Well, nuts. I was hoping the engine would be OK, but I guess it got stuck in the storage locker for a reason, like the junk I have around the house that I've been planning to fix up. And it sits, and sits, and sits. I wonder if the motorcycle is the same story. And I suspect the Millennium Falcon isn't going to be making the Kessel run anytime soon. Hopefully if you can't get it running you can get your money back parting it out. Dave
two words: apartment rebuild It's worth a lot of you do something cool with it for a RUclips video, Alex :) I purchased a 1988 IROC in 1989 and had quite a time with it, so as an old-dude car guy, I'm emotionally invested in this car of yours - take all the following with that in mind. May I suggest: Try doing the infamous "apartment rebuild" on it to see how little you can get away with and how cheaply you can get it back on the road. By this I of course mean leaving the block in the car and going underneath it to try to replace the bearings (or whatever you find wrong) while removing as little as possible from the car and especially not the engine. No machine work beyond something goofy attached to a drill. That's an all-day watch in my book.
The engine is not overfilled with oil, but rather had an internal coolant leak (probably overheated at one point). Then that coolant ran into the oil pan and made the fill level look high, but it was due to a normal amount of oil and extra coolant both being in there.
The 305 I had in a elcamino made chocolate milk even throughout the system. 2 bottles of KW block sealer, I drove it for nearly 2 years before going to a .30 over 350.
I grew up when Mustang GTs , Iroc Zs and T/As were what every young guy dreamed of owning. Seeing these cars take me back to Friday night football games, Journey playing on the radio 😎. Good times👍
Thier is a guy called "I Do Cars". Thats bascially all he does is tear apart core engines. He buys cores and sells the parts then combined RUclips with it now. Already at 100k subscribers. A chanel for everything here. I also bet was coolant that over filled the oil. At least parts got for a little bit. People use the love the simple intake / injection setup for thier hotrods.
Oh man this IROC-Z takes me BACK!! My Dad took me to the local Chevy dealer in 1985 to test drive a black on black/T tops IROC he wanted to look at. We drove around for a few hours with the tops off, sun out and driving around over the speed limit pretty much the whole time. It was by far the coolest car I'd ever been in! (I'm Italian so this makes sense why I liked it so much lol!). In the end he realized he would have gotten so many tickets with it, and in the end he didn't get it. I was bummed because I was turning 16 in a year and wanted to drive it! Instead, he bought a Ford F-150 with 3 speed column shifter. (aka "3 on the tree"). That is what I passed my driving test on-not the IROC. Lame! In the end, being 16, I ended up really liking the truck when I went out with my GF haha!
My Dad bought a black IROC for my Mom (we all knew who he REALLY bought it for). She hated it of course, but I loved that thing. He'd take it out to backroads with me sometimes and just get on it. I will never forget that sound.
@@escapenguin Damn bro, would have to be a restoration project for you. I went to highschool from 2005-2009 & I had a teacher that had a clean black one. I always wanted one since highschool. Last year I picked one up as a project, the body & Interior is clean but it needs a paintjob (not rotted with rust) it has no engine or transmission. I will be putting a Chevrolet LS 5.3 truck in it. It was either one of these or a Corvette for me. This was the cheaper option & I always wanted one anyways lol
@@13bfc yeah, I already have a restoration project taking up my garage, unfortunately.. Glad to see people still trying to keep them alive. TBH, I'd much rather have an F-body from that era than a 'vette... Good luck with your project. 5.3's a good choice.
I don't care what anybody else thinks, I think that the third gen F-bodies and the IROC Camaro in particular are gorgeous cars, and I absolutely love them. Great color on this Camaro, and I've always thought that the IROC rims are by far the best looking wheels to put on a third gen Camaro. It's very satisfying to watch you put the penetrating oil and trans fluid into the engine after so many years of sitting and see it breathed back to life, so to speak. I remember working on my buddy's 86 Z28 in high school and seeing what was basically the same setup under the hood... and to think that this IROC had already been sitting for several years when I was doing that, and I graduated over 2 decades ago. I always love seeing cars like this brought back to life after sitting for so long.
@@Brian_Buckley especially in this current bizzarro used car market, where anything halfway decent is too expensive, and anything affordable is complete garbage and should be scrapped.
I suspect it's had a blown head gasket & maybe been run that way a bit. Would explain the high oil level if the bottom of it in the crankcase is coolant. Would make a thrown bearing more likely too. I'd suggest a teardown as interesting content, and maybe see how much of the engine and vehicle can be re-used. There's a good car in there waiting to come out, just needs a bit of TLC.
Hey Alex I think it would be awesome if you pulled the engine to see what actually happened. Its definitely an iconic 80's car and I would love to see more content on it. But that's entirely up to you, love the videos brother keep up the great work.
If he does swap the motor, that might ruin any core value of the old one, if there's any value left. At least, that's what JR said when pulling the Corvette C5 LS that sucked up some water.
Keep the block new crankshaft go 383 same fuel injection new high volume injectors. Rebuild trans and diff. Add lots of frame support and you’re set 1000hp 88 IROC.
My very first car at 18, was a 1986 Firebird Trans Am with the 305 engine. We had a love and hate relationship for 3 yrs before I went of to University abroad and had to sell her. I still admire the pics of her and everytime I see one in a video or sitting in someone yard it makes me nostalgic. I'll always be in debt to her, she taught me the ins and outs of DIY on cars. 😆
I would keep it at this point and restore the car. I know the body is rough but the 305 wasn't a keeper engine anyway. Fenders and quarter panels are cheap, the floors can be repaired as well. These really are cool cars and they are starting to get some appreciation. It's not going to be an all original car but it still has a lot of potential. I started with a even less Camaro in even worse condition and I absolutely love the car and have zero regrets with it
Just got my dream car two months ago. 86 Z28 Camaro iroc z, T top, 350 TPI manual. mint condition. runs and drives like new......actually better than new. Engine and suspension had work done to it! I love it so much!
Small advice : get few bottles of oil flush - spark plugs out, few syringes of oil flush into every cyl and leave it untill everything goes into pan or few days. Then try to turn it without plugs for few rotations with breaker bar. If moves - few seconds with starter too. Then get it running in idle, max 30 minutes. Change oil for something cheap. Let it run for up to 1h. Change oil into desired. By doing that i've loosen stuck ring in my dads daily & improved compression by A LOT. I think it would free engine thats sized not so hard. Thanks for video, cheers from Poland :)
Uhhhh, bud, if the engine cranks, it has nothing to do with piston rings. That head gasket is blown and throwing a ton of coolant into the engine and oil paths. Mix in fouling, clapped out bearings, the works. Only thing this engine is good for is being a place holder for another engine.
Sounds more like stuck valves to me the cams on these old small blocks tend to wear out i don't think the vales are opening much.i would at least tare the engine down and look at it it's only a few hour of work and could be interesting content.
It would be backfiring through the intake or banging flames out 3xhaust if so. It's definitely been cooked and locked up heat siezed and thats y she's now a rattler. Bearings toasted
@@JDJD-mw9rr Until you tear it down you don't know for sure.and I've heard rod knock before that is not what it sound like ,but it's a video I and you are not in the room with it.
@@jeffflaig362 I don't think it does but the engine was full of water roller cams still need oil. I just think you should take apart the engine see what failed it's not always what you think.
I know it's been a while since this video was posted, but there is a difference in perspective when it comes to answering "is it worth fixing" when you have youtuber's budget vs not having it. For the sake of reasearch you should refresh that engine and make it worth the 3K the guy originally asked for it. Yes there are 3rd Gen enthusiasts that would pay that money and handle the bodywork afterwards. I have a 87 L98 it's worth everything I've put into it..
My L98 Trans AM is still driving around. I had that car when I was 19 and am almost 41 now lol. 305 and 350 in these are pretty strong you would have to do something really stupid to kill them. I couldn't believe when I saw my old girl for sale it was completely original still. I sold it so long ago too and it had about 140xxx miles on it by then already. Great cars.
My brother bought one of these back when they were only a couple years old. Had the same engine. I was about 16 and drove it a little bit when he was gone. This suspension felt so stiff at least in my opinion at the time. It was definitely fun for a punk kid
I say rebuild the 305 and stroke it to 351 or 389, that way we have another registered numbers matching IROC-Z on the road. I honestly believe this is potentially a future collectible. I live in Australia and we used to have heaps 305 Commodores on the road, now they are a really rare sight.
Those old iroc Z's were a favorite of mine along with the firebirds of that era. not the fastest but some of the cooler ones on the road of that time period.
I had one buddy who was a NASCAR mechanic. He had the same problems with his IROC Camaro while he was restoring it. He simply did an itchid swap and pretty much replaced everything on the car, included all the parts with rust on it and just replaced it with carbon fiber parts, cars been restored back to its former glory and runs like a legend
I'm of the IROC-Z generation, I vividly remember when these hit the showroom floors. In the context of performance cars of the time, it was a good performer, more about the handling prowess over sheer power. The TPI engine was really cool looking when you popped the hood, and was the Bowtie banner carrier in the Ford vs. Chevy battles of the 80's. What to do with it is a tough one. 3rd gen F-body values are increasing, but as you stated, this is entry-level and really rotten. I'd probably try to find an enthusiast willing to take on the project and give him full disclosure. Of course that is assuming that the car is safe enough to restore to begin with. I love 3rd gens so I'm definitely a bit biased, though.
I got my First car a 85 Z28 TPI that sat for 12 years. I replaced the fuel pump and sending unit & cleaned tank for good measure I refused a trap door, new tires, oil change etc and yes first thing I did was turn her over by hand thankfully it was easy. She fired up. Yes was in a storage unit 💰 But she was my first car. Driving out the storage unit to the highway with thick dust was pretty cool to the car wash.
Another great video, Alex! It may run, but is a no-go. [Kinda like when Chevrolet tried to sell the Nova in Mexico and "no va" in Spanish means "doesn't go."] 😉 If the quarter panels and doors weren't so shot, it might be worth a chassis swap, but I think this iROC may only live on through other iROC's as a doner car. 🤦♂️🤧 Wheels and interior are salvageable. 🤷♂️
That Quaker State filter brings me back. My first job "working" on cars was at a quick lube shop in the 90's that used Quaker State filters. I don't remember who made them, but we never had issues with them failing.
Based at what I heard on the video it was severely fuel knocking because you were using exclusive starting fluid.. I'm betting if you fix the fuel system it will definitely run better.. also I did not hear any lower end knocking.. just fuel knock
Something about that body style that I love from the 80's. Not sure how much your Into, but I would do a teardown and restore on this and take us along the way. Would be an awsome series.
I had a used "86, 305, traded it in on a new '89, 350. Drove it for 3 years. Loved it because it was quick, cornered like it was on rails and Mustang drivers were afraid of it. One of the best body styles GM ever came up with. Great car but finally realized it wasn't really suited for Chicago weather. Hated it in the winter. Finally traded it in on a new Blazer 4X4 in "92. I Like being able to go almost anywhere in any weather even more. Stuck with SUVs ever since and haven't regretted it.
This makes me appreciate how easy my coils and plugs are to access. They’re right on top. No engine cover to break/loose. Only a few vacuum lines to remove to access cylinder number 5 and that’s it.
Makes me appreciate inline engines for sure lol! All five cylinders in my Volvo are easily accessible. Just gotta loosen the over the engine charge pipe, remove 8 T25s for the spark plug cover, and you are there. Maybe not as easy as some cars but man it definitely isn’t bad, I can do them all in under an hour when taking my time.
This is my favorite generation of Camaro! Maybe you can do a low budget Resto mod with an LS swap. It would give you tons of content and would save a great car and possibly inspire others with a rusting 3rd Gen to save their cars.
It’s a balance equation: the potential value of the final product has to figure into how much you can justify spending (money first, but also time). The Rolls Royce and the V12 MB both justify way more effort!
my late dad had a 89 iroc z with a swaped out 327 small block rebuild engine in it was a beast of a car loads of fun. he all so had a 91 Camaro z28 and a 2016 Camaro super sport with a 6.2lt V8 in it.
Thank you for this video. I purchased a 1988 IROC last year that needs major restoration. I have so many things missing I didn't even know where to start. Well actually. mine wouldn't run. From the time I got it to the first start was two weeks and a RockAuto $127.00 computer. One thing missing is the coolant reservoir. Thanks to this video I can see the way the wiring should be run so I can mount the replacement. Mine sat in the California desert for the last 34 years so everything is dry rotted. It will take some time, but I was looking for a project.
DO NOT PART IT OUT! Build it! You will gain subscribers and the views alone will pay for it! Put a crate LSA in it or a blower thru the hood! Fix the body work in house as a diy series!
You’re assuming it’s “save-able” but most of us suspect it’s bad, but I would like to see a deeper dive into the “full extent” of the rust issues … that way we’d all KNOW!
I had an '87 IROC Z, kind of a candy apple red(not sure of the GM official color name), original color. The guy I bought it from worked at the GM Tech Center. A crankshaft bearing blew and he was able to get a 1988 Vette motor put in it. I bought it in' 88-89 and I loved that car. I kept it immaculate. The T-Tops were perfect. So much fun in that car!
We used to cut the baffles out of the filter boxes and run 8" furnace sheet metal elbows to behind the fog lights, a ram air set up. They could be bent square at the filter box and screw to it. And K& N elements.
Hey Alex doubt you’ll see this but I have a 1988 Iroc as well a 350tpi car and for some reason it won’t idle. Runs drives great just when you come to a stop it doesn’t idle unless you keep your foot on the gas. Love the content by the way been watching you for some years now! I have some Amg’s as well!
Hey man, I've had a bunch of these cars and that sounds like idle air control valve to me. You don't need to replace the valve yet, you can try resetting it first. To do this, you jump the A and B ports of your ALDL connector with a paperclip or jumperwire (like you would do to check the OBD codes by getting the light to flash) and turn the key to the ON position and wait 30 seconds. Unplug the IAC valve with the key still on (you should hear it clicking as it closes in diagnostic mode). Now with the IAC unplugged, take the paperclip or jumperwire out of the OBD port and start the car. It might not want to idle at all, or the idle will be off. Set the idle to 700-800 rpm using the idle adjustment screw on the throttle body. Once you've done this, shut the car off, plug the IAC valve back in, and it should idle perfectly and the rpm drop when you put it in gear should be minimal. I'm willing to bet this solves your issue. Edit: If this doesn't solve your issue I would get a new IAC valve or replace it and make sure to do this reset process after replacing the IAC or it will not idle.
I had an 88 GTA, and it took a bit to get her running right. My main issue was a faulty PCM. Other things I did were usual tune up stuff, and sent my injectors to be cleaned flowed and matched. Your issue could be ad simple as a vacuum leak. I've also heard the EGR valves go bad in those too. Do you hear a hissing sound when it tries to idle?
I had one a long time ago. I seem to remember the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) were pretty crap on them. Well all 80's GM cars. Replacing the sensor should fix it.
One of the most beautiful engines, the tuned port. My 5.7 '91 GTA air intake goes to the passenger side behind the headlight. Been looking at suspension upgrade. The front just has too much wallow, gonna search your library.
I saved a locked engine from what I saw from one of your videos. Just changed an engine from a Jaguar Xk8, the injectors are funny, if you remove one it lets fuel pour right into the cylinder, so the engine was not hydro-locked but petrol-locked! I just followed the steps from your video after draining the fuel from the cylinders, poured oil down the spark plug holes, freed up the lock by spinning from the crank pulley, new plugs, fired right up and problem solved!
Interesting video. You did not mention if it was building any oil pressure??? My dad had a blue 87 back in the day. Been trying to find one. I vote for an engine teardown and rebuild!! Would be a great series.
I agree with the many other comments to tear down the engine to diagnose the issues and then do a quick & cheap rebuild. Bottom end like you did for the Camry, head gaskets, etc. Just get this engine going for our education and enjoyment! Plenty of good content to pay for the modest costs. You can always LS1 swap it later.
Not sure if someone else answered this yet but, the air intake tubes ran to the front for TPI camaros and to the side for TPI firebirds (due to lower hood clearance). The camaro had the "better" intake setup from the factory. SLP made a more efficient side intake that I put on my old TPI Formula and it made a HUGE difference in throttle response over the factory setup.
Alex, while I'm not a fanboi of anything GM, reviving a 34 year old car is something I admire and can appreciate, regardless of brand. I STRONGLY suggest you get a fan setup with tube to put on the car exhausts while you are working in a totally close shop. A CO monitor with alarm would also be a good investment. Lastly, great job with the Insta360 infomercial. I'd been researching 360 cameras, and now will consider one like yours. The Insta360 One X2 was already at the top of my list. But your model may have more long term use.
Well at least you got some good youtube content to film with it, not like back it the day where you'd feel totally crap about yourself for a difficult buy like this. Solid content.
LS/6spd swap after you fix the rust in the quarter panels. I had a ‘86 Iroc that I bought to be a street car. Ended up becoming more drag car. Had other projects going on and it got pushed to the back burner, got married, had kids. Car ended up sitting for more than 15 years in my garage. Sold it to a friend about two years ago. Could kick myself now, should’ve LS/6spd swapped it.
That car was brand new my senior yr in high school and all my Long Island guido friends were dying for one... (i was seriously wanting a GNX personally) ahh the fond memories. Thanks!
Beauty is in the eyes of the people that love those cars and miss the one they sold… I had the 1988 5.7 black but same interior. I shoved along block in that and had so much fun with it.
On thirdgen firebirds (including trans ams) with the optional crossfire 305s from '82-'85 the air was fed through the formula cowl and into twin filter air cleaner housing. Once the tune port injection was introduced in '85 the air was fed through the right headlamp area. The camaro had a better air intake system in my opinion having force fed behind the fog lights. However, at one point SLP made a dual cold air intake system that had two air filter housings into one duct system and into the throttle body. Of course the battery had to be relocated somewhere else as the second filter housing will occupy the space. Only one time i saw this setup and it was on a 91 formula firehawk which was standard on those birds. Again great video and looking forward to more iroc content.
It might only be worth parting out but if at all possible, I'd love to see how someone who wanted to restore this thing would do it on a budget, especially in today's car economy. Even if you don't restore it, maybe go over the game plan for getting it safely back on the road, where to source a suitable engine, and finding parts relatively inexpensively. I have an old Chevy and I'd love to pick up a good used motor, transmission and make some repairs to her to get her back on the road. I have been out of the old car game for over 30 years and don't know where to start these days. 30 years ago I had a lot of contacts for engines, transmissions, and even whole cars but these days I don't know anyone. I don't know if it would make content that would draw a lot of views, but I know at least I would find it interesting and informative.
I cant believe you found this car - this was my DREAM car in High School - the cool kid had exactly this color combo, I would go to sleep thinking about this car and day dreaming about it while on the subway going to school. Even after I bought my first exotic I still thought about this car - great video thank you for bringing me back a few decades..
I found that a piece of tiny air line from a set of 70's lift shocks fits tightly over the red tube from spray cans. As a result, I can spray any aerosol lubricant into virtually anyplace I want, works great.
If I have a frozen up engine, I use maverlous mystery oil. I just take the plug out fill the cylinder with the oil and let is sit and then a day or two later turn it over by hand all with great reaults
I don't think the rust is as catastrophic as you think under the car. I would LS swap it and fix the major issues with drivability, clean up the interior and drive it as a "Ratty muscle car" .
I want nothing more then a clean roller 3rd Gen for a project car. My aunt had one in the late 80's early 90's that I still remember to this day. LoL I guess you are my neighbor city as I live in Indy. Love the 4th gen vids as well, I own a 97 Comp T/A myself.
Poor IROC!! I had a '86 till it was stolen from the valet parking at the Hyatt Regency in KC , after which I purchased a '89 which I still have today!! It still runs like a champ! Hope to have a video out on it soon!
I would love to see the final product of your efforts! Don't give up on this iconic piece of American History. Just purchase an '86' 305 TPI IROC-Z Red/Gold with 87,000 miles.
Marvel mystery oil will free up pistons well! Worked on a 65 T-Bird I had w/ironically 65k on it but sat in original owners garage for 20+years! Freed up motor in like 3hrs!!!!loving that WS6 bro!!!👍
I live in southern Ontario, a similar climate to you. I have a 10 year old Dodge with 140000 km that's rusting just like that beast. Up here, cars tend to rust out before they wear out.
please save this IROC from dying. my buddy got an insane IROCZ about 3.5 almost 4 months ago. summit racing heads, big cam, hooker headers, all brand new hardware on the car top to bottom. it is such a beautiful car making 480hp. plus every motorized or electrical part on the car works like new. the interior is immaculate. car is in such good condition. he got it for $14k and almost 4 months into owning the car it has almost doubled in value. it's an IROC made just like the original IROC carbureted race cars. my buddies is tune port inject and also has a 5speed Borg Werner trans with an aftermarket race clutch. lol thats something i'd never though i'd say. i'm a big jdm/tuner guy but 80s and 90s muscle cars are super rad.
I would love to see more done with this IROCK . Who knows, it might gain in value over time? Maybe an engine swap? Repair the rust damage? Most of the paint looks pretty good and the interior is in decent condition. The body doesn’t look in as nearly bad condition as the last car. Of course I’m saying this from my views on video and you have a better idea of how good or bad the car is but my vote is to fix her up!
If you keep doing fuel injected revivals, I would make an external fuel pump system that connects to the schrader valve as that is the most universal way to connect it. You won't go far due to fuel flow, but you can run it on fresh fuel. My suggested parts list: 2.5 gallon fuel can, fuel pressure test kit, and some sort of external high pressure fuel pump. Something rail mounted like off of an early F150 or a Volvo 940. Adapt the pressure test kit for connection and maybe take the valve stem out for flow. Power the pump externally and things should run. You can easily make it all one hanging unit that goes anywhere. Then again, BG makes a kit that does the same thing but is ran off of regulated air.
I feel your pain on that Illinois rust! I recently purchased an 89 Iroc with the 350tpi. Owner parked it in their yard, sat for 20 years due to the fuel pump. 42k original miles and I had to scrap it. The transmission literally fell out of it in my driveway. Paid $500 for the car, made about $1200 in parting it out and that’s dealing with marketplace. There is a few guys near you in Chicago who part these out for a living. You may want to reach out to them. You’ll find their posts all over marketplace. I’d love to see you build it. But reality is. It’s not worth the money anymore.
I watched the first video on this and thought you had scored a beautiful car… It looks more like you got yourself a parts car! Put a fuel pump in it… See if that’s a rod knock or if it is actually fuel knock from the starting fluid… Take it from there. Part it out, make it into a cool beater, you’ve got options… You can still make a lot of money off of this
I think a resto mod would be cool. Fabricate some floorboards weld in some new plates of metal for rigidity , paint the whole thing black and get a new ish LS in it. Drop it a little , some smoked wheels and a refresh on the interior. Man it would look killer. Some smoked tail lights ...
I'm at 17:34 and looking at that chocolate coming out of the oil pan I'm now remembering that you squeezed the radiator hose and said that you don't think there's any coolant in it. I think maybe you just found your coolant.
Pull the 305 and do a teardown, throw it back together and her her running at least. If you have a running and maybe driving car then go from there. The rust doesnt look to be terminal and its not like there isnt a ton of aftermarket for it. I've been tempted to buy a TPI 3rd Gen IROC Camaro a few times here in Oz, theres a few of them floating around for reasonable dollars in the base and T Top spec and they drive nice. And obviously little to no rust coz we dont get snow. Some of the Right hand drive conversions are ordinary though but id drive a left hook car here no problems.
This was my first brand new car in 1988. I bought it for my new bride. I drove it home from the dealer and it ran funny. 5 of the spark plug wires were lose and 3 of the plugs were not all the way in......ha! brand new! I will say this though, at 130mph this car had amazing aerodynamics. you could feel it sit down towards the ground at those speed. It had more available at 130mph I just ran out of road each time. My wife still talks about that car, she loved it.
I want it! Bought a 85 Z in Iowa, sight unseen. Brought it back to Colorado and it was rusted beyond repair. I was very bummed and would love to have another
In the early '90s GM had a few fuel injected big block Corvettes running around (ZR2) and also one carbureted Camaro. You could hop up a Gen 6 BBC truck engine, or the 8100 if you're feeling frisky :)
Since these old TPI system are not that great with aftermaket. a great combo for a replacement engine is either a L30 or L31 Vortec engine with a LT1 cam! and a Vortec to tpi intake there is one on the market. hope it gets some love its still solid enough to use as a daily driver after a safety refresh new brake and suspension checkup. i would fix it and Daily drive that!
Reminds of of my 1980 Firebird Yellowbird special edition. Especially the night I put a piston through the oil pan. BOOM! There went all the money I made at Arby's. Minimum wage about $4.00/hr back then.
How much do you think this car is worth?
LSC Merch is here! www.legitstreetcars.com/
The market right now? I bet you could get at least 10k for it all fixed up
What if u LS9 swap it or modern LT4 or new 5.0 😆 👍
Well, nuts. I was hoping the engine would be OK, but I guess it got stuck in the storage locker for a reason, like the junk I have around the house that I've been planning to fix up. And it sits, and sits, and sits. I wonder if the motorcycle is the same story. And I suspect the Millennium Falcon isn't going to be making the Kessel run anytime soon.
Hopefully if you can't get it running you can get your money back parting it out.
Dave
two words: apartment rebuild
It's worth a lot of you do something cool with it for a RUclips video, Alex :) I purchased a 1988 IROC in 1989 and had quite a time with it, so as an old-dude car guy, I'm emotionally invested in this car of yours - take all the following with that in mind. May I suggest:
Try doing the infamous "apartment rebuild" on it to see how little you can get away with and how cheaply you can get it back on the road. By this I of course mean leaving the block in the car and going underneath it to try to replace the bearings (or whatever you find wrong) while removing as little as possible from the car and especially not the engine. No machine work beyond something goofy attached to a drill. That's an all-day watch in my book.
$50 bucks and a Happy Meal.
The engine is not overfilled with oil, but rather had an internal coolant leak (probably overheated at one point). Then that coolant ran into the oil pan and made the fill level look high, but it was due to a normal amount of oil and extra coolant both being in there.
You think he would have known this. (Blown head gasket)
@@Paulscnccreations Or a crack in the head or cylinder. Would be interesting to find out
This is what I thought too.
@@Paulscnccreations The chocolate milkshake colored oil was a dead giveaway
The 305 I had in a elcamino made chocolate milk even throughout the system. 2 bottles of KW block sealer, I drove it for nearly 2 years before going to a .30 over 350.
I grew up when Mustang GTs , Iroc Zs and T/As were what every young guy dreamed of owning. Seeing these cars take me back to Friday night football games, Journey playing on the radio 😎. Good times👍
What I for one would like to see is a teardown of the Engine and see what the inside looks like 👍
Thier is a guy called "I Do Cars". Thats bascially all he does is tear apart core engines. He buys cores and sells the parts then combined RUclips with it now. Already at 100k subscribers. A chanel for everything here. I also bet was coolant that over filled the oil. At least parts got for a little bit. People use the love the simple intake / injection setup for thier hotrods.
Yes please!
@@mobilemowers Yes great channel "I do cars", but here the idea is to know what happened to *this* engine.
They always sound bad on that much ether.
Id like to see the engine pulled, diagnosed and rebuilt. Tons of content there
I'm new to this channel but it seems like actually working on restoring cars isn't the point.
Oh man this IROC-Z takes me BACK!! My Dad took me to the local Chevy dealer in 1985 to test drive a black on black/T tops IROC he wanted to look at. We drove around for a few hours with the tops off, sun out and driving around over the speed limit pretty much the whole time. It was by far the coolest car I'd ever been in! (I'm Italian so this makes sense why I liked it so much lol!). In the end he realized he would have gotten so many tickets with it, and in the end he didn't get it. I was bummed because I was turning 16 in a year and wanted to drive it! Instead, he bought a Ford F-150 with 3 speed column shifter. (aka "3 on the tree"). That is what I passed my driving test on-not the IROC. Lame! In the end, being 16, I ended up really liking the truck when I went out with my GF haha!
My Dad bought a black IROC for my Mom (we all knew who he REALLY bought it for). She hated it of course, but I loved that thing. He'd take it out to backroads with me sometimes and just get on it. I will never forget that sound.
All of that & you never got an iroc of your own within the last 35 years?
@@13bfc they were all trashed around here by the time I was old enough to buy one. People beat the hell out of them :\
@@escapenguin Damn bro, would have to be a restoration project for you. I went to highschool from 2005-2009 & I had a teacher that had a clean black one. I always wanted one since highschool. Last year I picked one up as a project, the body & Interior is clean but it needs a paintjob (not rotted with rust) it has no engine or transmission. I will be putting a Chevrolet LS 5.3 truck in it. It was either one of these or a Corvette for me. This was the cheaper option & I always wanted one anyways lol
@@13bfc yeah, I already have a restoration project taking up my garage, unfortunately.. Glad to see people still trying to keep them alive. TBH, I'd much rather have an F-body from that era than a 'vette... Good luck with your project. 5.3's a good choice.
I don't care what anybody else thinks, I think that the third gen F-bodies and the IROC Camaro in particular are gorgeous cars, and I absolutely love them. Great color on this Camaro, and I've always thought that the IROC rims are by far the best looking wheels to put on a third gen Camaro.
It's very satisfying to watch you put the penetrating oil and trans fluid into the engine after so many years of sitting and see it breathed back to life, so to speak. I remember working on my buddy's 86 Z28 in high school and seeing what was basically the same setup under the hood... and to think that this IROC had already been sitting for several years when I was doing that, and I graduated over 2 decades ago. I always love seeing cars like this brought back to life after sitting for so long.
Just do what Jarred at Wrench Everyday did..... buy another car and swap everything around until you have 1 good car. LOL
Preferably a body that’s lived either out west or in the south all it’s life.
@@digitalrailroader and as he said, examples of those are not cheap.
@@Brian_Buckley especially in this current bizzarro used car market, where anything halfway decent is too expensive, and anything affordable is complete garbage and should be scrapped.
Is Jared actually wrenching on cars again or just videos about driving around and talking about it.
@@myz06rocks he's not "wrench everyday" tavarish
I suspect it's had a blown head gasket & maybe been run that way a bit. Would explain the high oil level if the bottom of it in the crankcase is coolant. Would make a thrown bearing more likely too. I'd suggest a teardown as interesting content, and maybe see how much of the engine and vehicle can be re-used. There's a good car in there waiting to come out, just needs a bit of TLC.
Lots of TLC lol, probably looking at 10-14k for a full resto.
Hey Alex I think it would be awesome if you pulled the engine to see what actually happened. Its definitely an iconic 80's car and I would love to see more content on it. But that's entirely up to you, love the videos brother keep up the great work.
Yes! A teardown video would be awesome.
He should ship it to the I Do Cars channel who tears down motors.
If he does swap the motor, that might ruin any core value of the old one, if there's any value left. At least, that's what JR said when pulling the Corvette C5 LS that sucked up some water.
@@rpavlik1 never said anything about swapping the motor just pulling it and rebuilding
Keep the block new crankshaft go 383 same fuel injection new high volume injectors. Rebuild trans and diff. Add lots of frame support and you’re set 1000hp 88 IROC.
My very first car at 18, was a 1986 Firebird Trans Am with the 305 engine. We had a love and hate relationship for 3 yrs before I went of to University abroad and had to sell her. I still admire the pics of her and everytime I see one in a video or sitting in someone yard it makes me nostalgic. I'll always be in debt to her, she taught me the ins and outs of DIY on cars. 😆
I would keep it at this point and restore the car. I know the body is rough but the 305 wasn't a keeper engine anyway. Fenders and quarter panels are cheap, the floors can be repaired as well. These really are cool cars and they are starting to get some appreciation. It's not going to be an all original car but it still has a lot of potential. I started with a even less Camaro in even worse condition and I absolutely love the car and have zero regrets with it
I've gotta agree, I've seen worse restored. I would restore this myself. I'm having to do this with my own car, and like yourself zero regrets.
Just got my dream car two months ago. 86 Z28 Camaro iroc z, T top, 350 TPI manual. mint condition. runs and drives like new......actually better than new. Engine and suspension had work done to it! I love it so much!
Small advice : get few bottles of oil flush - spark plugs out, few syringes of oil flush into every cyl and leave it untill everything goes into pan or few days. Then try to turn it without plugs for few rotations with breaker bar. If moves - few seconds with starter too. Then get it running in idle, max 30 minutes. Change oil for something cheap. Let it run for up to 1h. Change oil into desired.
By doing that i've loosen stuck ring in my dads daily & improved compression by A LOT. I think it would free engine thats sized not so hard.
Thanks for video, cheers from Poland :)
That won't fix rod knock or a spun bearing tho, that engine is toast and needs a rebuild. Better yet it needs to be a boat anchor
Uhhhh, bud, if the engine cranks, it has nothing to do with piston rings. That head gasket is blown and throwing a ton of coolant into the engine and oil paths. Mix in fouling, clapped out bearings, the works. Only thing this engine is good for is being a place holder for another engine.
Been watching this guy for years hoping he would get to a million subscribers a long time ago. Hope we can make that happen soon.
Sounds more like stuck valves to me the cams on these old small blocks tend to wear out i don't think the vales are opening much.i would at least tare the engine down and look at it it's only a few hour of work and could be interesting content.
It would be backfiring through the intake or banging flames out 3xhaust if so. It's definitely been cooked and locked up heat siezed and thats y she's now a rattler. Bearings toasted
That was rod knock
@@JDJD-mw9rr Until you tear it down you don't know for sure.and I've heard rod knock before that is not what it sound like ,but it's a video I and you are not in the room with it.
Can won't be worn out. It has a roller cam
@@jeffflaig362 I don't think it does but the engine was full of water roller cams still need oil. I just think you should take apart the engine see what failed it's not always what you think.
I know it's been a while since this video was posted, but there is a difference in perspective when it comes to answering "is it worth fixing" when you have youtuber's budget vs not having it. For the sake of reasearch you should refresh that engine and make it worth the 3K the guy originally asked for it. Yes there are 3rd Gen enthusiasts that would pay that money and handle the bodywork afterwards. I have a 87 L98 it's worth everything I've put into it..
Love these IROCs sad this one is so bad though.
No one cares what your candy ass thinks, Randy🤡 How's your phony vet sweetheart TK?
That escalated quickly.
It's Really not that bad!
@@scarface9617 for parts
My L98 Trans AM is still driving around. I had that car when I was 19 and am almost 41 now lol. 305 and 350 in these are pretty strong you would have to do something really stupid to kill them. I couldn't believe when I saw my old girl for sale it was completely original still. I sold it so long ago too and it had about 140xxx miles on it by then already. Great cars.
My brother bought one of these back when they were only a couple years old. Had the same engine. I was about 16 and drove it a little bit when he was gone. This suspension felt so stiff at least in my opinion at the time. It was definitely fun for a punk kid
I say rebuild the 305 and stroke it to 351 or 389, that way we have another registered numbers matching IROC-Z on the road. I honestly believe this is potentially a future collectible. I live in Australia and we used to have heaps 305 Commodores on the road, now they are a really rare sight.
Those old iroc Z's were a favorite of mine along with the firebirds of that era. not the fastest but some of the cooler ones on the road of that time period.
Love my 82
I had an 87.. his body was pretty mint because back in the mid 90’s it was common for these mid 80’s to be full of bondo
I had one buddy who was a NASCAR mechanic. He had the same problems with his IROC Camaro while he was restoring it. He simply did an itchid swap and pretty much replaced everything on the car, included all the parts with rust on it and just replaced it with carbon fiber parts, cars been restored back to its former glory and runs like a legend
I'm of the IROC-Z generation, I vividly remember when these hit the showroom floors. In the context of performance cars of the time, it was a good performer, more about the handling prowess over sheer power. The TPI engine was really cool looking when you popped the hood, and was the Bowtie banner carrier in the Ford vs. Chevy battles of the 80's.
What to do with it is a tough one. 3rd gen F-body values are increasing, but as you stated, this is entry-level and really rotten. I'd probably try to find an enthusiast willing to take on the project and give him full disclosure. Of course that is assuming that the car is safe enough to restore to begin with. I love 3rd gens so I'm definitely a bit biased, though.
I’m in the same generation. Graduated in ‘89. Always loved the 3rd gens
I got my First car a 85 Z28 TPI that sat for 12 years. I replaced the fuel pump and sending unit & cleaned tank for good measure I refused a trap door, new tires, oil change etc and yes first thing I did was turn her over by hand thankfully it was easy. She fired up. Yes was in a storage unit 💰 But she was my first car. Driving out the storage unit to the highway with thick dust was pretty cool to the car wash.
Another great video, Alex! It may run, but is a no-go. [Kinda like when Chevrolet tried to sell the Nova in Mexico and "no va" in Spanish means "doesn't go."] 😉 If the quarter panels and doors weren't so shot, it might be worth a chassis swap, but I think this iROC may only live on through other iROC's as a doner car. 🤦♂️🤧 Wheels and interior are salvageable. 🤷♂️
That Quaker State filter brings me back. My first job "working" on cars was at a quick lube shop in the 90's that used Quaker State filters. I don't remember who made them, but we never had issues with them failing.
I remember those green QS filters too. I think they were made by Purolator.
Another LSC video!! Let’s go Alex!! And the cars worth is whatever it is in the eye of the beholder.
Haha I bought a 86 IROC Z in a storage unit last week with a 350 in it. Restoring for my son about to get license in a year
I had an '88 IROC-Z and I miss it so so much. So much you can do with it. Beautiful cars.
Based at what I heard on the video it was severely fuel knocking because you were using exclusive starting fluid.. I'm betting if you fix the fuel system it will definitely run better.. also I did not hear any lower end knocking.. just fuel knock
Something about that body style that I love from the 80's. Not sure how much your Into, but I would do a teardown and restore on this and take us along the way. Would be an awsome series.
I had a used "86, 305, traded it in on a new '89, 350. Drove it for 3 years. Loved it because it was quick, cornered like it was on rails and Mustang drivers were afraid of it. One of the best body styles GM ever came up with. Great car but finally realized it wasn't really suited for Chicago weather. Hated it in the winter. Finally traded it in on a new Blazer 4X4 in "92. I Like being able to go almost anywhere in any weather even more. Stuck with SUVs ever since and haven't regretted it.
I think it’s worth one more video Alex! Tear the engine down to just confirm what you think then sell it to a shop that parts these out! 👍🇨🇦
This makes me appreciate how easy my coils and plugs are to access. They’re right on top. No engine cover to break/loose. Only a few vacuum lines to remove to access cylinder number 5 and that’s it.
Makes me appreciate inline engines for sure lol! All five cylinders in my Volvo are easily accessible. Just gotta loosen the over the engine charge pipe, remove 8 T25s for the spark plug cover, and you are there. Maybe not as easy as some cars but man it definitely isn’t bad, I can do them all in under an hour when taking my time.
This is my favorite generation of Camaro! Maybe you can do a low budget Resto mod with an LS swap. It would give you tons of content and would save a great car and possibly inspire others with a rusting 3rd Gen to save their cars.
Have you seen the body and frame?
@@walterwhite2270 it didn’t look great, but worth a deeper look to confirm if it’s patch-able, or the true “basket case” we all suspect.
I didn’t say it would be easy😄
It’s a balance equation: the potential value of the final product has to figure into how much you can justify spending (money first, but also time). The Rolls Royce and the V12 MB both justify way more effort!
my late dad had a 89 iroc z with a swaped out 327 small block rebuild engine in it was a beast of a car loads of fun. he all so had a 91 Camaro z28 and a 2016 Camaro super sport with a 6.2lt V8 in it.
I had that same oiler in my tool box when I was an aircraft mechanic back in 1969 Norton Air Force Base San Bernardino Ca...
Thank you for this video. I purchased a 1988 IROC last year that needs major restoration. I have so many things missing I didn't even know where to start. Well actually. mine wouldn't run. From the time I got it to the first start was two weeks and a RockAuto $127.00 computer. One thing missing is the coolant reservoir. Thanks to this video I can see the way the wiring should be run so I can mount the replacement. Mine sat in the California desert for the last 34 years so everything is dry rotted. It will take some time, but I was looking for a project.
DO NOT PART IT OUT! Build it! You will gain subscribers and the views alone will pay for it! Put a crate LSA in it or a blower thru the hood! Fix the body work in house as a diy series!
You’re assuming it’s “save-able” but most of us suspect it’s bad, but I would like to see a deeper dive into the “full extent” of the rust issues … that way we’d all KNOW!
I had an '87 IROC Z, kind of a candy apple red(not sure of the GM official color name), original color. The guy I bought it from worked at the GM Tech Center. A crankshaft bearing blew and he was able to get a 1988 Vette motor put in it. I bought it in' 88-89 and I loved that car. I kept it immaculate. The T-Tops were perfect. So much fun in that car!
I’d love to see a tear down of the engine
We used to cut the baffles out of the filter boxes and run 8" furnace sheet metal elbows to behind the fog lights, a ram air set up.
They could be bent square at the filter box and screw to it.
And K& N elements.
Hey Alex doubt you’ll see this but I have a 1988 Iroc as well a 350tpi car and for some reason it won’t idle. Runs drives great just when you come to a stop it doesn’t idle unless you keep your foot on the gas.
Love the content by the way been watching you for some years now! I have some Amg’s as well!
Hey man, I've had a bunch of these cars and that sounds like idle air control valve to me. You don't need to replace the valve yet, you can try resetting it first. To do this, you jump the A and B ports of your ALDL connector with a paperclip or jumperwire (like you would do to check the OBD codes by getting the light to flash) and turn the key to the ON position and wait 30 seconds. Unplug the IAC valve with the key still on (you should hear it clicking as it closes in diagnostic mode). Now with the IAC unplugged, take the paperclip or jumperwire out of the OBD port and start the car. It might not want to idle at all, or the idle will be off. Set the idle to 700-800 rpm using the idle adjustment screw on the throttle body. Once you've done this, shut the car off, plug the IAC valve back in, and it should idle perfectly and the rpm drop when you put it in gear should be minimal. I'm willing to bet this solves your issue. Edit: If this doesn't solve your issue I would get a new IAC valve or replace it and make sure to do this reset process after replacing the IAC or it will not idle.
I had an 88 GTA, and it took a bit to get her running right. My main issue was a faulty PCM. Other things I did were usual tune up stuff, and sent my injectors to be cleaned flowed and matched.
Your issue could be ad simple as a vacuum leak. I've also heard the EGR valves go bad in those too.
Do you hear a hissing sound when it tries to idle?
Also check your fuel regulator under the back of the TPI. It’s just a rubber diaphragm and they go bad.
Check the egr valve
I had one a long time ago. I seem to remember the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) were pretty crap on them. Well all 80's GM cars. Replacing the sensor should fix it.
One of the most beautiful engines, the tuned port. My 5.7 '91 GTA air intake goes to the passenger side behind the headlight. Been looking at suspension upgrade. The front just has too much wallow, gonna search your library.
Watching now, could not wait for more Camaro content!!
I saved a locked engine from what I saw from one of your videos. Just changed an engine from a Jaguar Xk8, the injectors are funny, if you remove one it lets fuel pour right into the cylinder, so the engine was not hydro-locked but petrol-locked! I just followed the steps from your video after draining the fuel from the cylinders, poured oil down the spark plug holes, freed up the lock by spinning from the crank pulley, new plugs, fired right up and problem solved!
Interesting video. You did not mention if it was building any oil pressure??? My dad had a blue 87 back in the day. Been trying to find one. I vote for an engine teardown and rebuild!! Would be a great series.
I agree with the many other comments to tear down the engine to diagnose the issues and then do a quick & cheap rebuild. Bottom end like you did for the Camry, head gaskets, etc. Just get this engine going for our education and enjoyment! Plenty of good content to pay for the modest costs. You can always LS1 swap it later.
*Patiently waits for the Lightning engine video* 😁
Not sure if someone else answered this yet but, the air intake tubes ran to the front for TPI camaros and to the side for TPI firebirds (due to lower hood clearance). The camaro had the "better" intake setup from the factory. SLP made a more efficient side intake that I put on my old TPI Formula and it made a HUGE difference in throttle response over the factory setup.
2:45 I can't be the only person here thinking: "Alex, please don't elbow the bat holding up the hood..."
Alex, while I'm not a fanboi of anything GM, reviving a 34 year old car is something I admire and can appreciate, regardless of brand.
I STRONGLY suggest you get a fan setup with tube to put on the car exhausts while you are working in a totally close shop. A CO monitor with alarm would also be a good investment.
Lastly, great job with the Insta360 infomercial. I'd been researching 360 cameras, and now will consider one like yours. The Insta360 One X2 was already at the top of my list. But your model may have more long term use.
Well at least you got some good youtube content to film with it, not like back it the day where you'd feel totally crap about yourself for a difficult buy like this. Solid content.
LS/6spd swap after you fix the rust in the quarter panels. I had a ‘86 Iroc that I bought to be a street car. Ended up becoming more drag car. Had other projects going on and it got pushed to the back burner, got married, had kids. Car ended up sitting for more than 15 years in my garage. Sold it to a friend about two years ago. Could kick myself now, should’ve LS/6spd swapped it.
He's in a pretty good mood for how catastrophic it probably is. Whats in that spray exhaust?
That car was brand new my senior yr in high school and all my Long Island guido friends were dying for one... (i was seriously wanting a GNX personally) ahh the fond memories. Thanks!
The second I saw that oil I knew that thing was toast … time for a 5.3 LS swap
Yeah, that was the telling clue. After seeing the oil, with water in it, there could not be an engine without a problem.
Beauty is in the eyes of the people that love those cars and miss the one they sold… I had the 1988 5.7 black but same interior. I shoved along block in that and had so much fun with it.
sounds like a healthy tractor engine.
On thirdgen firebirds (including trans ams) with the optional crossfire 305s from '82-'85 the air was fed through the formula cowl and into twin filter air cleaner housing.
Once the tune port injection was introduced in '85 the air was fed through the right headlamp area.
The camaro had a better air intake system in my opinion having force fed behind the fog lights.
However, at one point SLP made a dual cold air intake system that had two air filter housings into one duct system and into the throttle body. Of course the battery had to be relocated somewhere else as the second filter housing will occupy the space.
Only one time i saw this setup and it was on a 91 formula firehawk which was standard on those birds.
Again great video and looking forward to more iroc content.
The most legit mechanic on RUclips
I’m Italian too, had an 87 IROC in 1990 it was black.
Great car, shame she’s all rusty but parts are cheap for them.
It might only be worth parting out but if at all possible, I'd love to see how someone who wanted to restore this thing would do it on a budget, especially in today's car economy. Even if you don't restore it, maybe go over the game plan for getting it safely back on the road, where to source a suitable engine, and finding parts relatively inexpensively.
I have an old Chevy and I'd love to pick up a good used motor, transmission and make some repairs to her to get her back on the road. I have been out of the old car game for over 30 years and don't know where to start these days. 30 years ago I had a lot of contacts for engines, transmissions, and even whole cars but these days I don't know anyone. I don't know if it would make content that would draw a lot of views, but I know at least I would find it interesting and informative.
I cant believe you found this car - this was my DREAM car in High School - the cool kid had exactly this color combo, I would go to sleep thinking about this car and day dreaming about it while on the subway going to school. Even after I bought my first exotic I still thought about this car - great video thank you for bringing me back a few decades..
As much as I would like to see it restored I would part it out.
I found that a piece of tiny air line from a set of 70's lift shocks fits tightly over the red tube from spray cans. As a result, I can spray any aerosol lubricant into virtually anyplace I want, works great.
Italian Ride of Choice! Lol. Don't hate on me, it's an old joke.
Not Italian myself but I loved my IROC.
Even in Texas, you had to show the dealer your Italian card to buy one of these.
Please fully restore it love to watch it
I'll bet that the 3 dirty plugs were the hardest and have never been changed
Agree
Shut up
If I have a frozen up engine, I use maverlous mystery oil. I just take the plug out fill the cylinder with the oil and let is sit and then a day or two later turn it over by hand all with great reaults
I don't think the rust is as catastrophic as you think under the car. I would LS swap it and fix the major issues with drivability, clean up the interior and drive it as a "Ratty muscle car" .
I want nothing more then a clean roller 3rd Gen for a project car. My aunt had one in the late 80's early 90's that I still remember to this day. LoL I guess you are my neighbor city as I live in Indy. Love the 4th gen vids as well, I own a 97 Comp T/A myself.
GIve the engine to a local school shop to tear down, and part out the rest of the car!
Poor IROC!! I had a '86 till it was stolen from the valet parking at the Hyatt Regency in KC , after which I purchased a '89 which I still have today!! It still runs like a champ! Hope to have a video out on it soon!
I think it would be worth a look to see exactly what went wrong in the engine
A 305? Dump a 5.3 in.
@@Midmojo good idea
@@Midmojo but hear me out a duramax swap
I would love to see the final product of your efforts! Don't give up on this iconic piece of American History. Just purchase an '86' 305 TPI IROC-Z Red/Gold with 87,000 miles.
God bless Ukraine 🇺🇦
Marvel mystery oil will free up pistons well!
Worked on a 65 T-Bird I had w/ironically 65k on it but sat in original owners garage for 20+years!
Freed up motor in like 3hrs!!!!loving that WS6 bro!!!👍
I live in southern Ontario, a similar climate to you. I have a 10 year old Dodge with 140000 km that's rusting just like that beast. Up here, cars tend to rust out before they wear out.
Always wanted one of these. It's a prime candidate for a LS
I'm a brand new subscriber and I love the content you have here. Can't wait to watch more. IROC has always been a favorite car of mine!
Hello....... so the magic "potion" works after all. It is just like butter I will be following this project. 😊
please save this IROC from dying. my buddy got an insane IROCZ about 3.5 almost 4 months ago. summit racing heads, big cam, hooker headers, all brand new hardware on the car top to bottom. it is such a beautiful car making 480hp. plus every motorized or electrical part on the car works like new. the interior is immaculate. car is in such good condition. he got it for $14k and almost 4 months into owning the car it has almost doubled in value. it's an IROC made just like the original IROC carbureted race cars. my buddies is tune port inject and also has a 5speed Borg Werner trans with an aftermarket race clutch. lol thats something i'd never though i'd say. i'm a big jdm/tuner guy but 80s and 90s muscle cars are super rad.
I would love to see more done with this IROCK . Who knows, it might gain in value over time? Maybe an engine swap? Repair the rust damage? Most of the paint looks pretty good and the interior is in decent condition. The body doesn’t look in as nearly bad condition as the last car. Of course I’m saying this from my views on video and you have a better idea of how good or bad the car is but my vote is to fix her up!
Damn right it will gain value!
Already 10 k cars in good condition. Ten years will be 20 k. I know it
If you keep doing fuel injected revivals, I would make an external fuel pump system that connects to the schrader valve as that is the most universal way to connect it. You won't go far due to fuel flow, but you can run it on fresh fuel. My suggested parts list: 2.5 gallon fuel can, fuel pressure test kit, and some sort of external high pressure fuel pump. Something rail mounted like off of an early F150 or a Volvo 940. Adapt the pressure test kit for connection and maybe take the valve stem out for flow. Power the pump externally and things should run. You can easily make it all one hanging unit that goes anywhere. Then again, BG makes a kit that does the same thing but is ran off of regulated air.
I feel your pain on that Illinois rust! I recently purchased an 89 Iroc with the 350tpi. Owner parked it in their yard, sat for 20 years due to the fuel pump. 42k original miles and I had to scrap it. The transmission literally fell out of it in my driveway. Paid $500 for the car, made about $1200 in parting it out and that’s dealing with marketplace. There is a few guys near you in Chicago who part these out for a living. You may want to reach out to them. You’ll find their posts all over marketplace. I’d love to see you build it. But reality is. It’s not worth the money anymore.
I watched the first video on this and thought you had scored a beautiful car… It looks more like you got yourself a parts car!
Put a fuel pump in it… See if that’s a rod knock or if it is actually fuel knock from the starting fluid… Take it from there. Part it out, make it into a cool beater, you’ve got options… You can still make a lot of money off of this
Oh man. I'd throw a fortune at it just for the nostalgia. I had an '86 V6 when I was 16. Your call, but I'd watch a series on it for sure!
Your Trans Am looks great in white! I’m considering wrapping mine white.
I think a resto mod would be cool. Fabricate some floorboards weld in some new plates of metal for rigidity , paint the whole thing black and get a new ish LS in it. Drop it a little , some smoked wheels and a refresh on the interior. Man it would look killer. Some smoked tail lights ...
I'm at 17:34 and looking at that chocolate coming out of the oil pan I'm now remembering that you squeezed the radiator hose and said that you don't think there's any coolant in it. I think maybe you just found your coolant.
Pull the 305 and do a teardown, throw it back together and her her running at least.
If you have a running and maybe driving car then go from there.
The rust doesnt look to be terminal and its not like there isnt a ton of aftermarket for it.
I've been tempted to buy a TPI 3rd Gen IROC Camaro a few times here in Oz, theres a few of them floating around for reasonable dollars in the base and T Top spec and they drive nice.
And obviously little to no rust coz we dont get snow.
Some of the Right hand drive conversions are ordinary though but id drive a left hook car here no problems.
the tpi ran coolant through the throttle body and runners i believe known to leak. I bypassed it in my Camaro never had the problem again.
This was my first brand new car in 1988. I bought it for my new bride. I drove it home from the dealer and it ran funny. 5 of the spark plug wires were lose and 3 of the plugs were not all the way in......ha! brand new! I will say this though, at 130mph this car had amazing aerodynamics. you could feel it sit down towards the ground at those speed. It had more available at 130mph I just ran out of road each time. My wife still talks about that car, she loved it.
I have an 88 IRoc with the decal delete I love it it was sitting for 20 years and I rescued it from a field
I want it! Bought a 85 Z in Iowa, sight unseen. Brought it back to Colorado and it was rusted beyond repair. I was very bummed and would love to have another
In the early '90s GM had a few fuel injected big block Corvettes running around (ZR2) and also one carbureted Camaro. You could hop up a Gen 6 BBC truck engine, or the 8100 if you're feeling frisky :)
Since these old TPI system are not that great with aftermaket. a great combo for a replacement engine is either a L30 or L31 Vortec engine with a LT1 cam!
and a Vortec to tpi intake there is one on the market.
hope it gets some love its still solid enough to use as a daily driver after a safety refresh new brake and suspension checkup.
i would fix it and Daily drive that!
Reminds of of my 1980 Firebird Yellowbird special edition. Especially the night I put a piston through the oil pan. BOOM! There went all the money I made at Arby's. Minimum wage about $4.00/hr back then.