GM's ever-popular F-body pony car,
the Camaro/Firebird, had weathered two recessions in the Seventies but was
looking decidedly long in the tooth for the new decade.
“Rear discs can be a nightmare. They were
all subject to a recall in the Eighties, and an investigation by the NHTSA.
Drive the car, coast, and pull the handbrake, and see if it slows the car. If
not, the callipers are seized and it's an expensive pain to fix.
A
modified black 1982 Firebird Trans Am appeared in the new for 1982 television
series Knight Rider as KITT, voiced by William Daniels. For the reunion movie
Knight Rider 2000, KITT underwent a makeover and became the "Knight
Industries 4000," a vehicle resembling the Pontiac Banshee concept car.
The problem is with the auto adjuster in
the calliper, made worse in automatics by drivers using 'park' instead of the
handbrake. It's an MoT fail, and it's not as simple as fitting new callipers,
you have to adjust them which is a delicate operation. Always use the
handbrake, and if someone tries to sell you a disc brake third-gen saying, “The
brakes just need bleeding, mate” that's BS; the rear callipers have gone.” – RG
Conclusion
“These cars have been donor cars for many
years, but now people are just starting to rebuild them. You can still pick up
a half-decent, complete base-model for about a grand, but a good V8 will go up
to around $4,900. Camaros tend to be a little cheaper than Firebirds, but you'll
pay extra for an IROC-Z, and Trans Ams are $1,600 to $3,300 ahead of the rest.
A good GTA will be around $9,900. Mechanical parts are easy to come by, and
specialists in the US are starting to reproduce obsolete parts.” - RG
The
Firebird came standard with 14-inch steel wheels, with several wheel options
available unique to the base model. 14-inch turbo cast aluminum wheels were
standard on the S/E and Trans Am models and featured smooth plastic hubcaps
with a Pontiac "Arrowhead" in the center. The WS6 performance package
option, available on the S/E and Trans Am, included 4-wheel disc brakes,
P215/65R15 Goodyear Eagle GT radials with 15-inch cast aluminum wheels, stiffer
springs, thicker 32 mm front & 21 mm rear sway bars, a 12.7:1 quick-ratio
steering box, and limited slip rear differential. Also available was the WS7
option, which was the same as RPO WS6, but utilized rear drum brake. This
option was created due to a shortage of rear disc brake components.
“The GTA and the IROC-Z are the most
desirable, and many had the 350 V8 which is basically the same as the Corvette
engine and will really get up and boogie. A good V8 with a five-speed manual is
a great car to drive, has loads of torque and will pull away in third. A V6
makes a decent entry-level American car, they're certainly cheaper to buy, but
not that much more economical especially in terms of resale value. There are
plenty out there, and a V6 or base model, looking a bit scruffy, will start at $1,600.
A really nice mid-Eighties V8 will fetch $8,300 to $11,600.
A
new, smaller "Screaming Chicken" was placed upon the Turbo Bulge hood
or upon the nose of flat hood equipped T/A's. The Trans Am came standard with
one of the two 305 Chevy V8's. The well worn Borg-Warner four-speed manual
transmission came mated only to the weak 145 bhp LG4 305ci, while the
Crossfire-injected LU5 305ci rated at 165 hp came with the TH-200c automatic
3-speed transmission.
The earlier, wedge cars are nicer, the GTA
and IROC had the nicest wheels and interiors and better resale value, but the
later Firebirds with the droopy nose are slightly less desirable. I've had them
as daily drivers, several of my customers have them as dailies, and the TPIs
are pretty good on fuel – because of the gearing, you can get high-twenties to
30mpg on a cruise.” - MM
