How did you get here? You are here because this car, a camaro, an iroc-z has affected you in some way. Maybe your here because you knew who Max Headroom was, or because you saw "Adventures in Babysitting" or "Who's Harry Crumb" and said "dude, what car was that?". Or your still lost in the 80's like me, parachute pants, peg leg pants, IOU sweatshirts....haha .  Remember 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High'? Or maybe it's because you absolutely cant stand all those dime a dozen chumpstangs out there. Regardless of your reason for being here, if you are an IROC-Z enthusiast,  you have found your refuge. 

Greetings fellow IROC-Z enthusiasts, my name is Jeff and this is my story... it is now November 6, 2009 and I find myself back in a place I was many years. I recently found and purchased a 1986 Red Camaro that for the most part is all original. I have a couple of things I need to put back to make it original, an OEM steering wheel, and the original radio. The rest is all there. 140,000 miles and it is my daily driver. Here is a picture. After going through a divorce, I am now on my own, I have three beautiful sons whom I adore. They share my passion for camaro's now. Especially my 12 year old. He cant wait to get his permit and license so he can drive one of the greatest cars ever made. I told him if his grades are good, he can have my 1986 IROC-Z. I expect that he will be getting very good grades...lol. He has two brothers behind him who will get the same deal.

In 1986, my senior year at high school in Blackwood, New Jersey, I was in auto shop and  needless to say, I loved cars. Only Hot Rods and only Chevy's. I have had over 30 cars in my life and I am 37 years old when writing this. The car I own now (see yellow one below) is my fourth IROC-Z. My first IROC-Z was this white 1987 5.7. I had to sell it when we moved to Florida for a while in order to buy a house because my first son was due. You know the story.  Big mistake because we ended up moving back to South Jersey which is where we are now. Never to move again...I love New Jersey....go figure. I sure did love that car. Wish I still had it.

Anyways, back to the story. One day in auto shop, one of our classmates brought his car in for an oil change. It was a blue 1986 IROC-Z. It was the first time I had seen one up close and it was absolutely magnificent. The kid at the time said he didn't like it because mustangs were faster and that he was going to trade it in for a one of those chumpstangs. I thought to myself, what a mistake. This is way better looking and if you put in one turn in a race against the chumpstangs, the IROC-Z's blow them away. You see IROC-Z's do .92 in the skidpad which in laymans terms means the car turns like its on rails. It has the best steering of any car in its price range and of many cars above its price range. Although I will give it to the mustang, at the time, they were microfractionally faster than the IROC's, it was  because the body weight of the Camaro was much heavier than the chumpstang. Those 80's chumpstangs were like Ford Escorts with V-8's. Like Go-carts with a small block. Cheap mass produced junk. For every one camaro made there were 9 chumpstangs made. Anyhow, don't get me started on the IROC-Z vs. Chumpstang argument....whew...!

My second flirtation with the IROC-Z came right after high school graduation. I started working at Wendy's Restaurant flipping burgers. One of the assistant managers and I became good friends and it turned out that he had a red 1986 305 TPI IROC-Z. He let me borrow it one night to take a girl out on a first date and that was it. Never was I so mesmerized by a car as I was with this one. The problem was they were upwards of $18,000 at the Chevy dealers. So unfortunately, it would be long time before I would buy one for myself. My friends car was stolen three times and recovered all three times and after the third time, he got rid of it. Said he was getting a skateboard. 

I bought my first IROC-Z in 1996 and then moved to Florida for a while. I was forced to sell that one two years later as I mentioned earlier. After selling my first one in 1997, it would be 3 years until I got my second one. I bought this white on red one for $3,800 with 102,000 miles on it. It was a one owner 5.7 TPI 1989 IROC-Z. I sold it to buy my yellow one (see below).

I purchased my third IROC-Z in June of 2000. It is this 1986 bright Red LB9 with TPI, T-Tops and automatic trans. It had 123,000 miles and needed a little work. I sold this one in February of 2001. 

Well the day finally came. I had to sell the white 89. But fret not dear soldiers. For she was sold to make way for the longing of my life. My mistress. The one I cheat on my wife with. I finally found a yellow one (the bumble bee of my generation). The seller happened to live locally. It only had 35,000 miles on it and he owned it from 1989 until 2001 when I bought it.  Happy as a pig in sh......t! Hey, this a family program. I have heard that there were only 92 of the yellow ones made. Something about a problem with the hue in the yellow paint. I would love to verify this.  If anyone reading this knows of such information, please let me know. Anyhow, this is what I drive today (only on weekends).  

I also plan on buying a blue convertible (anyone selling?) to give to my wife and also one for each of my three sons later when they get old enough to drive. Anyhow, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

To those of you contemplating buying this car. I can only tell you that if you can, drive this car once....or just take a ride in one. That is all it will take. To me, the car is just as fun sitting at red lights listening to the motor rumble as it is changing lanes at 90mph down the expressway with just an effortless touch of the steering wheel.  If you have ever wondered what its like to feel thunder...drive an IROC-Z to find out. It is not like any other car you will ever drive.  

If you have a story and pictures, I would like to hear it. Please email me.