I had a sweet 1980 T-top camaro berlinetta, had a 4.3 v-6 backed by a manual 3 speed, question is I heard that they produced only so many but called them a "ladys special" googled it & came up with nuthin... was just curious if what I heard had any truth or not? Even had a cowl hood with levers that opened with vacume for extra air, was a fast car though... got clocked at 133 & let off when I seen cherries in rear view... any info appreciated...
2nd generation camaro facs...
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1980 was a long time ago but some of your information is erroneous. There was no 4.3 liter V-6 produced in 1980. The 1980 Chevrolet Camaro V-6 offerings were for a 231 CI (3.8 liter) Buick engine for the California market and a 229 CI (3.8 liter) engine for the other 49 states. These engines were typically anemic in performance with 110hp and 115hp respectively. General Motors did offer a 4.4 liter V-8 in 49 state configuration but I have never seen one personally.
There was offered a 3-speed manual gearbox but again, this was offered as an order option for mating to the 115hp, 229 CI engine only. Of the 26,679 Berlinetta Camaros produced in 1980 I'd hazard a guess that to find a 229 CI, 3-speed manual gearbox equipped version would be quite the endeavor.
As for the 133 MPH run... don't forget that 1980 ushered in the wonderfully stupid 85 MPH speedometer in GM's attempt to conserve fuel with their psychological warfare. Plus, the top perfoming V-8 powered Z-28 had a recorded top speed of a mere 120 MPH. Maybe you were reading the speedometer in Kilometers/hour??
There was offered a 3-speed manual gearbox but again, this was offered as an order option for mating to the 115hp, 229 CI engine only. Of the 26,679 Berlinetta Camaros produced in 1980 I'd hazard a guess that to find a 229 CI, 3-speed manual gearbox equipped version would be quite the endeavor.
As for the 133 MPH run... don't forget that 1980 ushered in the wonderfully stupid 85 MPH speedometer in GM's attempt to conserve fuel with their psychological warfare. Plus, the top perfoming V-8 powered Z-28 had a recorded top speed of a mere 120 MPH. Maybe you were reading the speedometer in Kilometers/hour??
Buick had an enlarged 3.8 V6 of 4.1 liters.It wasnt much more powerful than the 3.8's 110 hp.Camaros didnt get them though.Pontiac had a 4.3 V8,a downsized 301.Once again,not Camaro.There was a 4.4 V8,and the "ladys car" would be the Berlinetta model,not available with the hood flappers.
Originally Posted By: FowVay
As for the 133 MPH run... don't forget that 1980 ushered in the wonderfully stupid 85 MPH speedometer in GM's attempt to conserve fuel with their psychological warfare. Plus, the top perfoming V-8 powered Z-28 had a recorded top speed of a mere 120 MPH. Maybe you were reading the speedometer in Kilometers/hour??
The 85 mph speedometer debacle was actually brought to us by Joan Claybrook and her fellow Safety Nazi bureaucrats at NHTSA in the late 1970's. The NHTSA Gestapo actually wanted to require that all new cars be fitted with top speed limiters but compromised by promulgating the moronic speedometer regulation- which also required that 55 mph on the speedometer be highlighted, another futile attempt to coerce compliance with the ridiculously low National Mandatory Speed Limit.
It was a textbook example of bureaucratic idiocy; there was absolutely no proof that the regulation would save a single life, but it gave the acolytes of the Nanny State warm fuzzies when they enacted it.
Common sense returned in the early 1980s when Joanie was shown the door and the regulation was ashcanned by her successor.
As for the 133 MPH run... don't forget that 1980 ushered in the wonderfully stupid 85 MPH speedometer in GM's attempt to conserve fuel with their psychological warfare. Plus, the top perfoming V-8 powered Z-28 had a recorded top speed of a mere 120 MPH. Maybe you were reading the speedometer in Kilometers/hour??
The 85 mph speedometer debacle was actually brought to us by Joan Claybrook and her fellow Safety Nazi bureaucrats at NHTSA in the late 1970's. The NHTSA Gestapo actually wanted to require that all new cars be fitted with top speed limiters but compromised by promulgating the moronic speedometer regulation- which also required that 55 mph on the speedometer be highlighted, another futile attempt to coerce compliance with the ridiculously low National Mandatory Speed Limit.
It was a textbook example of bureaucratic idiocy; there was absolutely no proof that the regulation would save a single life, but it gave the acolytes of the Nanny State warm fuzzies when they enacted it.
Common sense returned in the early 1980s when Joanie was shown the door and the regulation was ashcanned by her successor.
I sold my 81 with t tops and a 350. loved that car. got it up to about 170 km an hour. miss it lots but love my kid more. ha ha good trade. The wife looked good driving it to
www.nastyz28.com has a lot of great 2nd Camaro info.
I have a T-top Z/28 in my garage I never drive. I'm going to get rid of it in the spring I guess; it's just taking up space right now
I have a T-top Z/28 in my garage I never drive. I'm going to get rid of it in the spring I guess; it's just taking up space right now
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Originally Posted By: phatboy
It was a 3.8 not 4.3, I was not reading the speedometer! Thats what I was clocked at by the deputy that pulled me over...
Unless you were being pulled by a HEMI Challenger it was probably a reading error. As noted, the Z28, with almost 100HP more had a top speed of 120Mph.
It was a 3.8 not 4.3, I was not reading the speedometer! Thats what I was clocked at by the deputy that pulled me over...
Unless you were being pulled by a HEMI Challenger it was probably a reading error. As noted, the Z28, with almost 100HP more had a top speed of 120Mph.
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