I have 2 cars on my radar. Both are formulas, autos with no rust, no accidents and clean interiors. Priced similarly.

1989 Formula: T-tops and new paint (original color), L03 car with the basics (drum rear brakes, 2.73 open diff)

1990 Formula: Hard top and needs paint (body mostly fine otherwise despite a few dings), L98 car with nice options (J65 4 wheel discs, alum caliper front brakes, G80 posi, GU5 3.23 rear)

Which would you choose and why?

 

I would take the hardtop car. But that's just preference.

I love T tops, but I replaced multiple sets of seals, and replaced J channels and fixed enough T top rust to have no interest in them anymore.

I also think the brakes, posi and gear ratio are all positives on the second car.

L98, but I'm one of those guys who says stupid stuff like "no replacement for displacement" and nothing feeds my ego more than having the biggest factory motor in my car. Childish, but honest. ( I get TONS of customers asking me for motors and they all want 350 l98 motors).

Paint. You don't know who painted it, if they cut any corners, bondo... Repairs, etc.... Atleast with the hardtop car you know what you are getting into. But painting a car isn't for the faint of heart or faint of wallet... Paint jobs these days range from 5k to 10k depending on what color you want, and where you take it.

the paint sounds like a good bargaining chip too to try and get a deal. But make sure you deal with cash, in person... Alot of people won't deal with online tire kickers and low ballers. Show up with an envelope of money, and most people respond to cash.

 

Thanks, these are all great points! Probably feel that way because it echoes most of the internal dialogue I've been having over the last few days. The only thing I didn't consider was hidden body work on the painted car. I'm going to look at that one tomorrow and will check the details (paint lines etc). One other concern is that it's missing the SPID sticker. It doesn't have much to prove as an L03 but it still raises another flag t me. TBH the only thing that interests me on that car is the fresh paint and t-tops, but as you mentioned they could also work against me.

Thanks for the insight.

 

As someone who owns a '89 L98 Formula, T-tops and auto; I agree with the previous sentiment, "bigger is better"! On the rare occasion I find another small-block powered car (on the street or junk yard) most have the V6 or 305. Those extra 45 cubic inches just make it sound so lovely; plus FORMULA 350 looks A LOT cooler than just FORMULA on the door panels. Go for the big dog! Just my 2 cents, but buy whichever car you like more otherwise you'll think about it while you drive the other one and it'll breed contempt.

 

Just ask who painted, receipts, etc... If a shop did the work they undoubtedly have receipts... If they don't, I would question the work. I had a car that had extensive t top damage. I posted pictures of the damage, the repair and what the work looked like after paint and it still scared alot of people away. Its easier to see a cars imperfections if the paint is ugly.

 

I'd take the '90 because it has a 350 and I don't care for T-tops...

 

I prefer the 89 interior because it's the last year without the fugly airbag steering wheel. As for which I would choose, that depends on the final goal for the cars. Stock, modded or LS swapped? What color are these cars?

I know t-tops can be a pain but I really wish my car had them.

 

Gotta be honest, this is a big part of it!


None of the f-bodies I owned in my youth had t-tops, so I was hell bent on them for this search. In fact, my hard requirements were t-tops, 5spd, no red interior, and (if it's a Firebird) it must be a GTA. After a few months of searching, reality set in that I was not going to find this in my budget. But I'm OK with that.

The painted t-top car is maroon, and the L98 is Maui Blue. Kinda like the blue more, it's a cool color!

 

What color is the interior on the 1990 Maui Blue Formula 350?

 

Purple, with doo doo smeared all over it! Really, no one wants this car.

J/k it's gray.

 

If it were Beechwood Tan or even Black I was going to see about offering up another Firebird much closer to what you was looking for instead if you turned me onto the 1990 Maui Blue Formula 350.

My #1 most hated exterior color is Bright Red.

My #1 most hated interior color is Medium Grey.

Both of those combined makes me want to puke. It's probably more that I'm sick to death of those colors than I hate them. My friend has a Bright Red 1987 L98 IROC-Z with a Bright Red interior. I really like the car but damn is it RED!!!

My 3rd gen passion is 87 to 92 Formulas and GTAs. I'm in love with the 1987 GTA Flame Red Metallic with Dark Carmine Red cloth interior.


This car absolutely glows outside in the sunlight seen with eyeballs. Pictures don't do it any justice. This is a Norwood, OH built car so the paint is really nice. Multiple tints of the Flame Red Metallic and this must be the one that got all the Gold tint to it.

 

Oh I would do the Blue car for sure then. The color and L98 are worth not having t-tops imo. For me, the only things going for the other car are t-tops and 89 interior.

 

Maui Blue is a great color. Love it. I'd do what was done on this car, change the steering wheel out.

https://www.chicagomotorcars.com/199...ormula-c-4505/

 

If I had to pick between the two Formulas I'd go with the 1990 Formula 350 in Maui Blue with the Medium Grey interior. Blue goes nice with Grey.

They only made 838 Formula 350s in 1990 and T-tops couldn't be had with the L98 engine in 1990. So it's a far more desirable car than a base model 1989 Formula and they made a metric ton of those in 1989. I like the 1990+ Formula interior better. Nicer looking door panels and door handle setup and I like the dash switch gear better. Like @GearheadSS said you can always change the steering wheel if the horn button area is all curled up.

If it has the original OEM GM "Rochester Products Multec" fuel injectors they got to go and odds are good that both of the original OEM GM "AC" catalytic convertors are shot too. 100% of the cars that have been in the collection have had to have both changed. TBI injectors and cats are rock solid but anything can go bad. The TBI in the 89 is simple, reliable, and easy to work on.

T-top cars built before about 1991.5 are rattle traps. Subframe connectors to me are a must have upgrade. Hardtop cars built before about 1991.5 are prone to cracking on the driver's side where the roof meets the B pillar. Subframe connector are a good idea on hardtop cars too.

Always buy what you want in the absolute best condition you can afford. Rust repair and paint and body work ain't cheap.

It's kind of hard to pick one without laying hands and putting eyeballs on both cars.

 

That's a beautiful car!


Also a beautiful car, I've perused that listing more than once since it's ultimately what I hope to have the '90 looking like. I also agree RE the ugly airbag steering wheel.

FWIW I already have a handshake deal on the Maui Blue car, but the seller is having issues w/ the title. It's taking much longer to resolve than I had hoped, hence looking around some more.

 

I missed the production numbers on the L98 Formula, and also only 529 Mauis, so the crossover between the 2 is probably smaller. I also like the 90 interior, just not the steering wheel. Not a big deal in the end.
https://3rdgenformula.com/90/90options.htm

Current owner changed the injectors and gutted the cats, but still good to know.

Rust is my biggest concern of them all. I can live with a ratrod paint look for a few years while I replenish the slush fund, but rust is a no-go for sure. My budget is not huge so I'll have to compromise somewhere along the line no matter what.

 

I vote for T Tops.

Because riding topless on a nice day is worth the BS of dealing with T tops.

 

Neither car. *I* would get the Formula that has T-tops and new paint (original color), L98 with nice options (J65 4 wheel discs, alum caliper front brakes, G80 posi, GU5 3.23 rear)

Because THAT is the car that you/we all REALLY want. I'd hold out, for that.

 

I'm trying to hold out!

I checked out the t-tops car today.The only thing this car had going for it was the paint, which is a repaint and not a show car job (to be expected) but also had a few messy spots too. And the t-tops, but it seemed like there might have been some potential rot starting under the seals. Couldn't tell for sure because it was under some wet grime (it rained here last night).

The guy offered it for $1500 less than the listing on the spot but I told him I need to thik on it. Apparently someone else was coming right after me and he said he was going to auction it after this weekend. Small chance I could make an offer tomorrow if he still has it, but I'm not afraid to lose it.

 

Yeah, someone else is always "coming to see the car right after you" so you need to decide right away (LOL !!!)...

 

Exactly. Can't be afraid to walk away unless it's the exact car you've been after forever....

 

Don't buy nothing today. I might have a Formula you would really like a lot more unless you just hate the 1991 to 1992 Formula look. It's at the paint shop right now to be painted starting in the next two weeks or so.

It's a fully loaded 1991 Formula in Bright Red with Beechwood tan interior. CC1 T-tops, LB9 5.0L TPI engine at 230 HP 300 FT-LBs, MK6 close ratio T5 5 speed, N10 dual cat, posi, 3.42 gears, J65 4 wheel disc brakes. 1SC option group car.

I'm going to the store to get me some RC Colas and smokes. I'm out of both now and about to chew the heads off nails.

I have pictures I'll upload when I get back.

Build Sheet

 

Not buying any until after Easter at this point, headed for spring break trip with the family next weekend.

PM me a ballpark prices to see if we're in the same league.

 

Uploaded some pictures below. These aren't current because the car is at my friend's paint & body shop right now. The car didn't get any worse since these pictures were taken because it's been kept in a secured man cave that's fully climate controlled for temperature and humidity and pest controlled for bugs and rodents.

I can get more pictures later on and detailed close up pictures of anything you want.

Pay no attention to the suspension parts on the ground. The lower control arm is being used as a wheel chock. The others didn't feel like moving because lazy. A 57 Chevy Bel Air 4 speed went roiling down the drive and across the road just missed hitting the house across the street. Nothing manual trans gets parked in the drive without something chocking the wheels.

 

 

Like I said these are old pictures from back when this car was added to the collection. It's been a "Project Car" to be gotten to at sometime in the future pushed back into the corner of the man cave along with about 5 or so other "Project Cars". Kind of out of sight and out of mind.

Somethings have been done to improve the car since these pictures. I can't remember exactly what right off the top of my head because there are so many 3rd gens in the collection not counting the forty eleven other cars too. It all runs together in my mind. I'll have to lay hands on it again and look at records.

 

It looks like a clean car minus the paint. I'm assuming there's no rust on the undercarriage? This car before the paint booth is probably closer to my budget vs. after TBH.

 

This car is clean and rust free. At some point I will get some under carriage pictures. I mentioned the car now after seeing what kind of car you was wanting and that you aren't afraid of patina for awhile until you budget fund gets replenished later on for something like that.

It's a lot closer to your budget range that you mentioned in another thread than it will be after paint.

 

L98 vs L03
L98 all day, its already got way more go fast to it

 

That car looks sharp. 'Reminds me of a Firehawk...

 

Sounds great and thanks for bringing it to my attention.

When I was driving the L03 car today the guy said "don't be afraid to get on it", so I put it to the floor and nothing happened lol Took me right back to my LG4 days.

 

Sadly, that is what GM did to a beautiful sports car! Too many options but they were trying to appeal to a large crowd i get it, I lived it.
2.8 v6
3.1 v6
5.0 TBI
5.0 TPI
5.7 TPI
I think they could have made way more sales if they only sold the camaro/firebird in 5.0 TPI and then for an all out performance factory car do the 5.7 TPI

 

Sure would make my task at hand a heck of a lot easier! S
It's such a bummer to browse an ad for a super clean car, then come across the last pic showing a 6 or TBI under the hood. It's never the first pic lol

 

^TOTALLY. They made a "Z28" with a LO3!! WTF.
Or, a totally loaded Trans Am, top-of-the-line engine, suspension, brakes, performance axle ratio....and an open diff. <-I bought that car!

It's nuts. Mustangs of the era? You got two choices; a 4 banger/econo-box, or the full-tilt 5.0, which automatically came with all of the "good parts". Easy Button. Basically, if you saw a 5.0 in the day, you knew what you were up against. If you saw an F-bod out on the road, even one decked out in ground effects, spoiler, 16" wheels, etc....it could have been anything from a135hp embarrassment, to a 230 hp car that might actually do something. Nuts. Diluting the "brand" with ****-car parts really hurt the image of the genre, IMO.

 

I'm a late comer to this thread, but I was on the fence with the description of either car. I'd enjoy both. BUT, it was mentioned that the L98 car is Maui Blue, therefore it gets my vote without any doubts.

 

Ah gee wilikers, here I go defending the 60V6 again funny enough, GM did actually fully intend for the 60deg to be a """racing motor""" when they launched it, pretty interesting archived article from '82 over on Hot Rod Network here. They saw some decent use later on in circle dirt track racing, but GM really never made any of the "souped-up" 60deg stuff all too available. Even in the article, you could see that the teams who were testing had to make their own parts for the most part... the later aluminum head 60degs (3400/ 3500/ 3900) were actually fairly good for their size (esp the 3500/ 3900), but too little too late, and of course only in FWD cars like the Impala and Grand Am. It's kind of a similar situation to the Iron Duke we got, and the fabled "Iron Duke Super Duty" motor, would have been cool to see what woulda happened if GM had put a little more effort into making OEM bolt-ons for these motors.... heck, with the 3.1, they even went so far as to give it a forged crank and rods right outta the box.... then choked it out with abysmal heads and a suboptimal intake. Partly why the hybrid top end swap is semi-popular with fools people like me who were cursed with a love of the 60deg (Stockholm Syndrome).... monetarily it makes no sense to put parts on a 60deg when the SBC will beat it dollar-for-dollar every day of the week, but having fun doesn't always have to make sense been a reliable daily driver for me the last 9 years, only needed a water pump, alternator, and a new TPS as far as the motor is concerned. She ain't fast, but she gets me where I need to go! Hoping to experiment with the 3400 top end within the next couple of years, 200hp on an NA V6 would be a riot the heads are just taking up space in my shed for now, but I'll definitely make a swap thread when the time comes. Just to clarify, not at all advocating for everyone to go out and modify their V6, it takes a special kind of person to go for that over a V8 swap.... emphasis on special

Now, should the 2.8/ 3.1 been available as is in thirdgens? Probably not, but hey, makes V6 cars a pretty good option nowadays for folks who want a clean bodied thirdgen to motor swap for cheap... hard to really beat on a car that only makes 140hp/ 180ftlbs at the crank!

 

Medium Maui Blue Metallic L98 car it is:
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/memb...ula-350-a.html

Airwolfe's car looks super clean, and if it were closer I would have held out for it. But the reality is, I wouldn't be able to carve out the time (or money) to get her home to NJ from KY.

Either way, I'm happy to own a third gen again!