At first glance, this car appears to be a rare 1973 Pontiac Formula 455. One of only 731 made in 1973 but it is actually an affordable tribute built from a 1973 Pontiac Firebird Esprit. Originally a California car, it now resides in Arlington, Texas just outside of Dallas. There are some bubbles in the paint around the wheels and windows that will need to be addressed but the undercarriage looks solid. It is up for auction here on eBay with bidding reaching $14,300 with 4 days remaining in the auction. The seller has listed a Buy It Now Price of $29,000.
The seller states that the drive train is out of a 1974 Pontiac Trans Am. So, it should be a Y code 455 cubic inch V8 engine rated at 250 horsepower from the factory. This was the optional engine avilable in 1974 for the Trans Am and Formula and just a step below the famous SD-455 engine rated at 290 horsepower. The 7.4 liter engine is backed by a GM turbo hydramatic 400 automatic transmission. The rear gears are a 3.08:1 ratio that has limited slip differential. The seller states that the car has the Trans Am suspension which I guess includes the larger sway bars.
The interior shows that the car is nicely optioned with a black deluxe interior, power windows, air conditioning, power locks, remote driver mirror and rear defrost. The Formula tribute rides on Vintique 15×8 aftermarket Rally II wheels and new P255 60 15 Tires. The car is said to drive true and straight. A number of items have been replaced recently including the exhaust, water pump, battery, radiator, fuel pump and heater core.
The hood scoops have been opened on the fiberglass hood and a Ram Air air cleaner has been added to send fresh air to the carburetor. The horn, rear defogger and windshield wipers are not working. The car does have a rear seat console. The black interior makes a nice contrast to the Code 75 red paint. If the bubbling under the paint isn’t too bad, this should make a nice car. I own a real 1973 Formula 455 and it is a blast to drive.
Once again you show your good taste in this vintage Pontiac, Bruce. Once more to reiterate, this is the best looking with the Formula scoops and improved suspension to go with what one would hope an improved drivetrain. Safe travels and enjoy the sweet ride.
You can make a case for it at $15,000, not $30,000. At that price point you’d be better off holding out for a 1970 Formula or something more original.
Steve R
I always shut off at the words “tribute” and “clone”.
Sure looks good in the pictures. The wider wheels look good on this ‘bird. I like it all but what’s up with the a/c dash on a non a/c car?
Not an a/c dash. If you look close you will see two knobs for the ventilation. One for the lower in the kick panel and one for the upper in the dash pad.
Right you are. The cowl vents are in the kick panels. The I/P cluster has vents for a/c that should not be there. That’s all I was referring to.
Did they replace the heater core after the picture’s were taken?
Pics show it bypassed. Add says it
was new. J.S.
It might of had a/c but not anymore! Yes it worth .ore than 15 in my old Pontiac heart but 29 grand seems optimistic with everything working & a paint redo looking you in the face
The firewall shows it was a non-AC car from the factory.
There is also a lot of shoddy rust repair as seen in the up close pictures of the body. It’s a clone that needs extensive bodywork and a repaint with the asking price of a real Formula.
Steve R
Pretty sure the Formula came with a wood grained dash, the T/A dash was the engine turned version as showed here. I wouldn’t mind having my 73 Buccaneer red T/A back, 455, factory AC, heated rear window (pretty rare) AM-FM Nicely equipped car. Smog and weight affected these cars from the earlier versions, but it was a great cruiser with some grunt.
Aw, now, this brings back the awesome memory of a 72 Formula 455 I had the pleasure of owning. It was my second car I bought in 74 at the tender age of 18. My very first car was a 72 Vega GT. So quite a leap from a wanna be muscle car to a real life beast! A Delta Airlines pilot had bought it new and was stepping up to a Porsche.
You could just be rolling along about 25 to 30 mph and romp the gas laying positrack rubber as long as your will would allow against buying new tires. Very classy on the inside, very sleek on the outside with a stance that looked like you were going 60 mph at a stop light.
That lead to my first 75 Trans Am purchased new for a whopping $5,600 from the factory! I remember my hands shaking a bit signing the paperwork to pay $125 a month for a piece of American muscle. What a time in automotive history that ended with my last new Trans Am in 83. That was where the road ended for me as far as being able to purchase a new American true muscle car. The body design to the EPA stomped on engine left me with no where to turn but to buy and tweak the classics much later in life.
So, for me, a tribute won’t cut it. If you can’t get the real deal just keep dreaming. It’s kinda like going to a restaurant you really can’t afford so you don’t leave a tip. If you can’t leave a proper tip, don’t eat there.
Such a small hp for such a big engine. Pass.
These big cube motors are torquey at low rpm.
The ’75-’76 455 tho was only 200hp only avail with single exh, very restrictive pellet flat cat conv & ridiculous 7.6 to 1 compression.
IMO, needs RWL tires or ultrathin whitewalls, tho either r very expensive.
The t/a a/c dash plate(vs non a/c one) was probably easier to find at a swap meet – or vintage air might be anticipated in the future.
To pricey for a clone for sure… Love to find a reasonably priced one.
Love the car but it will likely need body work $$$, I would do it at a lower buy in and since it’s a clone, I’d add the trans-am fender flares.
HOT DANG !
two WOW Firebirds in a couple days
if i see corrrectly
WITH power windows =O
i prefer the blue 72 from last week, but either way
a couple great americans !
Nice to see those awesome looking good scoops actually functional . I was so disappointed to see they were just for looks on the 73 formula I had. Another little known fact , at least was to me at the time was how much these fiberglass bonnets weighed. Almost takes 3 guys to lift one off carefully. I was always under the impression fiberglass meant lighter but not the case here anyway. In contrast I had an 82 cutlass Calais that had an aluminum bonnet that was so light I doubt it weighed even 20 pounds. Love this car 70-73 firebird especially the formula just had the look like an angry shark coming at ya . Love to have it but all considered I’d say 15 grand would be doing buyer and seller pretty well
Steel frame, and the very thick fiberglass add the pounds quickly. They used heavier hood springs from what I understand, but I believe the springs also contributed to the bowing problem many of them seemed to have. The Olds W25 hoods were also heavier than the stock hoods. The stockers are around 80 lbs or so, and Thornton, who makes likely the best repros quote shipping weight of 150 lbs. I doubt thats 70 lbs of packaging. No idea of what the Formula hoods weigh, but from what I remember even on the car they were noticeably heavy.