Well, here we have a model of the Pontiac Firebird that I have some personal experience with and just a little affinity for too! It is a 1973 Pontiac Formula 455 with a 4 speed transmission. This muscle car is located in Stoughton, Wisconsin and is listed here on eBay with 3 days remaining in the auction. The Formula 455 is currently bid to $4,150. The seller has the PHS documents to show that the car came with the L75 Y code 455 cubic inch V8 engine.
Most enthusiasts are unaware that the early Formulas based on the 2nd generation Firebird also carry their engine designation after their name. There was the Formula 350, the Formula 400 and the Formula 455 that were produced from 1970 to 1976. After 1976, the cars reverted to just the Formula name. This car is one of 731 Formula 455s that were built in 1973 and only 227 came with the 4 speeds. The rest were backed by Turbo 400 transmissions. This car was originally maroon with a black interior. It has manual windows and locks and no air conditioning.
Two 455 engine options were available in 1973. The Y code 455 which is what this car has was the base engine in the Trans Am and produced 250 horsepower and 380 lb ft of torque. The other engine option was the Super Duty 455 of which only 43 were built in 1973 that was underrated at 290 horsepower. This car is said to be from California and has a lot of surface rust but the frame and floorboards are said to be solid.
Unfortunately, the engine is not numbers matching but the car has the correct Y code block. Even though it is not running, the car has most of the important parts. I owned a black 1973 Formula 455 for 15 years and just loved it. When the Turbo 400 transmission went out, I replaced it with a Tremec 5 speed and put a Recaro interior from a 1981 NASCAR edition Trans Am in it. This car has all the bones to build a stock or modified muscle car.
Four-speed and 455, manual windows and no A/C= Dream spec in my book. Do you have any pics of your old Formula Bruce?
Here is a pic after I added 17″ Year One honeycomb wheels
Interior Shot
This is beautiful. The wheels and seats are great additions.
Daaaannnggg son that’s mint
Very nice ride
All 1970 Formula’s had 400’s.
Steve R
There were no ’70’s…they were ’70 1/2’s.
4spd, manual windows and no a/c …
Music to the ears.
Strange rust areas on the car. Great color combo! All I would add is aftermarket a/c, need my creature comfort!
I’ve had them and Trans ams pre 77 and there are great cars to drive hard and easy to maintain if you have any mechanical skills .
See, I’m totally different, No A/C No Sale
Beautiful car Bruce! Reminds me of ta on corvette summer
Perfect starter car for a driver project. Body paint and interior, freshen the 455, add HEI ignition and a TBI fuel injection system for reliability, refinish the PMD Rally II wheels, and have a lot of fun.
you are incorrect in your thinking…. a car like this, when restored, would make a great looker/driver but a non SD 455 in 1973 was rather slow so “lightening up” this car with no A/C and power windows would not make this car much faster…. better to have the comfort of A/C and power windows…. (like I did with a ’74 formula 350)
Depends on your way of thinking. No a/c and crank up windows are definitely the way to go in a ‘real’ hot rod.
Comfort? What’s that have to do with it?
Let me say one thing, most of these cars built after 71, weren’t that fast to begin with, so adding a/c and power windows was no big deal, actually made it a nice car, instead of a car that was sacrificed for nothing, I sometimes think people that didn’t want to pay for Luxury used the weight thing as an excuse, same way that Chevys were made legends for being the best, Chevys were the bottom of the food chain, had horrible interiors, but were cheaper than anything out there, Pontiac was always a nicer car, as was Oldsmobile and Buick, but they were expensive, so middle America said Chevy was the best
I would like to know the location of this car, seems like you show the price but never where it is
The location is right there in the first paragraph.
I’ve always liked the flat back window Camaro/Firebirds and I’m not a GM guy ! They seemed to lose something when they went to the wrap around rear glass , though I’m sure I’m in the minority here !
I’m a Pontiac man, till they started to put Oldsmobile motors in Trans Ams, then I got annoyed, still love Pontiac, but pre 80, I could even tolerate the 301Turbo in 80, at least it was a Pontiac it a Toronado powered T/A is not for me
Nice, and these are getting harder to find
I had a plain Jane 72 bird with 4 speed, and she was fun to drive but not very fast.
Speed was left up to my 454 Chevelle
needs aftermarket AC. easier to work with. to bad the oem carb does not go with the car. also y blocks were automatic engines w blocks were for manuals. id say in this condition its worth around 12,000 . a great dry climate driver that only needs a little to get a lot…
It could Definitely be a nice running Car again !!…I had a 1980 Firebird Gunmetal Gray & Black Interior, 302 v8 ,4 Barrel carb ,Rally wheels ,very nice & was Fast to for the smaller v8!….
Pontiac made a 301, Ford made a 302
Chevrolet also had a 302 and although all three were completely different engines they did share the same 4 inch bore and 3 inch stroke.
You are correct, but I know Pontiac never did, it was close, like Pontiac had a 326, and Chevy had a 327, Pontiac had a 428, Chevy 427, Chrysler 426, Chevy 454, rest of GM 455, Ford had a 428, and a 429, Ford also had the 460, Cadillac had a 429, 472, and 500
John, it’s all in how they were marketed. All three of these engines were exactly 301.6 cubic inches. None of the engines you mention above had the same bore and stroke.
Marty, thanks for the info, I wouldn’t know bore and stroke #s for all the money in the world, you are obviously very well informed and educated on engines, I on the other hand am a big car enthusiast, dating back to the 60s but the technical end is not my forte, I’m strictly into dimensions of what the output was and cubic inches, I can identify a muscle car from any angle, but I have a mechanic for anything internal
1/2 of the restoration is already done – the endura nose has no cracks & lines up! lol
I would add a rear spoiler & passenger sport mirror.
No A/C was not all that unusual in early 70’s cars in Northern climes like Wisconsin …
I followed this car on eBay the highest bid was $7555 and that did not meet the reserve
I’ve had quite a few of these cars and the amount of work that I see for this one added to the incorrect drivetrain and rear I just don’t see that kind of money for this car
Anyway it’s good to see that error Firebird on foreign fines hopefully we can find some GTO‘s to!!!!