In 1988, my father purchased a 1988 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z as a birthday present to himself.  Little did he know, but at the time that car made me feel like a rockstar.  Rarely driven, primarily garage kept, I was in love.

In 2014 my father passed away unexpectedly.  A couple of years later my stepmother sold the car to me at a price I could not refuse.  This page is dedicated to my work in restoring the car.

When She Came Home

My stepmom was going to restore the car, as the paint had faded and there were a few issues they had always had with the car.  Her brother painted it, put a tune up on it and that was it.

These pictures are taken in the same exact driveway the first photo was taken in, only 28 years apart.

My first struggle was just to get the car started.  According to my stepmom, it always killed batteries.  I soon found this to be true.  Within a few days there would be 0 volts on the battery.  Even with a battery tender connected.

But I got it home, with no headlights, tail lights, brake lights or turn signals.

The turnaround

Luck would be on my side however, as I was contacted by a mechanic who needed IT help.  He wanted to barter (which I love to do).  So I fixed his computer, and he helped me get the car on the right track.  He did a full electrical diagnosis on it and couldn’t find any major hiccups.

The car was still killing the battery rather quickly, after digging rather deeply I discovered there was a flaw in the alternator & starter in these cars.  I’m not an electrical engineer, but it had something to do with the windings in them causing current draw.  I bought a new alternator, which he installed.  My charging or rather dis-charging problems were solved.

That’s when the momentum started.  Due to the kids in my life who are hopelessly addicted to YouTube, I began a channel.  Doing so combined many things I think is making my father smile from the heavens.  I’m producing video (something I loathe but he enjoyed), spending time with chidren and fostering creativity.

So far, I’ve done lots of little things, nothing major.  The goal is to restore and improve upon where it doesn’t change the original nature of the vehicle. 

Third Generation Camaros and IROC-Zs have become quite valuable in the past few years.  This is a family heirloom as far as I’m concerned.  I want to keep it as pristine as possible.

Provenance

This particular example is becoming rarer and rarer as time marches on. The term commonly used for an automobile like this is “survivor.” These cars were used and abused when new. Not many people owned them for long periods of time. I’m lucky in this aspect, as I know the vast majority of the history of this car, we both grew up together.

That said, I have found two issues of question that I want to list here for the record.

There is nothing special in the world of Camaros or IROC-Zs about this car. It’s not a 1LE (only 4 were made in 1988), it doesn’t have any special options and it has the most common of color combinations. It’s actual value is primarily determined by the market, which will never equal what the sentimental value is. Due to those factors, provenance is important to me.

My father never talked much about the problems with the Camaro like he did with his other vehicles. This car quite literally sat in the garage most of my life.

Sometime in the early 90’s my father and stepmother took a trip to Florida in the car. They had a condo in Ft. Myers. My stepmother claimed the transmission had problems and was replaced. Her brother (the person who painted it) states the rear end was where the problems actually were. I have confirmed it is the rear end. Per the VIN the car should have a final drive ratio of 2.77 with posi traction. After removing the differential cover, I was able to confirm the ratio. It is 3.23, per the numbers etched on the ring gear.

I reached out to three big names in the industry, so far only Yukon Gear & Axle has responded, stating the following: “2 series gears have gone out of production due to lack of demand. In the early 80’s almost all manufacturers went to transmissions that have overdrive, allowing a deeper gear set to be used , reducing the strain on drivetrain components.“

The driver’s seat belt belt receiver is a maroon color, it should be grey. My stepmother said that my father had replaced it. I find this hard to believe. When I removed the assembly to repair the sleeve, it’s plastic assembly had crumbled. It appeared to be untouched by any tooling.

These two items are the only things of question with regards to the provenance of the car. My father was not one to modify a vehicle for any reason.

Per this listing on production numbers for 1988 Chevrolet Camaros, this car is 1 of 12,116 produced that year. That number is derived from the engine option.

RPO Codes

RPO (Regular Production Order) codes are how GM automobiles are differentiated. Each code designates a different option. These are the RPO codes for this car.

Things done so far:

• Repair issue with engine caused on Rally.
• Diagnose and Repair Non Working Air Conditioning
• Paint Correction
• Repair / Replace T-Top Storage Bag
• Install 1989 PROM Chip (already acquired)
• Window Switch Replacement
• Rear Hatch Release Switch Replacement
• Fog Lamp Switch Replacement (NOS part already purchased)
• New Floor Mats / Install GM logo from originals
• Remove Orange Peel & Polish
• Paint & Install missing “Body Side Molding”
• Install missing “5.7 Tuned Port Injection” badge
• Install missing “5.7 Tuned Port Injection” decals
• Install missing IROC grey/black stripe decals
• Install missing IROC-Z door decals
• Replace coolant & windshield washer containers
• Under hatch/hood respray
• Headers
• New Exhaust
• 1.6 Ratio Roller Rockers
• Throttle Body Coolant Bypass
• Throttle Body Airfoil
• 35% Window Tinting
• New seat covers (fronts are in process)
• Replace all deteriorated rubber parts

Blog Posts

I use my blog to write about everything, it is my personal journal. Some of those posts are about my work in restoring the car.

• IROC Update - No, unfortunately it isn’t running again. I sadly have not touched the car since I had to have it towed back home from Greensburg. The general consensus is that whatever the issue is, it’s not one that will require the engine be pulled. One uncle strongly believes that I have a bent push rod. In … Continue reading "IROC Update"
• Blowin’ Out the Cobwebs, and the Engine - November 8th I participated in a car rally with my girlfriend’s son. The first time I’ve ever done such a thing. It was called “The Hunt” and there were 110 cars in total, including a Lamborghini Diablo, a Ferrari FF and an Acura NSX. This rally was a trip from Indianapolis to Cincinnati and back, … Continue reading "Blowin’ Out the Cobwebs, and the Engine"
• The Aussies Have Invaded - Yesterday, the Holden Owners of Indiana put on a cruise called the Fall Foliage Cruise. I had Amelia with me and wanted to take her on a proper ride in her papaw’s car. The route began in Nashville, IN with a destination of Bo-Mac’s Drive-In located in Shoals, IN. We then took a separate route … Continue reading "The Aussies Have Invaded"
• October VCCA Meeting - The October meeting of the Indiana region of the VCCA happened yesterday, and I have to say it was a great meeting to me. We had the largest turnout I’ve seen, and two new members joined. One of those members brought his 57 Chevy Belair. He said it’s his 11th, and he has eyes on … Continue reading "October VCCA Meeting"
• July VCCA Meet - Yesterday was the July meet of the Indiana Chapter of the VCCA. Thankfully all of my ducks were in a row to finally bring the Camaro, and my youngest wanted to come along too. We had a great drive up to Cicero, where we met at Red Bridge Park. It was during this drive that … Continue reading "July VCCA Meet"
• I Can’t Drive 145 - The speedometer in the IROC has been a Pandora’s box. The first parts of it, were logical and lineal, the last parts have been anything but. The original problem was simple, it seemed. It was constantly reading a lower speed than it should, while the odometer was reading significantly faster than it should. I first … Continue reading "I Can’t Drive 145"
• The Powerglide - As I mentioned previously, I joined the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America, Indiana chapter. A club my father was a member of for many years. Each chapter sends out a monthly newsletter. The name of the Indiana chapter’s newsletter is The Powerglide, coming from the name of an infamous 2 speed automatic transmission. The issue … Continue reading "The Powerglide"
• First Real Test - Saturday, I took the Camaro out for a test. I needed to go to a friends to check on the progress she has made on quilts made out of my father’s clothes. She lives just north of Evansville. I ran into / noticed several issues that I’m posting here for my own sake. I have … Continue reading "First Real Test"
• Upholstery, it’s not for me - After making several mistakes during the process of trying to re-upholster the headliner and sail panels on the Camaro, I made a mistake that couldn’t be repaired. Even my uncle (who has my drivers seat) said, “Your screwed.” My first mistake? Choosing the wrong color. I thought it was darker than it should but also … Continue reading "Upholstery, it’s not for me"
• More Gear Mysteries - I took the Camaro into a shop this week. I’m planning on taking it on it’s first real cruise this weekend, to Evansville. A friend is working on quilts for me that are made from dad’s clothes. We need to catch up, and talk about this, make sure it’s going as originally planned. Then I … Continue reading "More Gear Mysteries"