New owner of '88 Firebird Formula

I am now the new owner of an '88 Blue Firebird Formula. 81k miles, 350 engine, fully loaded... but need a little work.. but hey.. its not a CHEBBIE.. right Dennis?? ;) So I will be asking a lot of questions about this car as there is a lot of electrical things that need help.

Reply to
KITT
Loading thread data ...

Actually Kitt....don't look now, but that's a SBC under your hood!

Gah!

Any chance we can see some photo's of the Formula? Especially the work you did on the head lamp assembly.

Martin '01 Formula - MTI Air Box Lid, K&N Filter, Hurst-6, SLP Cold Air Induction & Smooth Intake Bellow Corsa Catback w/Premium Tips '83 V45 Magna

Reply to
GLK9MM

:) Yeah I know its still a small block, but its still a hell of a lot better than my little 2.8! :) Anyway, I intend on taking a lot of pics as to how it looks and what I do... unfortunately I didn't take any of it before or during the removal and reinstallation of the pass headlight assembly. But it was kinda tricky to get some of those bolts back on... even my arms almost weren't small enough.. lol. But it was nothing major, just ripped out the whole assembly and got the new one (Good ol Evil-bay) and connected it to the light motor and put it back together.. only problem is, the guy that had it crunched it pretty good on the pass side.. the nose is cracked pretty bad, the fender is dented, the headlight was smashed, and the frame under the headlight is bent to hell. So I can't put the black collar on the light right now as it won't go down. So I will have to take the light out again and try to bend that bar down about an inch or so... any ideas? :) But anyway, I intend to take pictures from now on and post them on my website.

Reply to
KITT

Anyone know if there is a way I can get a copy of the buid sheet for THIS car? I know my Camaro is a lost cause, but I thought Pontiac had some historical society or something?

Reply to
KITT

Pontiac Historical Services

formatting link
...Ron

--

68' RS Camaro 88' Formula Bird

formatting link
Newly updated

Some are wise and some are otherwise

Reply to
RSCamaro

Congrats, and post us some links to some pics of it already!

Reply to
Led Sleddin'

KITT Spilled my beer when they jumped on the table and proclaimed in :

Glad you got the newsreader sorted out, Kitt.

Tell me more about the car, please. Any mods already?

NOI

Reply to
Thund3rstruck

Lol.. yeah, finaly got away from Outlook, and am using News Rover... just takes a little to get used to.... anyway, no, no mods yet.... want to get the car looking and acting decent before trying to f*ck around with it..... Problems when I bought it Wednesday night:

No interior lights, passenger headlight assembly is smashed, nose is crunched on pass side, pass fender is dented, power locks don't work, radio doesn't work, power trunk doesn't work, dr seatg is ripped up, wiring harness is hanging on the floor, have to use spare wire to "jump start" the car by hooking it up to one fuse and tagging the crank fuse, pass taillight is cracked and turn signal is burned out, oil hadn't been changed since 2000, pass window was smashed by a student a few weeks ago, and rearview mirror was in the back seat. It pulls pretty bad to the left when braking.. I think that just means that it needs an alighnment.. which it does BADLY, and I don't know if this is like this on a car with this power.. but when I step on it a little at a stopsign, the backend kicks to the right a little.. and sometimes it feels like one wheel doesn't want to engage or something.. but might be like limited slip or something.. can someone explain what posi-traction is to me.. and if I have it or not? I think that pretty much covers most of it.

Things I have fixed so far: Dome lights work, radio works, got used headlight assembly off an '82 firebird from EvilBay and switched the metal covering and replaced it, works great now, changed oil, (sorda) got the power locks to work... if I hit the button 2 or 3 times, the pass door will lock and the dr. ones wants too, but doesn't.. then I have to hit the unlock 2 or 3 times to unlock. I have to have the Em. Brake on to pop the trunk, but the electric pull down grabs it about 3 seconds after I pop it, so I think I want to disconnect the power to it and not use it.. that kinda defeats the purpose of having a trunk release if it is just going to lock it right away. Replaced the back turn bulb and put reflective tape over the cracks for now. Tried to glue the mirror piece back on.. waited 20 hours (package said 18) and put the mirror on it, but just as I touched it, the whole thing fell in my hand.. don't know if I didn't put enough glue or what.. will have to try again.

Anyway, the sticker on the door that tells a lot of the info had been ripped off, so I can't really tell what it had factory. So I was wondering if spending the 35 bucks or whatever from the PHS to get their information would be worth it? What exaclty do they send you? I want to do a quick search on my VIN # to see what that tells me, haven't done that yet (I know, I know.. should ahve done that before I bought it) But I have taken a few pics of it so far... haven't had time to post them on my site.. but I can e-mail them if anyone is interested. Its that fairly light blue, Formula (not Formula 350.. whats the difference?) stickers on the doors, automatic with the t-handle shifter (I hate this.. oh, and its not locked down anymore.. I can lift the whole handle off) I think I want to see if I can get a ball shifter like my Camaro has... Well, anyway, looks like all the gages work, had to replace the umm.. heater-.. umm.. (the plastic thing that the 3 hoses that have the antifreeze in goes to) as right after I had the oil replaced, I drove less tahn a block and here is all this smoke flying at me... I pulled over and parked it.. popped the hood, and there was a lot more... I looked and there was antifreeze spilling all over. That plastic piece had one of the "spouts" broken off. Anyone know what kind of horsepower these things were supposed to have? I know its a lot more than my Camaro..

Well, I better stop babbling.. but you asked for it. ;)

Reply to
KITT

http:

formatting link
moderator at
formatting link

Reply to
Mrrjjdh03

Oh, and forgot to say the horn doesn't work.. and still doesn't.. haven't figured that one out yet... I wonder if I have to have the A/C on or something for that to work....like my trunk release. lol

Reply to
KITT

Dude, you've asked for a world of hurt if most probs are electrical... Not physical hurt, but wire-tracing, time-consuming, pain-in-the-ass hurt... Good luck with it, it's a hell of a ride as long as there's no stock body kit (KITT never needed a body kit, neither do you).

Reply to
7ball
7ball Spilled my beer when they jumped on the table and proclaimed in :

He's in Electronics, like I was.

Besides, a little wiring every now and then never killed anyone...just got the SO yelled at, and the dog told off, but no deaths yet...

NOI

Reply to
Thund3rstruck

Well, I think most of the probs shouldn't be too hard to finger out... the original owner was trying to install a push starter.. thus trying to do some hook-ups and had all the wires out and some of them jumping others. Maybe its just really early.. but what do you mean by a stock body kit?

Reply to
KITT

Very true. :) Glad to hear you don't need to fill out any of that paperwork.. I hear its a lot.. and then the whole jail thing... Just think of what would happen to your car?

Reply to
KITT

rearview

information

Damn that sounds like a handful...but that's always more fun. As long as you think it is worth it in the end, that's all that is really important. Good luck in tracking and fixing the problems. Wish I could help, but I know nothing bout 3rd gen issues.

Reply to
The Vampire Muffin Man

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.