High Performance Pontiac Homepage High Performance Pontiac

"Formula"

Owner:   barneyformula
Year: 1979
Make: Pontiac
Model: Firebird
Est.Horsepower: 200
Page Views: 11586
Comments: 20 Comments
Ratings: 10 votes  
Overall:
Exterior:
Interior:
Performance:
barneyformula has other ride profile(s):
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!

eggman1979
eggman1979 | New User
Posts: 9 | Joined 08/21/09
Posted: 02/24/10 05:46 PM

yeah was going to say the same to you (about paint colors) yeah Pontiac 400 is my dream, but need money for that. haha. nice bird man keep up the good work.
lilhotrod96
lilhotrod96 | New User
Posts: 12 | Joined 08/04/08
Posted: 12/22/09 08:45 AM

Thank you for the comment.  My husband and I are helping Dad have the GTO ready for the upcoming show season You have a nice garage of Pontiacs too!!!  Between my husband and I, we have owned over 20 Firebirds  
Banshee76
Banshee76 | New User
Posts: 0 | Joined 10/05/09
Posted: 10/05/09 07:59 PM

Nice 'Bird, you've done lots of work and get to drive it as well...sometimes you never really get finished, you work on it...drive it..work on it some more, thats called hotrodding and fun!
smoothdawg
smoothdawg | New User
Posts: 9 | Joined 06/06/08
Posted: 08/25/09 04:18 PM

Like your car, it's always fun to hear the stories behind the cars we own and why we like them. As well as the mechanical history. That's a pretty respectable e.t. at the track for a high mile 350. FUN!!
Justabird
Justabird | New User
Posts: 16 | Joined 08/07/09
Posted: 08/12/09 06:52 PM

Gotta love the ol birds..Big or small. LOL Been there done that on the traction probs. Started with 13in rims N 3:73 gears... Still have issues, but the 14in rims N 3:08 gears helped alot. Thankz for the post! It's WOODWARD DREAM Cruise week here N the sheer #'s of cars out N about is amazing. Your choice of cruise nites N shows everynite BUT ya better get there really really early.
P400
P400 | New User
Posts: 30 | Joined 01/12/09
Posted: 02/26/09 06:52 PM

nice car man!the firebird always gets overshawdoed by the t/a but yours is a realy nice.makes for a wicked sleeper.i bet you catch alot of 5.0's,camaro's and honda's by surprise when you unleash  that torque.
Pontiacman8
Pontiacman8 | Guru
Posts: 1658 | Joined 02/04/08
Posted: 02/10/09 07:36 AM

That is one cool ride. Barney I wouldn't be to quick to put that 400 under the hood there is a lot more power to be pulled out of that 350.
It is always nice to see some one else with a pontiac 350 under the hood.
ROLLING COUNTRY
ROLLING COUNTRY | New User
Posts: 21 | Joined 10/20/08
Posted: 10/27/08 08:38 AM

NICE WORK..CAR LOOKS GREAT.........COOKIE
cornfed_75
cornfed_75 | New User
Posts: 24 | Joined 06/16/08
Posted: 07/11/08 07:43 AM

Thank You for the comments of my car Big Guy! I didn't relise you have quite the little collection also. It's amazing no matter how much agrivation these cars give us, we still love them. look forward to seeing more of the on going fixes and talk with you later when I send those pic's to you. I was wondering what class is the race car you have and is it an dirt or asphalt car? Have a good one and enjoy the cars.
addacore
addacore | New User
Posts: 37 | Joined 12/26/07
Posted: 05/21/08 01:52 PM

hey steve
you know ive always glanced at your car and have always been impressed but i didnt know all the previous history behind and to be brutally honest dude... gotta say im pretty damn impressed! I only hope all the guys on this web site may be able to show people restoring something that seems like garbage to so many can in reality be the greatest master piece of true american muscle!
Jims73TA
Jims73TA | New User
Posts: 7 | Joined 05/02/08
Posted: 05/11/08 12:50 PM

Hey, thanks for the positive comments! My first Firebird was a 79 Formula I purchased new as a senior in high school. Had a lot of really great times in that car, but ended up beating it up pretty bad. Yours still looks to be in really good shape and brings back some cool memories from the past. I guess that's one of the reasons we still love to own and drive these classic American icons. Kudo's on keeping the birds alive...Jims73ta.
Bad98TA
Bad98TA | New User
Posts: 22 | Joined 04/10/08
Posted: 04/21/08 08:52 PM

thanks for the comments.yah it can be a pain gettin her ready for the shows.lol.def let me know if u add any new pics.later.
CarChick79
CarChick79 | New User
Posts: 3 | Joined 03/13/08
Posted: 04/12/08 05:43 PM

Thanks for your comment.  Very nice formula...Ours do look alike.  Not many nice ones around.  The interior redo is a must, makes a big difference.  I redid my interior in the original white vinyl, since when I bought it, the original white seats turned grey and were all ripped.  Good luck with it.  Look forward to new pics, maybe I will get some ideas!  You have a nice garage of toys!!
Bad98TA
Bad98TA | New User
Posts: 22 | Joined 04/10/08
Posted: 04/10/08 07:22 PM

very nice 5 stars.check out my ride let me know what u think.thanks.
Amato68
Amato68 | New User
Posts: 2 | Joined 02/03/08
Posted: 02/12/08 09:35 AM

Nice Bird! My buddy in high school use to have on just like it and we would terrorized the town with it. Good job!!
djp1
djp1 | New User
Posts: 2 | Joined 01/16/08
Posted: 01/16/08 04:24 PM

I had a 79' formula when I was 17.  I always liked the formula because it was a step up from the firebird and not as flashy as the ***  My son has a 99' firebird that he loves driving and I love maintaining.  Good luck!
barneyformula
barneyformula | Guru
Posts: 1119 | Joined 01/20/07
Posted: 01/03/08 04:19 PM

78bird, Thanks for the comments, the body is really nice, considering it has been in Canada all it's life, just a small blister on the bottom of the pass door and some scratches and dings from kids' bikes when it was stored for 15 years. If money permits I will do the polygraphite stuff as well and eventually recover the seats (the light blue hobnail cloth is faded and worn and stinks from sitting with a full ashtray for 15 years, filthy habit). If the hobnail cloth kits had not become available, I probably would have passed on this car, I spend more time in the car than looking at it, so I want the experience to be enjoyable! Like I said in the main text, I am changing the rear springs and rear axle, windshield, carpet and headliner this year and eventually will do a 400 for the car as the 350 is a totally stock long block with 32 year old rings, pistons and bearings! Still runs strong though!
78bird
78bird | New User
Posts: 0 | Joined 01/01/08
Posted: 01/01/08 08:14 AM

as an owner of a 78 formula, I think your ride looks good. It is hard to tell from the pics. what condition it is in. The formula doesn,t seem to be a very desirable car for some but I think that they aren,t all that bad looking at all. My car is stripped right down to the last nut and bolt and I am in the process of beefing up the frame(sub conn. polyurethane bshgs. and mts. etc.) My car came with a chev 350 and am going to build a 383 stroker out of it.What other plans do you have for yours?
78bird
78bird | New User
Posts: 0 | Joined 01/01/08
Posted: 01/01/08 08:14 AM

as an owner of a 78 formula, I think your ride looks good. It is hard to tell from the pics. what condition it is in. The formula doesn,t seem to be a very desirable car for some but I think that they aren,t all that bad looking at all. My car is stripped right down to the last nut and bolt and I am in the process of beefing up the frame(sub conn. polyurethane bshgs. and mts. etc.) My car came with a chev 350 and am going to build a 383 stroker out of it.What other plans do you have for yours?
78bird
78bird | New User
Posts: 0 | Joined 01/01/08
Posted: 01/01/08 08:13 AM

as an owner of a 78 formula, I think your ride looks good. It is hard to tell from the pics. what condition it is in. The formula doesn,t seem to be a very desirable car for some but I think that they aren,t all that bad looking at all. My car is stripped right down to the last nut and bolt and I am in the process of beefing up the frame(sub conn. polyurethane bshgs. and mts. etc.) My car came with a chev 350 and am going to build a 383 stroker out of it.What other plans do you have for yours?
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