[ModernCamaroZ28Fan]

Curious about the opinions of the general Camaro audience.

What top 5 (or 10... up to you) camaros do you think is the best and worse? You can judge based on practicality (as in performance or fun factor, camaros aren't practical in the general sense), or aesthetics?

[ModernCamaroZ28Fan]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeROC

Do you really want best and worst or each person's favorites and least favorites? Bc my lists for those would be different.

Yeah, I was looking for opinions from many individuals.

[FarmerFran]

I really only like the gen6 so my opinion does not matter but

The best Camaro ever are listed below in the order I think they are the best ever

All Gen6 (ok 1 Gen5 but because of the engine)

1. ZL1 1LE
2. ZL1
3. SS 1LE
4. SS
5. LT1

Honorable mention - Gen5 Z28 but because of the LS7

[ZED SLED]

Best
1st gen ZL1
1st gen Z28
1st gen SS396
5th gen Z28
6th gen ZL1/1LE

Worst
1st gen in-line 6
2nd gen in-line 6
3rd gen iron duke
4th gen V6
5th gen Neiman-Marcus

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by ZED SLED

Best
1st gen ZL1
1st gen Z28
1st gen SS396
5th gen Z28
6th gen ZL1/1LE

Worst
1st gen in-line 6
2nd gen in-line 6
3rd gen iron duke
4th gen V6
5th gen Neiman-Marcus

4th Gen V6 wasn't terrible for its era, it competed fairly well against cars in its league such as the Mustang V6, but it left much to be desired for modability unless you were going boost. Boost made those motors altogether different machines though, quite a few people were pushing over 13PSI on the stock bottom end and were well into LS1 territory. If it were to be parred up against the cars of today though it would be very underpowered.

[CamaroSSStlfan]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

4th Gen V6 wasn't terrible for its era, it competed fairly well against cars in its league such as the Mustang V6, but it left much to be desired for modability unless you were going boost. Boost made those motors altogether different machines though, quite a few people were pushing over 13PSI on the stock bottom end and were well into LS1 territory. If it were to be parred up against the cars of today though it would be very underpowered.

Why would one spend all that money on a super charger on a 4th gen v6? You could just buy a SS or Z28 ready to go.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by CamaroSSStlfan

Why would one spend all that money on a super charger on a 4th gen v6? You could just buy a SS or Z28 ready to go.

Uniqueness, and for those capable of doing it themselves it was cheaper than swapping cars, not to mention the only limit to boost is integrity of the block. Those 3800 motors didn't make much power NA but they were rock solid motors. I mean, back then they were capable of keeping up with the Mustang GT's too so they packed a decent punch for a V6 of its era. Of course, direct injection changed all that because now they wouldn't beable to keep up with anything on the street that isn't a Hybrid, but If I recall correctly they are based on the motors in the Grand Nationals although there are some differences. Still, it took ALOT to kill those motors under boost in factory configuration. Not to many people invested in it sure but there were a few in the 9's and 8's.

I was considering going boost but I ended up swapping in a LS1 (which blew up .. then I bought my 99 Z28 which I slowly upgraded and repaired until recently where I dropped a cammed LS3, built transmission, full suspension all the way around - its currently faster than my 6th Gen SS but I suspect I may get in the mood to change that too :P )

[gpskinzhut]

Originally Posted by CamaroSSStlfan

Why would one spend all that money on a super charger on a 4th gen v6? You could just buy a SS or Z28 ready to go.

Same reason SS owners boost their cars instead of going to a ZL1. Different strokes for different folks. If it works for em, who cares.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by gpskinzhut

Same reason SS owners boost their cars instead of going to a ZL1. Different strokes for different folks. If it works for em, who cares.

Hate derailing this thread but Im kind of also on the sideline with that. Whether to keep my SS NA and throw a cam in it, or boost it, or upgrade to a ZL1. I have heard to properly boost it you have to dump a ton of mods at it because the fueling system and how difficult it is to upgrade as well as tune. Any truths on that?

[foshjowler]

Originally Posted by ZED SLED

Best
1st gen ZL1
1st gen Z28
1st gen SS396
5th gen Z28
6th gen ZL1/1LE

Worst
1st gen in-line 6
2nd gen in-line 6
3rd gen iron duke
4th gen V6
5th gen Neiman-Marcus

I had a catfish V6 as my first car. Made for a great first car, at the time it was only about 10 years old. Sporty enough, but not so fast I'd get into an accident the minute I decided to get on it. Which I did all the time. It was about as fast as the 2V Mustang I replaced it with. Those old 3800s were decent motors for their time.

[LT4Greg]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

Hate derailing this thread but Im kind of also on the sideline with that. Whether to keep my SS NA and throw a cam in it, or boost it, or upgrade to a ZL1. I have heard to properly boost it you have to dump a ton of mods at it because the fueling system and how difficult it is to upgrade as well as tune. Any truths on that?

Spend the extra money to get a ZL1 Need4! You won’t regret it. Glad I did instead of going the S/C route with my 2016 2SS. Buy used like I did though and save the depreciation of a new ZL1. You spend less money modding a ZL1 if you plan any mods. I just have a Roto-Fab CAI on mine and probably that’s all the mods I will do.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by foshjowler

I had a catfish V6 as my first car. Made for a great first car, at the time it was only about 10 years old. Sporty enough, but not so fast I'd get into an accident the minute I decided to get on it. Which I did all the time. It was about as fast as the 2V Mustang I replaced it with. Those old 3800s were decent motors for their time.

Decent results were possible, but perhaps as much in spite of what it was as because of it.

The 3800 was the evolutionary end of what started life as Buick's odd-fire V6 back in 1961. And that early beginning was actually a derivative of Buick's 215 cu in (3.5 L) aluminum V8 family.



In no particular order, here's an off-the-top-of-my-head top four . . .
5th gen Z28
6th gen SS/1LE
early 3rd gen Z28
1969 Z/28



Norm

[LT4Greg]

I really didn’t like the 2nd gen Camaros or the 3rd gens too much even though I had a 1982 Z28 and 1987 IROC Z28. I wasn’t crazy about the look of my 1998 SS but it definitely looked better than the 1993-1997s and the LS1 was a good engine. I really liked the 2010 2SS I had until the 6th gens came out. The 6th gen ZL1 is the best of the modern Camaros in my opinion. Of course the 1969 Camaro is the best of all the Camaros!

[dpevans]

Gen 6 mine
Gen 2 split bumper
Gen 1 anything with a big block manual