Thursday, September 24, 2015

My 1990 Pontiac Firebird Formula

Tonight, Something Different

I Mainly post Video Game related things, along with Books and Music. But, Once upon a time, I sunk a lot of time, money (too much) and work into my car, a 1990 Pontiac Firebird Formula.

The Only Factory Stock Picture I have

I bought my Formula in March of 1998, after having gotten rid of my first car, a 1983 Pontiac Trans Am, about a year before. I was craving another 80's Firebird, and trying to find a rust free example in MN, isn't the easiest thing in the world. I was looking for a Formula or Trans Am, T-Top with a Tuned Port Injected Engine. I wanted ANYTHING but Red, and of course, I ended up with Red. It took 6 months to find a good rust free, not beat to shit example, but in the end, I was happy with it.


My Formula had under gone an engine swap at some point in it's life, as it left the Factory with a Throttle Body Injected 305 engine, but now it has a 1989 350 with Tuned Port Injection. I ran it on the Dyno one year at the Car Craft Magazine Summer Nationals, Where I would show the car and it made 265 Rear Wheel Horsepower and 365 Rear Wheel Torque.


I used to do a lot of Autocross and Road Racing, Ironically I stopped after dumping $1500.00 into the suspension.  Between that and the 17x9.5 wheels with 275/40ZR17 Tires, it handles really really well on the street.


I swapped out the bumper covers with ones from an earlier car, as I liked them better than the stock ones, and I also swapped out the Taillights with ones from a Trans Am.


I spent one winter making up a custom interior for the car, and installed it in 2003, when I had it repainted in Red (ugh), One of these days I want to tear the whole car apart and repainting it Black over Yellow, and I want to redo the Interior yet again, A car is never done.


And here is where the car has sat since 2008, in the garage, undriven. Lots of factors have lead here, and I feel sad, I love my car, there is nothing like taking the T-Tops off, cranking up some Pantera on the radio and finding a twisty road to blast down.

Someday soon, When I get a house and garage where I can work on it, I will put it back on the road

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