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The convertible resurfaced again,
this time in gorgeous 4th-gen form. The new convertible F-body had a much
stiffer chassis than previous convertible Camaro's, meaning that, other than the
additional curb weight, the performance did not differ much from the hardtop.
The convertible was available in base form and Z28. Other than the new drop-top,
the Camaro was visually unchanged from '93.
For performance-minded enthusiasts, the only major change came with addition of
Sequential-Port fuel injection to the LT1. This boosted the ponies, although the
rating stayed the same (again, very underrated, it actually made around 300),
and improved fuel economy tenfold over the previous Multi-port Injection. It was
also changed from Speed Density to Mass Air Flow (MAF) Control, and the fuel
injectors were upgraded from 22 lbs to 24 lbs.. This slight jump in horsepower
along with the 6-speed standard could propel the Z28 to consistent mid 13s in
the 1/4 now...
The T56 6-speed transmission in the Z28 was upgraded with new gear ratios and
also introduced CAGS, the skip-shift feature. The EPA made it necessary on all 6
speeds to meet emissions standards. It locks out all other gears except 1-4 to
maximize fuel efficiency. In addition, the updated 4L60-E overdrive automatic
was bolted into the F-body, the successor to the 700R-4. The only rear-end ratio
available with the 6-speed was now the 3.42.
Over on the blue side, Ford had just unveiled their new-for-94 Mustang. With its
5.0 liter V-8 barely making 215 horsepower, it was no match for its "direct
competition" from Chevrolet and Pontiac. The F-body had gained the MAJOR
upper hand in performance, and would never look back.
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