live4formula

Here is a story you are going to want to read. Sorry I didn't post it here sooner, but you will understand when you read. On Sept 12, 1988 I went to Rodger's Pontiac in Dayton Ohio and special ordered a red 1989 Firebird Formula with 305 TPI, 5 speed and T-tops. I took delivery on Jan 31, 1989. My wife, at that time, talked me into selling the car and I let it go on Jan 31, 1994 (exactly 5 years after bringing it home). I cried when it drove away and regretted it for the next 26 years. in 1996 I divorced my wife and started looking for the car. I had a copy of the title and window sticker and occasionally ran Car Fax reports in an effort to find it. During the Covid pandemic I decided to give it one last try. After chasing lots of dead ends, talking to a body shop that knew the story of the car (once owned by an alleged drug dealer that went to prison. While in prison the car was vandalized and totaled by the insurance company), I ran an updated CarFax report and drove to the town that it was last registered (2015). I found 5 guys in the city hall parking lot having coffee and donuts and told them my story. They laughed like everybody else, but sent me to a mechanic a few miles away that may have seen the car. That was almost a dead end, but a guy working in the shop said he remembered seeing a red car in a barn that might have been a Firebird. he gave me directions to the barn and there it was. I contacted the owner, confirmed the VIN and negotiated a deal. I picked the car up on September 12, 2020 (exactly 32 years from the day I special ordered it). When I picked it up, I asked if he had the key to the rear hatch. He said it was hanging on the chain in the ignition. I pulled the spare keys from my pocket that I had held onto for 26 years and opened the hatch. He looked like a kid that had just seen the real Santa Claus. As I peeled back the layers, it all started to make sense. The seats had been sliced and covered with Carhart covers. The paint had been scratched from the front bumper across the hood and down the entire passenger side (the vandalism in 2001). The kid that bought the car in 2014 ran off the road and hit a telephone pole in 2015, which left it undrivable. It eventually found its way into the barn where I found it, but had been a home to mice and squirrels, so the carpet was trashed. I found a donor Formula with a good hood, front bumper, radiator support and many other pieces, so I removed what I needed and took it to Moore's Body Shop in Xenia Ohio. After a few months I got the call to pick it up on Friday January 22, which just happened to be my birthday. I can't think of a better birthday present.

I originally intended to clean and detail the engine while in the car, but decided to pull it and make it perfect (it was the right decision). I removed the engine, transmission, suspension and interior out of the car. After the engine bay had been stripped of everything except the wire harness, I took the car back to the body shop to have them spray the engine bay. I spent the next few months cleaning, painting, repairing and replacing every nut and bolt on the car. I replace the carpet, seat upholstery, headliner, console and anything else I could get my hands on. I had a cruise in at my house on Father's Day and invited family and friends to see the unveiling of the freshly restored car. I somehow managed to keep my emotions in check, but it was tough. I couldn't believe I finally had my car back.

When taking the car apart, I found the 4 plastic splash guards that I had installed on the car in 1989 were all still attached. They now hang on the wall of my garage. The 5 speed shift **** had been replaced with a very sporty Dale Earnhardt Jr ball, but the original leather **** was still in the console. The T-tops and bag were perfect. The rear half of the body was perfect. I know it sounds crazy to say, but other than the vandalism, front end damage and mouse nests, the car was incredible for 32 years and 90,000 miles.

I have attended many Mecum car auctions over the years and follow them on Facebook. At one point during the restoration, I posted the picture of me picking up the car at Rodgers Pontiac along with the brief story of finding it after 26 years. A month or so later, they used my picture as the header on a Facebook post and during the Live TV coverage in Arizona, Katie showed the picture and told a more detailed version of the story. That was quite a thrill, but I also got to meet her at the Chicago auction and she autographed the picture for me. That will be framed and hung in my garage next to the splash guards.

I had kept the original license plates from 1989 hanging in my garage. When the restoration was complete, I checked with the BMV and they let me register those plates back to the car as historical.

I had posted updates on several Facebook groups and had many followers that offered support and encouragement along the way and I got to meet many of them at the Trans Am Nationals in August. I was overwhelmed by the attention at the show and the weekend finished with a first place trophy in the stock 82-92 class. It was a story book ending if there ever was one.

I have since met the parents of the kid that worked in the shop and told me where the car was. He had only been working at the shop for a week and had seen the car in the barn a week before I was there. His dad was restoring a 1985 Trans Am and had heard about the car in the barn. He planned to try to buy it the following week. To sum it up, during my 26 year search, if I had gone to that town a week earlier, the kid would not have been working in the shop and would not have even seen the car. If I had gone a week later, the dad would have bought the car and used the parts to restore his car. My story is proof that miracles do happen!!

special ordered Sept 12, 1988 from Rodgers Pontiac in Dayton Ohio

Found in barn September 12, 2020 after 26 year search

After 26 year search I was finally able to touch my car again

seats were vandalized in 2001

Stripped interior. Amazingly clean and solid

Front clip cut off donor car

Original engine removed, cleaned and painted in 2021

Restored under carriage

New seat upholstery, carpet, headliner, console

Restoration completed in June 2021

Mecum featured my car on Facebook and later told the story during the liver broadcast of the Glendale Arizona auction.

Katie autographed the picture at the Chicago 2021 auction

I still had the spare keys and they still work

I kept the original plates from 1989 and was able to re-register them to the car after the restoration

The splash guards I installed in 1989 were still on the car when I found it in 2020

IROCIN

I was fortunate enough to speak with you briefly at the TA Nationals this year. The car is absolutely beautiful! I had followed your story on FB, and it is one of the best told, most rewarding ones out there. Awesome job, awesome story, and after meeting you.... awesome guy! Congrats!

Reddragon88gta

This is a great story! Glad to that you got your car back and restored to its former glory.

live4formula

Thank you for the kind words. I feel like lottery tickets are a waste of time for me (even more than the 1 in 4 hundred million chance) , I already won my lottery!

topduarte

iTrader: (8)

That is awesome. I thought getting my 92 z28 back after 17 years was long.

Awesome restoration.

live4formula

Thanks. I'm not sure I was shooting for the longest time between selling and finding, but it worked out pretty well in the end. lol

skinny z

Despite what all may have been going on at the time (and I can well imagine....) this is the best part of the story.
Nothing like getting on with it!

Well done and a nice result.

live4formula

Thanks. She ended up with the husband she wanted and I got the car that got away. Win win. lol

stron3

iTrader: (2)

Amazing story. Great job on the restoration too, that's a fine looking car!

Abubaca

iTrader: (3)

Wow what a great story! That's awesome. You could've just cobbled it back together and drove it as is and I'd still be happy for ya, but to see the car NOW....after ALL THAT.....wow. That's just plain awesome.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Seen the car in person at the T/A Nats show in OH. Great car and story, haven't met the person yet but I'd bet great would be a good description there to!

TransAm4Ever86

Very nice story, and very very good job with the restoration!

live4formula

Thank you. I had never taken a car that far down or restored anything to that degree. It was fun and a great learning experience. The real thrill is showing the car and telling the story. I posted the short version here. There are more details that would blow your mind. Maybe somebody will pick up the story as a book or movie. lol

ughmas

Absolutely incredible story - thank you for sharing, and the car is IMMACULATE I am jealous you did a great job restoring! What did you use for the seat recover? they look great!! ( I have a rip in my drivers side grey cloth formula seat that I am looking to address :P)

TransAm4Ever86

live4formula, I hear ya about stories. Things you can't explain or make up for sure.

Komet

Wow, that's some old school detective work to pinpoint a car's location with no better lead than the town it was last in. And then to get a real tip from random people at city hall. Super impressive.

live4formula

Thank you for the compliments. I got the upholstery, carpet, ABS headliner, visors and sail panels for Stockinteriors.com. You can request samples and they send them very quickly. The pattern was an exact match to the original. It is hard to tell about the color because the originals were so faded, but I love the result. The seat upholstery color I ordered was CH628HE-Light Charcoal Chino Velour. The carpet and floor mats are #8078-Dark Grey Plush Cut Pile. The headliner, visors and sail panels are #A1810-Medium Dark Grey.

The wheels are new from Classic Industries and they are perfect. I kept a spreadsheet of every part I ordered and where it came from, in case anyone needs to know.

Briar

iTrader: (1)

Was so looking forward to seeing you at Nats! Unfortunately I couldn't get mine figured out to be reliable and do the journey. You put so much love into that car it shows and was rewarded! Congrats and enjoy those smiles a mile!

live4formula

The street name that I lived on when I first titled the car is the same name as the town the shop was in where the kid told me where the car was.
The guy that had the car in the barn is married to a lady with the same first name as my exwife (not the same lady, but the same first name).
My exwife remarried and her new last name is the same as the first name of the kid the wrecked the car.
It goes on and on.

live4formula

you should hear the rest of the story. I contacted the guy that I sold the car to 26 years ago and got a little info from him on who he sold it to. He only knew the town she lived in. I went to google maps and scanned the satellite view of the town looking for a red car with T-tops and found one. I drove there looking for the car and found a guy that remembered the car. He is the one that told me about the drug dealer and vandalism. I knocked on doors and called a hundred phone numbers looking for the car. It finally paid off. Like I said the complete story would make one hell of a movie.

live4formula

Thank you. I can't stop smiling! I will be at the nationals again this year (in winners row!!) stop by and check it out. I love meeting people that have been following the story.

Briar

iTrader: (1)

Vern you did that job so quick (as a do it yourself) and meticulous I was just in awe. You can count on me finding you to stare at our formys!

live4formula

I kept a log of every day that I worked on it and what I did each day. I spent about 700 hours in the garage. Thank you Covid for shutting the world down while I completed my project, if there is a bright side to Covid.

hessm70

@liveformula That is a great story. I have had various muscle cars along the way ('86 Z28 and '88 IROC). I recently decided I wanted to find a "workable" F body. Most them have been trashed but I was able to find a workable '88 GTA. Its got warts but will work through them.

live4formula

That looks like a very nice starter. You are miles ahead of where I started.

zman1969

iTrader: (9)

WOW!
great story and excellent luck on timing of finding it you did a great job on restoration too I have a 87 T/A that I bought in 91 and I'm little hesitant to let it go again (sold it twice to friend of a friend and my son) and it came back again

live4formula

Thanks. Beautiful car. Trust me, do not let it go!

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Fantastic!!!!!!!

chevypower91

What a great story. It's amazing that she survived all these years, and you end up with her again. Absolutely a beautiful job on the restoration. Congratulations!

PAformula

iTrader: (1)

I also had the opportunity to meet you at Nationals. Awesome story! I wonder about the formula 350 I sold 9 years ago and if I'll ever cross paths with it again. I believe it went to southwestern PA.

zman1969

iTrader: (9)

kind of need to due to overpopulation 6 besides my DD gonna keep my '90 though - see build
90 Formula build

live4formula

If you have the VIN, run a CarFax report and dive down the rabbit hole!

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

Great story, and a beautiful restoration. Thanks for sharing! I have hotel reservations for the T/A Nats in 2022. I'll be there, even if the car is not.

Some years ago, while there was still a GTA forum, I member there ran the VIN on my '91 Camaro RS (my first new car). At least at that time, it was still alive and registered here in the metro Detroit area. Having too many cars now, I've never tried to track it down. But it would sure be fun to have it back.

live4formula

Fortunately my car was only an hour from where I live and it was in a small town. It was still a needle in a haystack, but Detroit would be a much bigger haystack.

Big&BadGTA

iTrader: (1)

Great story. decent car, too.

Double

Such a cool story and pretty wild it was only an hour away after all those years. Car turned out beautiful!

live4formula

Thank you. It has been a year now since I brought it home from the body shop and started the restoration. Hard to believe.

Neil350

iTrader: (1)

Its awesome you were able to find it, being in the Mid West its great the car wasn't rusty beyond saving. Hopefully no one pressures you to sell it this time around

live4formula

I was amazed at how well preserved the car was, with the exception of the vandalism, front end collision and mouse infestation. Lol
This car will not be for sale until after my death, I can assure you!

jbenge

iTrader: (2)

live4formula,
Thanks for sharing the story, glad it all worked out.

Anti-Venom

Awesome story, the car looks great! Makes me want to run a carfax on my '89 I sold a few years ago.

live4formula

Thanks. If you have the VIN, run it

TEDSgrad

iTrader: (4)

I'm all about the Formula love - never let it go! I actually do tell people I've kept it longer than most people keep spouses!
Santa Barbara, CA 1989 - drove from Mpls to CA and up and down PCH.

I even drove it into a tree!

They just have such great lines:

live4formula

My kids will have to sell this car after I am gone. I will never sell it as long as I am alive. I love that you kept yours. Smart man! Mine was driven into a tree at one point too, but the result was a little different. lol

ughmas

Love it!! they look especially good in red, which is odd because I'm not a big fan of red on most cars. I'm debating my future paint plan for my formula if I want to keep the factory two tone, (med metallic blue with silver two tone and red stripe), or go solid med metallic blue for the clean look. luckily I have a couple years to decide before I get to paint time.

84 1LE

iTrader: (9)

Great story, great car. Dont know how i missed it the first time.

Robert2020

Awesome story. The car is worth way more than the ex that forced the sale for sure!

live4formula

I personally like the solid color look on these cars.

live4formula

Thank you

live4formula

You got that right!