PT 2nd gen Firebird Formulas pics?

[killer67]

Working on a 79 formula firebird. Looking for pics of wheels, stance, engine pics, etc. Will accept any and all suggestions. Thanks

[PhillipM]

Nice trailer!

[srh3trinity]

I will soon be working on a 74 Firebird, but it isn't a Formula or a TA. It was a 350/350 car with a vinyl roof. I don't think it was an Esprit either.

[ProdigyCustoms]

My favorite, but I am partial I guess

[killer67]

My favorite, but I am partial I guess

Frank,

What size TA3's and tires are those? How big can you go front and rear tires without a tub and stock subframe? How about with a tub? What kind of suspension gives it that perfect stance?

[NOT A TA]

Wes's car shown above is my favorite! Very classy and yet bad ass at the same time. Could show up at the country club or the drag strip and be right at home.

[formula]

oh my god how did I miss this thread??!?!?! Haha my car beat me here...

Frank's busy on project unfair, so I'll try to answer all of your questions--and any others if you think of them!

Working on a 79 formula firebird.
Oh man, that is one pretty bird already...but I like the idea of hacking it up! I have around 9 million pics of mine...But I realized the newest ones I have up on photobucket are actually right before everything was finished up, so I'll just post one underhood and one interior shot (ok, and one other outside shot--I can show off a little, right?) , and let me know if you want any specific shots of anything.





What size TA3's and tires are those?

255/35/19s front, 325/30/19s rear, 19x8.5 front and 19x12 rear.

How big can you go front and rear tires without a tub and stock subframe?

Front, Mine rub at full lock on the frame (stock sub). Rear, there's a lot of debate--depending on your suspension setup, you can go as wide as a 315, but not when combined with....

What kind of suspension gives it that perfect stance?
air ride's street challenge kit.

How about with a tub?
again, depends on your suspension setup--but anything above a 325 starts to get tight fast on air ride. On a setup where you're using less of the wheel well, you could probably get away with a 345. Wider than that and I'd start to worry about suspension mounting points having to be moved...



Hopefully that shows what I'm talking about/gives you an idea of the space tubs would give.

Now, onto your car...

Looking for pics of wheels, stance, engine pics, etc. Will accept any and all suggestions. Thanks

This is just an "If I were you"--but with a formie in that nice of shape already, I think a subtle, clean approach would be awesome as well. Frank is the go-to man on all things forgeline, but if you want other ideas, you might look into these wheels...

http://wheelvintiques.myshopify.com/...tiac-93-series


Then, depending on how far you want to go on suspension,

-PTFB has an EXCELLENT budget setup that is great if you're looking to stick with leaf springs and stock control arms.
http://pro-touringf-body.com/

-Detroit speed builds one of the nastiest coil-spring setups for 2nd gens, if you want to take things to the limit, but keep a stock (or stock appearing, heh heh) subframe.
http://detroitspeed.com/

-Air ride's got the market cornered on bolt-in air suspensions for 2nd gens.
http://www.ridetech.com/shop/

-or, if you're looking for "holy crap, you did what?", there's always Schwartz's full frame for 2nd gens...
http://www.schwartzperformance.com/p...x?projectid=13

Beyond that, I'm deeply, desperately in love with my LS engine--mine's an L76 backed up by a TKO tranny with a 'vette Z06 clutch, and after a camswap I'm at 420 WHP/400 WTQ and 18-20 mpg, including city driving and autocrossing.

Unfortunately, it also means that a lot (maybe even most?) Pontiac enthusiasts hate me a little, deep inside--but since the car came from the factory with a chevy 350, I feel no guilt. As soon as I can build an all-aluminum, fuel-injected, 500 crank horse poncho that can pull 20 mpg for less than 5k, I'll be convinced I put the wrong engine in. IF you do decide to go the LS route, make sure you call Frank--he comes across crazy engine deals all the time, and can help set you up with all of the support gear at the same time.


Wes's car shown above is my favorite! Very classy and yet bad ass at the same time. Could show up at the country club or the drag strip and be right at home.

Yeah, well, it's guys like you who inspired me to do it! Haha thanks as always, man!

[tazzz25906112]

Wes has a really cool car here and Prodigy is excellent to deal with,,, just an overall winning combo..

[killer67]

Wes,

Thanks for all your insight and ideas. C'mon man, now you just reached into my pocket and took more money out of it. Thinking of an LS conversion but not sure how radical I want to go. I like L76 compression in case I add a blower later but LS3 might have a little more juice if I can find a deal.

What about Hotchkis suspension kit instead of air - sway bars, A-arms, drop springs etc. Is that an inexpensive mod or is it better to go all out and save for the DSE stuff and better suspension components.

Those TA3's are SICK and color-matched perfectly. Dont know if I can spring $5000+ for wheels. Like your other suggestion but your wheels MAKE that car.

What did you do for brakes? Wilwood 6 and 4 piston front and rear? For all that money, you can't see them very well. Do you need those brakes for your HP level or was it a luxury?

Fernando

[novaderrik]

i don't know how much you are looking to spend on a set of wheels, but a guy over on the www.turbobuick.com board just had a set of billet 18" 3 piece GNX styled wheels made for his GN that would look absolutely badass on that car. actually, i think he posts here, too..
i think he was trying to get $3k for the set of 4 wheels, which is a lot- but they are beautiful wheels and you'd have one of 2 sets..

[formula]

Wes,

Thanks for all your insight and ideas. C'mon man, now you just reached into my pocket and took more money out of it. Thinking of an LS conversion but not sure how radical I want to go. I like L76 compression in case I add a blower later but LS3 might have a little more juice if I can find a deal.

Call Frank, man--he'll probably be able to make magic happen. 400+/400+ at the wheels was my goal (the tranny's spec'd to 500/500) and is plenty fast for me, especially with 3.73s, but like you said, I figure if I ever get bored, the L76 makes it a lot easier to just strap an extra 100 hp or so to the intake, haha.

What about Hotchkis suspension kit instead of air - sway bars, A-arms, drop springs etc. Is that an inexpensive mod or is it better to go all out and save for the DSE stuff and better suspension components.

Hotchkis isn't bad stuff, not my favorite but I know people have been fast with it before. 2nd gens benefit from having a waaaaaayy more intelligent suspension design from the factory than 1st gens, so a factory-arm 2nd gen with the chassis stiffened up, then the right springs and shocks and swaybars, can be a force to be reckoned with. The air ride was a necessity for me, as I have literally 12-14" tall speed bumps in my neighborhood and I would have had to choose between a good stance and being able to get my car home otherwise.

Those TA3's are SICK and color-matched perfectly. Dont know if I can spring $5000+ for wheels. Like your other suggestion but your wheels MAKE that car.

Haha thanks man, but again, if TA3's are what your heart's set on, call Frank before you rule them out. He has a real soft spot for those wheels, and tends to make some magic things happen.

What did you do for brakes? Wilwood 6 and 4 piston front and rear? For all that money, you can't see them very well. Do you need those brakes for your HP level or was it a luxury?

Fernando

Yup, wilwood 6 pistons on the front and 4 pistons on the rear, but I'm with the "smaller rotor, bigger caliper" crowd--I only have 13.5" front calipers and 12.5" rears and use the combination of larger calipers and hydroboost to generate as much mechanical advantage as larger rotors with smaller calipers would. Here's the best shot I have of the backs...




They might not give the "maximum pie plate" look, but I actually have TOO much brake now, because of the hydroboost--I'm trying to figure out how to decrease the line pressure so that I can't sneeze the wrong way and lock up the brakes. If I can get the boost backed off, I think they'll be perfect. I definitely needed to upgrade over the stockers after the engine swap--whether or not these were necessary, I'm not sure, but they weren't completely unnecessary!

[PT_79_TA_461]

hey formula, would it be to much to ask to post alot of pics of the rear and some of the front setup? im seriously considering getting this kit, and i want to look at it in detail. worst case i can pm you my email and you can send them there.

[formula]

Don't bother me a bit. I'll snap a bunch of quick camera phone shots and upload them on my way out to utah today. May be tonight before I have them up. I'll probably put them in a PM, unless the original poster asks to see them, to keep his thread clean for him.

[PA Formula 78]

Formula how do you like your Procar seats. I have been looking at these, and am not sure if I want to go with them or not. I definately like the looks of them.

[PT_79_TA_461]

Don't bother me a bit. I'll snap a bunch of quick camera phone shots and upload them on my way out to utah today. May be tonight before I have them up. I'll probably put them in a PM, unless the original poster asks to see them, to keep his thread clean for him.

Thanks, id appreciate it alot.

[ProdigyCustoms]

Keep in mind if your going to mini tub and use the Air bar, your going to need a offset lower arm we will custom build for you.

[ProdigyCustoms]

Frank's busy on project unfair, so I'll try to answer all of your questions--and any others if you think of them!

Actually working on a really cool Butternut Yellow convertible getting 2010 Camaro running gear, AME front, CA rear, Big Wilwoods, all the tricks. Unfair is a night and weekend project.

[PT_79_TA_461]

Keep in mind if your going to mini tub and use the Air bar, your going to need a offset lower arm we will custom build for you.

i dont fallow ....?

[ProdigyCustoms]

The stock location of the air bar lower link will hit a 315 or bigger tire. So we can have it custom built with the lower arm offset to the inside to gain more tire clearance. You will also have to weld on lower brackets like we did on Wes car.

[PT_79_TA_461]

The stock location of the air bar lower link will hit a 315 or bigger tire. So we can have it custom built with the lower arm offset to the inside to gain more tire clearance. You will also have to weld on lower brackets like we did on Wes car.

ok gotcha, ill let you guys know when it happens.