So, my 91 "Formula" is supposed to have 4 wheel disc brakes right? well mine has drums in the back... and did the formula come with a 305 TBI factory? what about a posi? and how different is the suspension? supposedly it has the ws6 kit, but i cant tell. i know that decals are just decals, but its extremely hard to tell if its a true formula or not. ive done a vin check and it comes up as formula... any help is appreciated. thanks.

 

Formulas were available with the LO3 TBI 305, and I can't speak for each individual year, but I do know that GM experianced disk brake shortages during 3rd gen production, as a result some cars got the aluminum drums. I have seen formulas with that configuration. The WS6 cars should have a "Performance Suspension" badge on the lower, passanger side dash panel (dosn't confirm actual WS6 but is a good clue). Normally the way to tell a formula from a distance is the bulge hood, lack of GFX, and in 91-92s, "whale tale" spoiler. As for the posi, I'm not sure if that was a requirment, especially with the LO3.

 

Ok, it has the spoiler, no gfx, the emblem on the dash, and the "power bulge" hood. i think ive heard somewhere that only the formulas didnt get gfx... thanks for clearing this up for me.

 

You could get a base firebird without ground effects.

 

ah, thats not what i wanted to hear. but i think its a formula. i just needed the for sureness

 

Go to Compnine.com and enter you VIN. You will be given a list of RPO codes for that specific VIN. If you see W66 in the first list (the second list is optional RPOs for that year), you have a Formula.

Additionally, if your car still has the SPID sticker, you can check the SPID for RPO code W66.

 

My 91 Formula, TPI 5 Speed with 3.4.x gears and WS6 Performance Suspension & Dual Cats has drum brakes.....

Rafael

 

you have a formula dont worry!! (: i have an 88 that has a 305 tbi 5 speed manual and drum brakes. and its a formula. i got the decals on the doors dashboard i also have the wrap around spoiler and hood with bulge not to mention the sweet 16 inch rims with performance tires !!!

 

decals dont mean anything, 1) someone could have swapped out the parts 2) if its a 91-92 year, it could have been ordered with an appearance package.

Anyone can buy a base firebird with formula decals on it and swap out the wheels, hood and dash piece and claim its a true formula. I would run the VIN on compnine and use the RPO decoder on here to find its true identity.

 

The factory appearance pkg just added gfx to make a base bird look like a TA, not a Formula.

 

I ran my VIN but didnt get code w66. My carfax says its a formula though, if that means anything. Is that a reliable source?

 

On compnine I ran the vin and it also said at the bottom "rarity....." what does that mean?

 

well...
The Carfax often shows that the car could be one or the other based on the VIN. Many cases, even the Title will show Firebird Formula, when the car was only a Firebird.

Ways to tell:
1) 245/50R16 Tires on 16" wheels
2) 36mm front and 24mm rear sway bars,
3) Bulge hood and wrap around spoiler.

The 305 L03 was standard on the Formula and an option on the Firebird.

Also look for WS6 on your SPID or on compnine.

John

 

thats what mine has and this other guy said that dont mean nothing because someone could have swapped it all on.

 

i have an 88. compnine seems to only work with 91-92 firebirds. my dad had a formula years ago it had a 305 tbi and drum rear and that was a true formula. im almost sure mine is a true formula. i dont know if the spid sheet is in the car but it has leather interior apparently the deluxe door panels and some other goodies.

 

my point was, these cars at their age, are normally owned by a few people now and if the console was swapped out or the RPO tag was removed, someone could easily change out parts on a car and sell it as a real formula or a real GTA pretty easily. im not saying this is the case with your car but its always a possiblity.

 

My 91 Formula has the WS6 package and drum rear brakes. As mentioned before, check the RPO codes. In my car they are on that interior compartment door behind the drivers side quarter panel. The first row of numbers will be the cars VIN. You can figure out if the sticker is correct for your car by matching the VIN code.

 

I had an 89 formula with ws6 and rear drum brakes as well...

 

oh yeah i understand what you mean. like this one time now that i think of it. i seen a trans am for sale. it had a 305 tuned port engine and a 5 speed manual trans. had the gta tail lights im not sure if they were put in the trans am or not it didnt have the wrap around spoiler but it did have the power bulge hood. not sure what year that combo was maybe like 85?

 

Not to bash the other guy but, lets face it, if your car has all those things then for all intents and purposes its a Formula... The doors from the factory would have "Formula" on them, and on the hood you should have 5.0 Liter on the bulge from the factory, the front and rear bumpers have "Formula" on them...

John

 

WS6 denoted Disc brakes from 1982-1986, starting in 1987, the disc brakes were added with engine and trans options, AFAIK no L03 or LG4 cars got the Rear disc brakes after 1986.

John

 

The GTA was a Trans Am... Just like the Formula was a Firebird. So the TA would have gotten the GTA tailights. 1985 & 1986 would be the only years that the TA could have had the non wrap around spoiler, 1985 the Aero spoiler was an option, in 1986 it was standard but deletable. The 5 speed started in 1987 with the LB9 (TPI) engine, so either the car had the spoiler swapped and a 87+ or an 85-86 with the Manual trans swapped.

 

Here in Canada, just take the vin to a gm dealership and they can run it and get the codes. I did. (It's real )

 

The dealer info in the US is gone... For some reason they purged it from the system for F-cars before 1990