Thread: 1978 Pontiac Firebird Formula-Update- 5/9/2014

Well I got a 1978 Pontiac Firebird Formula from my wife for Valentine's Day ( basically I begged to buy it and she said yes lol ) Well it will need full restoration and lots of time , patience, money , sweat and tears but im glad I have a project to look forward too (other than the 97 GTP)

The body looks great with some surface rust which isnt a big deal here in AZ. There is one dent I know of which will be easy to fix once it goes to the body shop. It has all the interior components and all glass is intact. The only thing it doesnt have is engine and transmission which isnt a big deal . I will try to locate a Pontiac 400 with TH400 transmission.









All the brown spots are minor surface rust. I got the car for $500 with clear title delivered to my house

Ill keep you posted with progress,, I also welcome any positive suggestions.

No modern engine???

I like the feeling of opening the hood and seeing a big block carburated engine . Thinking Pontiac 400 with TH400 transmission .

Nice find! That's one of my favorite styles of firebirds.

now if the 400 was really a big block. old Pontiac's engines are all the same block really.

change the rear end too to a 12 bolts with 3.73 or 3.90 gears. and get a posi rear.

my 70 formula 400 had a 400, th400 and 373 gears, 12 bolt. that car hauled.


with the combo you listed that will be a fun car. make sure the back sub frames not rotted out.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

now if the 400 was really a big block. old Pontiac's engines are all the same block really.

change the rear end too to a 12 bolts with 3.73 or 3.90 gears. and get a posi rear.

my 70 formula 400 had a 400, th400 and 373 gears, 12 bolt. that car hauled.


with the combo you listed that will be a fun car. make sure the back sub frames not rotted out.

Nice thanks for the advice, haven't seen no rust so far I'll double check. Seems like that combo will work. I was also thinking that if I go modern it could be lt1 supercharged what do you guys think? They are easier to find and cheaper than an LSx engine.

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mine was a 350 hp engine stock YS code block, add a cam, headers a better intake and big carb and im sure you'll be grinning ear to ear lol

if you go modern engine you'll need controllers to make it run and another for the tranny. like stand alone pcm's for both.


sc or a turbo would just be icing on the cake. can hurt, or can it? lol

if you are going modern engine, dont mess it up. go LS.

Is that a garage?

Originally Posted by Ginseng

Is that a garage?

Carport on the side of my house , it was a requirement of mine when my wife and I where looking to buy a house back in 2010. I also have a 2 car garage in front of the house. The project will stay in the carport and the GTP and other cars could be worked on in the garage

Originally Posted by ctracer

if you are going modern engine, dont mess it up. go LS.

Yeah that what I was thinking .....

I know that being a Pontiac car I should try to stay within the Pontiac engines ex. 400,455 but it seems that they are bit hard to find and more expensive to rebuilt . What are you guy's thoughts on a 454 BB with th400 ?

my brother had a 600 hp 454 30 over, ( 7 grand in parts in the late 80's) that comes to a 464 or some crap, loaded into a 72 chevelle with a th400 ( B and M built) and 411 posi rear. car ran 12.6 in the quarter with slicks. could have went faster if he had a higher stall speed tc. it was his daily driver too lol

load that same type of set up in a lighter bird. and even more fun.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

my brother had a 600 hp 454 30 over, ( 7 grand in parts in the late 80's) that comes to a 464 or some crap, loaded into a 72 chevelle with a th400 ( B and M built) and 411 posi rear. car ran 12.6 in the quarter with slicks. could have went faster if he had a higher stall speed tc. it was his daily driver too lol

load that same type of set up in a lighter bird. and even more fun.

Thats what im thinking of doing, Ive always wanted a 454 Big Block mated to a th400 . I used to have a 73 Nova SS , 70 Chevelle Malibu with the good old 350 on it but I always wanted big block . I want to do things right now. I know many Pontiac guys will argue that a 454 will take away from being a pontiac but crap ive been searching all morning for a 400 or 455 and those things are either expensive or hard to find. I found like 4 people selling a 454 combo with th 400 in minutes under $1k.

the firebird is just a better camaro. my whole deal was leg room, the camaro has this hard turn down under the column that my legs hit, the bird has a sweeping deal under the column and it gave me tons of leg room.

im a lurch at 6' 6".

and lets face it, the bird nose and tail lights look better, then add the t/a ground affects and its way better then a camaro.

you should look into the old formula hood and nose for the car form the 70-74 years, not sure if they fit with out changing the fenders, or if the body lines will match at the doors, but if your gonna make it a bastard lets make it a better looking baster.

mine was this exact color too. not this nice but the same car. came with 14 inch wheels too back then lol



another random pic of the front, it always looked like a cat ready to pounce on a ford lol



and if you can find a ram air 3 hood iirc thats a full functional ram air hood. most of the scoops are sealed a inch past the end of the scoops.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

the firebird is just a better camaro. my whole deal was leg room, the camaro has this hard turn down under the column that my legs hit, the bird has a sweeping deal under the column and it gave me tons of leg room.

im a lurch at 6' 6".

and lets face it, the bird nose and tail lights look better, then add the t/a ground affects and its way better then a camaro.

you should look into the old formula hood and nose for the car form the 70-74 years, not sure if they fit with out changing the fenders, or if the body lines will match at the doors, but if your gonna make it a bastard lets make it a better looking baster.

mine was this exact color too. not this nice but the same car. came with 14 inch wheels too back then lol



another random pic of the front, it always looked like a cat ready to pounce on a ford lol



and if you can find a ram air 3 hood iirc thats a full functional ram air hood. most of the scoops are sealed a inch past the end of the scoops.

Those are great Bird pics ! im planning on keeping it looking original and clean . It does have the Formula hood with the hood scoops which I think looks good too. I found a deal for a Pontiac 400 with the th400 transmission for $600 from a 1973 Grand Am . I may end up getting that combo.

nice find. is it running? or you plan on building it some?

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

nice find. is it running? or you plan on building it some?

It's running. Will get it honed 30 over with a mild cam and performer intake not too much

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anything is better then stock for that year. they just kept loosing HP with each year. then you dont know what it was in, it could have been in a bonnie or some boat. then its a toque monster low HP engine.

the tail shaft of the tranny. if its short its more for the performance applications, long shaft, land yacht.


i put my 70 bird th400 in my 77 caddy. all i had to do was swap the tail shaft on the trannys. dead tranny was also a 400.

butler performance will be your friend for engine parts