I am currently looking at buying my first car and im looking at getting an 87-90 camaro. Really right now im looking at two diffrent options. right now im looking at spending about 7000 (canadian) on purchasing the car just so i can get one thats in really good condition. Something thats really important to me is having a standard (keep in mind that i plan on replacing just about every part in the car over the next few years) so the two diffrent options im looking at are either purchasing one with the 305 and a standard or getting the 350 and replacing the tranny. Both have their plusses if i get the 305 ill have a bunch of money left over to buy aftermarket parts for my car but if i buy the 350 and replace the auto trans. with a 5 or maybe even 6 speed ill have a sick set up but wont have money for a while to replace everything like heads cams crank etc. Just want everyones opinion as to what i should do

 

get a 350 car because it will have everything stronger and have rear discs.plus a t5 wont handle alot of power so if you get a 305 you will have to get a new block and a new tranny but if you get a 350 all you would have to get is a tranny and you already have a block with lots of potential.

 

In a 350 car the only thing that is stronger is the engine. Everything else is the same except maybe the gear ratio. Also not all 350 cars came with J65 brakes (4-wheel discs.)

I do agree that a T-5 won't last behind anything that's making a lot of power. If you're planning on having a powerful 350 manual car eventually, then get a 350 car. Swapping from auto to stick is a lot easier than swapping engines AND swapping to a stronger tranny.

I recommend the '89 Iroc. They have Borg-Warner 9-bolt rears (stronger than the 10-bolt used from '90 up) and the PBR rear disc brakes. '89 is the only year these options are combined.

 

Make sure you get a Camaro and not a Camero.

 

thanx guys thats been a lot of help and really has confirmed what i was thinking anyways. Now i just have to figure out how to get my parents to drive me 10 hours (round trip) to go look at a car because i dont have my full license yet. Damn ontario and graduated licensing.

And to my credit yes my spelling sucks but at least i got it right in the actualy post

 

Id definetley say go with the 350 car and switch trannys, but may I ask why the stick is so important to you??

 

I wish I would have gotten a stick with my camaro but what ever

Any way, when someone tells you that the camaro has a 350 in it, double check the VIN# to see if it came with a 350, and if they say the engine isn't what came with the car, make sure and check to make sure the engine is what they say it is.

I had a big problem with this when I was looking for my Camaro, people would say "yea, it's a 350", but many times it turns out it wasn't.

It's hard to tell my just looking at the engine, you may have to get the block #'s, or have a mechanic do that for you (you should have a mechanic, or someone who knows cars good to check it out).

Good luck!!

 

i have an 87 iroc with the 9 bolt(3.27 gear) and disc brakes(j65).
i have read that all 350 cars have rear discs and a 9 bolt so if it has drums its not an original.
88+ have a better belt system.

 

I just got an 86 Camaro Z28 305 with 5 spd stick. I see by RPO that it is a Borg Warner. What is the lingo for that? Is it a T-5 like everyone is talking about that is not good for bigger engines? Is it good?

 

Why is it a surprise that some people greatly prefer a manual transmission? I hate automatic transmissions. Driving an automatic is only 1 step above riding the bus. All I get to do is steer and work the gas. My IROC was an automatic but I fixed that problem right after I put the new motor in.

I looked at corvettes for almost 2 years before I finally found a 6 speed that I liked. 80% of the ones I called on were automatics, and I didn't even waste my time asking any more questions.

 

Yes, you have the Borg Warner T5. It's not all that bad of a transmission if you don't abuse it. If you put a good motor in front of it and hammer it, you'll break it. If you don't hammer it, you'll probably break it eventually anyway, but that doesn't mean it can't last a while. Forget about 5,000 rpm launches and speed shifting, and it'll last a long time. The good thing about them is that they are dirt cheap to replace.

 

Not true, not all 350's have rear disc, My cousind 88 iroc doesnt have rear disk, but is ex-girlfriend 90 iroc does. All 350's may have rear disc for certin years (like 90-92???) but he has a 350 in his 88 no no rear disc.

 

a few main reasons for wanting a standard. First of all its so much more fun and theres so many diffrent things you can do playing around with the clutch and such. Second well ive never read this in a scientific journal or anything but doesnt an auto suck up like 5 % of your horsepower? Last but definitly not least is that i plan to take my car to the strip to test it out and as far as im concerned using an auto takes all the skill away from the driver. How hard is it to hammer your foot to the floor when you see a green light. thats what i thought

 

I guess. I suppose a manual is more fun to drive. If I buy a new Z28 when they come out with the new models Im sure Ill get a 6 speed, but thats only because I plan on it being a daily driver, and like I said I think manuals are more fun to drive. However I like an automatic in my IROC. I drive it like a manual all the time. It shifts just like a manual would when I put in from 1 to 2 it goes from one to two gear, I just dont have to **** around with a clutch . Plus I love that fact that all the dumbass kids think if you have an automatic your car is slow. It cant possibly be fast without a manual. I love educating them.

Especially now that I drive my Ram daily, and am converting my IROC to a strip only car you couldnt pay me to put a manual in it.

First of all I dont agree id doesnt take skill with an auto. You cant just stomp on it you will just spin and then get a crap 60'. It especially gets more complicated when you get into trans brakes and all. Not to mention most dont just leave it in drive you still have to know when to shift. And what the hell does skill mater if you get raped off the line by an automatic and cant catch back up. If the cars are even realatively closely matched chances are if you get beat bad off the line. (Which chances are you will by a stalled automatic) your not gonna catch back up.

 

To clear it up ALL original 350 cars had disc brakes. If drums are present the rear has been changed.