Will only increase in value as you drive and maintain. Anything your mom would suggest will decrease in value and rot away. Moms are not your friend. Firebirds are Forever.
Here's an example. Its 1988. Im driving a 72 Pontiac Lemans Sport in primer and rust. Everyone hates it. Tells me get rid of it and my two other cars, (70Tempest and 71 Lemans) and to buy one "GOOD" car. At that time most suggested a newer Grand Am, early 90s. Flash forward. I still have the 72. Painted, restored, sweet AF. Those same dipshits now throw a big 👍as i drive down the hiway. I almost feel like throwing a big 🖕every time. I seen the potential then. And that new grand am would be nothing but a rusted heap of trash by now. Moral of the story.. Dont listen to others. Listen to yourself. Most people are idiots. Old Pontiacs never die. They live forever if you put life back in them. GM was stupid for killing the most exciting brand they ever had.
I had a white 1992 Formula. It had the weak throttle body injection 305 and an automatic. I got it used. It was flawless from end to end though. Despite the weak engine it was a very nice car. It had 3 inch cat back exhaust. Also had a fresh set of Goodyear Eagle GTA tires. It got totaled by a drunk driver. Wish I still had it.
I have a black 1987 Trans Am GTA 5.7L with T tops, the cool overhead console, and the digital instrument cluster. It handles very well even by modern standards, and the torque off the line feels great. I get a lot of compliments on the forward looking body style. Pontiac got it right on the 3rd gen.
Here is another cool fact. If you have the formula 87 threw 92 it has the same hood used on the 82-84 trans ams. Those trans ams had fully functional cowl induction hood. So if you have one of those formulas with the 5.0 lo3 engines you can get the air cleaner assembly and cowl air box of one of those Trans Ams if you can find it from the junk yard as long as your formula is tbi injection and put it on your 87 - 92 formula and have cowl air induction . All you have to do is take off the plate that is blocking the scoop opening on the formula. I think it's like four or five screws that hold it on. The 82-84 trans ams didn't have this block of plate. They had a screen that allowed the air to flow into the scoop opening.the screen is made in the same exact shape as the block of plate. So I anyone does this mod don't forget to get to get the screen off the donor trans am . Also the Trans am had a solenoid that connect to the airbox . The solenoid is activated when you put the pedal to the metal and opens the little flap in the air box.I just did away with the solenoid and wired the flap open so it's cowl induction all the time. This mod will net you around 25 extra horses. Cowl induction is cold air induction for carbureted and TBI cars. Make sure you get that screen you don't want a bird getting sucked in or some a hole putting something in your hood scoop. I forgot to mention the air cleaner assembly off the trans am's had a rubber type fitting on the air cleaner lid. You must have this to make it work it. When the hood is closed the air cowl air box seals to the air cleaner with this rubber type piece. Just get the entire air cleaner assembly off the TA.
I also had an '89 Formula 350, solid Red/grey interior no T-tops. I bought it from the original owner in '93 w/55k miles, I paid 7k. It came with a car cover, and looked like no one had ever sat in any seat, other than the drivers. I never took it to the track stock, but with edelbrock "shorty" headers, SLP cat-back, ACCEL lower intake, adj fuel pressure regulator, ADS stage 2 off-road chip, K&N in a home modified factory "can" filter housing, along with home ported and matched stock runners/plenum/T-body. It went 13:68@99.9/13:67@98.7/13:70@101.6. That was just the beginning, and then I sold it in 2002, so I echo your regret.
Ran low 14s with my stock 91 formula. The guys i ran and beat each pass asked what i did to it. Nothing. Put gas in it. Mint in the garage. Could be yours. New cold air intake and the retro bra waiting to install. Fresh rubber.
My best friend bought a baby blue 89 Formula 350 in the summer of 02 after we had graduated and kept it for a few years, before finally selling it just for the sake (he had three regular vehicles plus the formula.) he offered it to me for dirt cheap and it was still in really good condition, as well as still being bone stock, and I’ll never forgive myself for passing that up. I used to borrow it all the time when I’d be back in town visiting, and having grown up with 2nd and 3rd Gen Z28s and family cars, I found my favorite to be the late third gen formula 350s, by far. Plus- they looked bad ass. Still do. Every pos vehicle today, being bloated, heavy, and over engineered garbage- makes me long for the raw simplicity of that era more and more.
@@deadgoatsracing234 I got motor out of a 91 pulled heads an it factory flat top Pistons they say only 91 had them also has the biggest roller cam GM put in the corvettes it's a bad mf it's super fast got carburetor on it now nothing else done in 1972 Chevy swb truck it's plenty bad ass lol
One more thing lol, the reason TPI engines get a bad wrap has a lot to do with the fact that base timing was to be set at the dealer when new as a dealer preparation item and in many cases (more often than not) the timing was never adjusted. Many were found to be 0 to 2 degrees advanced when they should have been set to 6* I think it was. I can tell a difference in seat of pants on 2* and I’ve played with timing a lot 4*-6* is devastating to performance as well as economy and would be on the verge of not running right. A 3rd gen fbody 350 TPI tuned right feels just like a 4th gen fbody LT1 up to 5000 rpm. Rightfully so as the head flow is about the same from TPI to LT1 and the cam is similar the difference is is in the intake as far as the performance difference but the LT1 has better rods/pistons etc. My point was that the TPI should have been with or ahead of the 5.0 if the lazy bastards would have set the timing. I worked at a dealer for years and am anal like a mf about what I do to cars.... trust me they would been set on my watch and I’d been after the other mechanics to make sure they were doing it also. THIS ISSUE PISSES ME OFF TO NO END !!! Lazy ignorant bastards cost us (GM MEN) the damn belt all through the 80s.
Me there was a single wire on the passenger side that you unplugged to stop the computer from changing it. Then just set as normal. Shut it off plug the wire back in and yer all set. Easy.
@@sergiocantu1000 i have a 1992 GTA , 5.7 , since new - now has 51k miles - -the stock timing is 6 degrees before tdc - - i have many bolt on modifications & custom burned chip & have timing advanced to 12 degrees before tdc - - engine really came alive w/ the addl advanced timing - - no detonation - - runs 13.9 at 96 mph
My dad had a brand new 1982 Trans am in red. Some of the best times with my dad was in that car. I bought a 1984 transom in 1998 in grey. Kept it until 2012. Great car. Reliable no, but great fun car. Thank you for the review. Brings back nice memories.
I own an 89 Formula 45k miles, I'm the second owner. Great car T tops, WS6 suspension. Only drawback is it's got the 170 HP L03 5.0. Its snappy, sounds great and is fun to drive, like a cat in the twisties. Just needs a bit more sack, I'm planning on installing 3.73 rear end gears and mabey a cam and lifter package. After that it will be respectable. I already have all of the OEM parts, installing the 82 to 84 cowl induction package on it this weekend. That will at least force some fresh cold air directly down the TBI unit should get some hp's out of that.
There are more old muscle car and Pontiac videos by the original creator where this video was stolen from. It's OldCarMemories. You might like the channel - ru-vid.com/show-UCIn659QBdUTrZ8iLCmzjODQ
1:55 I have that exact car gold 71 formula 400. 55k miles. Did go 14.6@96 stock and goes 13.50@104 with stock #48 heads,068 cam, headers and tune with 3.42 gears. I hunt old vettes of the same era.
Had a 91 GTA, bought through an auction with only 1200 miles. Was originally titled to GM. Apparently a Pontiac executives car. Equipped with the LB9 230 Hp 305 with the 5 speed. Car would outrun every 5.7 it came across. At the 1/4 mile it ran consistent 13.7 - 13.9 @ 99 mph. One of the most fun cars I ever owned in my collection.
Great video with lots of information however a minor correction there was NO interior revision in 1991 the revision happened in 1990..and I have owned a beautiful Red/Gray 1991 Formula 350 loved that car
I bought my brand new red Firebird Coupe in July 1989. The first couple of years were fantastic. Shortly paying it off in 1994, it began to fall apart. I loved that car, so I kept it and tried to keep her running for the next several years. In many ways, I believed I paid for that car twice in maintenance costs, overhauls and endless replacements of vital parts. By 2013, she was on her last legs. On New Years eve day 2013, I traded her in for a used replacement car. I almost got 25 years out of my Firebird. It was a love/hate relationship from the start to the end.
I remember my cousin bought a new 91 firebird formula in 91..had ws6 suspension, he paid around 10k$ for it, its funny because in 91 when i heard he paid 10k$ i was absolutely shocked he paid that much money lmao! Long way we've come to, where that car today would be almost 40k$ ive done long road trips in back that firebird, an it was cramped to say least lol! And the tires were basically same as corvette tires, we were in Philadelphia and had to replace the tires, the tires were almost 120$ each, which in those days was crazy expensive!!
The only reason these cars didn't live up to their full potential was because the management at GM didn't want another car in the fleet to out perform the Corvette. Even with that severe handicap set by GM they still out performed the ferd crustang. I miss my bird.
I looked at a fire hawk at a dealer . And loved it then I looked at the price I said they are crazy !!! And they wanted a extra charge above sticker for availability . I drove by the dealer for A couple of months that car was sitting out there in the lot if it were so special you think they would put it in the show room or maybe it was in the show room for a long time.
My dad a the 235 horsepower 5.0 TPI Formula. It was a jet black 92 model (identical to the Formula 350 in this video) and it was a factory WS-6 5 speed car. He did a few bolt ons and a Flowmaster exhaust but left the appearance bone stock. It probably only made 250-275 horsepower but I remember it being STUPID fast
I bought a brand new '87 Formula 350. My dad had an '87 GTA 350. I could pull him pretty easily from any stoplight. I also got about 2 mpg better. A drunk driver rear ended me in December of '89 and got out of his car and ran off. He was diving a '77 Camaro and that huge front bumper absolutely destroyed my beloved bird. In '93 my dad bought a new Corvette and I bought his GTA. It only had 42k miles and was super clean. I kept it in the garage except for dates and cruising on Saturday night. I was a single working guy with my own house and needed a truck so I traded it off. I would love to have either of those back. As a side note, my dad had ordered the GTA the first week the factory would accept the order. It was built with these odd "Paddle Mirrors" that were initially supposed to be special to the GTA. After the first month or so of production Pontiac was having problems getting them from their supplier so they went to the regular style used on Trans Ams, Formulas and regular Firebirds and never went back. I have only seen one other that had them over the years but it's a way to spot an early production GTA in '87 only.
Good video except the disc brakes shortage was end on 90, not 91. In late 90 GM idled plants for an extended holiday season due to low sales... I bought a formula 5.7L new in December of 1990...had rear aluminum drums and took this car because I had a 230 horse 5.0 five speed on order for 3 months...kept getting pushed back
I doubt that because most guys willing to spend cash have chevy for brains and Pontiac will never get the glory it deserves. Thats why us Pontiac guys have multiple cars.
@@deadgoatsracing234 Yeah a 1982 trans am base model was $9,680... $10k in 82 is $27,719.45 in 2021... $1 to $2.77...They would have to have a 1982 model that was 40k to go over 90k
I always wanted a formula 350 and also the Z28 that had the wing on back. Went to school with a guy that had a red Z with wing. It was a 350. He never ran me but my 68 Impala 327 was eating 5.0, TPI FBODY and TPI CORVETTES and on it goes but I would have traded my Impala for a GTA... my buddy’s dad wouldn’t let him though.
Looking at a 87 Formula...what should I look for as far as model specific issues? Has only 80k and 3 Grand. Looks good Some of my favorite cars were 1987
As much as i like my 70-73 Camaro F Body ive owned .. i bought my 1 owner FlyerBird .,,soon to be ,, a 92. , 1990 Corvette Red,, FireHawk Clone .from a friend. . All Original 75,000 original miles a couple years ago .. This is not my favorite car but will make a great gift to my good friend in California for how he has helped me these last couple years . . .. Pray his wife will let me hand him the keys . : ) ..
I had one of those ultra rare, end-of-92 black Formula 5.7 TPI's WITH t-tops from the factory, it was only like one of 57 and because I'm an idiot, I sold it.
Mine was an 83' with 500HP 383 stroker back in 1996. As seen in 2 of my vids, one shredding tires in the country with my friends 70 Challenger and another bracket racing at the track with my other friends 69 Charger RT/SE. Why no mention of the Turbo V-6? Man those Rustang's are DORKY looking compared to a FireBird! I also had a 72 Formula with the dual snorkels and a 77 6.6L Trans Am for a short bit
hanks of the 3rd gen recap. One small incorrect detail the in the video. Of the 25 Firehawks, 4 were not red. One each was made in teal, jade green, white and dark green. A black car was ordered but not built. Just a tiny bit more info.
I have a 89 Formula Convertable/red 350/5 spd. as far as I have found out they only made 33 convertables and only 3 with a 5 spd. It came from Ca. I think I'd like to sell it.. New original color paint, tires and rims excellent condition..
I had an 82 305 automatic. Primer grey with no interior. Just seats and 4th gear didn't work. Still got around and beat the civics in my high school 🤣 I'd like to find a 5 speed formula
Did the Firehawk and come with the the LT1 V8 from the Corvette cuz it's mated with the 6-speed I'm just curious and I think that's when they started putting the six-speed in the Corvette and in the Z28 and in the Trans Ams and Firebirds
Been like I mentioned in my previous comments it was cheap power it was like you're more or less unlocking with the EPA had locked with underdrive pulleys increased throttle body size Edelbrock catalytic converter Flowmaster mufflers the Paxton centrifugal supercharger a performance chip and a shift kit and an ignition system I had accell ignition but when I pieced it all that together it was quite a contender really for a heavy car with an automatic then I made the mistake of swapping out the heads cuz I had a 5 L version to 5.7 L heads and for all the work it gave me seven horsepower so I was really disappointed in that because that's an awful lot of work for seven horsepower but nevertheless it was fun to drive and I wish I had it today it was beautiful I love that car it was like my third car but that car would I would call a contender then I think I had just over 400 horsepower which is what you can get in the Honda Civic these days but whatever it was fun now I'm going to do a Mustang LX with the trunk the cheap one that looks like the taxi cab of muscle is the that's the one I want it's there's just something sexy about looking down the body lines of the side of the car and then seeing a foot and a half to two feet of stainless steel exhaust resting comfortably underneath your rear tail sections it I like it and too many people have done the hatchback or the fast back whatever they want to call it in the GT is basically another heavy Trans Am type car but we'll see. Mean a couple other buddies actually had Firebird type cars my friend had a Pro-Am which is a really rare car but he built the shit out of it and it was basically not really legal anymore I did wheelies so he had more money than I did and then another guy had the formula 305 this was actually badged
The 91 and 2 firehawks had 2 cars that were not red, one was white with all available options and the other was metallic green. There was also a special firehawk that was a Trans Am model. FYI
@@paulcorreggio4925 knew a guy who had firehawk #002. It had the hand made dual intake air cleaner assembly in metal. Manual brake pressure regulator by the master cylinder, roll cage with Recaro bucket seats, battery was relocated to the trunk, and rear deleted seats. It was a stunning car to look at for sure
Bought a used '84 TA with the 5.0 "High Output" 190 HP in 1986. Replaced it with a new '90 TA (NOT a heavier GTA) with the L98 235 HP/340 Lb-Ft TPI and all the performance options. One of 57 made in that low-production year. Still have it to this day. Fox body mustang was never a consideration as they were ugly and engine torque was a joke. Cheap taxi looking things as correctly stated in the video with four-lug wheels and rear drum brakes.
LO3 was NOT available in a Trans Am built for the US. It is my understanding that LO3s made in into some Trans Ams built for the euro market only. In the Americas, LO3 was the optional engine in base model Firebirds and the base engine in the Formula Firebirds.
I have to check my vin but I’m pretty sure I have a normal firebird not formula with every option including the ws6 disc brakes with the factory 350 only thing it dosnt have is manual trans and t tops
Does anyone know if there is such a thing as a 1992 v6 trans am? I might know someone but i wonder if it is a thing or if it was just stickerd on. It has golden firebird stickers al over, including one on the hood, trans am on the skirts and what appeares the golden set of snowflake wheels from a 1977 bandid. Let met know!
No, that would be a Firebird with the W68 Sport Appearance Package. Mostly the same exterior panels as the Trans Am. Different hood and rear sppoiler. The decals must have been added
@@maclogan5594 thanks for the respond first of all! I recently managed to retrace the factory options of the car and for what i could see the apperance + wheels were stock however I believe that someone wanted to fool people in thinking there more than there is, so they added the trans am stickers. The firebird stickers as well i believe and recently i put a new sticker on the hood!
I have an 84 transampty.Tops fully loaded original owner.Forty two thousand eight hundred and three miles this little t l c I have a nineteen ninety seventh forma all rebuilt monster car
How could the price difference between a Formula and a Trans Am be justified with equal engines and suspension packages?? It's the same car with a different hood and body kit...
I know for the 4th generation LS1 cars, the TA came fully loaded; T-tops, Monsoon stereo, leather, six way electronically adjustable drivers seat, steering wheel stereo controls; the nose is different and it has ground effects and high level spoiler. Possibly a different rear bumper from the Formula, but I will have to check that out. Firebird doesn't appear anywhere on the car, just Trans Am on the sides and rear, Pontiac on the driver's side headlamp cover.
Yeah, I recognized his voice immediately. I'm sure this wasn't done maliciously or sneakily though as the owner of this channel has a red Formula of his own. Looks like all of his other content is original.
Yeah, these price quotes are not even in the real world for these cars sold for. These are base model factory estimates, devoid of taxes, destination charges, options, etc. Purchased an '86 IROC new for 23k and change, the Pontiacs were in the same price range. Nobody was buying any Firebird Formula or Trans Am for less than 20k in the mid 80's.
