1985 Chevrolet Camaro

Chevrolet introduced its third-generation of the Camaro pony car in 1982, continuing to use the General Motors' F-body platform, and was the first generation to use factory fuel injection, four-cylinder engines, five-speed manual transmission, automatic, transmission, 16-inch wheelbase, and the hatchback body style. The Camaro celebrated its 20th anniversary in 1987 with the release of the '20th Anniversary Commemorative Edition' and its 25th in 1992 with the '25th Anniversary Heritage Edition.'

GM had a rule that limited windshield slope to sixty degrees, but the Camaro broke that internal rule with its 62-degree rake. In the back was a large and complex window that was part of the rear hatch that could be opened to access the luggage compartment. The rear seat could fold down to expand the cargo capacity. Dog dish-style hubcaps were standard and full wheel covers were optional as were steel. The five-spoke 14x17-inch rally wheels were body-colored.

The 1982 Camaro, released for sale in December of 1981, was awarded Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year. The Camaro IROC-Z was on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1985. The Z28 Camaro was selected as the pace car for the 1982 Indianapolis 500 race that year, and over 6,000 appearance replicas were sold through Chevrolet dealers. This special pace car edition had unique two-tone silver and blue paint, orange pin-striping on 15-inch Z28 wheels, special striping, and a silver and blue interior with six-way Lear-Seigler manually adjustable seating. The car used to pace the Indy 500 was equipped with a highly modified, all-aluminum 5.7-liter V8.

Chevrolet displayed the Camaro Z28E (the 'E' represented 'Export') at the Geneva Motor Show in 1982, and it received British National Type Approval in 1982. Its 5.0-liter carbureted V8 engine produced 155 horsepower and was soon joined by the 2.8-liter V6 with just over 100 horsepower.

The Camaro hatchback was offered in three trim levels including the Sport Coupe, Berlinetta, and Z28. Of the 173,000 Camaros sold in the United States that year, 12 percent of owners selected the 2.5-liter four-LQ9 cylinder engine, 37 percent selected the 2.8-liter LC1 V6, and the remaining 51 percent had the 5.0-liter LG4 V8 installed.

The Berlinetta came standard with the V6 or the optional V8, 14x-7-inch finned aluminum wheel with gold accent and a 'Berlinetta' center cap. It had additional exterior trim and pinstriping, and the interior had custom cloth, additional carpeting on rear wheelhouses, and a rear storage well cover.

The Z28 trim package came solely with the four-barrel V8 rated at 145 horsepower and backed by either a four-speed manual or three-speed 350 lockup automatic transmission. The LU5 twin TBI 'Cross Fire Injection' 5.0-liter V-8 was optional and came with functional hood scoops, a fiberglass SMC hood, and only with an automatic transmission. It rode on 15x7-inch cast-aluminum five-spoke wheels accented with silver or gold. Additional exterior enhancements included Z28 badges, a unique nose, a three-piece rear spoiler, valances in silver or gold on the front, side, and rear lower body portion. Headlamp pockets on the Z28 were black.

Production of the '3rd Gen' Camaro continued through 1992.

1985 Chevrolet Camaro
1985 model year was the first year for the tuned port motor and the IROC-Z. The front styling received updates to its nose, and new deeper valances and front spoiler for the Z28 and the IROC-Z. A conventional single-pointer 85 mph speedometer replaced the previous double-pointed needle that displayed both MPH and km/h.

Trim levels included the 'base', the Berlinetta, Z/28, and the IROC-Z. The 'base' Camaro wore new body styling, revised optional instrument cluster graphics, and a wider array of optional sound systems with electronic-tuning radios. The Z/28s came standard with cast-aluminum wheels and were optional on the base Camaro. The split rear seatback was new to the list of optional equipment.

Standard Equipment
The list of standard equipment included low-glare windshield wiper arms and blades, low-glare metallic steering wheel surfaces, a windshield defroster, windshield washer, dual-speed windshield wipers, an inside rearview mirror with vinyl bonded glass, and outside left and right rearview mirrors. There was an audible reminder for ignition key removal, an anti-theft steering column lock, and illuminated heater and defroster controls.

Safety equipment included a four-way hazard warning flasher, backup lights, direction signals with lane-change features, an energy-absorbing steering column, an energy-absorbing instrument panel, energy-absorbing front seat tops, manual lap belts at each rear seating position, lap/shoulder belts for driver and front passenger, driver side audible and visible safety belt warning system, safety interlocking door latches, and laminated safety glass for the rear glass, side glass, and windshield. There were inertia-locking folding front seatbacks, passenger-guard inside door handles, safety strength seat attachments, safety armrests, and front-seat head restraints. The tires had built-in tread-wear indicators.

An AM radio was standard but could be deleted for a credit. The cargo floor was carpeted and had a storage well. The front bucket seats could recline. The brakes included front disc and rear drums with an audible front brake pad wear sensor. There was power steering, a torque arm rear suspension, a 1.1-inch diameter front stabilizer bar, Argent Silver wheels and hubcaps, and P195/75R-14 all-season steel-belted radial-ply black sidewall tires. The RPO LQ9 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine was standard and backed by a five-speed manual transmission.

Engines
The standard 151 cubic-inch Pontiac-built (LQ9) four-cylinder engine was shared with the Citation and Celebrity. It had overhead valves, a 9.0:1 compression ratio, throttle-body injection, five main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, and produced 88 horsepower at 4,400 RPM and 132 lbs-ft of torque at 2,800 RPM. The High-Output (LB8) V6 was standard on the Berlinetta and optional in the Camaro Sport Coupe. It had overhead valves, a 173 cubic-inch displacement, multi-port fuel injection, an 8.5:1 compression ratio, and delivered 135 horsepower at 5,100 RPM and 165 lbs-ft of torque at 3,600 RPM. The 5.0-liter TPI LB9 V8 engine produced 215 horsepower, the four-barrel 305 LG4 V8 produced 155 horsepower, and the Rochester four-barrel High Output 305 L69 delivered 190 horsepower. The LB9 was offered solely on the Z28 and IROC-Z trim packages with the TH700-R4 automatic transmission. All of the V8s had overhead valves, a cast-iron block and head, hydraulic valve lifters, and five main bearings.

Camaro Z/28
The Z/28 package added a tachometer, a 5.0-liter four-barrel V8 backed by a five-speed manual transmission. Additional performance upgrades included P215/65R-15 all-season steel-belted radial-ply black sidewall tires, power steering, a 1.3-inch front stabilizer bar, and a torque arm rear suspension.

Camaro IROC-Z
The 'IROC-Z' was an option package on the Z28 and was named after the International Race of Champions. It came equipped with specially valved Delco-Bilstein shocks, larger diameter sway bars, a steering/frame brace known as the 'wonder bar,' an optional Tuned Port Injection system sourced from the Corvette, and a special decal package. It rode on the same Goodyear 'Gatorback' unidirectional tires used by the Corvette, but its 245/50/VR16 size was different than the Corvette's 255/50/VR16 size. The tires were fitted to unique new aluminum 5-spoke 16-by-8-inch wheels.

The IROC-Z came equipped with either the 5.0-liter V8 in either Tuned Port or four-barrel carburetor configuration. 2,497 examples of the IROC-Z received the L69 option, and just 205 IROC-Zs received the LB9 305 (5.0-liter) with the G92 (Performance Axle Ratio) option which upgraded the rear axle gear ratio from 3.23 to 3.42. It had quick-response power steering with 2.5 turns lock-to-lock and high-effort valving, unique strut valving for additional wheel control, a modified MacPherson-strut front setup with increased camber, a larger-diameter stabilizer bar, and a mass-efficient rear suspension with two short control arms and Bilstein gas shocks. Like the Z/28, it also came with a tachometer, front disc and rear drum brakes, an audible front brake pad wear sensor, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and an AM radio that could be removed for a credit.

250 black and 250 red examples were produced of the 1C5 RPO California IROC-Z, built specifically for the California market. They received the 5.0-liter TPI LB9 engine, a TH700-R4 automatic transmission, IROC-Z fog lights, and wheel and ground effects. Unlike other IROC-Zs, the California IROC-Z used the base Camaro's hood without louvers, no exterior decals, and a rear decklid without a spoiler.

Pricing and Production
The base Camaro with the four-cylinder engine had a factory base price of $8,360. With the V6 installed, the price rose to $8,700 and with the V8 it listed for $9,000. Chevrolet produced 97,966 'base' Camaros for 1985 with 3,318 equipped with four-cylinder engines, 72,652 with the six, and 21,996 with the V8 engine.

The Camaro Berlinetta with the V6 was priced at $11,060 and the V8 at $11,360. Of the 13,649 Camaro Berlinetta models built in 1985, 5,663 had the V6 and 7,986 had the V8.

The Camaro Z/28 was priced at $11,060 and 47,226 examples were built. The Camaro IROC-Z listed for $11,720 and 21,777 examples were built. An additional 204 examples were the Z/28E hatchback sports coupes.

The total U.S. production of the 1985 Camaro was 180,822 units.

Live Aid
Live Aid was one of the biggest concerts ever produced, and over 1.4 billion people worldwide watched this global jukebox on TV, raising awareness of world hunger. Some of the biggest music legends of the era participated including Bill Graham, Bob Geldof, Larry Magid, and Allen Spivak.

General Motors partnered with MTV and Radio City Music Hall and brought two 1985 Camaro IROC-Zs to the concert, held at JFK Stadium, where they received nearly 100 signatures. They were signed by all the entertainers who performed there, including musicians, actors, celebrities, and uncounted support staff to help in the fight against hunger. The list of celebrities includes Chevy Chase, Don Johnson, Cher, Bette Midler, Jeff Bridges, Eric Clapton, Ozzy Osbourne, Bo Diddley, Jimmy Page, Tom Petty, Mick Jagger, Pattie LaBelle, Run DMC, Neil Young, REO Speedwagon, and Carlos Santana.

One of the Camaro IROC-Zs went to the GM Heritage Collection Center and the other went on the GM international auto show schedule. The auto show car was the one used for the press materials and pictures and was featured in The Washington Post, The Hollywood Reporter, New York Post, People, USA Today, New York Daily News, Automotive News, and New York Newsday. In 1986, it was raffled off at a concert held in New York City Named 'Drive Aid'. All proceeds went to the Live Aid Foundation.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2021