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They came in a variety of colors,Champagne Gold,Gold Met,Charcoal,Silver and the colors you mentioned.Some are year specific.They started in 86 on the TAs.1st.(PW7s)
Van Nuys born: Yes, that's the style that was on mine, more or less. They "hide" a little better than the modern wipers, in my opinion.
Thank you Stuart S. I'm pretty happy with it.
mantaguy: See...I knew you'd know the answer to that PW7 question. And I can say PW7 and know what I'm talking about, because that was the first thing you taught me!
It only comes on when the switch is "on". Then it does not go out with the hatch closed...only when the switch is "off". Is this the way it is supposed to behave?
Yes,that's the way it works.
Your car looks really good.
They must have changed that in the later years my 92 has no switch and comes on and off with the hatch. Opens all the way on and off when it pulls down.
They must have changed that in the later years my 92 has no switch and comes on and off with the hatch. Opens all the way on and off when it pulls down.
Huh....now I'm wondering if that's how my '91 Camaro was, Formula_Fire. Perhaps that's why the deal with the switch struck me as odd. Thanks for letting me know that. It would be nice to rewire it to come on / off with the dome light.
My headliner cloth is sagging. Perhaps when I have it out, I can tap into it to power this cargo light. Then with the a diode, keep and isolate the current switch. No visible modification, but extra light when the doors are open...
Last edited by DynoDave43; 07-17-2017 at 05:42 PM.
Mine doesn't have a switch.... and comes on when you open the hatch. While that seems logical.... the problem is not being able to turn it off if you have the hatch open along time.
Mine doesn't have a switch.... and comes on when you open the hatch. While that seems logical.... the problem is not being able to turn it off if you have the hatch open along time.
Huh....now I'm wondering if that's how my '91 Camaro was, Formula_Fire. Perhaps that's why the deal with the switch struck me as odd. Thanks for letting me know that. It would be nice to rewire it to come on / off with the dome light.
My headliner cloth is sagging. Perhaps when I have it out, I can tap into it to power this cargo light. Then with the a diode, keep and isolate the current switch. No visible modification, but extra light when the doors are open...
Just get the later mechanism.
Originally Posted by Van Nuys born
Mine doesn't have a switch.... and comes on when you open the hatch. While that seems logical.... the problem is not being able to turn it off if you have the hatch open along time.
If you look at the pull down u will see a little metal lever that the hatch hits on it if u push it it will turn off. If u really want a switch find the wiring to that part and wire a switch to it. You could even his it in the storage door on the side. Or find a older model panel with the switch and use that with the newer mechanism u have.
If you look at the pull down u will see a little metal lever that the hatch hits on it if u push it it will turn off. If u really want a switch find the wiring to that part and wire a switch to it. You could even his it in the storage door on the side. Or find a older model panel with the switch and use that with the newer mechanism u have.
That will work... pushing on the lever.
I just remember replacing the hatch shocks, or what not .... and the light on the whole time.... and it gets hot.
As anticipated, the day after I put the plate on, the plate frame showed up.
I had one of these on my Buick wagon, and really liked it. Solid brass, chrome plated, embossed name coated in enamel. That was a 4 season car, and didn't get the kind of love the Firebird will, but even so, it held up well. So I'm sure this one will last me a long time. Still, as a precaution, the screws are stainless, and separated from the chrome to prevent electrolysis. And, it got two coats of wax.
Last edited by DynoDave43; 07-17-2017 at 05:44 PM.
Reason: Updated with photos from Flickr
I'm used to working on my 4WD Suburban, where I hardly EVER need a jack. I noticed before buying the car that the right front marker light wasn't working.
I tried to get my big head under the spoiler in front, and couldn't do it. So reaching around blind, I did manage to find the harness, and follow it up to the light housing. With a little help from our hero, the 194 peanut bulb, we are back in business!
By the way....does the center section between the tail lamps (where the Firebird is) light up on any of these cars?
Last edited by DynoDave43; 07-17-2017 at 05:53 PM.
Reason: Updated with photos from Flickr
Thanks for confirming the center of the tail panel does not have a light guys. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.
And thanks Van Nuys born. Not a lot of exciting projects to report. Just some little things for now as I'm still learning my way around.
Our local 1/4 miles opens up for testing on Saturday. For $20 I may go and get an "as purchased" time...something in the 16.5 - 17.0 second range I should think. Don't plan a lot of mods real soon, but a baseline would be nice.
I had hoped to get her out more this week, and put a few more miles on her. But work and weather conspired against me. The weather is looking good again for Saturday, so I'm hoping that will be "clay bar" day for the paint.
Yes, that's the car 89blackformula. Thanks for the compliment. I actually got to meet the owner. Born and raised in Pontiac, served in WWII, black and white photos on the wall of him at Okinawa, returned from the war, and in 1951 opened the dealership. 63 years in the same location. He was there when I bought the car and when I took delivery. Nice fellow.
Yes, that's the car 89blackformula. Thanks for the compliment. I actually got to meet the owner. Born and raised in Pontiac, served in WWII, black and white photos on the wall of him at Okinawa, returned from the war, and in 1951 opened the dealership. 63 years in the same location. He was there when I bought the car and when I took delivery. Nice fellow.
Too cool!
I knew those pics looked familiar....would love to see that car sometime!
motobooks - Thank you as well. I am enjoying the red wheels!
I'd show everyone a picture of today's progress, but it's not really something you can see. But it's definitely something you can feel!
I gave the car a quick wipe down with some detailer and a microfiber towel, just to get the dust off. Then I hit it with the clay bar.
I must admit, I was a little skeptical. "Back in the day", if you wanted a cleaner surface, you broke out the bug and tar remover, then polished the whole car by hand before waxing. So I had no experience with the clay bar treatment. After doing the first 2 sq. foot area on the hood, I was sold! What a wonderful invention.
I've got some chips I want to touch up, so I'll be ordering some paint. After that's applied, we can glaze and wax. Hopefully I'll be able to get to that next weekend.
So, nothing to SHOW for my days work, but some good progress. One step at a time.
I had a few minutes left before dinner, so I thought I'd try to address another problem.
BULLSEYE!
I noticed after returning from a cruise the other day that my passenger side driving light was out. Just went to roll under and see if I could employ the same blind, hand-feel approach to changing this bulb as I did on the side marker the other day. Big surprise for me....no access!
I have an '88 factory service manual on the way, but prior to taking delivery at the end of the month, I'm wondering how the heck does one change that bulb? Can I access it from the front, by removing those screws?
And of course, I'll be keeping an eye open for a replacement lense.
Last edited by DynoDave43; 07-17-2017 at 05:56 PM.
Reason: Updated with photo from Flickr
Thanks mantaguy. I'll try to get out there this week and take that apart.
FYI....was supposed to go to my first Pontiac-Oakland International Club regional meeting last night. Would have been there from 5:30 to 8pm or so. But, it had been a long day, and it looked a little like rain (though the weather channel said none until 1am the next day), so I decided not to chance the weather, and skipped the meeting.
Good thing. The town the meeting was in got hit hard by a severe thunderstorm around 7:45pm, some sources even think there was a tornado. So, yeah, glad I skipped the meeting! We still got some wind damage, and hail, but the T/A was snug in it's garage.
Yup, very glad indeed that I did NOT go out to that club meeting / show. Some of the resulting storm damage...
This cemetery must have lost 20 pine trees.
Look at all that fine debris on the street...all the streets by me were similarly carpeted.
They lost a half dozen or so poles in a row along this stretch.
The good news...the PONTIAC lanyards (in 8774 Bright Red, of course) came in the mail, so the T/A keys now have a proper home when not in use.
Tomorrow it's off to the alignment shop. Since I bought the car, the wheel has been off center. No pulling, or other signs of alignment trouble, but I'm not gambling $800+ of new Michelins on it.
Touch up paint has also been ordered. Should be in next week. So next weekend will be paint touch up, a week to cure, then glaze and wax the following weekend.
Last edited by DynoDave43; 07-17-2017 at 06:04 PM.
Reason: Updated with photo links from Flickr
A lot nicer out today. Got the alignment done, and all is well, at least as far as the alignment goes. Wheel is straight, no pulling, no worn components or tires.
But the damn equipment left some gouges in the clear coat of the rims. So we won't be going back to that shop. I'm hoping it's something I can very slightly sand at the point of damage, and touch up. But I'm not terribly optimistic. Sad thing is, the owner is a classic car owner, and we talked about the car quite a bit. I would have expected them to take more care. Just another chore to add to the list.
Appointment scheduled with Safelite to come out next week and fix a chip in the windshield. That will be one more thing done. Hope it's one they can address.
A lot nicer out today. Got the alignment done, and all is well, at least as far as the alignment goes. Wheel is straight, no pulling, no worn components or tires.
But the damn equipment left some gouges in the clear coat of the rims. So we won't be going back to that shop. I'm hoping it's something I can very slightly sand at the point of damage, and touch up. But I'm not terribly optimistic. Sad thing is, the owner is a classic car owner, and we talked about the car quite a bit. I would have expected them to take more care. Just another chore to add to the list.
Appointment scheduled with Safelite to come out next week and fix a chip in the windshield. That will be one more thing done. Hope it's one they can address.
Especially if the owner is hobbiest I would take it back to him and show him. A reputable shop should take care of something like that!
Took the car out Easter Sunday. My first drive without the t-tops. It was a lot of fun...got my first sunburn of the season! Took my 17 year old son with me, and let him drive the last 5 - 10 miles home. The tops packed away neatly in their bag, and survived the trip.
Had a few minutes to kill this evening, so I decided to address a problem I'd discovered with the Hella headlamps I originally mentioned in post #27.
Turns out they have a galvanized and primed steel shell around the back of them. And after many years of service on 3 different vehicles that all saw Michigan winters, they had started to develop a few spots of rust.
So I gave their back sides a quick coat of POR15 silver. I've had that can of POR15 for 20 years+. Had to destroy the can to get it open, but was glad to finally get some use out of it. Poured the remaining product in to a mason jar. I'll give them a second coat before installation.
Last edited by DynoDave43; 07-17-2017 at 06:07 PM.
Reason: Updated with photo links from Flickr
I like your TA its very nice. Nice ones are hard to find. I just pikt up an 89 formula in march. I had an 87 formula in high school and have been wanting another since. I plan to put a set of wheels like yours on mine.
Thanks dmccain. I looked at quite a few cars, of all brands, before I found this one. I'm very happy with it thus far. I think it was worth waiting for.
Touch-up paint came in the mail. Had planned on applying it this weekend, but our temps are supposed to be pretty cool Saturday and Sunday. I think that's going to have to wait another week.
I did have the Safelite folks out today to fix 2 chips in the windshield, both with nasty little spidery cracks. I've had bad luck with windshield replacements over the years, so I'd MUCH prefer to fix the factory piece. It's hard to see the improvement in these photos, but they came out great, and are much less visible now (without a closeup and a flash!) that the repairs are done. And that should put a stop to them spreading.
So one step at a time...."chipping" away at the repairs!
Last edited by DynoDave43; 07-17-2017 at 06:11 PM.
Reason: Updated with photo links from Flickr
Nice. I had plans to get some stuff done on my car this weekend too but I'm being forced into work tomorrow night at 10pm...there goes my while weekend
Yeah, the cold temps are going to spoil my plans a bit. Too cold for touch-up paint, ut not for other work. It still needs a spray detailer bath from our Easter excursion, so I'll probably spend a little time in the garage doing that. There's another car I'm parting, and the garage itself is a work-in-progress. I'll spend a little time with my son working on his truck this morning, then off to do some of those garage chores after that.
I finally managed enough time to sneak the car out to it's first cruise night. I wasn't going to do it. The car was not as clean as I wanted...haven't touched it up, glazed or waxed it. But, the weather was pretty nice, and it was the season opener for one of our counties largest cruise nights, so off I went, totally unprepared. No cleaning supplies, no chairs, just a quick visit.
My daughter came with me, and we had a nice time. There were four 3rd gens. there counting mine (three Firebirds and one Camaro), and every generation of Firebird was represented. Also had the chance to meet forum member 89blackformula, who was very nice.
Here are a few stock photos of the cruise (as usual, I forgot to take pictures ). They averaged over 200 cars a night last year, and meet there on cruise night year round. If it's too cold for cruising, it's always warm enough inside for some bench racing. Being the first outdoor cruise here for this season, they had a super turnout. Place was packed.
All in all, it was a very nice first outing. I'll be more prepared next time. And I stopped and bought a duster this evening, so I can wipe her down when I arrive.
Last edited by DynoDave43; 07-17-2017 at 06:15 PM.
Reason: Updated with photo links from Flickr
Took the Firebird out on Saturday and Sunday this weekend...such nice weather!
Sunday (Mother's Day) was particularly nice. The warmest day I've been out with the car yet. Coolant temperature up to 220 at a stop light, and came right back down when moving...so far, so good. Stopped and bought a shade for the windsield, and some bug & tar remover for the driver quesrter panel (yes, there is TAR on my Firebird...most unacceptable).
My son received a phone call while we were driving, so I had to roll the windows up and turn the A/C on....first time I've used it, and it worked just fine.
My wife just wanted to go for a ride after dinner, so it was one of our longer "tours" through the countryside since buying the car. Quite enjoyable.
Tonight, I hope to give it a bath, dry, and take some Post-it flags to mark all the paint chips on the car, prior to touch-up.
Wow...almost a month since I posted something new. I haven't done all that much with the car...other than drive it! We've had it out quite a few times, enjoying the nice weather.
I did spend about an hour tonight with some bug & tar remover, getting some tar off of the lower quarters. Also some old dots of the stuff that had been there for a long while. A little undercoating on the right rear wheel well lip too, there since 1988. If the weather cooperates, she'll get a bath tomorrow to get the rest of the bug guts off, then on to finding the many little chips that need to be addressed.
Yes sir....he sent them a few weeks back from another show, and I said "I know who that is!". Yup, Springfield is my old home town. If I'm ever back when the weather is nice (not Christmas), maybe I'll catch up with you at a cruise. If I can get my car where I want it to be, I might take a road trip home this fall. I love driving old 66 from up near Chicago down to Springfield, and figure it will be even more fun in the T/A.
I guess I've been a little delinquent in posting in this thread myself. To be honest, I've struggled to find time to tinker with the old gal. And my schedule is not going to improve until mid-August. I'm in the middle of trying to improve the factory paint finish. Using Dr. Colorchip, and thus far, I do NOT have the magic touch to make that stuff work the way they show in videos. With 26 years worth of chips to touch up, I'm a little discouraged with it at the moment. It sucks being a perfectionist, and not being able to do perfect work! Anyway, I'm going to keep at it, and if it comes down to it, I'll just use it as (very expensive) standard touch-up paint.
Have acquired a few parts over the summer, but it looks like installing some of those will have to wait for winter.
Not a lot of progress on the T/A, but I sure am enjoying it. Spent 4 nights in a row out on Woodward Ave. during the Dream Cruise. Also met up with a local Michigan F-body group.
And last night, back at Culvers cruise night again.
A view from my chair...
Member 89blackformula was there, though not in this picture. The fellow with this grey GTA stopped to chat on his way out. NICE car. Hope to have a chance to catch up with him again, and learn more about his car.
One last photo, as the sun set.
Last edited by DynoDave43; 07-17-2017 at 06:20 PM.
Reason: Updated with photo links from Flickr
mantaguy:Yes, the red PW7s are a keeper. I'm not sure I appreciated them at first, but the longer I own the car, the more I like them. Still have run into another owner with a set here in Michigan. I'm sure there are some around.
Wish I could have gotten 89blackformula's '89 black Formula in the picture too...would have been nice to get all 3 into the photo at once.
jaygt: Yes, I'm glad I don't have to run a front plate, too. I was hunting for a dealer / Pontiac promo plate in another thread, but not to put on the front.
89blackformula...My mistake on the C.I.D. I thought you were going to run us over running up the highway. My little ol' L03 was pedaling as hard as it could! Didn't want to get sucked down that Tuned Port intake.
I do like that photo. A bunch of them came out pretty good. Wish we had done it maybe 5-10 minutes earlier...it's just a touch dark. PM me your email address if you want me to send you all of the ones I took.
I have gone to these events (shows/cruises) for years, and now I can actually participate, which is quite a nice change.
Now that I have a half-way decent car, I'm going to stick my toe in the water and try my first show. I'm not sure I'll like it as much as the cruise nights, but thought I'd give it a whirl. It's at a Buick/GMC (ex-Pontiac) store, and is open to these three makes. If the weather cooperates, it should be a good show. Hopefully there is an option to not have the car judged. It's just not ready for that yet.
With my T/As first car show coming up, I know I have a LOT of work to do. The car will NOT be competitive. But I don't want to embarrass myself either. It's clean for a driver, but NOT by show car stds., at least as I see them.
And I can't get it there in 2 or 3 days. It will take years and hundreds of little projects for me to get the car where I'd like it to be. To paraphrase Lau Tzu, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.
And my first step will be under the hood. Clean by used car stds., NOT clean by show car stds. Years of work to do under here, but time for those first steps.
Generally clean, but lots of dirt / wax around the edges, and excess 26 year build up of grease on the latch. I've already done some cleaning by the time these photos are taken, and the photo makes it look a lit better than it actually is. Much is black with grease instead of red with paint.
Back in the "hole" behind the battery...
Factory installed stop leak tablets left gunk inside the coolant tank, just like on my new '91 RS years ago. Wasn't able to flush much of that out on a new car back then...not sure what I'll get done on this one. Probably won't get to this before the weekend, but it would be nice. Doesn't look good, and it's very dirty under/around it. R&R would help with all these issues.
Slow oil leak at compressor has left a film on the tensioner and pulleys.
And standing water in the low spots of the air cleaner lid, from washing, driving in rain, etc., has caused some light rust.
Last edited by DynoDave43; 07-17-2017 at 06:41 PM.
Reason: Updated with photo links from Flickr
04-06-2014, 09:20 PM
) came in the mail, so the T/A keys now have a proper home when not in use.
). They averaged over 200 cars a night last year, and meet there on cruise night year round. If it's too cold for cruising, it's always warm enough inside for some bench racing. Being the first outdoor cruise here for this season, they had a super turnout. Place was packed.
Anyway, I'm going to keep at it, and if it comes down to it, I'll just use it as (very expensive) standard touch-up paint. 
