The late Third Generation Pontiac Firebirds are among my favorites, and the ’91-92 Formulas sit at the top of the list with its Banshee concept car-inspired nose. The preceding Second Generation ‘Birds are (to my eye) cartoonish caricatures by comparison, including the barely-less-garish-than-a-trans-am 1979 Firebird Formula Tom posted earlier today.
This generation was greatly cleaned up from the preceding, and the Formula was a real sleeper… it could be optioned out similarly to the Trans Am, and indeed, our subject car is wearing both T-tops and black/silver lace wheels, indicating it likely has the Chevrolet 350 c.i.d (5.7l) V8 under the hood.
I love the assymetric bulge in the hood, and this one clearly demonstrates the paint quality issues (presuming this is the original paint) that GM was having at this time due to changing regulations. If I recall correctly, Firebirds were built in two different facilities, one of which was in California. Regs there required a change from solvent-based paints to water-based, and it took a few years to sort out the resulting quality issues. Meanwhile, Pontiac Division decided volumes didn’t justify two plants any more, and true to GM form, it was the California plant that kept production.
Only 5,544 Formulas were sold in 1991 and 1,052 in 1992 as customers held onto their cash waiting on the upcoming Forth Generation Firebirds introduced in 1993. In fact, sales of all 1992 Firebird trims combined were just over half that from 1991 (50,234).
A friend from college picked up a ’91 Formula some years ago as a hobby car – he specifically chose it because performance was about the same as the Trans Am, but in a much more subtle way. Wonder if he still has it? At any rate, this one caught my eye—it speaks of high speed, but in a calming sort of way.
I just don’t get the “cartoonish” and “subtle” talk when dealing with the F-body.
To my eyes, every single one is a loud cartoon. From the base Camaro to a multi-decal Trans Am. But, that’s what makes them fun. If you want understated buy a Regal.
And I personally see nothing subtle about the Formulas. You’re still dealing with a low-slung pointy nose coupe that has a hood bump, loud engine, and lace wheels.
It’s like comparing a Sombrero with an Ushanka.
But a Formula LOOKS more line a non-threatening V6 model. It is more subtle than a screaming chicken decal-ed Firebird and would actually make the guy in the Mustang GT think twice before challenging you.
The more loudly optioned Firebirds were basically a challenge for every douche-bag with a V8 coupe to test his metal against you.
I guess that’s the thing. I don’t consider the V6 or I4 F-body to be subtle in the first place. They were still styled to look fast and grab attention.
To me, an understated F-body is like a high-class meth lab. It just doesn’t exist.
Of course, that is the point. If you wanted an understated car you bought something else. Maybe in the 50s and 60s “sleepers” were more popular, but by the 70s and 80s flash was more in vogue. I wouldn’t buy a 4 cylinder F body , or a Mustang, for that matter, but the 4 cylinder Mustang seems to get trashed less.
Out here nobody knows these dont all come with gutsy V8 as of course after you pay the finders fee and the transportation/shipping costs to get one here noone buys the base model I’ll take one in large 8 4speed thanx, to hell with the price of gas it will join the Minx as a weekend car
I saw a red convertible of this vintage around and about recently.
F bodies of this generation were built either in Norwood (Cincinnati OH) or Van Nuys CA. Norwood stopped producing F bodies after MY1987. Among other things the plant was ancient, unable to expand, and was expensive to operate. Eventually Van Nuys was closed as well when F body production was consolidated to STE Therese Quebec for the 93-02 F bodies. As was customary at the time, GM like the others, operated plans by geography, at one point the Van Nuys plant produced Chevrolets for the west coast markets.
I would love to have a GTA or a Turbo Trans Am, one of the few cars to pace Indy without modification.
I don’t know if this still applies, but at one point, the back glass on the F bodies, was the largest piece of bent glass installed on a car.
I do miss t tops.
Ever since I’ve seen photos of styling proposals of the 3rd gen F body Camaro, I’ve wondered if their introduction was delayed for one reason or another. The bluish-silver (clay?) mock up that looked very close to the production car I believe was photographed in august ’77 if my memory is correct. Coincidentally, it stood out to me then that this was the same relative timeframe that the fox Mustang’s final design was being locked and approved for production.
The 2nd Gen F body was based off the RWD X body that of course went out of production in 1979 with the arrival of the FWD X cars. There was quite a back and forth within the company whether to keep the F body RWD or go FWD. Originally, new models were slated to be introduced for MY1981, but with all of the commitments with all of the FWD platforms more time was needed.
Lancia Betas were used as development mules for FWD X cars and something like the Fiero was considered. But ultimately went with a conventional RWD layout. Turbo was supposed to be continued to be offered either with the 301 or the Buick V6. Neither turbos were wildly popular so the decision was made to go with conventional motors. The 4 cyl was introduced both for economy reasons and to match the 4cyl offering that was in the Mustang. Of course we know only Cadillac had a V8 with a conventional TBI Chevrolet only had the crossfire unit from the Corvettes in development. No V6 fuel injected motor was in the works except for what came out in the Regal GN that eventually made it into everything else.
Thanks for the insight. It’s interesting to me that Betas (one of my all time favorites) were used as test mules for the x- project – and wow – I never visually picked up on the Citation coupe having Beta coupe influence until reading that!
I suppose that this is why the third-generation cars have their front wheels tucked back right next to the doors, which in my opinion spoils their appearance but would be necessary for front wheel drive.
There’s still a lot of dash to axle space in these third Gens, they’re not any worse than Fox Mustangs in that regard at least. Plus the sloped front end of the Firebird simply cannot be done with any less overhang. If anything compromised the Camaro styling in that area, it was having to share that area with it.
Honestly this anti-front overhang nonsense is getting old. Every post-downsized RWD car I can think of (with the exception Corvette) has these supposed “front wheel drive proportions”. Even pre-FWD cars, especially Mopars, have them, but I never hear anyone say “boy, this 68 Charger sure would look great if it weren’t spoiled by it’s FWD like front overhang and short dash to axle area”
I agree re: front overhang proportions, which likely has more to do with crashworthyness more than anything else.
Found a pic (from ’78, so a year off)
I like these a lot,the next Firebirds were a step back styling wise
Agree. The next generation design by John Cafaro (who did the later C5 Corvette) was busy and bloated compared to the nice, clean lines of this generation Firebird. It foresaw the coming Pontiac fascination with bottom cladding on most of it’s mid-nineties models. I think the Banshee style front nose really sets this car off versus the more uninspired early front ends.
This is a sure fire future collectible, in my humble opinion. Those clean GM lines will never get old.
Make this an 89 and I’d like it. The 90 restyle ruined this body. The swoopy fake grille openings, Kitt inspired smoothed over headlight/parking light slots and those purely AWFUL side skirting on the Trans Am models do nothing for me. They are an ugly precursor to the 4th generation
I’m confused- Do you like the 91-92 front end and side cladding they put on my 91 Firebird convertible or the earlier 3rd generation front ends. The convertibles were T Tops converted by ASC and the Camaro, Corvette, and Firebird all had the canvas manual top hideaway under a lid mechanism design from ASC
I call my Base convertible (with options; 305 TBI, Automatic, positraction) a poor mans Corvette from the front. I like the smooth hood better than the raised -unless it went both sides of the center line. The ground effects slims the side profile IMO. And the cloth seats don’t fry you like the Trans AM leather.leathertt
I like it!
ROTF!
Firebird (or Camaro)? Manual transmission? T-tops? Maggie, my ‘ol lady wants it REAL bad.
Fun factoid, for some years this generation of Formula was more powerful than the same year Trans Am because the power bulge allowed Pontiac to install the taller Camaro intake which made a few more horses.
IIRC, the Formula was also a bit lighter than the TA.
OK, I’m a nit picker. Water-based paints are solvent-based. Water is known as the “universal solvent”. Water just doesn’t smell as good as thinner.
Sorry, should have said “aromatic solvent-based…”
Ed, if these cars were named the way they were in 1987, this is (assuming original motor) a 305. The 350 cars are marked as such.
I’ve mentioned an ’89 350 TPI Caprice wagon multiple times here…an ’87 Formula 350 was the donor car.
A little searching for decal sets confirms this… So this car has the 305, then. I mistakenly linked the RPO option for the T-tops and wheels (required together) with the engine….
If this car came with the black lace wheels from the factory than it is a super rare Formula 350 with t-tops, the only way to get the lace wheels on a Formula, and only availble in 91 and 92. It was also the only way to get t-tops with the 350. Often not an option combo allowed over the years because it bumped the F-body into a higher weight class for the epa mpg tests and would have changed how the car would be have to be certified.
Another fun factoid, the 92’s are the F-body to buy if you like the third generation. The 92’s were used as a test bed for using epoxy adhesives to help stiffen up the chassis in key location (in addition to the customary spot welding). Supposedly the 92’s are quite a bit more structurally sound than the 91 and earlier F-body cars.
Dr Peabody, we’ve got to set the wayback machine to August 1991! I need to get my Formula 350 while I still can…
I was always a bigger fan of the more subdued Formula Firebirds, and the last of the third gens were the best. I had an 83 T/A WS6; but that was when Pontiac wasn’t putting all kinds of tape stripes on the cars, with the exception of the one that ran around the bottom of the car… It was still pretty tame, compared to earlier versions of the T/A.
I remember seeing these cars new at our sister Pontiac dealership; never had the time to sample one, though. My loss.
I never like the harsh angled 3rd generation F bodies. They were born in a time when the American auto industry was going down the shitter faster than a safe dropped from a helicopter. Although those ’82-92 F bodies were “appropriate” for the times, they certainly look really awful compared to anything built today. To my eye the 2nd and 4th generation F bodies looked the best. Their smooth contours will always look good. The 1980’s and ’90s paved way to GM’s near death, and I can’t imagine anyone coveting most GM cars from those era’s; ditto to most Ford’s and certainly all Chryslers from those years.
🙂 Hallo from Germany!
I always wanted a Firebird of the third generation – because of KITT 😀 It had to be a 1984, 5 liter (Cross Fire Engine would be perfect) with T-Top. Ah, oh: and at least not more than 5000 DM (~2500 Euro) should it cost. In 2000 I fulfilled this dream and bought one. No, no 1984, no, not a Cross Fire Engine, no, no T-Tops *lol* But the assymetric bulged hood – horray!
When I bought my beast, I had no idea, what I had bought. It turned out, that it is a rare car in Germany. It has been ordered at a local Opel dealer and imported by GM. It has the EXP option (km/h tacho and °C instead of °F on the clusters). It is a Formula with the 5.0 TPI engine. Original all over. Trim, wheels, interior. I still own it but it needs badly TLC – the paint is faded most. But it runs and everything works. Sadly I can’t drive it because it’s stored in my garage. The vehicle tax and insurance is so expensive here. So I’ll wait until it turns 30 in 2019 and hopefully I’m able to register it as a historical vehicle. This would be affordable to get this beast on the road again. Near by my other old cars.
In my opinion, the design is beautiful. I love the flip up light.