[78 TA KID]

I hardly see any 77 78 formulas for sale or threads on them. I would of thought they would have been collector items. If any has one of these years post a picture or a story about your car.....

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by 78 TA KID

I hardly see any 77 78 formulas for sale or threads on them. I would of thought they would have been collector items. If any has one of these years post a picture or a story about your car.....

I'd say MOST of them rusted out and got SQUISHED.....

Nobody really CARED about them...cause they're NOT a T/A....

[dreamn69]

Most were probably cloned to TA's. It is very hard to find a decent 77-81 Formula hood. Not really sure why since so many were built but they seem to be really hard to find. I would guess most were scrapped to clone a TA.

[784mula]

Originally Posted by dreamn69

Most were probably cloned to TA's. It is very hard to find a decent 77-81 Formula hood. Not really sure why since so many were built but they seem to be really hard to find. I would guess most were scrapped to clone a TA.

One of the reasons that it's hard to find a decent Formula hood is because the hood scoop design allowed water to collect on the under side of the hood thus creating a rust issue. The insulation mat makes it even worse.

[KAINSEL]

My 77 survivor Formula W72 & W50 with auto trans ordered new by my brother from Mont Clare Pontiac in Chicago and sold to me in August 1979. Has 52,000 miles with Hurst T-tops and 1 of only 756 produced with this drivetrain combo. Have all original dealer paperwork including $6,761.80 window sticker and factory build sheet which was located under rear seat.
My brother wanted 4 speed but backorder delay forced switch to automatic, time frame from order to delivery was 10 weeks.

[KAINSEL]

These period pics taken in autumn 1979 after my friend bought his new Atlantis blue T/A with 403 Olds and Fisher T-tops at Grossinger Pontiac in Chicago, IL. The red 74 Super Duty was 3rd owner at the time and purchased new at Penny Pontiac in Barrington, IL. Remember those slotted mag wheels, I believe Kelsey was vendor. Check out the 77 Cutlass in the background. Unfortunately both T/A's are gone forever to the scrapyard...
A great time to be a GM F-body enthusiast as 1st & 2nd gen Firebirds & Camaros were EVERYWHERE on the streets!

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by KAINSEL

These period pics taken in autumn 1979 after my friend bought his new Atlantis blue T/A with 403 Olds and Fisher T-tops at Grossinger Pontiac in Chicago, IL. The red 74 Super Duty was 3rd owner at the time and purchased new at Penny Pontiac in Barrington, IL. Remember those slotted mag wheels, I believe Kelsey was vendor. Check out the 77 Cutlass in the background. Unfortunately both T/A's are gone forever to the scrapyard...
A great time to be a GM F-body enthusiast as 1st & 2nd gen Firebirds & Camaros were EVERYWHERE on the streets!

This pop up when opening images posted above

[pmdtech]

Originally Posted by KAINSEL

My 77 survivor Formula W72 & W50 with auto trans ordered new by my brother from Mont Clare Pontiac in Chicago and sold to me in August 1979. Has 52,000 miles with Hurst T-tops and 1 of only 756 produced with this drivetrain combo. Have all original dealer paperwork including $6,761.80 window sticker and factory build sheet which was located under rear seat.
My brother wanted 4 speed but backorder delay forced switch to automatic, time frame from order to delivery was 10 weeks.

I prepped your car for delivery at Mont Clare Pontiac in Chicago. As apprentice mechanic '76 -'79,
remained there 31 years as a Pontiac master tech.

[KAINSEL]

Originally Posted by pmdtech

I prepped your car for delivery at Mont Clare Pontiac in Chicago. As apprentice mechanic '76 -'79,
remained there 31 years as a Pontiac master tech.

THANK YOU pmdtech for a job well done and incredible that you still remember. I guess there probably weren't all that many yellow W72 Hurst hatch Formulas passing through your area.

[3tas4me]

Originally Posted by pmdtech

I prepped your car for delivery at Mont Clare Pontiac in Chicago. As apprentice mechanic '76 -'79,
remained there 31 years as a Pontiac master tech.

That has to be a good feeling to see a car you prepped decades ago still survives and looks great!

[ladytata]

Originally Posted by dreamn69

Most were probably cloned to TA's. It is very hard to find a decent 77-81 Formula hood. Not really sure why since so many were built but they seem to be really hard to find. I would guess most were scrapped to clone a TA.

I have a decent hood, I see them here and there on Craigslist

[The Boss]

I've been wondering this myself. You will sometimes see a 78 but almost NEVER a 77.

My 77 from back in the early/mid 80's, with Mom's Grand Prix in the driveway.

[78 TA KID]

Originally Posted by The Boss

I've been wondering this myself. You will sometimes see a 78 but almost NEVER a 77.

My 77 from back in the early/mid 80's, with Mom's Grand Prix in the driveway.

Nice Formula Boss.......

[2manyT/A'S]

Didn't check the #'s recently.....but don't recall them being that big......simply because almost EVERBODY wanted a T/A......and the price differential really didn't matter that much...as long as you got a big chicken on the hood....

I also doubt that many were factory ordered..........prolly MOST sold were low option dealer "lot cars".....

[rwfisher]

Would Love to find mine but yes, rust in the Northeast was an issue. Even not being winter driven mine ate up rear quarters...

Back in the day:

[78 TA KID]

Originally Posted by rwfisher

Would Love to find mine but yes, rust in the Northeast was an issue. Even not being winter driven mine ate up rear quarters...

Back in the day:

Nice formula RWfisher was your car Martinique hard to tell from pix....

[rwfisher]

Originally Posted by 78 TA KID

Nice formula RWfisher was your car Martinique hard to tell from pix....

Yes, '78 with Martinique Blue &'Blue custom Vinyl interior, 4 speed and unfortunately the Chevy 350 which I massaged..... At 18, this was a damn fun car??

[3tas4me]

I missed out on a really clean black '78 Formula that was a W72 4-speed. Original drivetrain in it yet. No rust, even underneath. Paint was faded and rear 1/4 was dented. Seller was including a NOS GM 1/4 panel. Car sold for 2K I think. Missed it again last year when it went for about 3k from the next owner. Current owner had it for sale this spring for 10K and had done nothing to it. I doubt it sold at that price.

[78 TA KID]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

Didn't check the #'s recently.....but don't recall them being that big......simply because almost EVERBODY wanted a T/A......and the price differential really didn't matter that much...as long as you got a big chicken on the hood....

I also doubt that many were factory ordered..........prolly MOST sold were low option dealer "lot cars".....

I agree everyone wanted the chicken the hood with the shaker.. But what about the formulas with the W-50 option and the W72 4SPD formulas they have to be a collector item not sure how many of those formulas where made...

[Held for Ransom]

On our craigslist there is 3-4 '79s for sale. This is what happens to the '77-8s...
https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/d...314183320.html