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Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
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Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
I'm in a slight argument here with another member on a different forum and I need to reach out there.
I've never seen any magazine or sales media corroborating this guys information. He's saying that early V8 camaro's could have a curb weight under 3,000lbs.
He says his 1986 TBI thirdgen came in at 3050lbs. Which is very light. About 100lb lighter than the lightest I've ever found listed in any magazine anywhere.
My friends 91' V6 bird came in at 3200lbs or so. He had all of the power options and knick nacks though. And being a 91 it had the extra body glue and later additions from GM.
I'm aware that the if any thirdgen was going to do a sub 3000lb factory weight it would be a iron duke M4 camaro.
I also know that GM later phased out the aluminum bumper supports, but I believe that was before 86.
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
What you are all posting is pretty much in line with my understandings.
I know there is a list of option weights somewhere on the boards, or on TGO's articles area showing the weight comparison between say power windows and manual windows.
Assuming a V8 car, the biggest savings would have to be a T5, followed by non-ac I would think.
1982 Base Firebird OHV-four 2d hatchback
2,750 lbs
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
Originally Posted by Thirdgen89GTA
What you are all posting is pretty much in line with my understandings.
I know there is a list of option weights somewhere on the boards, or on TGO's articles area showing the weight comparison between say power windows and manual windows.
Assuming a V8 car, the biggest savings would have to be a T5, followed by non-ac I would think.
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
I can't find a single example of a factory production V8 F-body at 3,050lbs. I haven't even seen one at 3,100lbs yet. Its just too light for these cars. And a 305 really isn't any lighter than a 350 as they have the same external dimensions.
I can find V6's close to that weight.
If any V8 cars were going to do it, it would be early examples, most likely camaro's using the aluminum bumper support and composite hood with no options. But i don't even think those would approach that weight with full interiors.
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
I remember a few old articles in Hot Rod talking about stripped down Camaros with V8's being sold for racing applications like stock class in NHRA. No A/C or any power options, I just don't remember what the weight would be. If any v8 car would be close it would have been that one I would think.
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
Originally Posted by bestracing
I remember a few old articles in Hot Rod talking about stripped down Camaros with V8's being sold for racing applications like stock class in NHRA. No A/C or any power options, I just don't remember what the weight would be. If any v8 car would be close it would have been that one I would think.
Oh, I'm not arguing that possibility. There are plenty of guys on these boards that have gotten thirdgens below the 3,000lb mark. Its not hard, you just have to keep removing things.
Afterall, the steel body everything bolts too on our cars isn't really that heavy. its just everything that bolts to it.
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
My '89 Formula 350 (non-1LE) had only the mandatory options required to get the 350, the major/heaviest being A/C and automatic. It weighed in at 3262.
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
My L69/T-5/CC1 T-top car came in at 3205lbs. Included the NP5 leather group and B20 Luxury and subwoofer and I think the top of the line stereo. I was shocked, I was guessing around 3350-3450.
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
The invoice on my '89 1LE says the "SW" or actual shipping weight is 3223 lbs., and the only option on the car other than the 1LE items is the 1SB package which was the heavy duty battery, aux. lighting and body side moldings which couldn't have made much of a weight difference if any. I don't see much else you could leave off from the factory and get a whole lot lighter than that, because these cars already had the aluminum spare wheel and driveshaft.
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
Originally Posted by xcalibur
My '89 Formula 350 (non-1LE) had only the mandatory options required to get the 350, the major/heaviest being A/C and automatic. It weighed in at 3262.
My 1991 Camaro z28 5.7 Hard top with basic power options and A/C (g92/g80) weighed 3380 with me in it (-180lbs). So roughly around 3200lbs.
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
Originally Posted by MikeJR1991
sounds like Drew should just not reply to threads he does t want to...unless this is HIS forum???👎🏼
A lot of people would rather complain about a TV show they hate rather than just change the channel. We're in a forum discussing cars as much as 39 years old. New members should be welcomed, not mocked for having interest in a particular topic. This thread is old, so are the cars.
With the 6th gens and Cadillac's alpha chassis, there's a nice return to a fairly light car. Third gens could get kind of heavy optioned up with everything, but overall they're reasonably light cars. A lot of cars were really getting porky for a while. The 5th gens were tanks.
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
Originally Posted by ksr
A lot of people would rather complain about a TV show they hate rather than just change the channel. We're in a forum discussing cars as much as 39 years old. New members should be welcomed, not mocked for having interest in a particular topic. This thread is old, so are the cars.
With the 6th gens and Cadillac's alpha chassis, there's a nice return to a fairly light car. Third gens could get kind of heavy optioned up with everything, but overall they're reasonably light cars. A lot of cars were really getting porky for a while. The 5th gens were tanks.
the 6th gen ss is 3800 pounds ,that is with a v8 obviously and an automatic but i digress...500-700 pounds heavier ,albeit with a whole lot more power..just cant get over the ugliness of the 5th/6th gen platform
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
i know the t-top,loaded,automatic gta's with leather were pretty damned heavy...glad i have a stripper,low option hardtop ,stick car .
that is until i have to manually roll the window on the passenger side down or im sweating without air...glad the car is white.
mine even came with a mono ,single speaker "sound system"
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
Over the "decade of the Third-Gen"...
Actual Vehicle weights (Not State assigned GVW), ranged from around 2,900 Lbs to 3,600 Lbs.
A 1982 bare-bones, solid roof, Sport-Coupe, with the Iron-Duke Inline-Four Engine, and the Borg-Warner Super-T10 (aluminum) Four-Speed manual transmission...
Would be one of the lightest Third-Gens.
A fully loaded GTA Convertible with a 305 CID Engine, and THM700-R4 transmission...
Would be one of the heaviest Third-Gens.
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
I have a 1991 Camaro Z28/1LE (all original) with the radio delete and it weighs 3260lbs (1/2 tank of gas approx 42lbs) so with very little gas it’s close to 3220 lbs.
Re: Factory thirdgens with a curb weight under 3,000lbs?
my first 3rd gen was exactly what your first definition describes .it was a 1982 camaro ,iron duke 4 speed base model.that was until someone stole it and torched it .
09-10-2009, 06:39 PM
