Its good to be back on this site. i used to have a 1988 firebird with the 2.8. I loved the car but had to let her car. I have been looking for another third gen for quite awhile now but money had been the big issue.

I can accross a 1991 Formula that a kid wants to get rid of for free. Its sound great but here are the problems. The first is the car now lacks an engine and a transmission. The car has been sitting on the ground for about a year now with no tires on it which is a wonder thing... . The idiot also left the drivers side window open letting rain and the elements get into the car. He tells me the car was covers with a tarp but in the past month the tarp was removed. The hatch is also left open with someone tranny sitting in it. The body seems to be in fair condition for its age for little rust. The wheel wells have some rust holes much like other thirdgens that are orginal. I have yet been able to check out the floors to see their condition from being on the ground. I know I'd have to cut the interior and probably start fresh. The harness was also cut, so all that remains in the engine compartment is a huge round clump of wires coming out of the firewall so I'd have to rewire everything. The car came loaded from the dealer and was stolen 4 yrs after it was bought. The car was stripped and was found 3 years later. So the title is a little screwy.

The good, well what is left that is. The car came with a 305 tpi and an auto tranny all of which needs to be replaced. It also lacks the computer which was sold. The car has T Tops as well. Mostly all exterior body panels are in good shape except for some rust in the rear. Not sure if it has a posi or not. The car also has the WS6 suspension package in it. I beleive the body has 186,000 miles on it but the guages tell otherwise 999,999. \

As you can see the car needs alot of work but for the price of FREE. I think it might be something to take a look into. I'm not sure if this would be the correct spot to post this but I wasn't able to find any other spot that would be better. My question to you guys is, 1. is this thing worth my time? 2. Should i just part it out and get rid of the rest 3. How hard would it be to rewire it up for a engine and tranny. 4. What are the chances the brakes are frozen from sitting, so would moving it be near impossible? Any advice would be great. Thanks in advanced...

 

Don't do it, man. The list of work it needs sounds very, very long and will end up costing you way more than the value of the car.

Do you have any cash set aside to buy a thirdgen? You'd be better off getting a complete or mostly complete car that needs work than a basketcase like that. The guy I bought my thridgens from always has cars for sale, sometimes they are inexpensive cars needing some work.

 

 

Take it and haul it off to the scrap yard. I think you get about 100 bucks a ton in my area.

 

You think it would be worth parting out perhaps? Or just junk the whole thing. Thanks for the replies, i have to agree with everyone.

 

I paid $100 for an '88 Firebird 2.8 this past summer... no title, sat on the ground for two years, both fenders are crushed, nose piece also crushed, engine was half missing, transmission is questionable, suspension and brakes are shot... But the paint's good, interior is good, body is straight and never wrecked, zero rust. I've got the time, love and money to put into it, so why not? I, personally, look at what *can* be done with the car. The point I draw the line is when the body/frame is bent/cracked or heavy rust.

Take that as you will.

 

The problem with investing time and money into a 2.8 car is that you will never get it back. Of course, you will never get back from a car what you out into it. but it's especially true when you are talking about oddballs or poorly optioned cars. Most people like F-bodies because of their combination of styling and performance potential...not much potential in a 2.8.

Opinions may vary.

 

Not to hijack the thread, but the first thing that happened to my Firebird was the 2.8 got removed, rebuilt, and put into my DD Camaro; the Firebird is awaiting a v8.

 

I dont think theres anything wrong w/ the 2.8, they have a purpose. They do get pretty good gas mileage. I got a 86 firebird for 600 (including a tow to my house) that didnt run, but w/ a solid body that needed paint bad and fair but dirty interior. I put about 300 into it including paint, fuel rail, injectors, fuel pump (included), and a few other things that i got from the junkyard or didnt cost too much from the parts store. Also its got T-tops that dont leak...pretty good deal for 900 if you ask me plus its 1 owner. i got it for my girlfriend as her 1 yr aniversary present/xmas present and she loves the car. Im happy cuz she has a heavy right foot and since its kinda gutless she wont kill herself. This is my first experience with a 3rd gen, as my first f body is a 79 z28 which i still have and is in great shape, and i will most likely have more experiences w/ a 3rd gen. I say, skip over all the work that would be involved in that free car, and get yourself a clean 2.8 for less than 2 grand. Drive it around for a while, fix it up, and see what happens. Maybe youll want to drop a different motor into it, or maybe not but it'l be your car to experiment with. Just cuz its got a 6 in it doesnt make it not cool...the only difference is 2 more pistons and its slow but youll still have all the cool looks and features of a firebird or camaro...especially t-tops

 

91 formulas are nice cars indeed, and it would have been fun to drive with a 305 TPI. The biggest problem I see to start with is the questionable title. I would look into that first, for if a title is not able to be had.. its worth zero except for parts.

It is honestly more work then I'd be willing to do at this point in time for a '91 formula.. however if it was a '68 camaro or something like that, I'd take it even if it ended up sitting and rotting in my yard. Thirty years from now I may have a different point of view, but for all the work that is involved, you could buy a running car cheap and fix it up.

You could always strip off the nose, headlights, everything salvagable and then look for a 'running' formula down the road that has front end damage or something similar or part it out to make money for a different car.

Good luck on whatever it is you decided.

 

NOBODY LOVES JUNK CARS MORE THAN ME.

NOBODY!

This one is probably not a good candidate as a resto, but do you have a garage? Formulas are weird because they could have a lot of great options but they could just be base models with flash.

Me, personally, I would drag it home and then give it a good look. If you are on the extreme budget, then you need this car. Take every part possible off of it, everything. I even sawzall off the back quarters.. from behind the tail light lenses all the way up to the doors and as high as the top. Also cut the front radiator support off.

You can scrap what little is left to get it out of the way. If it's a complete formula, then you have 91 base model ground effects, a power bulge hood, big sway bars, maybe disk brakes in the rear and posi? Definitely has the 28 spline axle shafts. You've got headlight assemblies, tail lights, wiring, it goes on and on.

If you have the space to store the parts, then do it. Then you can buy another beater and let the healing begin!

 

Personally for free I'd take it, have it dragged home, put it on jackstands, see how much rust there is, and if its not worth fixing, take all the good parts off, sellem or keep em and sell whats left after u strip it to the junkyard for 50 bucks or so. The tow would probably cost $50 or so, in the end I think you could make a little money off it if it's not worth fixing.. also if emissions arn't a problem in your area you could always drop a carbed 350 in it and not havta worry about a ton of wiring..

 

If it is a Formula, then the car will have NO ground effects.

 

I thought all of the 91-92 had those mini gfx pieces on them. My mistake if they're not there...

 

What "mini" gfx are you referring to?

The only thing a Formula has is a black, three-piece airdam under the core support.

 

I was thinking of the crazy things that go up the doors and back quarters and then interface with the rear bumper.

After looking around more, I see what you mean. I knew 87-90 Formulas were without them but I didn't know 91-92 were. I just haven't looked at enough of them until now. Sorry for the confusion.

I'd still take the car and chop it, regardless.

 

Thanks for all the advice guys. I did end up flat bedding the car home. It lookes like it was crunched in the front in its past and was fixed up. I'm starting to strip her down to nothing...The fenders are junk and I'm keeping one of the doors. I'm taking off everything I think will be worth money. It does have a posi that i plan on keeping. Is there any other big money items on the outside or interior I should check? Thanks for all the advice.

 

The Banshee nosecone would be worth saving, if it isn't all ripped or crunched.

BTW, I am in the town right over from you.

 

can ya get us some pics of it? I'm curious to see how bad it really is..

 

Yeah I have stripped this car down pretty much to almost nothing.

Bull: Yes you are. I probably have seen your car before. Nice to know there are still some in my area that are in good shape.

Here are some pictures for you guys. i will also get some of the car stripped out and what it looks like before it visits its final destination

What do you think?











The kid that owned this car beat the hell out of it. I remember seeing posi strips of rubber going up his driveway all the time. At least the car had some fun

 

The pics are too small to tell much, at least for me.

How are the nosecone and rear wing?

 

yeah from the pics its doesnt look that bad but ya cant really tell from the size of em