Pontiac produced four different models of the Firebird from 1970 to 1981. These included the base Firebird, Esprit, Formula and Trans Am. This 1976 Pontiac Formula is located near Seattle, Washington and is listed for sale for $19,000. The seller states that the car was painted for $10,000 in the 1980’s. It is listed here on Craigslist just this week. The car is Code 19 Starlight Black with a black vinyl interior. The Formula was available in 1976 with either a Pontiac 350 cubic inch V8 engine or a Pontiac 400 cubic inch V8 engine. The ad, found by Tony Primo (thanks Tony), does not state what engine this car is equipped with but does say it has been rebuilt.
The interior looks dusty and the seats have some pretty ugly seat covers on them. The Formula steering wheel has been wrapped but aftermarket steering wheels are readily available. The seller states that the he or she has new front seats to go in the car but no explanation on why they are not installed. The car appears to have the deluxe interior which came with upgraded bucket seats and door panels. Other than an automatic transmission and tilt steering, the car appears to be a low optioned Firebird with no air conditioning or power windows.
As stated earlier, the Pontiac Formula could be purchased with either a Pontiac 350 cubic inch V8 engine or a Pontiac 400 cubic inch V8 engine. The Pontiac 350 cubic inch V8 engine was designated as the L76 and only came with an automatic transmission. This engine was rated at only 165 horsepower. The Pontiac 400 cubic inch V8 engine was designated as the L78 and rated at 185 horsepower and could be purchased with an automatic transmission or a 4 speed manual transmission.
The number of pictures of this car are not great. There are only two side shots of the car which show the car rides on new Firestone tires and its original Rally II rims. Pontiac produced 110,775 Firebirds in 1976 and out of those 20,613 were Formulas. This car seems priced a little steep for the condition of the interior and engine compartment but the seller says that it runs excellently.
Looks like a 350 2 barrel from here
You are correct, as the top is round. That is likely a base 350 2-bbl. These were not fast. The only thing special about it is the color, assuming it is factory. 19k is way too steep. He will be sitting on it for a while in this softening market.
YES it does!
A $20K repaint 40 years ago, WHERE?
Read the write up slowly. Nowhere does it say $20,000 paint job. The seller is claiming that it was a $10,000 paint job.
By 1976, The Firebird Formula had a little too much H2O. Performance was pretty well watered down. People were buying them more for their looks than their power. It’s a shame there aren’t more outside shots. We know the interior will need some freshening up.
I wonder if that 20,000 paint job from 40 years ago included any body work? I would like to see the receipt from the body shop. Who know maybe it was painted by shyster and shyster body shop.
There won’t be a receipt. It equivalent to a sellers claim of low original mileage or “one owner”, 90% of the time it’s sales hype generated to separate a potential buyer from their money. Some buyers are drawn to that sort of claim, even if unsubstantiated, so the can tell people at a coffee and cars, that the previous owner told me XY&Z about the car.
Steve R
This is still a $750 beater with a Maaco paint job. Gotta love the respect they get now.
Oh, man. If people would only learn how to use a camera. They take shots of nothing. Please, folks, hold the camera square and focus on what the prospect wants to see. Nice 3/4 views of the outside taken from close enough range to see some detail. Show us the dash top, driver seat and headliner. Don’t obscure the features and show the pluses and minuses. For heavens sake, you’re asking a fortune, take an interest in the presentation.
Could you not get the 4 speed only 455 in ’76 on a formula?
That’s a 1 year only hood!
No a/c & no optional hidden wipers – both understandable on an Alaskan car.