Why This Car Is Special

The 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Indy 500 Pace Car Edition sits at one of the more interesting crossroads in American automotive history. This was the first full model year for the third-generation Camaro, a car that Chevrolet had been developing under enormous pressure to modernize the platform after a decade on the second-gen body. The result was a car that Motor Trend named Car of the Year for 1982 — a significant achievement for a pony car at a time when the segment was struggling under tightening emissions regulations and fuel economy mandates.

What makes this particular 1982 Camaro Z28 even more significant is the Indy 500 Pace Car designation. Chevrolet was selected to pace the 66th running of the Indianapolis 500, held on May 30, 1982, and the Z28 was the car chosen for the job. To commemorate that honor, Chevrolet produced a limited number of Pace Car replica editions for public sale. These cars were built with a specific two-tone silver and blue exterior color scheme, matching Pace Car decals, and an Indianapolis Speedway license plate — all of which are present and accounted for on this example. The interior carried the Indianapolis 500 badge on the dash, and the headrests were embroidered with the Z28 logo in the factory's distinctive multi-color thread pattern.

Under the hood, this car carries the engine that defined the Z28 in 1982 and generated a good deal of discussion at the time: the Cross-Fire Injection 5.0-liter V8. This was Chevrolet's first serious attempt at throttle-body fuel injection on a performance V8, using two throttle body injectors mounted in a cross-ram configuration on a tuned intake manifold. The system was technically ambitious for its era, and it was exclusive to the Z28 and the Corvette that year. It is a historically significant engine, and this car wears its Cross-Fire Injection badging on both the exterior and under the hood as it left the factory.

Pace Car editions from 1982 are increasingly difficult to find with their original decals intact, their Indy license plate still on the car, and the correct silver-over-blue two-tone paint scheme all accounted for. This one has it all.

Features List

- Cross-Fire Injection 5.0L V8 engine - Automatic transmission - Indy 500 Pace Car Edition - Cross-Fire Injection badging (exterior and engine) - Z28 badging - Dual exhaust - T-Tops - Factory hood scoop - Pace Car decals - Indianapolis Speedway license plate - Power windows - Power locks - Power steering - Power brakes - Center console - Tachometer - Sport wheels - Air conditioning

Mechanical

The 1982 Camaro Z28 Pace Car is powered by the LU5 Cross-Fire Injection 5.0-liter V8, a 305 cubic inch engine rated at 165 horsepower from the factory. That number looks modest by modern standards, but in the context of 1982 — when carbureted V8s in performance cars were being choked down to meet emissions targets — the Cross-Fire Injection system represented a genuine engineering step forward. Rather than a single four-barrel carburetor, the system used two throttle body injectors mounted at opposing ends of the intake manifold in a cross-ram layout, with each injector feeding the opposite bank of cylinders. The result was more consistent fuel delivery than a carburetor could provide, which improved both throttle response and emissions compliance simultaneously.

The engine is backed by an automatic transmission and sends power to the rear wheels through a dual exhaust system that exits cleanly at the tail. The undercarriage photos show a floor that has been coated and is structurally solid, which is exactly what you want to see on a Florida car of this age. The suspension on the third-generation Z28 used front MacPherson struts and a rear torque arm setup — a significant departure from the second-gen's more traditional front subframe design — and it gave the car noticeably sharper handling characteristics than its predecessor.

The factory hood scoop is present and in correct form. Power brakes and power steering are both equipped, making this an easy car to drive regularly without fatigue.

Interior

The 1982 Camaro Z28 Pace Car interior is finished in a silver and blue combination that mirrors the exterior two-tone scheme and was specific to the Pace Car edition. The bucket seats use a two-tone vinyl and cloth construction, with the factory Z28 embroidery on each headrest. The embroidery is visible and legible — a detail that is often missing on 40-year-old examples due to wear or replacement seats. Both front and rear seats show the correct Pace Car-spec upholstery pattern.

The dashboard carries the Indianapolis 500 badge that reads "The Sixty-Sixth, May 30, 1982" — a correct and present detail that confirms this car's Pace Car identity beyond the exterior graphics. The gauge cluster is the correct Z28 unit with a tachometer, and the instrument panel layout reflects the third-generation Camaro's cockpit-oriented design philosophy that was a significant improvement over the outgoing body style in terms of driver ergonomics.

The center console houses the automatic shifter and provides separation between the two buckets. Power windows and power locks are operated from the door panels, which show the correct silver vinyl upper panels with blue carpet inserts. The extended range sound system (ERS) head unit is visible in the center stack above the climate controls. Air conditioning is present and the controls are intact on the center stack. The T-tops are fitted and the roof rails appear undamaged.

Exterior

The two-tone silver over blue paint scheme on this 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Indy 500 Pace Car was not a standard production color combination — it was designed specifically for and in conjunction with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway selection. The silver upper body transitions to a medium blue lower body with red and darker blue accent striping running the length of the car at the body crease. This is the correct factory Pace Car graphics package.

The Pace Car decals are present on both doors, displaying the Indianapolis 500 logo and the 1982 race date. These decals are notoriously difficult to find in good condition at this point, as many owners removed them in the years after purchase. Their presence here is a significant plus for collectors and concours-minded buyers. The Indianapolis Speedway license plate is mounted at the front of the car.

The Z28 badging appears on the rear fascia, and the Cross-Fire Injection designation appears in script on the rear quarter panel, just above the rocker stripe. The factory hood scoop is in place. The sport wheels are the correct five-spoke aluminum units for the Z28 and are wearing tires in the correct size range for the application. The body panels appear straight and consistent, with no obvious signs of major collision repair visible in the photos.

Conclusion

The 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Indy 500 Pace Car Edition is a car that checks several important collector boxes at once: it is a first-year third-generation Camaro, a Z28, a Pace Car replica with its original decals and license plate intact, and it carries the Cross-Fire Injection engine that is specific to this model year and historically significant in its own right. These cars were driven hard and modified frequently in their day, which makes finding one that retains its Pace Car graphics, correct interior, and matching drivetrain combination increasingly uncommon. This example presents well on all of those fronts.

If you have questions about this 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Indy 500 Pace Car or would like to arrange an in-person inspection, give us a call at Skyway Classics in Sarasota, Florida: 941-254-6608. We are happy to walk you through the car in detail.

Disclaimer Information found on the website is presented as given to us by the owner of the car, whether on consignment or from the owner we bought it from. Some Photos, materials for videos, descriptions and other information are provided by the consignor/seller and is deemed reliable, but Skyway Classics does not warranty or guarantee this information. Skyway Classics is not responsible for information that may incorrect or a publishing error. The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the vehicle or by a professional inspection service prior to offer or purchase being made.