I need some help with this. Am getting ready to purchase a 1987 V-8 FB with T-Tops. 49k original miles and would like an idea if it is a good buy?
The car is not perfect but will be close after a few days in my garage (nice original paint),
Only issues are a couple scatches, one quarter size ding in the rear panel and a couple of burn holes in both seats, headliner needs glue, the rest of interior is excellent, body will shine up beautiful. Great color combo (white/grey) cold air, runs and drives excellent.
This car has chrome panels that say Firebird on the lower doors, could this be factory or dealer ad on? Could this car say "Formula" underneath?
The dash has a series of small circles instead of all big ones like i see on other 87 birds.
I really like the car, color and model but will spend at least a $1000 fixing the seats, headliner, window sweeps, scratchess and full extensive sevice/tune up.
Guessing i will have close to 5k in it and maybe 30 hours of my labor.. (going to remove the lower factory striping also).
Anybody know what model this is, could it be a formula without the bubbeled hood and what are these cars worth? There are not any others around here like it to go by.

I added a picture of this odd ball dash.

Thanks in advance.

 

any pics of the car? if it has the ground effects, its not a formy, and by the dash, i would say its not a formy.

Check the underside really good, make sure there is no rust on it. Especially in the areas under the drivers and passengers feet, around the doors, and in the rear fender wells. If it checks out, go for it if the price is good.

 

Its clean, no rust (NC car). No ground effects, no bubbeled formula style hood and a straight accross rear spoiler (not wrap around).
Car is up in the middle of no where at a small dealer who just recently took it in trade. Wont be able to take pics untill tomorrow when the owner gets back from vacation. Its locked in his garage. Test drove it and told him we would think about it last week.
Price is $3500

 

All Formulas had electric windows and locks, you do not have a Formula. Also there would be a tag under pocket about Hi performance suspension. All formulas also have the bulge hood and wrap around rear spoiler and no ground effects. There isnt a vin diffrence between Formula and reg Bird. The engine will be a LG4. If I am not mistaken, 87 is the year they reintroduced Formula but no real value.

 

The pic is not my car but same color and dash. It does have power windows/locks.
I read the base model was a 6cyl, but could be ordered with an 8 and suspensions upgrade.. or did they make an 8cyl base model too and that is what it is?
I do plan on buying unless i'm warned against it here.

I joined the forum because i recently bought an 84 Z28 that needed all the same things as this one, but a week after it was completed someone offered me double to sell.. so i did.
Now i am looking to replace it with something nice.

 

A formula is the T/A lightweight sister. All Formulas will be V8. The Firebird hood and the straight wing is a indication it is not a Formula, or has been involved in a accident that required the hood and wing where replaced. Where is the third brake light? Also, there should be a vin tag on the front of the hood that should match the car. If it matches and its not a bulge hood, its a firebird. If it has a V6, its a Firebird. If it has a straight spoiler it is a Firebird. A Formula will also have 16" rims and all 4 wheels will be disc brakes. If it doesnt ..................

 

Check door rpo codes. Should be code WS9 which is the Formula package. BUT, IF IT IS A FORMULA, DO NOT BUY! If it is anything else other then base firebird, it has had some major parts changed.

 

Either way, not worth 3500.00.

 

If its really clean ide say its probably worth about 3000. From the sounds of it its a real base modle firebird. The dash is a big tip of only the most basic guages speedo and gas and 6 idiot lights thats about as bare bones as it gets. Ide bet it probably dosnt have AC eather maby even a 5 speed? Again not to knock the car as if it is really a clean original car with low miles it will have some value to it. Not like a TA or a GTA trans am of equal condition but valuable just by the nature of the fact its hard to find cars in that sort of condition. There also have value as race cars as there so stripped down there much lighter than there more expencive counter parts. In the end at the moment ide say your not getting any great deal at 3500 as an investment down the road it may be worth a great deal if not driven and kept in good shape. Again not as much as a TA or GTA but still a decent amount.

 

This pretty much confirms everything everyone just said but... lol just call the seller and have him read the VIN # to you. Post it here, do your car fax if your serious about buying it. If it did NOT have a TPI and a 350 in it, I would not pay that much for it. I'd check the block castings and trans castings to see what this car has in it, just incase someone changed something since... 1987. I dont understand that "Do not buy formula!" comment. I love my formula and its WS6.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_Firebird

"In 1987, Firebird Formula was re-introduced replacing the SE, available with a choice of V8's (LG4, LB9 305 TPI, or L98 350 TPI), 16-inch convex wheels, and the earlier Trans Am "Turbo Bulge" hood. The wrap-around wing was updated and now standard on Trans Am and Formula; the regular, flat-surfaced spoiler from earlier Trans Am models was now made standard on Firebird. Trans Am and Formula were also offered with an optional 140 mph (230 km/h) speedometer. WS6 was standard equipment on the Formula and GTA. 1987 also saw Pontiac's top of the line Trans Am: the GTA, which featured adjustable lumbar supports, digital dash, monochromatic paint, and special badges among other top of the line options."

http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50838

WS9 is the Formula conversion Pkg
W66 is the Formula Merchandise Pkg
Y82 is the Trans Am Merchandise Pkg
All the V8 cars carry the WS9 Code, To be a Formula or Trans Am it must have the coresponding code aswell.
WS9 + W66 = Formula
WS9 + Y82 = Trans Am
WS9 + W66 + WS6 = Formula WS6
WS9 + Y82 + WS6 = Trans Am WS6

 

The dealer is dicking us around for over a week now. Its a 305 base model with pw, pl, cold ac, original paint that looks poor right now but just needs years of storage polished out, it will be beautiful. Perfect silver interior when seats and carpet redone but is still really nice now.. just a couple of burn holes in the seats.
Steering wheel is straight, runs and drives excellent.
Everything was sticky, hood latch, locks, console cover and shifter button.
Made offer and guy says let me fix everything first.. so we wait. His repair shop installed an old beat up shiter in this beautiful 49k car and now the console is bowed out away from the shift plate. I am pretty upset as the button just needed oil and cleaning from being in storage.
One headlight needed bushings and gear kit and they still are working on the light 5 days now.
I am very discuraged, really let the guy have it Sat morning for doing more damage then they are fixing.
He said his guy at the garage told him car was worth alot of money, this in a tiny little town up in the middle of nowhere where they cannot even fix a pop up headlight.
I decided i wasnt going back, but if he calls i may have to.
There is nothing around here for sale that is as nice - after a few days in my garage.

 

The guy called, so we went and got the car. Its up on stilts out in the garage right now getting ready for some heavy duty tlc.

Thanks for all the input guys!

 

Sweet! I love my t-tops. There is nothing like driving around at night with those tops off. About the shifter... I'd suggest the B&M mega shifter. Its down to 189 on amazon. Do your research on the model that fits your car though. The pop up headlights.. wish I would have told you this sooner but the gears that lift the lights are made of plastic. Over time they become brittle and break. I opened my motor assembly up and nothing but plastic dust came out lol. what SUCKS! Is the fact that there is a ghetto fix out there to just throw some random peices of junk into the small gear box and that would actually make the geared connection and lift the lights up and down but they will soon break again. Its possible that the shop guys did just that to your headlights instead of actually replacing the broken parts. Beware...

http://www.amazon.com/B-80690-MegaSh.../dp/B000CIN06Q

 

Thanks, they are both working now but the one the shop worked on is way droopy. I'm going to buy the aluminum gears and bushing kits and re-do both lights and hopefully adjust them so they are both level with the hood. Never did em before but maybe i'll end up an expert on pop-up headlightd lol.

 

Well, have been working on the bird for about a week now and she's starting to look like something.. still have a few things to do but the hardest parts are over. (I hope).

 

Looking pretty clean. I miss my shifter handle... the button poped out and fell into a black hole somewhere between a time ripple.. thing is gone forever lol. Congratz again, yes get the metal gears and its funny but these cars can make you an expert at anything in their odd ways of repairs lol shoot me a pm if you find where to get those gears, I need some too.

 

Here is where i got the headlight kits and gears: http://www.top-downsolutions.com/ind...ed670635f40963

Hear is your GM shifter handle: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/85-92...A1%7C72%3A1171

 

Update: Well, with about $2500 and over 100 hours labor here she is..

More Pics Here: http://gtorockz.com/1987.html