Big Cleatus

There's an actual kit you can buy for a 2010 Camaro to turn it into a T/A. I know Lingenfelter made one for SEMA in 2009. I think you can get the kit but it's like $20K or something.

89lt1

iTrader: (6)

1st and third gens are my favs for sure then 4th gen 98+ TAs and then second gens. if i had to choose one of each gen it would be
1st: 1969 Z/28 orange w/ black stripes
2nd: 1970 1/2 lt-1
3rd: 91-92 camaro z or late 80's formula
4th: 2002 ws6 TA

Stevolwevol

iTrader: (1)

It's still a Chevy.

Convoy25

iTrader: (3)

meh imo the rear ends of the 2010 T/A looks terrible

Mudskunk

i dont care for the 1st 2nd or 5th gen. the 98-02 transam is pretty sweet so much so i bought one to go with my thirdgen formula. the pre98 transam/firebird/camaro arent so good looking.

Louis_84

i have never found someone who has told me that third gens r ugly. as a matter of fact, when i go to school and bring my car in to work on, i ALWAYS get people asking about the car, saying that they like it alot, and its only a sport coupe. i even get people askign to buy it from me alot, last week my instyructor asked if it was for sale lol

iroc stangs

OR, you can get an FIREBREATHER! http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...t=firebreather

Gumby

I like everything about the 5th gen's cept its so heavily computer controlled fly by wire stuff, if I could scrap up the cash to get a 5th gen Firebird id need another 10-20k or so saved just for future repairs as Im not gonna be able to do it.

I have a hard enough time with the crapy computer system of the 3rd gens

One would find me sorly tempted to to un-do all that stuff as a fall back if it started to cost to much, as Id never sell it like my 3rd.

modern0utlaw

That definitely looks more camaro-ish, good job much better

Jr. Mechanic

iTrader: (3)

I didn't read the whole thread, but here's my take:

3rd gens were introduced during a bad time for sports cars. They weren't the slowest F bodies (most of the second gens were horribly underpowered), but they were designed to be some of the first "throw away" cars. Third gens were never intended to be rebuilt and restored like first generation and second generation Camaros were. This is apparent in the design.

They were also the first Unibody Camaro, and to most die hard muscle car fans, muscle cars have frames. 3rd gens also have very loose unibodies as well, which makes high power out of reach without frame modifications.

At the time, Detroit was going through A LOT of changes. They still didn't quite have emissions systems figured out, and the EPA was cracking down before we really had the technology to keep up, which put a damper on performance (although this started in the 70's with the second generation Camaros.)

Third gens are also when they started really incorporating electronics into the design. Once again, this started with the second gens but it was very limited. The most logical way to look at the third gen is the "experimental phase" between the second generation and fourth generation F bodies. GM was able to find what worked, and more often what didn't work.

I love my third gen, but it will never be in the same class as a first generation camaro.

Stevolwevol

iTrader: (1)

Most of the muscle cars were throw away also. They were meant to last 5-6 years, and they rusted, and wore out just like every other American car in production. I think the third gens are no different though. Head liners, plastic interior parts, etc. Most of the first gens are long gone. They were an inexpensive thrill back in the 60's. If you still have one, you are in the minority.

Jr. Mechanic

iTrader: (3)

They were only meant to last so long, but the difference is you could lift the body off of a 1st gen and easily replace every single part on the car. 3rd gens are a lot more intricate.

Stevolwevol

iTrader: (1)

True indeed, but... they didn't build them with a frame so they could be restored. I remember seeing them driven into the ground like every other car. The irony is that's why they are worth so much now. It's rare to have a "throw away" car in good condition. I do understand your point though. If people just took care of their third gens, there would be more around. Vets are with us, and they were not built with any more real quality. They were just cared for more than third gens. My third gens are in nice shape. I am always fussing over them. I take better care of them than most people do today of what ever they drive.

Convoy25

iTrader: (3)

yeah i definetly agree, and also it was the experimental phase for fuel injection. yes many people say crossfire sucked. but when did the first of anything not suck?
soon after we got TPI and TBI, and i've heard the TPI joke "Yeah, the 80s thought it was fast too" but without that we wouldn't have more efficient engines such as the LS engines which many consider the best design ever

85 ZXX

iTrader: (1)

As a Teenager Getting my license in 1973 I was Shocked to see all of the cool cars having extended bumpers or bumper guards. It had something to with a 5 mile impact reg. To me, this was the beginning of the plastic throw away cars. From 1974-on, you just had to decide what was the best looking car for the money. It was really hard back then. Some auto makers took a TURD and packaged it with high performance decals. IMO, I think the 2nd Gen Camaro's took the hardest hit (74-81) from the critics and consumer. I always heard people say "The Firebird looks better than the Camaro". I had a 74 Camaro that was very nice but it never got complimented on like my 67,68,69,95 Camaro,68,82-Firebird or my 85 Z28.

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

The late 2nd gens are the ugliest from 75-81, and the early third gens with no ground effects arent my favorite but pale in comparision to those ugly late 2nd gens!

MotorMouth

The 5th Gens look to much like it should be 4WD with those stupid looking big rims and sitting so high off the ground.

JimmyDavidson that looks a lot better then what GM did.

D.ynamic

..third gens are my prefer'd body style for camaro's. And even they look good, Im beyond sick of people d**K riding first gens so hard, namely the '69 even though it was sort of the pinnacle year.

..people knock thirds, but I in time will get our just do. Right now we're just floating in the middle of being barely old enough to be "retro" cool like the previous, yet not new enough for "modern" appeal as the most recent generation.

..also the horsepower rating changed after the muscle car era from 'Gross' to 'Net' on top of the already anemic engines going in our cars..so it was definitely a double dosage of bad timing..

..far as 5ths go, I'm just thankful the camaro name is alive again if nothing else..still pending how much i like 5ths.

Stevolwevol

iTrader: (1)

A lot of people knock the lack of power of third gens, but I've said it before; There is more to it than that. I have barely tweaked my Camaros, and I like the way they perform. I don't care if some foreign car with a fart can exhaust may be quicker, I love the v8 rumble, and the handling, cornering, and the reclined low center of gravity the third gens have mastered.

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

[quote=Jr. Mechanic;4641033]I didn't read the whole thread, but here's my take:


They were also the first Unibody Camaro, and to most die hard muscle car fans, muscle cars have frames. 3rd gens also have very loose unibodies as well, which makes high power out of reach without frame modifications. [quote].


Actually, all f-bodies from '67 on were unibody.

JimmyDavidson

This is true. All fbodies were unibody. I believe he was saying that they were the first 100% unibody(frame and body). I believe,correct me if I'm wrong, but 1st and 2nd gens had removeable subframes. Though they are still considered unibodies.

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

1st and 2nd gens had bolt on front subframes. Rear subs were welded in to the body. Rear sub frames in both early gens were very prone to rust and up until just a few years ago repro parts were not available to fix the problem. Now you can buy a whole body for a 1st gen if you have the cash.

walkthelin3

lol youl be visiting the gas station plenty of times in your future lol

Jr. Mechanic

iTrader: (3)

This is what I meant. If you compare the sub frame construction of a first or second gen to the frontal unibody construction of a third gen, you'll see the differences in the strut towers, core support, and how the front of the car is tied into the rest of the body. First and second gens are similar, with a 3rd gen being a totally different design.

I too get compliments on my 83 everywhere I go. It's a little rough (well, won't be when I'm finished putting it back together), but she always shined up nice and sounded good.

BlackTransAmGTA

That is true here in Socal they're mostly beat up and most of the time they are 305 models

Stevolwevol

iTrader: (1)

I just tell them I'm on work release. Especially those Corvette club guys with there perfect white hair, there dress shirts, and there ever so quiet car.

derekterbeest

I like third gens the best and I've always liked the Camaros in that generation more than the Firebirds. Here's the list of what generations I think look best with my favorite example from each generation.

1. Third Gen Camaro (82-84 Z28)
2. Fifth Gen Camaro (base LS)
3. Second Gen (Bandit Trans Am)
4. First Gen (67-68 Firebird)
5. Fourth Gen (LS1 ram air T/A)

I didn't choose an F-body car because of how it looks though. I like how it drives. I think big cars are beautiful. The next car I buy is gonna be a 60's or 70's Buick Electra or a 61-66 Olds Starfire or a bubble Caprice or a 60's or 70's Eldorado or Deville. Those cars are beautiful to me. Or perhaps an 80's El Camino for the utility aspect of it.

And the new Camaros look fat and big, which is fine with me. I still like them. They don't look like old Camaros, they look like new Camaros. The visibility is tough, but an all black LS V6 with the steel wheels, no spoiler, and 6-speed manual would be really awesome. And only $24k new.

Dartht33bagger

Not the ugliest at all in my opinion, that would have to be awarded to fourth gens and early second gens. My order or gens from favorite to least favorite is this:

1. First gen
2. Third gen
3. Late Second gen
4. Fifth gen
5. Early and middle second gen
6. Fourth gen

keldrin

Essenitally, the third gens are now getting old enough for more and more people to look at putting some money into restoring these cars. At 25 years old, they are a classic car. 30 years a antique. One of the problems i see currently, is a lot of car shows, you compete in the 1985 and up catagory. So, essentially, you may find yourself competing against brand new cars. But, as they get older, the catagories "should" change. Although, I'm kind of thinking the change is getting slowed, by the people running things, who think of classic cars as being from 70s and older. But, as more nice cars are out there, opinions will likely change.

KNBlazer

I love my car, and don't think I will ever part ways, unless it goes in the divorce settlement, hence why I ain't gettin' married... hahha... it is time for the upgrade though ... just gotta' wait it out... and yeah it's true about the third gens here in Cali, most that I see are beaten up cars that are ready for a new owner... in regards to 3rd gens being ugly, I would say that the bare f-body's are a bit, but that goes for the 4th gens as well... I have a formula which has the raised hood, the curved wing and such... now as for the 4th gen, I'm sorry to say that I wasn't too thrilled until the LS1 firebird was introduced, I am just not a fan of the camaro, well aside from the 1st gen SS and maybe the z28 as well... my dad bought a 76 Trans Am in 77 and to this day still has it, sure it looks like sh** ... I already told him he needs to fix it the right way, but he doesn't want to I guess... everything needs to be redone... even though it's all screwed up I still like it... but my 3rd gen though is my favorite, maybe in the future I can convince him to fix it up the right way...

zraffz

agree 100%

Twin

I've grown up not really liking the 1st gen's on principal. They look damn fine, but there are just WAY too many around. They're EVERYWHERE up here. I'm on of only two or three Third-Gen owners around.

For me it goes:
1. Third
2. First
3. Late ('77,'78) T/A
4. Early Second
5. Late Second
6: Early Fourth

Late Fourth Gen for me doesn't even warrant a place on the list. (At least that's what I think.)

KMK454

Third gens get unfairly placed as the "ugliest" mostly due to the fact that the overwhelming majority that we see on the road today are in the hurt box regarding their condition.

That being said, assuming all Camaros are in perfect condition for us to judge, I would say the mid-70's and some of the very early 80's Camaros are the least attractive. They still look good, but pale in comparison to the rest of Chevy's body of work. The mid-70's cars had those awful steel bumpers.

My favorite body style is 87-92, particularly the 91-92 GFX and wheels. I also like the 1997-2002 SS, the 69, the 70-73, and the 78-82. The new 2010 Camaro looks decent but I have issues with cars that require 20" rims in order to look right. Also, the 2010 Camaro is very, very large. It's still a good looking car, though.

Dante93GTZ

iTrader: (5)

Yeah, I get SO tired of hearing about how everyone LOVES the 1st gens and how nothing will ever top its looks. Sure, its a nice looking car, but they've gotten to the point where your average Joe, who is a true enthusiast, can't get his hands on one unless he robs a bank! ANY car like that is a turn off to me.

Sure, Ferraris, Lambos, AMGs, etc are nice cars, but when your car costs more than your house, the cool factor is lost on me and its just become a douche bag car at that point.

Making material purchases for the specific purpose to compensate for one's physical deficits just make me laugh.

Dartht33bagger

They aren't. The ugliest F bodies are the easily the fourth gens. They don't even look like a Camaro. They are just gross to look at.

Other cars I hate are the 1970-1976 Camaros. They are also really ugly to me. I have zero interest in them. The 77-81 are ok though.

Third gens are my favorite F bodies, with first gens being in a close second.

wwwyzzerdd

for me its

2nd gen
3rd gen
1st gen
5th gen
4th gen

i was actually looking for a 2nd gen camaro preferably a 70-73, but i found the iroc and bought it, now i cant really decide which generation i like more, id still like to find an early 2nd gen camaro though

ddgviper3000

1st gen are the nicest looking. 2nd and 4th are just horrendous. 3rd and 5th are both very well designed.

scrubbin627

Ive had several 3rd and 4th gen's over the last 12 years. I like the looks of the 3rd gen but the performance of the 4th gen.

3rd gens are way easier to work on than 4th gens for sure....

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

3rd gens are the "ugliest" fbodies because of the horrendous things the owners do to them, that doesn't happen with any of the other generations.

barristerjim

In 1994, I sold my 72 Chevelle SS clone when I went to law school cause I needed a reliable everyday driver and needed the cash. Big mistake. Finally, 3 years ago I was ready to buy a car again but couldn't afford a Chevelle (other than a rust bucket) as their values had climbed so high. I always loved 3rd Gens and after a few months of looking, I found an all orginal 87 IROC in very good condtion and for a good price as well. It was kind of extra cool since that was the year I graduated high school and wished I could buy one back then. Anyway, I love everything about my 3rd gen, and even more so than my chevelle, (with the one lone possible exception of having a few less horses under the hood) It handles incredibly, and turns so many heads including other lawyers with their beamers and benz' who almost invariably turn and say nice car, sometimes not sure what it actually is! I love this car and will not make the mistake of selling this one. Well kept, I think 3rd gens garner a ton of respect as I noticed at several car shows this year. Best Camaro body style ever, especially the IROCS with their ground effects. Take pride in your 3rd gens, they are truly wonderful cars and will only become more appreciated in every respect as time passes. Great thread, Thanks!

marineengineer

If Main Stream Public thinks the 3rd Gens are Ugly, why is it when I take my 92 "Purple Haze" Vert out for a ride, more than a few cars stark honking their horn and give me the?

I have even had a few people stop me and ask me how much to buy. The car is completly stock, just kept cleaned and polished.

So, I agree that these cars are really starting to come into their own, and collectors are looking for any clean 3rd gen. The other thing I like is that I fit in these cars (I'm 6'-5").

Yes I like the 1st Gen, but who can afford one, never was impressed with the 2nd gen (too cookie cutter), and the 4th gen remind me of the TR-8, although I am impressed by the power.

As far as the 5th Gen 'Retro-Stye', they came close, but something is just not right. GM should have used the 69 body style exclusivly and uprgraded the power and they would have had a Major Hit.

Sandslot

iTrader: (2)

I think the 3rd gen are for sure the best looking! I wouldn't have a 2nd or 4th gen. However, I am looking at the new Camaro SS

Shift06

3rd gens are some of the best looking. IMO 2nd gens are the worst, not horrible but my least favourite. 4th gen trans ams are awesome looking, 4th gen camaros look like garbage IMO.

Karasawa

Ugliest F-body - 2nd gen berlinetta camaro / Sexiest F-body - 4th gen phase 2 firehawk. I currently own a KITT replica. I know some of you dont care for that car but it did showcase that the 3rd gen was the era's supercar. Besides that I just love a 3rd gen in black, that evil incarnate look, timeless lines. I dont care for the 5th gen camaro, its a nice car but probably could have been called something else. I know there are renditions of a 5th gen firebird but i think if there was one it should be this one ^^ http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...MuscleCars.jpg

mightymaro94

i dont think they are ugly... and i really dont think a lot of ppl do... i just think OTHER ppl view them as "joe dirt" cars... which makes me love em even more.. bc when you stomp some import kid who was just knockin your car and laughin like your some stupid ******* ... it just feels good lol

RedneckNo4

I'm going to agree with most of the reply's,
1st gen is just pretty...

the second gens.. i like the Camaros... i pretty much hate the firebirds

3rd gens... I like all the Camaros they just look like they rule the road
i have my nitpicking on the firebirds.. the 91-92 i hate the front bumper, i dislike the other bumper with the black plastic bars, I like the "barn door" and earlier bumpers, I also hate the wrap around rear spoiler... but i like louvers on both
in the right combination (like my TA) the 3rd gen firebird is my favorite car to look at

4th gens, I like the 98-02 trans am's with their excessive scoops and everything it looks cool... but i hate the flying saucer camaros and earlier firebirds
I grew up with 4th gens everywhere I looked... I didn't actually see a 3rd gen until I was older but knight rider and pictures always kept me intrested

the 5th gens have somewhat grown on me but it just looks like a CTS with an ugly grill... though that sound of the SS always gets me to smile

whitedevilTA

iTrader: (8)

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I personally think 3rd gen 85-90 trans ams are one of the nicest looking F-bodies made. I love first gen camaros and firebirds, but think 2nd gen camaros are hideous. Only 2nd gen birds I like are the 70-71 TA and the 79 TA. LT1 f bodies are fugly but I like the LS1 4th gen birds. 5th gens I'm still up in the air on.

Transmetal

This thread almost needs a poll attached to it. The way I see it nothing beats the look of a LS1 WS6 car TA or Formula. Then for me it would go in this order:

91-92 Formula, 1st gen Camaro/firebird, LT1 WS6, 87-90 gta/ta, 5th gen Camaro, 4th gen Camaro SS, 3rd gen Camaro, 2nd gen Firebird, 2nd gen Camaro. I mostly not a huge fan of the 2nd gen Camaro and some early 3rd gen ones.

dspencer24

iTrader: (3)

I think the 91-92 camaro is my favorite at all of all of f bodys
2nd 98-02 trans am ws6 only ponitac year I like
3rd 70-73 z28 ss
4th 98-02 camaro ss

IROC#1

Ok, weve all been busy posting on the thread titled is the 3rd gen really the ugliest f-body...I do think we need a poll to vote on which F-body you think is the LEAST ATTRACTIVE/UGLIEST. Im going to break it into sub sections because of how the bodies changed within certain generations.