PAGE 3: HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES ON THE 1987CAMARO AND TECHNICAL DATA.

Robert D. Burger continued as Chevrolet's general manager during 1987. Model-year sales fell from 173,674 in 1986 to 122,761 in 1987. Calendar year sales also wound up lower at 117,324 or 4.9% of the industry total. Model-year production of 137,760 Camaro's represented a 1.87% share of the industry's total. The Van Nuys plant reported building 51,936 Camaro's (and 35,610 Firebirds). The Norwood factory reported building 85,824 Camaro's (and 53,013 Firebirds). This would be the last year of operation for the Norwood plant.

Of the Camaro's built, 83.6% had automatic transmission, 16.4% had a 5-speed manual transmission, 26.7% were equipped with a V8 engine with a carburetor, 29.4% were equipped with a fuel-injected V8 engine, and 43.9% were equipped with a fuel-injected V6 engine.

100% (All) had power steering, 82.7% had power front disc brakes, 17.3% had power 4-wheel disc brakes, 29.6% had a limited-slip differential, 100% (All) had steel-belted radial tires, 47.2% had power door locks, 48.1% had power windows, 100% (All) had reclining bucket seats, 22.7% had a power front driver's seat, 78.2% had tilt steering, 94.6% had all-tinted glass, 90.4% had manual air conditioning, 56.7% had cruise control, 66% had delay windshield wipers, 3% had a conventional AM radio, 0.7% had an ETR AM radio, 15.8% had an ETR AM/FM radio, 51.1% had a ETR stereo cassette player, 6.2% had a Bose/JBL sound system, 19.8% had a premium sound system, 93.6% had a digital clock, 62.5% had an electric rear window defogger, 0.7% had a rear window wiper, 100% (All) had a remote-control left-hand outside rear-view mirror, 22.8% also had a remote-control right-hand outside rear-view mirror, 47.1% had aluminum styled wheels and 44% had T-tops.
The 1987 Chevy Camaro Sport Coupe got restyled rally wheels (unique to this year), new lower body stripes, and argent headlamp pockets.The dropped Berlinetta model was replaced with the new 'LT' option for the '87 Camaro Sport Coupe. The 1987 Camaro LT option incorporated most of the Berlinetta's equipment except the electronic instrumentation.Late in the model year, the 1987 Chevrolet Camaro RS was introduced for California and with only V-6 power. RS had Z28 style valances that were painted body color (like IROC) and had no lower body stripes. The RS got the 15 inch 5 spoke aluminum Z28 wheel which were painted to match body color. The 1987 Chevrolet Camaro RS came only in red, white, or black. It also had the same steering wheel used in Z28's and IROC-Z's.Delco-Bose sound systems and leather interior were available for the first time and were available on all Camaro models.Automatic gearshift knob is switched from round to square in all models.The CHMSL moved to the spoiler (which was slightly increased in size) on all cars equipped with a spoiler (all Z28's, IROC-Z's, spoiler optional on LT and Sport Coupe). Lower body stripes on Z28 still numbered 4, but gap between the top three stripes was removed.Camaro convertible was introduced for the first time since 1969 as a regular production option.

The convertible was available on the 1987 Chevy Camaro Sport Coupe, Sport Coupe LT, Z28, and IROC-Z. The new 350 TPI motor was not available in the convertible however. The convertible conversion was performed on t-top equipped (t-top models have extra bracing) Camaros by ASC. Only 1,007 convertibles were produced this first year of production. 1987 was the 20th anniversary of the Camaro and the convertibles were considered the anniversary editions and were signified by a special dash badge that read `20th Anniversary Commemorative Edition'. Also specific to the 87 convertibles were the one year only third brake light and fairings extending a few inches onto the top edge of the doors. G92 performance axle ratio and J65 four wheel disc brakes were available this year on the IROC-Z convertible.1987 was the last year for Camaros produced at the Norwood Ohio plant, the original Camaro Plant.The 350 TPI and 5 Speed 305 TPI combinations were finally available on the IROC-Z28 after alot of testing. The 350 was only available in the IROC-Z and only with an automatic transmission. The exterior differed in appearance only by `5.7 Tuned Port Injection' badges rather than `Tuned Port Injection' badges. The TPI 350 motor was not visually distinguishable from the TPI 305. A few things can be used to disinguish a 350 TPI from a 305 TPI (other than the badges, which are often changed to sell a 305 TPI as a 350 TPI). All TPI 350 IROC-Z's (1987-1990) and all TPI 350 Z28's (1991-1992) had automatic transmissions and most had rear disc brakes. The eighth digit of the VIN is and `8' for 350 TPI's and an `F' for 305 TPI's. The service parts identification list in the center console glovebox will list the code B2L and L98 for a 350 TPI, LB9 for a 305 TPI. The under hood sticker should list the motor as a 5.7 liter rather than a 5.0 liter. All TPI 350 (1987-1992) Camaros had a tach with yellow at 5000 and red at 5500. They also all came with the Borg Warner 9 Bolt and 3.27's in 87 only.In 1987, the 215hp 305 TPI motor returned on the newly available 5 spd / 305 TPI combination only. Torque was rated now at 295, up from 275 in 1985. Automatic 305 TPI's still got the weaker cam and 190hp rating.All 5 spd 305 TPI '87 Camaros came with the better cam (25hp advantage) until 1990 when G92 HAD to be specified to get the better cam in the 5 spd 305 TPI. Roller lifters and new valve cover/head design on V-8 Camaros. Valve covers featured new sealing and mounting through center of cover. Heads featured new raised lip for improved valve cover sealing.G92 and L98(B2L) cars finally got the Borg-Warner HD 7.75 inch four pinion rear end, produced by GM Holden's Limited of Australia (Firebird WS6 cars went to this unit in 1986). These units can be identified by their 9 bolt (rather than 10) differential cover that has a rubber plug. The Borg-Warner logo is also cast into the bottom of the differential case. This rear axle came with tapered rather than straight roller bearings and a cone-clutch rather than disc-clutch limited slip unit. These units came painted black from the factory while most others were bare metal.

G92 for 1987 required the following options:

5.0 TPI (LB9) Limited slip differential (G80) Rear disc brakes (J65)
Engine oil cooler (KC4)
G92 (performance axle ratio) available only on IROC-Z with 5.0 TPI (LB9). G92 was available on IROC-Z convertible in 1987. All 1987 350 TPI (B2L) IROC-Z's came standard with the 3.27 BW rear end and everything that was included with G92 but did not have the G92 RPO code because it was mandatory; this changed in 1988 however when a 2.77 BW rear was standard and G92 had to be specified to get the 3.27's. All 1987 350 TPI (B2L) IROC-Z's required J65 rear disc brakes, G80 limited slip differential, and KC4 engine oil cooler

A total of 116,656 new Camaro's were registered in the U.S. during calendar year 1987. That was down from 165,883 in 1986. With the closing of the General Motors Assembly Division plant in Norwood, Ohio, the only remaining source of Camaro's and Firebirds after 1987 was the Van Nuys, California, factory. GM also cancelled its GM80 development program for plastic-bodied, front-wheel-drivc Camaro's and Firebirds, and industry observers began to speculate that the end of both nameplates was in sight. As we now know, it would take 15 years for the end to arrive, but in 1987 the speculation alone was enough to lead to a reduction of models for 1988. As a result, only the base Sport Coupe and IROC-Z were marketed in model year 1988.