The Greek

I bought a 76 RS Johnny Lightning matchbox car the other day and I looked on the back where it says collect em' all. Looking at the list I noticed that no third gens were listed. You could purchase a 67, 69, 70, 76, 93 and 98 camaro. Is their any reason why the 3rd gen was being denied the respect of being a collectible toy car?

Also my girlfriend decided to make Camaro pillows for my couch. The fabric she bought had camaros all over them. When they were done I looked at the cars on the pillows and once again no pictures or any acknowledgement that the third gen even graced this earth, All pictures on the material were 1st 2nd and 4th gens.

Is their any reason why people who make these things deny our cars. Our cars took up 10 years in the history of the Camaro, that is a substantial amount of time and I think we should at least be rcognized. We may not have been the generation of power but our cars look damn good though!

I am not pissed or anything, just wondering why? I would really like to have a Johnny lightning 3rd gen and other stuff like that. Is their some weird law that GM made that banished any sort of reproduction of the third gen?

Thanks

Black 91 Z28

I know what ya mean about the lack of support. The only 1:18 scale is of an 82 pace car. I don't think they make any other Camaros or any Firebirds. But, Johnny Lightning does now make a thirdgen! It's a White 92 RS. Maybe if we all buy it and mass email them they'll make more.

Here's the link. Even has a pic!

http://www.playingmantis.com/jl/prod...?productid=251

David

kizz

iTrader: (1)

thirdgens were so cheap, so plentiful, so omni-present that everyone and his brother had one, at will. even though they made less thirdgens than 2nd gens, the 2nd gens quickly wound up in the hands of serious collectors, and today they seem rare, but i'd bet they're just as common, just all tucked away. on the other hand, the third gens very quickly trickled down to everyone who wanted one, being so plentiful and cheap, and as such they became associated with rednecks and lowlifes and people with ******s. all those society segments are frowned upon, so the cars associated with them are too, and now nobody wants anything to do with them. the thirdgens pretty much defined our lives in the 80s, and those who can remember know I'm not exaggerating. today they're still sort of plentiful and still very cheap so there's no way they can be taken seriously till they are rare. which is sad, because in the process, hundreds of thousands still on the road today must be scrapped to glorify the very few which will be left after them.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: my 82 T/A is ALREADY impossible to restore for lack of parts. Mine happens to be near mint so I am very lucky, but what about the countless of others getting scrapped every day? Same with my S/E. No S/E in existence is getting proper respect. meanwhile, any 1st gen or 2nd gen or 4th gen, not to mention 85-92 thirdgens, are easy to restore. Very sad situation. Shame on GM restoration parts.

by the way I'm greek too.

TTYL, GT

jms

iTrader: (1)

Kizz, I tend to disagree on the number of second gens still around compared to the third gens.

I'm an old dirt track racer/builder and the second gen f-body was/is one of the best platforms for building an entry level stock car.

I would venture to say many, many thousands were cut up or modified to build stock cars. The front sub-frame on them is perfect for a stock car base. Ask Ed Howe and others who made their names from a second gen sub frame basis (of course much modified).

The third gens are no-where near as adaptable with their strut front end, weak rears, 101" wheelbase versus 108", and the lack of space for headers.

I love my third-gen GTA but it would not make a good entry level stock car.

And I think thats where many of the second gens went. I know I personally cut up 15-20 of 'em.

A lot of the first gens ended up being drag cars. They were better suited for that purpose once they got into the third/fourth/fifth owners hands (cheap).

jms

cg91ta

I agree with the greek on the frustration level of not being able to find any/many 3rd gens. I've only found a couple myself, and those have been Camaros. I took a quick photo, 2 matchbox DARE cars and a Johhny Lightning 85 Camaro. I would love to have an 82 Trans Am (my first thirdgen), an 88/89 Formula and then obviously one of the car I own currently, a 91 Trans AM.

cg91ta

And this is the one of the 18th scale 82 Camaros that I really had to have!

4L60bliss

Look at the Snap-On Tool Boxes. They came out w/ a Trans Am box, that featured 1st, 2nd and 4th gen cars on the box. Then they had the Camaro Box, that featured, you guessed it: 1st, 2nd and 4th gen cars. I have pics if anybody wants to see. Its bull crap.

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

I disagree with kizz's reasons completely. If you asked people randomly about those things they wouldn't know what you were talking about. There's a good amount of Third Gen stuff out there and more is coming. The cars are still considered pretty "new" and plentifull out there because they're still popular. I know thieves still pay more attention to them over even new 4th's, but I barely ever see stuff like that anyway. 1st Gens are rare, 2nd Gens are getting alot rarer, Third's are plentifull and pretty common, (even though thats starting to become less and less slowly) and 4th's are still brand new but aren't that common because of low sales. Although they have a great performance market because of their power potential. So Third's are pretty much caught right in the middle but its getting better. The performance market is getting bigger for our cars but still has a ways to go. The community of people that are Third Gen aware is also getting bigger and stronger. Look at this site even, around when I registered there was about 5,500 Members, go check it out now. It got up there so fast its ridiculous.

Third's can make good drag cars, but make excellent autocross cars, better than any other Gen. I happen to know a couple highly modded Third's, but most keep them stock or mod them lightly and are daily driven or stored away. They're too nice to mod to some people. I know of a few always garage stored, original owner, incredibly low mile Thirds right in my own town and surrounding areas. They are treated like $1,000,000 cars by their owners because of everything about them, and every1 loves them and loves to see them driving around or just sitting in the driveway on nice days. Camaros but almost no Firebirds. They always get attention. And I live in a place with absolutely no people like described by kizz thats for sure. There's alot of cars like that here of every Gen, but 1st's and Third's get the most attention. Alot of cool classic and expensive cars here. I'm also starting to see Thirds being sold for ridiculously high prices, more than what 2nd's go for sometimes, and to find certain models is becoming increasingly difficult. Look at me for example. When this gets realized by every1 else and the magazines, then they'll get the recognition. Magazines always have something nice to say about them, but in the previous few years they have usually always stated how there are alot around and they can be bought for low prices in pretty good condition. That won't always be and is changing a little already. They'll get treated the same way as the earlier Gens at some time but that is still years away.

Z_Ghost

I got this one..

Z_Ghost

And this looks just like my Z, only the paint is not pealing off it yet.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

Get used to it. Now that there's no 5th gen on the horizon, the thirdgen will FOREVER be the armpit of the f-body community.

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

I don't know how you figure that?! Especially when there's mid-later 2nd Gens around. The biggest, heaviest, slowest Gen/F-Bodies ever, not that great in looks, and not as liked as Third's. They are the cars that the mentioned stereotypes above were directed at and started with. Every1 I talk to at shows thinks Thirds are great and the best looking F-Body ever. Although alot like 1st Gens the most.

Inwo

I must have that monopoly thirdgen!
I have a few thirdgens by Johnny Lightning, they didn't include one in the commemorative SS series cause...there was no SS 82-92, I believe there was one in 70, split bumper or something along those lines? Apparantly with the newest Camaro set they're coming out with yet another thirdgen, I forget where I read it, maybe it was in hot rod or something... I think they should have released a thirdgen with the Resto Rod set to match my Resto Superbird with the one primer bumper and mismatched rims, best concept I seen on toys yet!

Inwo

Here is the quote off JohnnyLightning.com...


Hot Rod Magazine / Motor Trend (Primedia) - release 1 - is due out in January of 2003 with the following models: Hurst Hairy Olds in Sunlit Gold, ’68 Mercury Cougar in Light Green, ’69 Plymouth Roadrunner in Burnt Orange, ’70 Ford Torino GT in Grabber Blue, ’58 Ford Thunderbird in Aston Martin Grey, Wonder Wagon in Daytona Yellow, ’82 Chevy Camaro Z-28 in Tor-Red, ’71 Plymouth Roadrunner in Starlight Black, ’23 Ford T-Bucket in Pinstripe Green, ’32 Ford High Boy in Starlight Black, ’64 ½ Ford Mustang in Butternut Yellow, and ’01 Chrysler® PT Cruiser™ in Quicksilver.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Johnny Lightning has had several thirdgens now. They had the red Iroc Z, the green monopoly Camaro, the White RS, and others... I've got an office box in my garage thats full of various generation Fbodies, and there are plenty of thirdgens in there. The only problem I have, is that they're all based on the 82's. Notice the 92RS has redline tires, Cragar wheels, and a Z28 hood (and body). The lack of authenticity is what pisses me off.

MdFormula350

that one is awesome!

Pacer

I agree with Kizz for the most part:
The 1st gens are gone as daily drivers due to age/scrapping/collectors/restorers and interest.
The 2nd gens are going fast too. A few are still seen on the road daily, but due to age, most of the ones we see are being restored and collected.( Not the way the 1st gens are however.)
Third gens IMO, are still a modern (contemporary) looking car.
For example, when I drive my almost mint '82 Camaro, people mistaken it for a '92. They look similar to the untrained eye right?? For the time being, 3rd gens will be somewhat plentiful I believe. Paraphanilia/models etc., are again IMO well represented for the generation.
If I were to guess, the 4th gen cars will not have the overall following our cars do. Mainly I think that is due to the great interest in Imports by younger drivers and the declining sales numbers 4th gens had. Hopefully GM will revitalise the market with a 5thGen some day and win back interest and drivers.

Pacer

91Zman

Wrong,there are other cars besides SS's in the JL Camaro 35thSS Anniv series.
Anyway,there are 3rdgen memorabilia out there you just got to look.Right now I have about 60+ diecast/plastic 3rdgen Camaros,most of them 1:64th scale.

kizz

iTrader: (1)

1st gen - fit well into its era, became an instant classic
2nd gen - fit well into its era, became an instant classic
3rd gen - very much ahead of its time with the consequence of taking a lot longer to appreciate as times change
4th gen - steroid design stuck in the 90s

just my 2 cents. I don't want to offend other gen owners.

I agree with Pacer. Third gens were VERY futuristic when they first came out. It's almost convenient to forget what a total jaw dropper they were 21 years ago, because today they look merely "pretty modern". Too modern for their own good, which is why they aren't being taken seriously yet by outsiders. I also agree that 82 and 92 look similar, but I could never mistake an 82 firebird with any 92 firebird. they have major differences.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

we can all butter up the thirdgen design as much as we want, it doesn't matter. Obviously we all like our cars or we wouldn't own them, but from the general community, the thirdgen is the forgotten generation.

The first gen is the only "real" camaro to most people. The first gen will forever be the most popular camaro. These cars have the reputation for being fast, bad-*** cars.

The early 2nd gens managed to get lumped right into the first-gen world. They aren't as popular, but seem to carry the same respect and take on the reputation for being very fast, desirable cars.

The mid and late 2nd gens don't really get very much respect compared to the earlier ones, but because of their age they are becoming popular with the resto crowd, and because they share so many parts with the early 2nd gens, there's enough demand for aftermarket companies to produce parts.

The 4th gens are the newest ones out there, so there's a huge aftermarket, and a huge following. You can still get all parts directly from GM. Performance is amazing.

Then there's the thirdgen. It's got the reputation for being a very slow car (dispite the ability for an L98 IROC to wipe the floor with 95% of the 1st and 2nd gen cars out there), and because there's still so many rust buckets and affordable cars around, it's become a ******* paradise. The car is associated with ******s & air shocks, just like the 2nd gen was a few years ago before all of those finally rotted enough to wind up off the road. Eventually most of the trailer trash thirdgens will be extinct and you'll only be left with the nice ones. This will help the cause, but because the thirdgen will never be considered a performance icon like the other generations, it won't ever get the notoriety that the others will.

fast86z28

I got that one too, I am starting to collect 3rd gen memorbelia stuff, my gf got me that one i told her to keep her eyes out for 3rd gen stuff cuz its pretty rare to come across

zedder 1 9 9 0

As much as I hate to admit to it Jim85Iroc is bang on the money. The 3rd generation gets very little respect. When my buddy bought his 95 Z28 convertible and I took it for a spin I was blown away, power, nice ride and above all else rattle free. Those are some of the things that I wish may car would have. I would settle for no rattles (I'm working on it), I can add power and with suspension updates to a tired 14 year old chassis it should ride better in the near future. The fact of the matter is that I have always loved the look of an Iroc and consider myslef very lucky to have my car today. It has its flaws but so do I. I tell you one thing, it still has the ability to turn heads, even if its not a land rocket. I would dearly love to have a 1:18 scale version of it in my die cast collection.

Bandit400

I agree. The third gens are considered by most 4th gen owners and the general public to be slow,old cars with anemic 305s that got beat up on by Mustangs. But it's funny considering the best thirdgens (excluding TTA) could muster 5.8 0-60 and 14.8 1/4 which is a feat that I never saw the mustangs of the time do and not far behind the best of the LT1 cars 5.6 and 14.0. Talking factory stock of course. Not to mention the skid pad abilities of third gens..

Dated technology, 10 years old, whatever, I'll always love third gens. To me the 91's and '92s look as good as about any production car ever.
3rd gens really were ahead of their time.

I say we need a 1:18th '92 Z28!!!

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

I gotta disagree with u guys. I think and get the exact opposite from every1 I talk to, even M*****g guys. They refer to them as "the 1's that looked good." The dudes that know what they;re talking about know that they out performed them in every area besides power until the L98 came out. The 4th Gen never really got accepted by the public, Third Gens are still accepted by the public, 2nd Gens are the least popular, and 1st Gens are the classics.

fast86z28

I agree i get mostly positive comments about my car, because for one it looks nice sounds nice and isnt beat up like the ******* 3rdgens...most people can tell a beater from a nice car no matter what it is

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

Exactly, so do I. Maybe it matters where you live or something. Even these import kids and muscle car dudes from way back here think they're cool.

I was talking to a kid a few years younger than me that had a r*cer and he said, "out of all the Camaros, those years were the best, (talking about mine) I'd like to have 1 of those instead of my car." At the shows they say the same. I was also talking to a dude that was buying 1st Gens when they were new and owned many Camaro's, a few of each Gen I think. He currently owns a stock, low mile 1st Gen Z28 and a special order 02 35th Anniversary SS which he bought because it was the last F-Body. (for now) It turns out he had the exact car I'm looking for brand new, except it was a different color, and he loved it. He only sold it to have that 1st Gen, like when he was young. People of all ages love them.

86FyrBrd

iTrader: (1)

a lot of long replies so sorry if someone allready said it,

but its because they arent new anymore, and they arent old yet. How many '80's mustang die casts do you see. Not many either. Give it 10 or 20 years and there will be a ton of them just like the first and 2nd gen ones. they are allready starting to come around even now.

Jason E

As someone who had the honor of growing up with a third gen as a family car, drove said car for 4 years, and also owned another third gen as well as my fourth gen, some things I can note...

1) Despite the fact my Z is a 30th, I ALWAYS got more compliments on my dark grey, V6 RS. Maybe its because the car was immaculate in an era ('98-'02 when I owned it) when these cars were getting trashed. Maybe its because the Z is newer. Wanna know what I think? The car just LOOKED right. No stripes. No silly fake hood scoops (no offense to anyone here). Clean lines. A nice color. The best looking Camaro wheels ever (stock 15s). I swear, as long as I live, I will never own a car as beautiful as that one. It may have lost a drag race to a Pontiac Montana (no, I am NOT kidding ), but it was an absolutely gorgeous car to look at. Way prettier than my Z.

2) My '89 Formula was a rattle trap that would loosen fillings in your mouth. Leaky t-tops. 17 MPG from 195hp. Enough said. Competent handling, great torque, smooth motor. But driven daily? You suffered a little to enjoy what it did give you. I loved that car, even though it was nowhere near as nice as the RS I sold to buy and restore this one. I miss it too now that its gone. But I'd hop in my Z, go for a ride, and enjoy almost the same level handling with a FAR smoother ride, no squeaks, no rattles, no t-top leaks.

3) So many people slid third gens around in the snow, suffered with leaky t-tops and punishing ride quality, now people do tend to look at them as part of the ****** crowd. There are people out there like many of us who don't fit this bill...but put it this way. I see more primered third gens out there now than I do fourth gens...no wonder the car in general has gotten a bad rep.

4) I agree with some of the above...the third gen is flat out the nicest styled F body ever, period. I will have a third gen parked next to my Z as soon as grad school is done. I NEED another one...

Jason E

BTW, I don't even like first gens. Dare I say it???? They do NOTHING for me...the 2+2 sports car style of the second, third and fourth gens are way more my style. Maybe its blasphemous to say, but I have no desire to ever own a first gen. At all.

IROCZ88x

i agree that the thrids lack attention and they are my favorites...i dont do plastic car models but i work in a hobby store and there is finally a thirdgen comin out - 83 z28 this month...i was suprised..as far as diecast, ive seen very few...

Firechick

Don't get me started. I think their rep is and really undeserved. I have 3 thirds. If they sucked ALOT of us would have sold our first one and never bought another. You guys said it all. Thank Heaven for Third-Gen.Org!!!! What would I do with out you guys? You guys keep me from going insaine! This board rocks!!!!

TPIterror

Johnny Lightning makes a couple of 1:64 versions of the 3rd gen Z28(including a black Iroc and an 82 pace car) but they totally miss the boat with the Firebird. I even emailed them about it. Hot Wheels makes a nice 1:64 Knight 2000 replica and Matchbox makes a few OK looking examples, but thats about it. I had to make my own 87 TA out of parts of other cars!

91Zman

I'm not sure what you meant be the firebird thing but JL is making either a T/A or Firebird Collection series like they did for the Camaro a few years ago,suppose to have a couple 3rdgens in each group during the series run.

lockdude

My '83 turns heads every time I drive it, and it needs a paint job bad, but I was disappointed with the choices of models available. Persistence pays off, though. Ertl just rereleased its '83 Z28, and I quickly sucked up two of them, one to be a model, and one to be an RC car. I also found one for my HO train layout.

TealV6RS

i have a johnny lightning '82 pace car and a '85 iroc in yellow

FormerL69

iTrader: (2)

I don't know what the issue is with the 3rd gens either. My wife hates the styling on them, yet really likes the 4th gens.

IHMO, maybe GM did too good of a job with marketing the car. Most people have commented that there are still a number of 3rd gens around and in their day, they were very popular. Maybe too popular that now they have that stigma of being very '80s.

Here's an interesting factoid: I had the opportunity to meet and talk with Scott Settlemire (the Corvette/Camaro brand manager) while at the Bragg-Smith driving school oustide of Las Vegas a year or so ago. He said they were doing marketing surveys with various car owners (Camaro and non-Camaro alike) and showed people pictures of Camaros from every year and asked them (paraphrasing here) "When you think of 'Camaro' -- which of these cars best represents your image of the car?"

Of the pictures shown (and keep in mind, there were pictures of every gen), guess which one people overwhelmingly chose?

The '87 IROC

Yup ... tha'ts right. A third gen. Scott commented that even he was suprised.

My point here, again, is that the "disrespect" probably stems from the fact that the car was such a popular part of pop culture that people still strongly associate it with that time period along with everything else that the '80s represented.

Like some of you, I grew up when 3rd gens first came out and I think they will go on to be a classic one day. The body shape is still more or less contemporary (it is aging), but I feel it has had more staying power than the 1st or 2nd gens. They certainly have better build quality than either of the first two gens.

Hang in there -- one day the aftermarket will wake up and people will start making parts. Being somewhat of a Fiero guy too (no laughing) I fully understand the lack of aftermarket and reproduction support. If you think finding parts for 3rd gens, a car that was in production for nearly 10 years, is difficult try finding parts for a car that was orphaned by GM and only in production half that time.

smallwood

In my opinion 74-81 Camaro's and 67-69 Firebird's are the least respected. They just don't seem to capture the imagination of car people. First and second generation cars are now rare enough to prevent po white trash from driving them. Fourth generation cars are respected because of their outrageous performance, whether you like the styling or not. Third gen cars sold like hotcakes and are still available for low prices, allowing trailer park bubbas to install chrome valve covers, 14 inch Cragar's, "Bad Bowtie" stickers, and other such nonsense mercilessly. Also, the newest third gens are only 11 years old. I hate seeing cars like ours in salvage yards, but that is how rarity, and thus classic status, are achieved. Eventually L98, CFI, H.O., and other high end models will be more collectibe. Just how revered were Hemi's, SS Chevelles, and GTO's in 1980? Not very much. Tri Five Chevy's were still the way to go. Resto parts for sixties muscle were unheard of ten years after the last ones rolled off the line. Just be patient.

Krazzycowgirl

I have a quite a few 3rd Gen 1:24th style of Camaros. On my desk right now there are 2 but in my husbands Drawer there are like a dozen of them or more.

Check ebay for models

Air_Adam

Seems to me like the Thirdgen cars are kinda the sleeper, inconspicuous cars of the 4 generations. Everyone loves the 1st gen cars because they were just so bad *** and fast right? It could be had with a 396ci BBC that walked all over most cars back in its day but 2 times this summer i saw 2 different IROCs (both had TPI 350s) walk all over a few 1st generation cars. One was a '69 Z/28 (original 302) and one was a '68 RS 350. At the local drag strip, both of the IROCs trampled the 1st gen cars, even though the first gen cars sounded much nastier, looked faster and were more expected to win.

It looks to me like each generation Camaro/Firebird got its reputation by what it could beat and what it could not while it was still in production. The 3rd gen being the one that got the bad rap because most were 305 cars with really anemic gearing and were stomped continuously by the 5.0 Mustangs back in the '80s and early '90s, and the 3rdgen cars had litterally NO other cars that it could compete with!

The 1st gen and early 2nd gen cars ('70-73) have a rep as fast, mean cars because they regularly whooped the old 250hp Mustangs with the 289ci motors, or the 10,000lb Chargers and Road Runners with the 383ci or 440ci motors that rarely put out enough power to come anywere near the power/weight ratio of (for example) a '70 Camaro Z28 with a 360hp 350ci SBC (LT1) or a Trans Am with a 400ci 380hp motor, so obviously it would never have been as fast as these vintage F-bodies, so the F-body kept its reputation as a bad ***, tire-melting muscle machine.

The 4th generation cars are now known as giant killers because they and the Mustang are the only muscle cars left, and compared to an LS1 powered Z28 or T/A, a Mustang GT with a 4.6L engine was constantly left in the dust because it was 50hp short on the F-bodies. The Camaros and Firebirds of this generation also really made a name for themselves when it became more widely known that they could regularly law down the law on a Porsche 911 or slaugher an Acura NSX; cars that cost upwards of 2 or 3 times as much and are much more exclusive.

Just my $0.02...

LetsRock

Ok my take on this subject, look at the third gens. Third gens were beautifully designed in an era that was in love with hatchbacks! and they had HUGE ones to say the least.

I believe in combination of all things said by everyone here in this thread with the fact that the third gens literally scream "IM A HATCHBACK!" is a turn off to alot of would be new f-body owners same goes with the stang Fox body.

1st gens had trunks - First gen stangs had trunks

2nd gens had trunks - 2nd Gen stangs had trunks but were pintos really

3rd gens had hatchbacks - 3rd gen stangs had huge hatches as well, rattle traps these cars could be.

4th gens go back to trunk style? - 4th gen stangs went back to trunks.

My sisters boyfriend recently explained it to me in his opinion, that the 3rd gens were his least favorite cause of the huge glass in the back.

nixhex311

If i go out somewhere there is a huge chance of seeing a rust-bucket primer third-gen. But one thing i have noticed is that nice third gens get alot of good comments. You dont see a nicely done third gen everyday.

GreenRS

One my hobbies (thanks to having kids) is going to the toy stores and finding diecast camaros. I probabaly have 35-40 of them. Many of them are 3rd gens. When I get my camera back I'll post a pic of them. The DARE set had a camaro and a firebird. The state trooper collection had several also. I have found the monopoly car along with several JL cars, the white 92 RS, a 92 RS CHP car, a 92 LAPD dragster and a couple of others I cant think of off hand. When I get home I'll try and get pic. I have them mounted all around my computer. The place I find the most if them at is walmart and target. I guess nobody thinks to look there. I have also found several 1/25 and 1/24 scale cars. Mostly dealer promo cars but there is an 82 pace car and 84 Z28 available from a diecast store near my house.

FyreLance

Everybody take a look at this thread.

Am I the only one that noticed that almost the entire thread is geared towards Camaros, not thirdgens?

I think that upsets me more than thirdgens not getting the respect they deserve... Firebirds not getting the respect they deserve. People seem to use Camaro and thirdgen f-body interchangably. I think a lot of the things mentioned and stereotypes presented are different on the Firebird than they are on the Camaro....

I know there was some 'bird stuff mentioned.... but I just figured I should point out that the stereotypes of Firebirds and Camaros can be different, and the 10:1 Camaro ratio irks me in conversation... but I like it because it makes my car seem that much more rare.

Firechick

FyreLance, I couldn't of said it any better!

GTATransAM

U know what, i do notice that as well. Not to bash anyone, but sitting here and reading all this, Camaro seems like its used 90% of the time. I guess the Camaro more represents the thirdgen class....oh well.

Hopefully tomorrow when i go to Autorama i'll find a thirdgen model to buy. 1987 GTA in red....i wish! But at least a thirdgen.

91Zman

It's not just 3rdgen firebird that aren't getting it's just due but all the others too.For those that collect firebird diecast/models,you may have noticed that there is hardly anything for the 'bird compared to the camaro. In diecast hunting all I see are mostly 4thgen birds,some 1stgens, some 2ndgens and next to none of 3rdgen firebirds.Camaros were just more popular/sold especially during the 3rdgen years.That's why you hardly see responses from 'bird-T/A owners,that or they didn't care about this thread.

91Zman

Heheh...well isn't this ironic.On the local news channel there was an accident involving a 4thgen firebird and a Wonder bread truck.They found out that the driver was shot and the passenger had fled the scene.The tv reporter there called the firebird a camaro. lol

GTATransAM

That SOB, should get his **** straight. Oh well, i have no problem someone saying my car is a Camaro, cause i love Camaros too. But get the damn name right the next time, k?

Thats funny though, he called it a Camaro, lol.

chymos

lame joke time

What's the difference between a Camaro and a Firebird?

A: Whether or not you know anything about F-bodies

TPIterror

Oh believe me, that totally pisses me off! I've been collecting 1:64 and 1:18 diecast for a few years now and its next to impossible to find a good representation of a 3rd gen Firebird. Plenty of camaros though!

The Firebirds I have found(not many), I've had to search high and low on Ebay for and pay top dollar. I've even contacted Johnny Lightning and GMP, begging them to make one. Nothing.