I'm looking to buy a 3rd gen Camaro. The other day, I saw one advertised somewhere and it looked nice but it said it had a 3 speed automatic. So here's my question: do Z28s and/or IROCs have 3 speed automatics? This was a later 80s model I was looking at, I believe an 89. If so, am I going to be happy with it performance wise? (I just got rid of my 94 z28). Not like I'm going to be racing it or anything, but every once in a while I like to make use of the V8.

 

No, the automatic in that car would have been the 4 speed 700R4.
Look at the pan to make sure of what it is: http://www.maliburacing.com/auto_tranny_id.htm
You'll be happy with the car, as long as you don't expect it to perform like your 94 did.
The 3 speed trans won't be as gas friendly on the highway as with the 700R4.

 

I'm not going to get that particular car just because it's not as nice as I'd like. But performance wise, what are some things I could do to one of these late 3rd Gen models to kind of beef it up a little? And thanks for the feedback 69.

 

when they first came out everyone called em a 3 speed with overdrive. maybe thats were its coming from.

 

You probably have a TH350. The "overdrive" quote everyone says is actually a locking converter. <--I might be wrong about that. Any know more about that? But more than likely you have that TH350.

 

The 700R4/4L60(E) has a 4th gear that is a .70:1 ratio (70%). Conventional 3 speed automatics are 1:1. Lockup is a function that locks the torque converter solid internally to eliminate slight slippage and extra heat buildup that all non-lockup torque converters experience.

 

Thanks for the clarification Camaro 69.