweek, 85 GT 5 speed car with A/C, 14.38@92

86: Car Craft, 86 LX coupe, 5 speed, no A/C 14.33@97 (with 2.73 gears)

87: Cars Illustrated, 87 LX hatch, no A/C 5 Speed radio delete, 13.73@101(?)

I also recall SSDI going 14 flat at 100 mph in a stock 87 hatch with air and Hot Rod (maybe) going 13.9x in a stripper LX coupe.

I suppose you could argue that those results aren't typical, but you could make that argument about things like 12 second Hemi cars, as well. Depends on how they're optioned, maintained and driven. I've been messing around with these piles of junk for the better part of 30 years, and putting a near stock Fox into the 12's just isn't particularly difficult. I can't imagine what would make it so hard (or near impossible) on a 3rd Gen, but I don't know near as much about them.

My friend had a '92 B4C, (police package), 1LE, RS. It was a 5.7 automatic. It has to have been the fastest bone stock 3rd gen Camaro I've ever ridden in.

He took it to the track once. It was his first time. As he was getting in line a bunch of 4th gen guys saw him and started to laugh. All they could see were the RS badges and figured they'd witness another 17 second 1/4 mile. First run and first run of the owner's life - 13.6 seconds!

The 4th gen guys stopped laughing.

[HawkX66]

Originally Posted by Chazman

The 4th gen guys stopped laughing.

I can't imagine it stopped them too quick. A bone stock 93 Z will do 13.9-14.1 in the 1/4. A Moroso filter kit, SLP air diverter in the throttle body, MSD 6AL, Blaster coil and strut tower brace took me to an easy and consistent 13.1 while still getting 25+ mpg on the highway. Imagine a cam, headers, head work and a tune.
Those B4Cs were nice. My 3rd gen '84 Z28 5 spd was a slug IMO It didn't matter. I still loved it and would love to have it back as long as I could take all the vacuum/emissions crap off the motor.

[old5.0]

Originally Posted by Chazman

My friend had a '92 B4C, (police package), 1LE, RS. It was a 5.7 automatic. It has to have been the fastest bone stock 3rd gen Camaro I've ever ridden in.

He took it to the track once. It was his first time. As he was getting in line a bunch of 4th gen guys saw him and started to laugh. All they could see were the RS badges and figured they'd witness another 17 second 1/4 mile. First run and first run of the owner's life - 13.6 seconds!

The 4th gen guys stopped laughing.

Back in 93, the father of the girl I was dating at the time bought a brand new 93 Z. Burgundy red stick car, and the very first 4th gen in town, and it caused quite a stir when he rumbled into Sonic that Friday night looking for his first victim. My 89 Mustang had a few mods and turned 12.60's on 8" cheaters so he knew better than to pick on me. Instead he chose another kid with a 92 Z28. It was a beautiful car, a Heritage edition or something like that. Black with red stripes, 350 and every option under the sun, as I recall. It was also stone stock.

We all loaded up and followed them to the spot, looking forward to the epic beatdown we were about to witness. It was epic, all right, just not the way we figured it would be. The 92 crushed the 93 by a car to a car and a half in three straight.


On the pure stock/PureStock/"pure stock" argument, I dunno. Lot of confusion. A 5-speed 5.0 without A/C can go mid-13's with nothing but a timing bump and throwing the intake silencer in the trash, assuming a very good driver. The limiter is the tire. Put one on 7-inch slicks, and it'll go 12.99 with not much besides the aforementioned timing bump, a good shifter and 4.30 gears, but I suppose we're getting in the weeds a little here.

Has anyone really explored the potential of the TPI 3rd Gen package in stock/Pure Stock/Day 2 condition? Be interesting to find out. I'm thinking they might surprise a few people.

[Chazman]

Originally Posted by old5.0

Has anyone really explored the potential of the TPI 3rd Gen package in stock/Pure Stock/Day 2 condition? Be interesting to find out. I'm thinking they might surprise a few people.

I'd be interested in hearing someone chime on this as well.

One thing for sure, the later 3rd gens, like '89-'92, with G92 and N10 are faster than most people expect. Free mods, like bumping timing, opening airboxes, etc., should make 13's possible.