New DIY 1982-1992 Chevrolet Camaro Update Is Better Than The Original For $18,995
The Chevrolet Camaro is dead and buried … for now.
The model went out of production in 2023 and the name isn’t currently slated to return on a new car for the foreseeable future.
It’s a bit of a bummer, because the last two Camaro generations drew their styling inspiration from the first and, just as 1980s and 1990s styling trends are making a comeback, we definitely won’t be getting a third-gen style Camaro from the factory.
That’s not to say you can’t get an old one and freshen it up. Something that just got a little easier to do.
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Custom car specialist Roadster Shop has released a new bolt-in chassis for the 1982-1992 Camaro that retains the original unibody, but adds stiffness and a redesigned suspension system for improved handling. It also has them for the first two generation Camaros.
The new one replaces the third-gen’s McPherson front strut setup with tubular control arms and coilover shocks, while the rear Panhard bar design has been swapped for a Watts link.
The frame has accommodations for various exhaust systems and the factory ride height is retained and new 16 gallon fuel tank is incorporated into the build. It’s also compatible with the 1982-1992 Pontiac Firebird, which share the Camaro’s chassis.
The price for the kit without engine mounts is $18,995, but the company offers optional mounts for GM small block, LS and LT motors that range from $99 to $499. If you want to geek out on the details, Roadster Shop has posted an in-depth video to YouTube.
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What the roadster shop has done is kind of the opposite of what Chevrolet has been up to with the Camaro. The car is no longer in production, but the body has lived on in NASCAR where it is still raced in the Cup Series and Xfinity Series. That’s apparently going to change next year as Chevrolet has been approved for a redesigned body in 2026 that will use the current Next Gen chassis.
It hasn’t released any images yet or said what model it will be based on, leaving the door open for just about anything, including the Corvette.
If not, Roadster Shop makes chassis for the first three generation Corvettes, too.