Cool Factor: B
The '73-'77 A-body hasn't caught on with the hobby as quickly as it should, but for retro-cool, it is certainly the way to go. The coupes are quite attractive.
Where to Look
Try Auto Roundup (www.auto-roundup.com). It's available at newsstands and online to paid subscribers. It's been around since 1974 and focuses on good, used vehicles at great prices. You won't find the auction crowd here.
These are some examples we found:
'74 Pontiac LeMans, two-door coupe, 50,000 miles
Seller's Description: "350ci V-8, two-barrel carburetor, three-speed A/T, PS, PB, A/C, AM radio, leather bench seat. 50,000 one-owner miles. All original-everything works. New battery, rebuilt carburetor, new fuel pump, fuel hoses & vacuum hoses. Car has always been garaged or stored. Some very minor rust. Left front fender is dented, otherwise body is very good, $3,400."
'76 Pontiac Grand LeMans, two-door coupe, 78,000 miles
Seller's Description: "This '76 classic is in excellent condition with a 350 ci motor and automatic transmission that runs like new. Interior is in great condition. All glass is perfect. Original paint, trim, and wheel covers. Been garaged much of its life. New sway bars were added for improved handling while retaining that great '70s ride. New tires and newly rebuilt transmission. You've got to come drive this car to appreciate what a solid smooth ride it is. $2,495."
'73-'81 Firebird Formula
The Hook
This is the last of the Second-Gen performance-based Firebirds that remain affordable in today's skyrocketing collectors' market. For a nice driver, is the Trans Am really worth thousands of dollars more to you? Enjoy a Formula for considerably less.
Advantages
It's the guts of the Trans Am with most of its glory. The Firebird Formula did not have the Shaker hood or the air extractors of its big-brother Trans Am, but it could be ordered with the same powerplant, transmission, suspension (Y99 in '73, standard in '78-'81), and wheels.
There were a ridiculous number of engine choices under the Formula hood. The Pontiac 350 was offered as a 2V in 1973, 1974, and 1976, and a 4V in 1975 through 1977. A Pontiac 400 2V was available in '74, the 400 4V was for the run through 1979 (four-speed only in 1979), and the 455 D-port 4V through 1974. The SD-455 is well out of the price range for this story, as may be the '77-'79 W72 400s.
Olds' 350 4V and 403 4V debuted in '77-'79 California Formulas, and the 403 became the top engine option for automatic Formulas in all states in 1979.
The Pontiac 301 2V was introduced in 1977, returned in 1979-1981 in 2V ('79 only) and 4V form, and was offered with a turbo in 1980-1981. Pontiac's 265 2V debuted in 1981.
There was also a Chevy 305 (2V in 1977-1979, 4V in 1980-1981) and a Chevy 350 4V in 1978-1979.
The big-cube engines offer decent performance out of the box and are easily modified. Any of these Formulas readily accepts any Pontiac '70-up 400-455 engine swap.
All-around, the Formula is a great choice under $5,000, and its kinship to the Trans Am, combined with its relative rarity in comparison to the more popular model, makes it a unique find.
Disadvantages
Squeaks and rattles are common in the body and suspension of all Second-Gens, especially high-mileage examples. T-top cars tend to leak and the floorpans rot out. The Pontiac 265s and 301s are slow compared with the bigger-cube engines and they are more difficult to modify because of a lack of aftermarket parts availability. The Chevy 305 was slow as well. Many of the later cars had 2.41-2.73 rear gears. No four-speed manual-trans cars were offered in 1980. You could only get a four-speed with the 305 Chevy in 1981.
Swapability
Parts interchange freely among '70-'81 F-bodies (be aware of the front-spindle/rotor outer-bearing size change for 1979 on all Pontiac models), and brake and suspension parts swap over from '75-'77 X-body Novas and Venturas. For cheap upgrades, keep in mind that Trans Ams and Y99 ('71-'73) and '78-'81 Formulas have the large 1.25-inch front stabilizer bar, and the '70-'73 T/As and Y99 Birds have the 0.875-inch rear stabilizer bar, which is larger than the later cars. The '78-'81 WS6 Firebirds have larger 15x8 aluminum wheels and 14:1 constant-ratio steering boxes, and the '79-'81 WS6s have four-wheel disc brakes. Pontiac 455 and 400 motors from 1970-up are a direct swap with proper mounts and brackets. Turbo 400s can be bolted to '75-up Formulas with slight mods and replacement of the larger pellet-type cat converter with a smaller, more efficient unit. Muncie M20, M21, and M22 and Borg-Warner Super T10 four-speed shift boxes are easy swaps. Rearend and/or gear exchanges with the 8.5-inch Corporate 10-bolt are no problem ('70 Trans Ams and Formulas had a 12-bolt rear).