Here’s a question for fans of the loud, tape-striped cars of the 1970s: Which one had the best graphics package? I’m a fan of the 1976 and up Formula Firebird. A little more subdued than the all-out Trans Am, the Formula had a simple rocker panel design that spelled out “FORMULA,” with similar decals on the decklid. It’s a subtle stripe package for the 1970s, and it added up to a Firebird that signaled sportiness without being too extroverted. This 1979 Formula, which is being offered for sale here on eBay in Columbus, Ohio, has a claimed 27,253 miles on it, and we can thank busy Barn Finder Curvette for sending us the link. The asking price is $24,995.
The 1979 Firebird was wildly popular, with 211,453 finding their ways from Pontiac lots to happy homes. Staggeringly, over half of those were Trans Ams; people apparently didn’t want subtlety in their new car in 1979, so only 24,850 buyers chose the less-expensive Formula, making it the least popular Firebird that year. The Formula had also lost a little of its bite over the course of the decade, with this 135-horsepower 301 two-barrel being the basic V8. Luckily, the 301 in this example looks and runs great, and the air conditioning blows cold—there’s no “recharging” needed. The battery and alternator are “newer.”
The second-generation F-Body was well-known for its staying power, as the basic design changed little from the time of its introduction in 1970 through the 1981 model year. The engine turned dashboard sits in a housing that would be recognizable to anyone who’s ever owned a 1970s Firebird of any trim level. The black interior is in outstanding shape, and the only part that’s not pulling its weight is the radio, an aftermarket unit that is “inoperative.”
Here’s the odometer reading, which is verified by the title, according to the selling dealer.
Any car located in Ohio, or any rust belt state, deserves a look at the undercarriage, and while this one is far from being detailed, it’s also far from being rusty. Perhaps it’s the low mileage, or perhaps the car was stored during the winter; either way, it looks solid. The transverse muffler was not uncommon underneath second-generation Firebirds; however, this is a simple single exhaust system. Regardless of the 301 up front, a Formula deserves a mellow dual exhaust system, and that might be all I’d change about the car.
With a newer “driver-quality” paint job in its original “Atlantis Blue,” this is a nice-looking example of a car that isn’t as flashy as a Trans Am, but still looks sporty and muscular. While its little 301 can’t quite live up to that look, few cars from the late 1970s could; therefore, it might be time to forget smoky burnouts and simply fix the radio, pop in some ELO, and go for a cruise.
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