scottmoyer

With the issues we're experiencing with the 2014 Mustang GT and the ridiculously poor Ford service departments, I may sell that and free up some cash to get one like it. The GT is my sons car, so it all depends on what he decides at this point.

http://themustangsource.com/forums/f...e-tick-537854/

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Sounds normal for ford dealers. I'd make them buy it back for "new cost".

Saxondale

iTrader: (2)

When I read they idled it "all day" I felt a shot of adrenaline. And it's not even my car!

PurelyPMD

iTrader: (3)

When a Hendrick dealership has a car listed, you know it's made it on to the radar!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pontiac-Firebird-2dr-Coupe-Formula-Hatchback-/231664507333?forcerrptr=true&hash=item35f047d9c5&item=231664507333

okfoz

WIthout going into crazy details, here is what I found with that car in 5 seconds.
+) The spoiler appears to be original
+) The overall presentation of the car looks pretty good, it is clean, and looks well maintained.
+)I like the looks of the Black wheels on the car, it looks good. I have considered doing that to my 89 Formula 350 Convertible.
-) The center caps are silver (paint them black for crying out loud)
-) The car appears to have been repainted, the Formula 350 decal is too low on the door
-) 89 did not come with the black cross lace wheels, but it does look good.
-) What is up with the 5.7 Liter decal on the rear bumper
-) Wrong seats, has 4th Gen Camaro seats
-) Factory CD player is not original.
-) Shifter **** is wrong
-) Missing Cold Air intake ducts, braided hoses...
-) Arm Rest is the 82-89 style. And Black, should be Gray.
-) Ad states 5 speed manual, when you consider that it has an Automatic shifter. I suppose you could state that you can shift it into 5 different gears, manually. (Reverse, 1, 2, D & OD)

Bob88GTA

iTrader: (2)

I read your thread on the mustangsource.com. We own 2 Fords, a 96 Bronco that we bought new and Ruby Red 2014 Edge Limited. Had a few issues with the Bronco when new, but that's it. Wife had a 2010 Escape Limited that Ford could not fix MANY times. Had to do with the throttle body/TPS recall. They never could duplicate that issue either. We got tired of the run-a-round and traded it at 20k miles and bought the Edge. No problems to date.

Since Ford can't seem to fix your "tick" and says that it's cylinder 8/bolt/exhaust/heat expansion and NOT the stretchy belt, just go out back and get a brick, start the car, and put the brick on the gas pedal, and walk away. That "tick" will be gone in a matter of a minute or so. Then call Ford to come and get.

I feel for you. Now....

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Bummer E-bay is blocked at work

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

That's a good looking car!

I was wondering about the 5.7L/5-speed thing...

thtanner

iTrader: (1)

That's an automatic, so I guess it's mis-listed.

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

Yeah...I was admiring the incredibly straight lines in the molded vinyl on the sides of the console though.

thtanner

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, that had me a bit jealous; I won't lie.

PurelyPMD

iTrader: (3)

John I agree with all of that and there were a few more items I could nit pick about - but I'll chalk it up to poor listing practices of new car dealerships.

That being said, 5 years ago, no new car dealerships were listing these cars....but now they are & for good money.

okfoz

This summer has seen the biggest jump in 3rd gen values I have ever seen, it is a good sign (if you own one). You can still get the deal, but they are becoming scarce. Anything below 75K miles & a TPI right now is getting up there...

I have my wife's 87 Formula LB9/MM5 (previous owner installed a 350) and I was going to sell it, I might just hang onto it for a while longer to see what prices do.

It really started about 3 or so years ago when a 1LE sold at auction for $30K Bruce Hawkins bought the yellow 1LE body 00001 and VIN 00001 from GM a few years ago for $32,000 at auction...

The 82-84's really have not caught on as of yet, it seems to be the later cars that are drawing the most attention from what I have seen. The 350 cars have been pacing everything...

John

okfoz

Made this chart a few years ago, so it is a bit out of date, but it has been holding reasonably true.

There are some things that I think are a bit out of skew, but it is a reasonable representation.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Looks like a Grand Am, grand Prix or ? shifter..

okfoz

I have fixed a few of these, and it is not hard to get the lines nice and straight. If you want to know how, let me know, and I will make out instructions, I have to do my convertible still, so I could do pictures.

Superglue, a razorblade/X-Acto knife and some HD spring type paper clips. about 3 hours or so from start to finish, let set overnight and reinstall... IT has been 18 years since I fixed mine and it has held up great.

John

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

I used a 3M adhesive instead of superglue

Bob88GTA

iTrader: (2)

I did my TTA with Gorilla Glue and clamps/straight edge.

see thread... start on post 14 with pics. "Bonded like a newborn to a nipple" as mack1985transam has said!

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/inte...le-repair.html

bjpotter

Here is a nice 88 Formula 5.7 Auto for 12k in Belle Plaine MN

RWerksman

The inflation seems to be a bit off, but I'd say the topish of the range is most definitely holding true curve wise.

12 years here. 2nd post. Go figure...

FormulaL98

I bought my Formula 350 in 2006 with 51K miles and all original paperwork for $4K. Seeing this thread has got me motivated to get it out of storage where it has been since 2008 with 60K miles on it. Has a few period SLP parts and ran 13.7's a few years back.

12welvemonkeys

I love my 88 Formula. I owned since 88 and she has 28,000 miles on it as of today. I too love the look of the Formulas over the other models : )

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Very, very nice!!

okfoz

You didn't Happen to bring that to the Trans Am Nationals Last year? (2014)

John

12welvemonkeys

It's been at the Nationals for the past several years John.... but not this last year. But I sat under the tree with you this last year for few days behind a red 93 Firehawk ; )

12welvemonkeys

I still have all of my dealer paperwork, keys, Pontiac badged Code alarm key fobs etc.....

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Has the SLP stuff on it right? I took some pix of it a few yrs ago, or am I thinking of another one??

okfoz

I thought that was your car in the pictures.... Had to make sure.

John

12welvemonkeys

Yes, the car is stock on the outside but the motor has many 92 Firehawk parts that were installed back in 92 though 94.

12welvemonkeys

Here you go John... this was from 4 years ago or so.

ev305tpi

iTrader: (3)

Whoa! An '88 yellow Formula 350, rare and beautiful! I have not seen another in many years. If you want to sell it down the road, keep me in mind!

Linson

it is nice paint on this one.

i'm just going to come right out and say it...Cross Lace wheels do not look great on a Formula. IMO they F up the attitude of the car and are not an improvement. the stock wheel looks better.

Linson

nice car!
i clicked on the one pic and thought - that seems like WA state. i live out on the Olympic Peninsula.

what year is that? '89?

okfoz

Those particular wheels I would agree with you. However if they just put the correct center caps on it in Black it would make it look tons better.

IMissMy86TA

Agreed

if any fomys want formula wheels powdercoated in gloss black I have them... just saying

dmccain

iTrader: (2)

Really.. The junkyards are full of Formula wheels they are worth more in scrap. Crosslace wheels are the nicest set of rims put on any 3rd gen from the factory. F up the attitude? WTF.. I do agree this car needs the correct centercaps but these rims definitely look better. Only way id keep stock Formula wheels is if I had a pristine very low mileage Formula I put in shows. Then after the show id remove the hideus things.

okfoz

To me this looks good, really good, the charcoal wheels with the charcoal lower stripe just completes the look.

Sorry for the fuzzy pic

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Yup, SLPs 50 HP E-legal kit. I have a few cars with that kit on them and one the goes waaaaay beyond.
I talked to you for a few mins (in 14 at the nats) but you were busy cleaning the car and I didn't want to bother you to much.
The car looks outstanding.

One a sad side note, I saw a yellow 87-88 formula 350 like yours in the JY many yrs ago and it was a nice solid rust free car but was on top of about 3-4 cars and it had slid off the pile nose 1st. I climbed in and saved the speedo cluster out of it.. wish i would have grabbed a pic of it.


The crosslace wheel is the lightest 16x8 wheel GM made for these cars by a decent amount, run 4 fronts and you have a winner for sure.
I tend to like them on the 91-2s the best but when the lower stripe comes in like on the car John posted, it looks great too!

okfoz

I think I put first dibs on it a few years back...

dmccain

iTrader: (2)

Yes sir! Indeed.

Linson

i agree that this does look nice. especially the way the wheels match the black paint on the bottom of the car.

i also agree that Cross Lace Wheels are a 'nicer' wheel than a Formula wheel.

but by the same token, an old Mercedes Benz is a 'nicer' car than a '70 Chevelle - but it's not the one i'd choose.

off the car, the GTA/Cross Lace wheel is objectively 'nicer looking' than a Formula wheel. However, on the car, the Formula wheel is more aggressive looking and is a perfect fit for a Formula and the Formula attitude.

in the end, Cross Lace wheels on a Formula seem like Mercedes wheels on a Chevelle (that might be an extreme example, but i'm just trying to illustrate a point).

i wouldn't put Formula Wheels on a Trans Am either, to be honest.

bjpotter

What a person changes on his car doesn't bother me. I do like the black wheel look on This car. Yellow and Black always look good together. Many other Formula's and base Firebirds of different primary colors, not so much. If a car is being sold with those changes, it would be a reason I would move on to another car unless the originals came with it.

Now on GTA's TA's they look good. It identifies the car from a quick look and seems a better fit when you add the other body changes and ground effects they have.

IMissMy86TA

I do think if the formulas were colored properly like the turbos on the TAs were I think they would have looked much better on a TA/GTA..
These did work well with the body... just the formulas in silver (or straight black may not)

zimmstoy

iTrader: (3)

very nice well kept example showed up on ebay this morning.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171921528483?forcerRptr=true&item=171921528483&viewitem=
I am going to get mine back for sale in March.

okfoz

Those are the 15" version of the Formula wheel.

IMissMy86TA

Actually these came before the formula. The formulas are 16" versions of these wheels to be precise. They removed the two tone, ,made them more polished and added rivets around the outer edge.

okfoz

It would be nice, BUT I think the problem is there are just so many of them. The COPO cars were really limited production in comparison to the couple thousand Formula 350s

I think a better comparison of a COPO car would be the 1989 ASC Convertibles with the 350...

John

BumpaD82

Very true maybe "just" 1969 Z/28 values (production of 20,302) LOL !

Was there ever a concrete number of 1987 Formula 350's ... as the 1500 # was exceeded ?

~DaVe

okfoz

The Z28 was not a COPO car. The 1969 Yenko Camaros with the 427, the 427 Camaros that were not in the normal order form, are what I consider the COPO cars...

I did the calculations a few years back it ended up around 3200 or 2800 or so. of the 13164

ledman66

iTrader: (2)

I just picked up this 89 Formula 350 for $1500 in Los Angeles, she was asking $3,000.
drivetrain is solid, with 164K on it, trans rebuild at 112k, heads re-done about 25k ago, but front suspension needs rebuilt and the inside needs re-done, but it's a driver. Has some rust/rot in the psg quarter panel but it's Registered and smogged

These are the pics she had posted on CL, I have since cleaned up the car some, cleaned up the engine bay and stuff.