My 1989 Firebird Formula
My 1989 Firebird Formula
So here's my 1989 Pontiac Firebird Formula.
White, Medium-Gray cloth trim.
Optioned with power windows, mirrors, door locks, boot pull down, rally gauges, T-Bar roof, WS6 suspension pack, 305 TPI, Appears to have a LSD, though it doesn't work well in the dry.
It was bought in California bye the one Female owner (Cynthia Sharp) in had, was parked in Van Nuys, the one previous owner in Australia, I am the third owner. There are parts of a paper trail proving the car was bought new by Cindy in 89 (original dealership windscreen sticker showing options!), and she owned it in 2003. What happened in the middle is anyone's guess.
Previous owner owns a Gearbox specialist workshop, and had his technician rebuild the TH700R-4, so that's bulletproof, though it does have issues.
In California it had the Vanity Plate "MIBUDEE", where it appears to have been stored for a while before exporting to Australia, it had the California plates "4BLY 699" on it when it arrived in Australia. Unfortunately the previous Australian owner sold the California plates by mistake. If I could get my hands on them, I'd apply to use them here, as West Australia's license plate numbering system is the same 1AAA 111 system as in California. (though we're only up to 1Dxx xxx)
Issues:
-Tires are 8 years old and like leather belts. Plenty of tread left, just HARD.
-Headlight motors have given up. Lights just stay up now. They'll go down if I push on em just after turning the headlights off, though.
-The infamous "hot start" issue.
-Steering box is a bit sloppy, maybe some other steering play too, is there an adjustment on the box or is it rebuild time?
-Rear spoiler has exploded, been driving it with no spoiler on it, need to buy a fiberglass one.
-Front marker lights don't work. To get it to comply with stupid "Australian Design Rules" at the time, he stuck white trailer markers on the black bumper strips and tapped them into the park light wires, since we're weren't allowed amber marker lights when it was first registered. Immediately after getting the car licensed he binned the trailer lamps, but left the wiring disconnected.
-Water pump is noisy.
Plans for now is to fix the issues. It's dead original at the moment, stock height stock wheels, so I'm not too fond on modifying it. Maybe a cylinder-head back exhaust and semi-siamesed inlet runners, but no lowering, no bodykits, no aftermarket wheels, no high power carbie 383 swaps or anything. I have another go-fast car, but it's disappointing that this big fancy V8 American car can't keep up with new V6 Taxi's.
I'm very glad it wasn't converted to right hand drive, I've sat in a right hand drive one and it's crap, stupidest thing you could do to a car really.
It's not hard to drive a Left hand drive car in a RHD Country, you get used to it.
Photos to come when my internet isn't being an *******.
White, Medium-Gray cloth trim.
Optioned with power windows, mirrors, door locks, boot pull down, rally gauges, T-Bar roof, WS6 suspension pack, 305 TPI, Appears to have a LSD, though it doesn't work well in the dry.
It was bought in California bye the one Female owner (Cynthia Sharp) in had, was parked in Van Nuys, the one previous owner in Australia, I am the third owner. There are parts of a paper trail proving the car was bought new by Cindy in 89 (original dealership windscreen sticker showing options!), and she owned it in 2003. What happened in the middle is anyone's guess.
Previous owner owns a Gearbox specialist workshop, and had his technician rebuild the TH700R-4, so that's bulletproof, though it does have issues.
In California it had the Vanity Plate "MIBUDEE", where it appears to have been stored for a while before exporting to Australia, it had the California plates "4BLY 699" on it when it arrived in Australia. Unfortunately the previous Australian owner sold the California plates by mistake. If I could get my hands on them, I'd apply to use them here, as West Australia's license plate numbering system is the same 1AAA 111 system as in California. (though we're only up to 1Dxx xxx)
Issues:
-Tires are 8 years old and like leather belts. Plenty of tread left, just HARD.
-Headlight motors have given up. Lights just stay up now. They'll go down if I push on em just after turning the headlights off, though.
-The infamous "hot start" issue.
-Steering box is a bit sloppy, maybe some other steering play too, is there an adjustment on the box or is it rebuild time?
-Rear spoiler has exploded, been driving it with no spoiler on it, need to buy a fiberglass one.
-Front marker lights don't work. To get it to comply with stupid "Australian Design Rules" at the time, he stuck white trailer markers on the black bumper strips and tapped them into the park light wires, since we're weren't allowed amber marker lights when it was first registered. Immediately after getting the car licensed he binned the trailer lamps, but left the wiring disconnected.
-Water pump is noisy.
Plans for now is to fix the issues. It's dead original at the moment, stock height stock wheels, so I'm not too fond on modifying it. Maybe a cylinder-head back exhaust and semi-siamesed inlet runners, but no lowering, no bodykits, no aftermarket wheels, no high power carbie 383 swaps or anything. I have another go-fast car, but it's disappointing that this big fancy V8 American car can't keep up with new V6 Taxi's.
I'm very glad it wasn't converted to right hand drive, I've sat in a right hand drive one and it's crap, stupidest thing you could do to a car really.
It's not hard to drive a Left hand drive car in a RHD Country, you get used to it.
Photos to come when my internet isn't being an *******.
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Car: '18 Jeep Wrangler, '19 Honda Accord
Engine: 2.0T in both
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Re: My 1989 Firebird Formula
Oh yes it definitely needs re-spoilering. I have a spare one but it's black and the points are broken off. Need to attack it with a rattle-can and either glue the ends back on or round the ends off with a file so its looks normal but shorter.
Also its very much due for a service. One lifter ticks and it runs rough at idle, stalls if left in gear. Anyone got a service schedule for one of these?
Also its very much due for a service. One lifter ticks and it runs rough at idle, stalls if left in gear. Anyone got a service schedule for one of these?
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