I’ve long been of the opinion that everybody should own a Firebird at least once in their lives; it’s a rolling embodiment of “cool.” As an extension of this concept, it’s hard to go wrong with a second-generation Firebird, especially a sporty Formula. The 1975 model, shown here, benefited from some new upgrades, including standard HEI, radial tires, and a new wraparound rear window that certainly created a stir upon its introduction (although I prefer the earlier backlite myself). This example is being offered on eBay in Cincinnati, Ohio, with no reserve and a current high bid of $14,200. It’s advertised as garage-kept, rust-free, well-maintained example of a car that many of us would be happy to own.

The Formula was offered with two engines in 1975, a 175-horsepower 350 four-barrel or a 185-horsepower 400 four-barrel. The fender emblems should make it clear which engine this one has, but they have been replaced with standard “Firebird” badges somewhere along the way, and the seller does not give us any idea in the advertisement. I zoomed in on the cylinder head in this image, and it’s a “6X”; because of this, I’d guess it’s a 400, although some 1975 350s apparently used these cylinder heads as well (although based on my research, it’s more likely that a 350 would have 5C heads…perhaps Pontiac experts can give us their opinions in the comments). In reality, both engines will be similar in acceleration, but let’s be honest, we want it to be the 400. Either way, it’s backed by a Turbo Hydra-Matic 350, the only automatic available starting in 1975 due to the new catalytic converter, which took up quite a bit of undercar space.

The Formula’s interior is in amazing condition, but aside from optional (and working) air conditioning, this car seems to be lightly optioned; it does not have the rally gauge package or clock. It’s tough to see in this picture, but the new owner may have to deal with the fuel gauge/sender; it’s pegged well past full. As the owner of a ’74 model, I know that that isn’t how it’s supposed to work.

In case you were wondering, it’s easy to spot an air-conditioned Firebird, not only by the center vents in the dashboard, but also because there are no “air” knobs or inlets on the kick panels.

The Formula has a set of Rally II wheels, which look great on almost any Pontiac; Firebirds in this era used bright trim rings.

The paint appears to be “Honduras Maroon,” which is a nice shade on this beefy Firebird. The seller doesn’t include any undercarriage pictures, but they do mention that it is “just as impressive as the rest of the car.” Aside from the unpainted “filler panel” under the grille (commonly cracked on 1974-75 models and readily available as a reproduction), there’s little to criticize regarding the exterior. While a 1975 Firebird is not the most valuable example of the nameplate, any Formula will bring a solid price, especially when it’s a nice one. So far, so good for the seller; it will be interesting to see the final bid.