When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I bought the car in March 2014 from a used car lot (mileage: 83,515). I fell in love with it at first sight but the car had no history. The dealer bought it at auction and it looked great but ran terribly. I took a chance that I could get it running properly and have a nice classic car. Basically, I have no history of the vehicle other than what CarFax says and my own care of the vehicle for the last 7+ years.
Prior owner(s) have made modifications. It has a larger throttle body, higher-flow injectors, adjustable fuel pressure regulator, larger radiator, air pump delete, underdrive pulley, Edelbrock TPI intake, short-tube headers (unwrapped), Flowmaster exhaust. Valve covers are aftermarket Moroso units and looking in through the oil filler you can see aftermarket rocker arms (anodized blue). That’s the stuff I have been able to identify visually.
The interior is in good shape. There are no tears in the cloth but it is sun-faded and the 30-year-old GM seat foam is not great for long drives. When I got it, there was no T-top bag. There was one front speaker and one rear speaker and they were both blown with physically torn cones. It had an original stereo head-unit with an aux-input added which I still have. The center console is intact.
The doors don’t sag, the hood and tailgate struts still work, the t-tops don’t leak, the headlight motors work, the power mirrors work, the power windows work.
It’s currently registered with NJ Historic plates (QQ) and covered by a Hagerty classic car policy
What repairs and restoration work has been done?
Keep in mind “new” to me is anything I’ve done since 2014. Some of these parts are now 7 years old, though only with less than 3K miles on them.
New O2 sensor
New MAF sensor
New spark plugs, wires, cap and rotor
New air filter (original air box)
New ignition coil
New ignition control module
New front brakes (pads, calipers, rotors, brake lines)
New tires (BF Goodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2)
Coolant flush/fill
New ECM EPROM
New rear hatch pulldown motor
New GM keys (one VATS ignition, one door lock; the originals were quite worn)
Replaced T-top bag tie-downs
Retrosound Newport car stereo head-unit
New front and rear speakers
New (aftermarket, no GM or Fisher Body logo) T-top bag
New water pump and serpentine belt (October 2022)
I was also toying around with ECM monitoring at some point and have hookups for the OBD port.
What’s wrong with it?
No show-stoppers. You could buy it and drive it for years exactly as it is. That’s what I’ve been doing. However:
The paint is not awesome. It’s a poor-quality re-spray and the decals are incorrect. There is some particularly bad sun fading on the driver’s side door.
The intake tube should be replaced. Due to the oversized radiator, it rubbed against the A/C compressor which carved gashes in it during previous ownership. I have it wrapped in black duct-tape. Classy, I know. Because of this I have the intake tube tethered to the radiator top support with a wire-tie to prevent contact. This “repair” was done when I replaced the MAF and found chunks of rubber stuck to the element. It’s sound, but not pretty or show-worthy. I’ve had a hard time finding a replacement, but honestly haven’t looked that hard.
The power antenna doesn’t work. It might work but it isn’t actually hooked up to anything. I have an internal-style antenna I was planning to wire up and just never got around to it. I just use the bluetooth for audio.
The spare tire is useless. It’s the GM original. I tried to inflate it once and it expanded over one side of the rim. I have it and the original inflator bottle but they’re out of the car. That’s what classic-car roadside assistance is for.
The A/C doesn’t work.
What about rust?
There is the tiniest bit of bubbling under the T-Top on one side. The tops don’t leak but somehow moisture must have gotten under there in the car’s lifetime. There is also some surface rust in the wheel arches. It seems small enough to me that it could be ground out and primed over if the car is painted. That would be my plan. No perforations. In my care the car has been garaged Summers and outdoors but covered during Winters. It isn’t driven in rain and never driven once the first salt of the season hits the roads.
Why are you selling it?
The car just doesn’t get used. I bought an Audi S5 Cabrio a few years ago and since then I’ve driven the Formula less and less. I recently got an Alfa Romeo Giulia, which means the Formula now doesn’t get driven and has to live outside. The last two years I don’t even think I’ve driven it 500 miles each Summer season, not even enough to keep fresh gas in it. It seems silly to take up precious garage space with something I’m not using. On most nice summer days, the S5 keys are the ones I reach for. Someone else should get to enjoy it.
Final thoughts?
With the mods some prior owner put into it, the car probably has a lot of performance potential if it were evaluated and tuned. However, I bought it as a cruiser for Sunday drives and that’s exactly how I have used it. The look, the sound, the power and the T-tops make it great for that. With a proper paint job and some underhood cleanup, it would be a great addition to summer car shows.
Please DM me if interested, I'd prefer not to list my phone number.
Last edited by veeeightbirds; 12-24-2022 at 11:09 AM.
Reason: sold
Yep, it's still here. I haven't tried all that hard to sell it and frankly, I'm not taking it out on the road until salt season is over. But Spring is coming, so it's probably time for me to try a little harder to find it a new home.
Definitely interested in your car if still available. New to this forum and been trying to hunt down my first Firebird. If you prefer Facebook messenger or text to car chat lmk thanks.
For those who might be wondering, this Formula is still available for sale. It seems like I missed some posts and DMs in the Spring and I got another season out of it.
If this is still available, please contact me. Rdpz31@yahoo. I’m looking for a Formula 350 with black interior and TTop.
The forum will not allow me to DM or email you.
Last edited by rdpz31; 10-29-2022 at 03:49 AM.
Reason: Add content
Hello,
I would like to chat and arrange a look see. I’m Robert in Gloucester County between NJ TPK Exits 2 and 3. I-295 exit 10 at 08085 Swedesboro. 215.219.4531 text or call and let’s see what we can do.
Email 9agencyx@gmail.com
08-13-2021, 04:15 PM
