whats distinct about the 87 formula ws6's with Lo3 and R4's?. aNything particularly interesting about them?

 

Other than they look really cool, nothing really, The WS6 suspension is a blast to drive, but with the LO3, you have limited Giddieup and go. If your looking to buy one, wait for a TPI car, there usually not a whole lot more right now... The ONLY downside to TPI, is mroe Insurance

R4's??? I have no idea what your talking about.

 

I think he means 700r4.

 

I've got an LO3 formula, WS6 is quite awesome, if there is a big difference in price between the TBI and TPI then you may want to consider how much power you want. It didn't take much for my car to take 305 TPIs, but my car is a manual. And no matter what anyone tells you, Formulas are the best cars...ever...

 

could anyone be more detailed?
as far as power lo3 will be fine for now i cant afford tpi and the dudes got like a grand in the motor but has yet to do real chip tuning so im planning to reap some rewards if i can get it, its friggen awesome, been stored since 92 with 70000 on the odometer.
so the ws6 was just suspension then? what like springs and stuff,, what kind of diff am i lookin at vs a stock Camaro rs suspension?

 

When you say its been stored since 92 I hope it hasn't just been sitting, thats not good for the engine. Yes ws6 is the suspension and it is insanely fun on curvy roads, get some good tires and you are stuck to the road like glue. I think the only suspension package to rival the ws6 was in the irocs. I'm sure someone will jump in if i'm wrong.

 

Other than the fact that the L03 is a 170hp dog, they are really nice cars! They look great, corner like its on rails with the WS6 suspension, and they are generally considered to be the "stripper-muscle-car" of the 3rdgen world

I'm with the other guys though... I'd hold out for a TPI car. They are much better cars... 30-50 more HP I think, they came with a much MUCH better exhaust system, they had performance gears in the rear end (or at least, not highway gears) and quite often a posi as well.

Just my $.02, but I'd wait for a TPI car. If you can find a TPI 350 car, then youd be in heaven
They had something like 240hp, so thats 70 more HP than the L03!! and about 100ft-lbs more torque too!

And torque is soooooo much fun

 

Just remember the 91-92's look better.
No ugly black ruber strip to mar the looks of the nose.

 

The thing I see that's distinct and totally unique about that '87 you're looking at is that it HAS an LO3, which, I believe, didn't come out 'til 1988. Does the owner not know what year his car is, or did he drop that engine into his '87? You might check into that. You're probably getting a newer car.

WS6 suspension is the top suspension package for the Formulas, TAs and GTAs. It had stiffer springs, specially-valved shocks(supposedly), thicker sway bars(36mm front/24mm rear), and 16" wheels.

The other performance options are G80 limited-slip differential, G92 performance axle ratio, and J65 4-wheel disc brakes. Cool if it's got those too.

 

The LO3 was not around in 1987 the Formula had the LG4 in 87, which is far inferior to the LO3, the LO3 was introduced in 88

 

I just caught that... I must be really tired, They are correct 87 there was no LO3, it was LG4. To be honest the LO3 does perform slightly better, better response, better Fuel econmy, but thats because its a TBI car. There is alot you can do to a carb car that one would be hard pressed to do to a FI car...

One thing to consider is when you have a low buck LO3 or LG4 car, you get a insurance discount. Fortunately untill the early 90's the Formula was considered to be a base "Firebird" by insurance companies until you put in a TPI engine. So if you like the car, buy it, drive it, enjoy it, if its what you want and later put in an LT1, and call it a day

John

 

hehehe I'd take an LG4 over an L03 any day of the week and twice on sunday. Bottom line, the Qjet carb will support a whole lot more power than the TBI ever will. Regardless of whether its the 305 on crank, or if its a ZZ4 crate motor, or a home brew 70's 350 bored and stroked to 383... Not to mention the fuel system is already setup for a carb, so a nice Edelbrock carb would be an easy enough swap. With the carb tuned properly they pull better than 20mpg on the interstate, start fine in the coldest of winter months (drove my 83 everyday, 365 days a year in SD, for 3 years, no problems with starting).

The only thing the TBI has over the LG4 is the extra hp when comparing 82's 140hp to 88-up's 170hp. Compare 87 to 88 and you'll find some minor drivability improvements to be all that's different.

back to the initial question... My answer is if its an 87 with an LG4 auto, its an interesting car, lots of one year only features. First year of the Formula, last year of the LG4, serp/v belts combined, first year small CS alt, only year of convex 16's on a Formula, only year of small cap/divorced coil dist. on the LG4, etc... Now if its an 88 with an L03, then its nothing special and I'd keep shopping...

 

First year of the roller blocks, first year (?) of center bolt heads, and the LG4 might have the TPI heads, which is a very good thing

I too would take a '87 LG4 over any year of L03. It might have slightly less power, but its got ALOT more poential than a TBI motor does, and for alot less green too.

 

The LG4 has more petontial yes because the carb can feed more power than the stock TBI setup and can be converted to a better carb easily, but stock vs. stock the LO3 is better probably responds better and starts better in cold weather. But I have no faith in the LG4 because I have a crossfire car (83 the good year) which is the twin throttlebody and my friend had an 85 bird with the LG4 and I destroyed him in a race not even close he got good traction and I peeled out all the way through first chirped second and I was pulling on him the whole time got a half a car going sideways the whole time and when i hit second he was a couple football fields back wasn't that bad but it was bad and then my friends brother had a 92 3.1 and killed him as well but we both had posi's and the LG4 didn't, and thats why I don't like the LG4.

 

Air Adam,
Yes they have the same heads as the TPI, When I did my swap to TPI on my LG4 I was going to swap heads too, but after looking at casting numbers I found they were the same.

Steven90GTA,
The LG4 is a dog, no doubt about it, but there is more potential than the LO3 replacement, I only went to TPI because it looks cool, and it would eventually help me when I go to an LT1 because I have been through the car already and familiar with almost everything.

John

 

okay no it is def an lo3 i know because i own an lo3 and im glad that shifty capone wasnt here to hear all that lol.
not even going into an argument about that stuff....
im thinking its an 88 or 89 because it has convex wheels and the motor.
the man wants 6500 for it and frankly, im willing to pay that,, this car is brand new to the eye. He was getting it ready for sale last year and put brand new brakes on all four, brand new bfgoodrich t/a's on all four corners, it has 70000 and he drives it once a week to keep things up and going allright. He's switched it to open element and put a mallory ignition on it as well as aluminum pulleys and an edelbrock intake on it in additiion to the chip and shift kit he allready had in the car. oh yeah he put new pipes on it from the cat back.
the guys bassically done everything i had planned minus more tuning on it and once i sell my camaro im going for it..
Far as TPI is concerned i have a 350 four bolt main out in thebarn that i plan to stroke to a 383 and throw some vortecs on,,,hell yea..