In 1989 Chevrolet had asked a company in California (I believe it was Greening Auto Company) to create a Camaro that would show the public what to expect for the fourth generation. Because this was '89 (before Chevy dropped their partnership with the International Race of Champions), the car was an IROC-Z. I have seen images, videos, and even articles over this elusive (dare I say) supercar but I have never seen anything about where or how it is today. The car is featured in 1993's Demolition Man with Sylvester Stallone and in the 1989 MotorTrend magazine article "Great F-Spectations!" I have been wondering if anyone has any information on the whereabouts on this IROC-Z or if it's just gone.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if GM had it demolished,that's been the fate of many if not most concept cars.

 

Sometimes concepts/prototypes get out but it is rare, If they are super popular the company may have it on display or storage. See you and I can do anything to a car with a few exceptions. A small hot rod company shop can do even less to a car that is a street car but the large companies must meet all safety standards and EPA standards for the year it was titled in. If there are structural changes they would even have to pass crash tests. Most concept cars have neither a vin or a title. If the car ended up on the road GM could find itself in a huge law suit. Sure the guy that bought it would have a tuff time saying he knew nothing about the safety but anyone he hurt would have lawyers lined up in hopes of getting a crack at GM. Even if it get sold to a museum that museum could go out of business, the car gets sold and GM is back on the hook. I know GM would send the concept cars first to big shows and then even to stay at some of the larger dealers for a time but they would not sell it. After that it off to the scrap yard. Sometimes this is where the cars slip out to the public. Parts or shells are bought from a scrape yard. Now GM will only scrape it with yards that will sign that they now own it and it will be scraped.

Around 1987-88 time frame I was at the GM tech center in Pittsburg. They had a proto type Vet with one of the first Over head cam V8 developed by Lotus/GM. I remember because it used a timing belt. The LT5 that came out in the Zr1 in 1990 had a timing chain. I got to ride in it. The guy giving the rides was looking for input. He was pretty high up at GM. I asked if I could buy a prototype. He laugh at me and said if they would it would be his.


Of course older concepts cars where not like this and many were sold to employees. They then end up on the open market.

In a semi related story Dodge passed out its test Hell Cats to youtubers. They did all kinds of racing stuff with them. They only requirement Dodge made was we need the chassis back. A few of them took this to heart and stripped every single parts off the chassis. They made it sound like they got one over on Dodge. Reality was Dodge did not want those test cars vins out there. I am pretty sure the guys picking them up would just be taking them right to a crusher. My guess is those where the real development and EPA test cars. They where going to be scrapped anyway. Dodge just let the kids play with them first. It really was a great marketing idea.

Once the car reaches the 20+ year old point you could get it titled as a home built Hot Rod.