Scott,

You are right, it still has 125 miles on it. I have not done much with my cars over the last few years.......actually sold my 2002 SS with 22 miles on it to a guy in Atlanta. I still have the 92 Z, a 69 Z, a 94 Z, a 99 SS Hugger Orange Vert and several Model A Fords. My latest projects are the restoration of old garden tractors. I know, kind of a change from the cars, but I will get back to working on them someday.

I still enjoy visiting this site and seeing the excitement some of you have for the Third-gen cars. They are still a favorite body style of mine.

That U-tube information is incorrect. The employee that received the 92 Z28 in a raffle got it about 2 weeks before the Van Nuys plant closed. He did not receive the last car.

Leonard

 

My June-built 83 has the soft line on the left quarter with the right side being sharp like the other three flares. Possibly they didn't alter the right quarter tooling until later?

Now, I did get sideswiped in 84 but the damage to the left quarter was so slight I don't think that they would have replaced it. I sure don't remember that. I would have to check the repair invoice to make sure. (Scott, are you saying the service quarters had the soft line?)

Larry

 

Hush panels are another ongoing unknown.

 

Somebody took the time to insert one of my build sheets in the driver's seat bottom. I found it between the springs and foam.

I found another one sticking out of one of the rear trim panels, I think when I had the rear seats removed. It was definitely "stuffed" back there, like you described.

Larry

 

What's the story with the hush panels? Are you talking about the panels under each side of the dash?

Larry

 

Depended on the plant they were made at 2. one would throw away and one would keep em in the car. the guys are trained by their buddies and it caries from person to person.

Got mine!

 

Meant to be driven, i could not let that sit in storage, at least weekend driver. lol

 

That car is one that I would say is not meant to be driven, given the signatures. Not that 99% of the signatures mean anything, but the entire underbody of the car has them on it as well.

Some cars are better left as preserved history pieces, the last Camaro is one of them IMO.

 

Well is it in a museum for all to enjoy? By your thoughts it should be, by how i see it, some guy got the last one, and lets it sit in a garage.

 

I do let it sit in storage and the way it sounds its a good thing GM let me have the car instead of you........or it would have many miles on it and the signatures probably wouldn't be legible.

Leonard

 

And if you ever decide to sell it, please remember me and the fact that I told you to call me

 

Leonard,
It is amazing how many people are willing to take something from someone else and say that they would put it in a museum for all to enjoy (sounds like some of our govt officials take from those who have and spread around the wealth) . The truth is 99.999999999999999999% of the folks on here that if they owned the car they would never donate it to a museum. The neat thing is considering that it is the last of the last of the last of many things IE Last of a generation and a Last F-body made in a US plant and so many other things, even the last car that many of these people made, the car is special, to drive it would be a shame. I think what you are doing is the right thing, one day someone that actually cares about these cars might buy it and put it in a museum, but until that day. Keep it holy.



John

 

Leonard,
I for one am super glad you have the last one and not someone that would let it be lost to time..
There are plenty others to drive and enjoy, yours should be kept as is..
Tony

 

Imo it shouldn't sit, or be a DD, but it should be driven, it is after all a camaro, when I saw a brand new challenger at my school that was donated, and knew that it would never see pavement it was kind of sad, its the car world equivalent of getting a tiger and keeping it in a cage all day....I would take it out once a week or month maybe, and if its the signatures that are the main concern would have them covered with something to protect them, a clearcoat of paint or something.
I agree it should be preserved, but I agree it shouldn't just sit as well. I think a healthy balance is best.

 

Yeah its cool that its the last one ever made, but in all honesty you say your 'saving' it by keeping it in storage, for who? I think one day it should end up in a collection/museum, instead of gathering dust. Furthermore, Just clearcoat the signatures friend. lol Im not trying to fight you, but it is just a car. Did you take off all the plastic the seats are covered with? Furthermore, i work from home, i put maybe 2000 miles on my truck a year, and way less than 2000/yr on my bird.

 

Why shouldn't it sit and be taken car of? Because cars are meant to be driven is NOT a reason. The car isn't a car, it's basically art or a piece of history, no longer a "car" in the transportation sense.

Thank the car gods we have people like Leonard who are willing to spend the time and $$ to have survivor cars like that.

 

Ultimately its the owner's decision, but personally I see no reason it can't be preserved/taken care of, and still see pavement once in a while, if it were my car, I would drive it occasionally, I see no reason that driving it, and preserving it, have to be mutually exclusive, but again, thats my opinion and everyone is entitled to theirs, and of course to do what they want with their car

 

You said it right sir.

 

And when some 16 year old girl, busy texting her friends about the shoes she just bought, blows through a stop sign and t-bones that one of a kind, irreplaceable car, what then?

You can't control what other people do. Sometimes the way to protect and preserve something is to keep it under lock and key.

 

I agree with Leonard being smart by storing the car and preserving it. Letting the car sit inside his climate controlled storage is certainly better than driving it. The car's value as a piece of history is worth more than it is as a usable car. There is only one last 1992 Camaro and the car could not be easily restored. If you have the need to drive a Camaro, there's not exactly a shortage of finding one that's better suited to be driven.

The car would probably be a good candidate for a museum to showcase along the other one of a kind, unique, cars. But as Leonard paid for the car that he special ordered and pursued GM to reserve for him, he rightfully should be given a reasonable offer.

 

Okay, i get it. Just personal preference. I said i dont wish to fight this. Its a nice car, id like to see some high res photos tho.

 

Who needs photos. Come to Iowa and see it in person. Wisconsin is not that far away!

Some day in the future when GM is back on their feet, hopefully they will want to work out a deal to have the car in a GM Museum. If that doesn't happen, I know of a few guys on this board that would be interested in keeping the car in the same condition as the day it was built.

Everyone has an opinion of how the car should be taken care of and that is fine, but if you had written the letters, made the phone calls, watched the car being built, met with the employees, etc., then your opinion might be different.

Leonard

 

History needs high resolution photos in case the building burns down in a freak accident, or is destroyed by a tornado on that flat plain that is Iowa, etc. There truly is no guarantee that car will be around forever. An insurance check won't bring it back, no matter the amount.

You should take up JT's offer to come out and photograph the vehicle, just in case something bad happens. We'd all love to see updated photos of it that are digital and better than a few hundred pixels square.

 

One of the smartest things I have read on this site

When it's time to "Pass the torch" that car should ONLY belong in the right hands !!! Make GM or whoever the next owner is sign a clause on that car !!!

Storage:1 mile Underground nuclear-bomb proof room is more my taste

Dave

 

I would personally come visit, when my car is finished, if the invite is available by then , it'll be done shortly this year hopefully. Probably not as clean as yours, but rust free, and bahama blue

 

You're in line behind me dude!!! I tried offering Leonard $14k for this car a few years ago and why he said no thanks is beyond me.

 

Scott, I thought you wanted to pay me $14k for a photo with the car........I didn't want to take your money!!

Leonard

 

lol. Good response, Leonard!!

 

theres a new 14 mile firebird formula that turned up somewhere now too

 

I didn't know you were such a cheapskate!!!!

Leonard, based on the above finding, I think I should slide to the head of the line, in front of Scott. I won't lowball you the way he did

As for what Leonard has done with that car, without a doubt he's doing the right thing. I would not drive it, either. The LAST AMERICAN CAMARO MADE? What a story behind that car. Personally, I am doing cosmetic work to my 86 Trans Am primarily to keep mileage off my pair of 88s. It would be hard for me to replace even my 5 speed LB9 car, with all the options it has...its EXACTLY how I would have ordered an 88 TA. Same goes for my IROC...even more rare because of the dark grey/350/t-top combo. I could not readily replace either one...hence my desire to preserve both.

My 86, being a more ubiquitous LB9/auto car is something I want to drive and enjoy 3-4k a year...and I'm not putting mileage on something hard to replace.

 

Looks like we need to find the answer to RPO code C4B. I have seen this RPO defined as "PERFORMANCE PACKAGE ENGINE UPGRADE", however, now that I've seen an actual sheet with the code and definition of "DOUBLE PLAY VALUE OPTION" on an 85 Z28. GM really confuses me sometimes!!!!

 

Found this via Google... check out the Chevy ad. From other reading it looks like something Chevy was doing in 84/85.

 

this is probably minor, and simply a supplier change over. But my 87' Norwood built sport coupe has PPG glass all around where my 87' Van Nuys built IROC has LOF glass all around.

 

Not exactly sure if this has been answered before, but what company made the crosslace wheels for Pontiac? They do have MADE IN JAPAN stamped on the backside and I've heard that Enkei made them, but nothing definitive.

 

I agree. I'm all for driving cars, especially survivors; they're gifts to people who missed out on the chance to own the car new and it's a blast keeping them on the road while preserving their originality. But if I landed a chance to get the last thirdgen brand new, documented, with a full factory tour and photos inside the plant, then it would probably be sealed up in a climate controlled garage with under 100 miles on it. I'm just surprised you didn't buy a gently used replica thirdgen to drive. These cars are beautiful but half the fun is behind the wheel...

 

I have had several other 3rd gens. 82 pace car, 84 Z28, 91 Z28, etc. Yes they are a fun car to drive and I still like the looks of them compared to the 4th gens.

Leonard

 

PPG "Pittsburgh Plate Glass" I have also heard "Pittsburgh Paint & Glass" I think the former is correct. Was closer to Norwood.

LOF "Libby Owens Ford" Yes Ford, was probably out west. It was a distribution thing.

AFAIK, all of the Norwood cars got PPG and Van Nuys cars got LOF from the factory.

The Plastic T-tops were made by Leximar or something along that line...

John