Final spring, this collection featured a 1992 Chevrolet Camaro RS in a Northern California junkyard, an instance of the ultimate mannequin yr for the extremely profitable third-generation GM F-Physique. On a later go to to that yard, I noticed the Pontiac sibling to that automobile, a Firebird that was born the identical yr on the identical Southern California manufacturing unit.
When the Chevrolet Division launched the primary Camaro as a 1967 mannequin, the Pontiac Division received its personal model of the F-Physique known as the Firebird. Whereas the 2 vehicles had been constructed on the identical chassis and seemed very related, the first-generation Camaros received Chevrolet engines whereas their Firebird colleagues received Pontiac engines (together with the modern SOHC straight-six). The 1970-1981 second-generation Firebirds nonetheless had some Pontiac-only engines, however Chevrolet and Oldsmobile energy crept beneath some hoods throughout that interval. The third-generation Firebirds first appeared as 1982 fashions, they usually drew from near-identical stockpiles of GM operating gear (together with the distinctly agricultural Iron Duke four-banger, which might be thought of a Pontiac-derived engine).
When the Camaro received the axe after 2002, the Firebird’s neck was placed on the identical chopping block. When the Camaro returned for 2010, the Pontiac model was sputtering to an agonized halt throughout its closing yr and there was no probability of the Firebird’s return.
This automobile is a reasonably bizarre coupe, although it does have the mid-grade 205-horsepower 5.0-liter Chevrolet small-block V8 as an alternative of the bottom 140-horse 3.1-liter V6. A 5.7-liter small-block was out there as nicely.
A five-speed guide transmission was base tools, however few People wished a three-pedal setup by the early Nineties. This automobile has the non-obligatory four-speed automated.
The MSRP with 5.0 engine, automated transmission and air-con (which this automobile has) began at $14,304. That is about $31,868 in 2023 {dollars}.
It was constructed at Van Nuys Meeting within the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles County. By the daybreak of the Nineties, the Camaros and Firebirds made at Van Nuys Meeting had turn into often known as the worst-built GM vehicles made in North America, and the plant was shut down ceaselessly quickly after this automobile was constructed. At this time, a shopping center lives the place the manufacturing unit as soon as stood.
This automobile managed to drive greater than 150,000 miles throughout its life, so it beat the percentages.
The thrid-gen F-Physique was fairly antiquated by the early Nineties, however the fourth-gen vehicles dealt with higher and seemed up-to-date for the period.