Hemmings IROC-Z Rehab 1987 Camaro IROC-Z Parts Combos Now Available

When the gearheads at Hemmings went looking for a project car to build as part of their Rehab series, they wanted something that was relatively affordable, available, and not so high-tech that the average Joe couldn’t work on it. So they took a trip back to the 1980s and decided on a 1987 Camaro IROC-Z.

Hemmings located the IROC-Z near their home base in Bennington, Vermont. The car had 100,00 miles on the clock but it was clean with minimal rust, decent paint, and a leather interior that was not completely knackered. The car also had the best powertrain GM offered in the Camaro that year—a 5.7L Tuned Port Injection (TPI) engine, a 700R-4 automatic transmission, and a 7.75-inch axle with Posi and 3.27:1 gears. And, it had the obligatory T-top option—perfect for getting the wind in your mullet.

Once back at Hemmings headquarters, parts were ordered, wrenches were spun, and the IROC-Z received a new drivetrain, modern suspension upgrades, new brakes, and some sorely needed cosmetic care during a two-week thrash-a-thon. You can see the entire build on the Hemmings website and YouTube channel.

Engine and Exhaust
The original plan was to tinker with the Camaro’s 5.7L TPI engine in the search for more power. Two things scotched that idea—the lack of aftermarket parts for TPI engines and the discovery of a nasty rod knock during a shakedown cruise. We’ll say this about that motor; even after about 100 miles of driving and a burnout session in the Hemmings’ parking lot, it kept its internals inside the block and kept on ticking.

Hemmings decided to go the crate engine route. Our combo includes a BluePrint Engines Cruiser 350 crate motor. Rated at 341 horsepower and 371 lbs.-ft. of torque, the engine is based on a brand new BluePrint iron block, aluminum cylinder heads, a hydraulic roller camshaft rated at .477/.471 inches of lift, and a Holley Sniper throttle body EFI system.

The Cruiser also comes with a distributor; spark plugs and wires; all of the tin; and a complete serpentine belt accessory drive with water pump, alternator, power steering pump, and AC compressor. Our combo also includes a Summit Racing™ Performance Fit Aluminum Radiator to keep the engine nice and cool.

The IROC-Z came with a set of headers and an aftermarket exhaust system that had seen better days. Hemmings replaced the entire thing starting with a set of Summit Racing™ Metallic-Ceramic Coated Headers. Made from 18-gauge steel tubing, the shorty-style headers have 1 5/8-inch primary tubes and a silver ceramic thermal barrier coating to retain exhaust heat and improve header life. The headers dump into a Doug’s Headers stainless steel Y-pipe connected to a Hooker Super Competition cat-back exhaust system. The Hooker system has 3-inch diameter mandrel-bent pipes, a high-flow muffler, and dual outlets with polished tips.

Hemmings finished off the exhaust system with a high-flow Walker Super Conveter catalytic converter that is a direct replacement for the factory converter.

Transmission
The Hemmings crew wanted to row their own gears, so they replaced the Camaro’s automatic transmission with a Tremec TKX five-speed manual transmission. The TKX has a smaller diameter case to fit in older cars where a bulkier TKO five-speed won’t go without some floorpan modifications (aka smashing the tunnel with a hammer). Hemmings used a Centerforce DYAD dual-disc clutch kit with organic/carbon fiber discs and a billet steel flywheel for high holding capacity and smooth engagement with light pedal effort.

Other transmission upgrades include an American Powertrain bellhousing, a Hydramax hydraulic clutch/throwout bearing kit, and a White Lightning shifter with a bias adjustment screw that lets you improve the second-to-third gear shift and overall shift feel.

Hemmings also replaced the factory transmission crossmember. Our combo includes a UMI Performance torque arm relocation kit, a fancy name for a crossmember with a mount for the factory or aftermarket torque arm that is normally bolted to the transmission tailshaft. Moving the mount means the transmission tailshaft won’t have to absorb the shock of hard cornering or launches at the drag strip.

Suspension
GM blessed the IROC-Z with decent suspension including stiffer springs; special front struts; a front framerail stiffener; Delco-Bilstein gas rear shocks; and a larger rear stabilizer bar. Hemmings took up where the factory left off with BMR Performance suspension components:

• Tubular lower front control arms with heavy-duty ball joints and polyurethane bushings to minimize deflection that can throw off front wheel alignment
• Tubular lower rear control arms with greaseable polyurethane bushings to reduce wheel hop and improve cornering
• Lowering spring kit that drops the Camaro 1.25 inches and a linear spring rate to keep the body flat and level in the corners while maintaining a comfortable ride
• An adjustable tubular Panhard rod to control side-to-side movement and improve handling over the stock stamped part
• An adjustable Xtreme torque arm to eliminate torque arm deflection, transfer power more efficiently to the tires, and allow fine-tuning of pinion angle

Other suspension improvements include a QA1 sway bar set and Koni Sport adjustable struts and shocks. The QA1 set includes a 1.375-inch diameter hollow sway bar and a 1-inch diameter hollow bar to better reduce body roll compared to the factory bars. The Koni Sport front struts and rear shocks are gas-charged for better damping and have a knob to fine-tune rebound for street or track use.

Rounding out the combo is a set of 245/50-16 BFGoodrich g-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus tires. The W-speed rated tires have squared-off shoulders and wraparound tread elements for excellent dry handling; sidewall inserts to improve sidewall stiffness and steering response; and an aggressive V-shaped directional pattern with angled grooves that efficiently evacuate water for better traction in wet conditions.

Brakes
The IROC’s four-wheel disc brakes had seen better days. Hemmings updated the front brakes with PowerStop Evolution rotors and Z23 pads. The rotors are cross-drilled for maximum cooling and slotted to remove gas, debris, and moisture to maintain a clean pad contact patch. The Z23 pads have a low-dust ceramic/carbon fiber compound for increased braking power without sacrificing everyday drivability. Hemmings also replaced the Camaro’s factory calipers with Cardone remanufactured calipers and swapped out the old wheel bearings for new Timken and National bearings.

Hemmings also refreshed the rear disc brakes. Our combo includes an EBC Stage 12 pad and rotor kit and Centric caliper rebuild kits. The EBC kit includes stock replacement RK solid rotors with EBC’s Geomet coating for corrosion resistance plus Redstuff brake pads with an aramid fiber/ceramic granule-reinforced compound for excellent stopping power.

Other components include Russell Street Legal brake line kit with braided stainless steel line and Dorman stock replacement parking brake cables.

Completer Parts
With 100,000 miles on the clock, the IROC-Z needed some cosmetic refreshing. Our combo includes the following:
• OER reproduction leather-wrapped steering wheel and horn cap
• OER reproduction shifter knob
• Clayton Machine Works truss-style shifter arm
• ACDelco stock replacement rearview mirror
• OER reproduction hood louvers
• Summit Racing™ Rear Window Louvers
• Body Parts stock replacement parking light assemblies

CHECK OUT THE HEMMINGS IROC REHAB PARTS LIST