Hemmings brings a 35-year-old Chevy IROC-Z Camaro back to life.
Behind the doors of the Hemmings Sibley Garage in Bennington, Vermont, a 1987 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z was in dire need of a makeover. After time took its toll on the Camaro, the best characteristic of the car was its potential. Determined to get the IROC-Z to perform to 21st-century performance standards, the team took the worn-out Camaro to new glory over a six-part YouTube video series called “IROC Rehab.”
Restoration and Beyond For the Camaro IROC-Z
“When I was a kid in high school in the 1980s, if you had an IROC, you were the king.” Mike Musto of Hemmings explains about the third-generation Camaro. A look at the modern market reveals that the third-generation Chevy Camaros are quietly becoming one of the hottest American performance cars to collect. The second coming of popularity for the third-generation Camaro has been a slower burn than previous iterations. However, people recognized their collectability and have been snatching them up over the last ten years. But finding one that hasn’t been abused is no easy task. Technology failures left the IROC-Zs sitting in driveways and fields across the country, baking their fragile plastic parts. But now, with aftermarket support, you can bring any example with good bones up to speed.
The Project IROC Rehab Camaro came to Mike Musto and the Hemmings crew with quite a few issues. The most obvious and detrimental problem was a rod knock from the small block 350 under the hood. Mike also compared the interior to “the rigidity of an uncooked ramen noodle,” that is, the parts that weren’t missing.
The Engine
Addressing the most critical issue first, the damaged Chevy 350 engine was the primary focus of the series. The crew opted to replace the beat-up old small-block Chevy with a 380-horsepower, 401lb-ft of torque, 350 cubic-inch V8 crate engine. It is equipped with E-Tec 170 heads, a COMP Cams hydraulic roller cam, and a Pro-Flo 4 EFI system. (Ed Note: This engine now features 430hp and 420lb-ft or torque! You can read the specs in the New Product Brochure).
This engine should be an upgrade over the original specs. Installing a crate engine takes all the guesswork out of the “devil-in-the-details” considerations. The guys could just bolt the old accessories onto the engine, then drop the body over the top to start hooking up the wiring and hoses.
Backing the engine is a Tremec TK-X manual five-speed transmission sourced from American Powertrain. The IROC-Z’s suspension was upgraded with BMR, Koni, and QA1 parts to optimize the newfound power to the ground. The interior was also addressed, then new wheels and tires were mounted before paint rehab from Griots Garage.
The Final Reveal
With all the mechanical components and cosmetics addressed, the crew concludes the six-part series with immense satisfaction. The Rehab build is not quite what one would call a ‘restomod.’ Instead, it is a tastefully upgraded build that retains its classic coolness while getting the necessary power upgrades to hang with modern muscle cars.
To start the entire build series from the beginning, go here:
To see the engine installation, watch the video below.
