Code 51 Sundance Yellow was a rare color for the 1978 Pontiac Formula but looks good on this example. Located in Matawan, New Jersey, this Formula is listed for sale here on eBay with 4 days remaining in the auction. The current bid is $4,000 but the reserve has not been reached. The seller states that the car has been repainted at least once. The car looks to be in pretty good condition except for the driver’s rear quarter panel.
Rust has eaten through the quarter panel which appears to have been touched up to hide the decay. The seller states that he is listing this car for a friend and a new quarter panel comes with the sale of the car. That sounds pretty good by the replacement of a quarter panel is not an easy or inexpensive job. Hopefully, it will get done along with a new trunk pan to completely rid the car of the rot that will spread if it is not handled properly.
Most enthusiasts do not know that you could order a 1978 Pontiac Firebird Formula with a Chevrolet 350 cubic inch V8 engine. I had one for a short amount of time and it was a dog producing around 145 horsepower. This engine is a replacement crate motor and has been modified and is said to produce approximately 350 horsepower. The engine is connected to an automatic transmission. The master cylinder and brake booster appear to have been recently replaced.
The black deluxe interior looks nice and the car is optioned with air conditioning. The car is currently wearing aftermarket chrome wheels but the original 15×7 Rally IIs come with the sale. This indicates that the Pontiac Firebird Formula was not equipped with the famed WS6 suspension option because the car would have originally been equipped with 15×8 snowflake aluminum wheels.
The seller states that the car runs well and is equipped with headers and dual exhausts. Many enthusiast overlook the Pontiac Firebird Formula and go for the flashier Trans Am. Personally, I like the looks of both models. Over 24,000 Pontiac Firebird Formulas were produced in 1978. This one deserves the body work it needs to be a solid example of Pontiac’s Driving Excitement.
Interesting Firebird in an eye-catching color. I’d want to check out the body/floors/trunk for any hidden rot or bondo; make sure you know exactly what you’d be taking on. The fact that it has pretty good HP makes it more appealing in my eyes; I’d rather have that than a matching numbers motor with a puny 145 HP. The interior looks pretty good, too, it doesn’t look like it needs too much in there.
Bruce – you’ve owned more than one Firebird with a Chevy motor in it …..
Seems to be quite a bit of mid 70’s trans-am & camaros lately.
Are folks “Offloading?”
Firebirds and more Firebirds. At least no chicken on the hood on this one!
Intrested would like for the owner to contact me. pc.guffey@gmail.com
Please contact the owner through Ebay as God intended. I can assure you that it is a top notch kit car built on a Fiero chassis. You will be proud to own it. It reminds me of a Triumph TR7 and my dad took the entire family to a Brewers game in the 70’s in something similar until a fight erupted when Cubs fans got a little nutso. Afterwards we all hugged and whatnot. OK, that was a total fail compared to the original Paolo manifesto of sarcasm and craziness, but you get the idea.
NJ salty roads. Guaranteed this is a rotted-out mess underneath.
These cars always rust out when water runs in the rear window. Truth be told, build quality was marginal at GM in the 70s. Rust buckets all their cars including Corvettes. Amazing GM is still in business.
In late 70s South Florida, seem like every Formula was this Yellow with the Black rockers and FORMULA billboard in the rocker. What was rare was a Formula with the W72 Pontiac 400 and 4-speed combo. Would love to find one of those.
A Firebird Formula needs four downturned exhaust tips behind the rear wheels to capture the imagination of a second grader waiting for the school bus. That’s how I remember 1978 anyway.
lookin for my 1978 pontiac firebird purchased new and sold back in 2013, silver, with blue interior, 305 V8 motor vin: 2U87U8N181661 $500.00 reward if found. Vince VLB5@icloud.com