Though it didn’t look much different than before, the Camaro received some significant mechanical changes for 1987 and at midyear welcomed an old friend back to the line. Gone from the powertrain lineup was the unpopular 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine previously offered as standard equipment on the base model; now the standard engine was the 135-horsepower 2.8-liter V6. It also powered the new LT, which replaced the Berlinetta.
Returning as standard in the Z28 and optional on base and LT was a 165-horsepower carbureted 5.0-liter V8. The Z28’s optional high-output 190-horsepower carbureted 5.0-liter that previously came only with a manual transmission was replaced by the port-fuel-injected 215-horsepower 5.0 – which this year came not only with the four-speed automatic but lso with the five-speed manual. Topping the engine list and available only in the IROC-Z was the Corvette’s 5.7-liter V8 pumping out 225-horsepower and offered only with the automatic.
But the big news came with the reincarnation of the Camaro convertible at midyear, absent since the second-generation design debuted for “1970 1/2.” The ragtop exacted a stiff cost penalty – about $4500 – but the 1007 lucky folks who got one didn’t seem to mind.
Though it didn’t look much different than before, the Camaro received some significant mechanical changes for 1987 and at midyear welcomed an old friend back to the line. Gone from the powertrain lineup was the unpopular 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine previously offered as standard equipment on the base model; now the standard engine was the 135-horsepower 2.8-liter V6. It also powered the new LT, which replaced the Berlinetta.
I LIKE 1990 CHEVROLET CAMARO Z28 T-TOP WITH 5.7L 350 CI V8 0-60 MPH: 6.1 SEC VERY FAST MODERN MUSCLE CAR
That convertible Camaro is truly beautiful. Jon’s right: It’s like it was meant to be a convertible from the start.