Vehicle Description
Come with me back to the days when you were in high school and this
1987 Pontiac Firebird Formula was by far the coolest car on the
block. An incredible, unmolested survivor with just 21,214 original
miles, this Formula is still a blast to drive and gets loads of
admiring, nostalgia-filled looks out on the road. '80s cool is back
in full-force these days, and there aren't many cars that can
encapsulate that glitzy decade better than this yellow-and-black
coupe with pop-up headlights, wide taillights, a big rear hatch,
and period-perfect alloys.
It may blow your mind to learn that this Firebird from your High
School glory days now qualifies as an antique with the Antique
Automobile Club of America, but it's 34 years old now. The good
news is that it's only been driven about 625 miles a year, so it's
still quite fresh and still plenty fast. The swoopy Firebird
bodywork, which, for a time, made it the most aerodynamic car in
America, still looks really great today. That factory Yellow paint
shines up beautifully and doesn't show any evidence of repaints or
accident repairs, and even though it shows like a super-solid
driver, a professional buff would really kick things up a notch
without altering any of its originality. The Medium Gray on the
bottom breaks up the canary theme perfectly, with thick orange and
black pinstripes acting as a complementary barrier between the two
colors. Personally, I like the lack of obnoxious graphics on this
one, although showing full restraint was never Pontiac's style, so
you still get "Formula 350" decals on the doors and a "Fire
Chicken" decals throughout the body that let everyone know what
time it is. A slick wrap-around rear spoiler (no cracks!), that
killer scoop in the asymmetrical hood, and the trick '80s
taillights are all in great condition and add to the distinctive
icon's look. Sure, there are some minor signs of age, but you
really don't find 1980s F-bodies with this kind of low-mileage and
preservation, and you almost never see this darn clean.
The interior in this Formula is so darn nice, it looks practically
new. A mixture of mostly original parts and a couple OEM
replacements, the cabin is a great place for performance driving.
The black cloth buckets are supportive but not confining, and the
grippy upholstery is soft and supple, yet still great for holding
you in place because this sucker still has what it takes in the
corners. The carpets and door panels show basically zero wear, even
with the low miles we think they may actually be NOS replacements
(at least the carpets - one would think they'd be a tad bit faded
by now if they were still original), and everything fits together
so well, just like it did on the showroom floor in 1987. A sporty
3-spoke steering wheel anchors the cockpit, the dash pad ahead of
it is remarkably crack-free, and the factory center console has a
cool '80s vibe to it and also houses the shifter for the 4-speed
automatic transmission below. GM finally gave the big Pontiac a
speedometer that would match its performance by reading to 140
instead of 85, and even today the gauges are still functional and
highly legible. Cold A/C, power windows/locks/antenna, remote
decklid release, cruise control, and a tilt steering column are
great options in this new-age muscle car, and even the original
Delco AM/FM/Cassette stereo is still in the center of the dash, a
genuine anomaly in today's entertainment-crazed world. The rear
hatch area is rather impeccably preserved as well, albeit a little
oddly shaped, and you'll be impressed by the fact that the original
gas struts can still support the big glass hatch and that the
original privacy shade is still in place as well.
GM's torquey and rugged Tuned Port Injection 5.7L FI V8 was the top
dog in 1987, and while its horsepower figures may not be all that
impressive today, it's still a real blast to stomp the throttle and
feel the torque as it rockets the Formula 350 forward. It's also
blissfully stock, which means it hasn't been abused or raced, and
runs as well as the day the original owner took it home. There are
none of the usual modifications under the hood and it really is
spotless, including that timeless Tuned Port Injection intake
manifold with the headers jutting out from the flanks, and other
than routine maintenance items it looks 100% original under the
hood. That's just how you should buy a car like this because it
means it hasn't been abused or raced. It's backed by a 700R4
4-speed automatic overdrive with quick reflexes, and cruises
relatively efficiently with a set of highway-friendly gears out
back inside the limited-slip rear end. It's just as clean and solid
underneath, with some very light surface scale but no rust issues
anywhere to report and it still feels tight and solid going down
the road thanks to responsive power steering and power 4-wheel disc
brakes. Original 16-inch Hi-Tech Turbo wheels are in terrific
condition and wear newer 245/50/16 BFGoodrich performance radials
to complete the '80s ensemble.
Lots of fun, not much cash, that's the Formula's strength. The fact
that they're also quickly becoming genuine collectors' items can
only help values in the future, especially with a window sticker,
owner's manuals, and original dealer brochures in tow. Call
today!
