Test drive Chevrolet Camaro 1997 - 2002 compartment

The last of IROC

When it comes to Chevrolet Camaro cars, for some reason they usually recall the first (1970-1973) or the fourth - modern - generation of these machines. Meanwhile, the third-generation Camaro is no less interesting (1982-1992), especially the IROC version, which has been on the conveyor for only five years. These cars were produced 166.976 pieces.

 

Chevrolet Camaro has long been considered a cult car among residents of the North American continent. The F-Bodies family (Chevrolet Camaro and differing from it, in fact, only Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am) has already hit for thirty years, and representatives have found more and more new fans. One of them lives in Moscow ...

 

For some reason, our compatriot for some reason sunk on Chevrolet Camaro, but he could become a happy owner only a year ago - he bought a used car in Moscow, abandoning this from a quite decent Toyota Celica Supra. As with any use by the machine, I had to tinker with it, but the defects were eliminated, and now it is in front of us.

 

So, the third -generation Chevrolet Camaro. The year of release, as the owner assures, is 1990. But there is a small diving ... by car, on the sides and back, there are nameplate with the inscription IROC. It had to hear its most fantastic decryptions, up to the point that the machine is called so in honor of the Iroquois tribe. In fact, IROC (International Race of Champions) is an American series of body races, like NASCAR. Chevrolet became a sponsor of this series in 1985 and received the right to release the Camaro version of the same name, which it did the same year. (At first, the corresponding nameplate only pointed out a certain set of options for the Camaro Z28 modification, but over time an independent version was established - Camaro IROC - IROC -Z.)

 

At the end of the contract with the International Race of Champions, Chevrolet lost the right to use the name IROC, and it ended exactly on December 31, 1989 - therefore it is doubtful that the car with such a nameplate was born in 1990.

 

Of course, the company could still produce IROC series cars for some short time, but this does not look like law-abiding Americans. More likely, the current owner was slightly pouted when selling a car, say, issuing a model year for the year of release. If so, then he only won, since the version of the 1990 Camaro IROC of the 1990 model year was produced only four months (from September 1 to December 31, 1989), and therefore, cars of this series can apply for the title of collection. But there is something else ...

 

According to the owner, his Camaro in the past served in the American traffic police. This means that this is an enhanced version of 1le (or LE1). And these - Camaro IROC 1LE with a 305TPI engine - in 1990, only 34 copies were released!

 

We will leave, however, genealogical research and turn directly to the car. A compartment of considerable dimensions, an elongated low silhouette, large overhangs, a long sloping hood, a huge rear window cap with a spoiler - the image of the device for high -speed overcoming space was created successfully. Huge blinds-fans on the hood, diverting heated air from the motor compartment, also cause respect.

 

Engine - 305tpi (Tuned Port Injection), the so -called The small block Chevrolet, leading his pedigree since the fifties. For this reason, he has a rather rare in our days the lower location of the camshaft. This is a V-shaped eight with a volume of five liters, which in standard design develops a power of 230 hp. at 4200 vol./min. (Engine 305tpi is not the most powerful in Camaro, it is slightly inferior to 5.7 liters of the 350TPI motor, but the mechanical box that is equipped with a car was only possible to get a small block). However, 230 hp. For this engine, it is far from the limit, it is easy to force. And the version 1le - by definition is more powerful than the standard, up to 260 hp.

 

For such a machine, it is quite natural to have a drive to the rear wheels, but we have not seen an unreasonable beam with the gearbox of the main couple for a long time, not to mention sports, cars. Longitudinal efforts are transmitted by long rods in the American manner, and springs work as elastic elements of the rear suspension, however, I would not be surprised at the spring. The front things are better - an independent suspension on transverse levers is used here. In front and rear there are reptile stability stabilizers. As you can see, there are no special bells and whistles in the chassis.

 

Now let's go through the salon. The doorway is wide. When the door is open, its lower edge once again attracts attention to a small road clearance - you can’t jump around the curbs. The body has small rapids, and it seems that the floor is flat and low.

 

The decoration of the salon does not differ in wealth - on the contrary, everything is emphasized unpretentiously. For the design, a brown plastic was used (which is characteristic of inexpensive American cars), the seats have discreet fabric upholstery. Torpedo is trimmed with modest black plastic. The American government does not indulge in its police officers ...

 

The simplicity of the finish did not prevent me from taking a convenient position at the wheel. The landing is low. Similar to me in front -line Porsche. The seat is quite comfortable, moves back and forth, you can change the back tilt. The steering column is adjusted along the angle of inclination, and - a rare case - I had to lower it, and not raise it.

 

Torpedo in shape is very simple, on top - a continuous visor regarding the upholstery of the doors. There is no glove compartment in the torpedo, it is located between the front seats, and its traditional place is occupied by the electronic engine control unit. On the dashboard, two round devices dominate - a speedometer and a tachometer with yellow numbers on a black background, between them are four small, including an oil pressure indicator. This confirms our assumptions - such an instrument shield appeared in the 1990 model year, before that the oil pointer was placed on the tachometer scale.

 

There are no special remarks to the location of the holey pedals, except that the lower edge of the torpedo comes to them too close - if the driver has a large size of the shoes, it will most likely interfere with the clutch and brake pedals. Pedal efforts can be called ordinary, the gas is pleasant to the elastic band, which promises good informativeness. The gearbox lever with a large spherical knob - in the right place, but when the even gears are turned on, it touches the edge of the tunnel upholstery. Switching occurs clearly, much effort is not required. Next to the lever is the coercive switching switch for the radiator fan. As it turned out, this is not at all superfluous in Camaro - due to the design features of the air supply to the radiator, the engine is often heated.

 

In the rear seats, you won’t disruptly fall apart, as you can do in front: the car body is more likely 2+2 than a four -seater. But, probably, the trunk is big? We open the lid - it combines the rear window (there is no frame - the stiffness of the structure is provided by them). Under the curtain - a small cavity, and the entire expected volume of the trunk occupies a fuel tank above the rear beam. Instead of a full -sized spare - a doctrine hidden in a niche under the upholstery of the trunk. However, Camaro is not intended for cargo transportation. Let's see how he will cope with his direct responsibilities.

 

At idle, the engine sounds solid - as if you are next to a small diesel locomotive. You can immediately turn on the fan, from which this sensation will only increase. The car easily starts from the place and quickly gains speed, and does it quite smoothly and evenly, without jerking. The ability to accelerate sharply seems doubtful due to the subjective perception of the size of the machine. Somehow I can’t believe that such a cruiser can dashingly break off. However, the dynamics of acceleration turned out to be very decent (about 6 seconds to hundreds), although it seems that it is difficult to accelerate almost one and a half tons of equipped mass.

 

Perhaps the fact is that the operation of the Camaro transfers mechanism in intensive mode has some features. So, the inscription SHIFT UP, which proposed switching to higher gears (for reasons of fuel economy), constantly lit up on the combinations of devices. It took some time to stop paying attention to the instructions of the electronic dispatcher and more actively twist the motor, by the way, very, very elastic.

 

When recruiting Camaro, it begins to sway on gentle bumps, like a typical American. When the speed exceeds a hundred, there is not a very pleasant leapness and the validity of the side is felt from the side. And this is when moving in a straight line! I'll try to portray a snake. The machine shows a belated reaction to the actions of the steering wheel. The effort on the steering wheel is small, but it would be better the opposite. But the suspension perceives small irregularities well, and you will soon stop paying attention to them. At the entrance to the turn, its beginning is slightly postponed (see above), but Camaro prescribes the arc quite clearly. The zigzago -like movement revealed an interesting feature: the car is quite sharply stabilized after the last maneuver and exit to the straight line - from the side of the rear bridge, a very tangible whip is followed.

 

When trying to increase the speed in the bend - at any stage of it - Camaro first behaves obediently, continuing to follow the given path, but at some point there is suddenly a sharp breakdown of the rear wheels, which is poorly controlled, and the car unfolds. The point, apparently, at a large point in the inertia around the vertical axis and in the lack of experience driving in this particular machine, which requires filigree gas pedaling equipment and the steering wheel. To pass the turns on the verge of an ease, you must first practice properly. It is very simple to get a fair portion of adrenaline on Camaro - it is enough to familiarize yourself with the brake system in action: it leaves to be desired, despite the fact that on all wheels - wheels ...

 

And the Americans call this a sports car? Yes, they call it, and there are no special contradictions here. Camaro is a machine for straight spacious roads, with smooth turns and smooth coating. After all, the body races, in which Camaro showed themselves well, are carried out on an oval ring, where very acute controllability is not required.

 

Another interesting and little -known moment. Despite the same disks and rubber size, the front and rear wheels of Camaro IROC are not interchangeable - there are different departures in the discs. This was done to level the ruts and give the machine better stability, but you cannot change the wheels in a circle. Whether the owner knows about this - we did not have time to clarify ...

 

How does the car live in Russia? The Camaro hibernates in the garage, only occasionally making a trip to the health of the MKAD trip, there are smaller ones than on other roads, salt deposits and uncleaned snow with ice, which can pretty much spoil the bottom and a plastic body kit along the perimeter of the body. In summer, it is operated in daily mode. On average, during operation for the maintenance of the car, excluding gasoline, $ 300-500 per month took, but this was during the recovery period, in the future the costs will decrease.

 

Gasoline is consumed depending on the driving manner in the following quantities: in the city 20-27 liters per 100 km, on the highway 13-15 liters at a speed of 130-150 km/h. As for spare parts, they are mainly two to three times more expensive than European machines, moreover, we don’t have so many showdowns of Americans-especially with details for exotic such as Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z28 LE1. Fortunately, such trifles do not stop real connoisseurs, and thanks to their enthusiasm, we can observe rare foreign guests on our roads.

 

Text: Sergey Ivanov
 
 

 

Source: Magazine Motor