Owner:   barneyformula Year: 1979 Make: Pontiac Model: Firebird Est.Horsepower: 200 Page Views: 6848 Comments: 13 Comments Ratings: 8 votes   Overall: Rating : Exterior: Rating : Interior: Rating : Performance: Rating :

barneyformula has other ride profile(s): 1993 Pontiac Grand Prix - "The Church Car" (13 pics) 1981 Pontiac Lemans (5 pics)

My 1979 Firebird Formula was purchased in September 2006 from the original owner. My wife bought it for me as an early birthday present (my birthday is in October) It had been parked for 15 years, since the original 301 4bbl threw a rod. When I bought it, the owner had paid someone to swap in a 454 Chevy and Turbo 400 trans, the 301/th350 were long gone. The big-block had no exhaust, had a cracked oil gallery and ran terrible. I sold the 454 and 400 trans to a guy who rebuilt it for a 1987 Monte Carlo SS.
Then I bought a 1975 350 from a Firebird Esprit, installed a Crane 270 cam and lifters and new timing set, all new gaskets and a 1977 factory 4bbl intake and carb. I bolted it in this summer with a '76 TH400 from a Lemans wagon and had 2.25" duals run from the stock manifolds to turbo mufflers and stock tailpipes with chrome splitters. I spent days fixing the mess they made of the wiring, mounts, smashed wiper motor and replacing the missing overflow and washer bottles.
The car currently runs a 2.73 open differential and 235/60R15 Goodyear Nascar tires on Rally II's. Plans for next summer include new rear springs and a 3.42 Safe-T-Track rear end, new windshield, carpet and headliner.
For now it's a nice cruiser, my kids call it "Daddy's HotRod", eventually I will build my 75 400 and it will live up to the name!
UPDATE: Jan 8/08- Pulled the gas tank out and started to pull the springs and rear end tonight after work, I think I'll clean and paint the bottom while all this stuff is off.
UPDATE: Aug 7/08- Have been driving the car since late May, now has new 3-core rad, sandblasted and painted floor from leaf spring torque boxes to rear, ran all new brake and fuel lines, new leaf springs (redrilled the front mounting brackets 3/4" higher to improve handling and traction), 3.42 posi from 78 TA. Flushed and cleaned fuel tank and installed new sending unit. That's enough for this summer!
***UPDATE***
Oct.09/08 Ran the car with a G-tech meter and got 14.45 seconds at 99.7mph in the quarter mile! Bit of a shock, considering how little money and parts are in the motor! Gotta love that Pontiac power!

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