[unruhjonny]

Locally, at that price you could probably find yourself in a 70-73 Formula - if not a TA - definately in a minty '74 TA.

[oldsmobiledave]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

He is WAY high - especially when you factor in that he's looking to profit further off exchange.

Even Nadagiudes puts high retail at $22560usd - and they are known to be high.

this is what they say:
1974 Formula Firebird
(base value / value with selected options)
Low retail: $6,350 / $7,619
Average retail: $11,900 / $14,280
High retail: $18,800 / $22,560
455-L75 = +15%
Honeycomb wheels = +5%

Others here in addition to myself have pointed out flaws with this car, but as nice as it is, it wouldn't (at least in my mind) be a "high retail" car - with some work it would - but not as it sits.

I don't know if you noticed this thread or the ones which preceeded it - the OP might be a good person to talk to;
IMHO the Formula 455 he bought was in better shape than this one;

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=802788

He is asking $32500 Canadian. That is $24050 USD today. I did the math so we were all talking apples to apples. He did day make an offer. I will probably go view the car as it is a 2 hour drive 1 way to see it. Just need the weather to improve so that I can drive the car when I see it. Looks like we are at least a week away from that.

I have read the other thread thanks.

[johnta1]

The thread you posted on the 73 Formula, why not look at it?

Don't think it was a Ram Air car but looked very nice and cheaper?
(plus I'm one of those 70-73 body guys )

[oldsmobiledave]

Originally Posted by johnta1

The thread you posted on the 73 Formula, why not look at it?

Don't think it was a Ram Air car but looked very nice and cheaper?
(plus I'm one of those 70-73 body guys )

Seattle is a long ways from Calgary but I have not ruled it out. That car is the same color combo as the 73 Esprit I sold. The 73 is a nicer car to my eyes.

[Held for Ransom]

On NADA, when I looked at a '74 Formula 455 w/Rally II wheels, I got a 20% and 5% increase on $15,300, for $19,125 (of course it asked for my zip). Add another 10-20% for RA??? I may be a little low on my estimates, but not by much.

[trishieldchief]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Production records show 10,313 Firebirds equipped with a shaker hood (WX3), breakdown of 10,255 Trans Ams and 58 SD-455 Formulas.

Firebirds equipped with the Ram Air Formula hood (WU3) show 1,478 produced.

Mike

Thanks Mike

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by Held for Ransom

On NADA, when I looked at a '74 Formula 455 w/Rally II wheels, I got a 20% and 5% increase on $15,300, for $19,125 (of course it asked for my zip). Add another 10-20% for RA??? I may be a little low on my estimates, but not by much.

Yes, you have to add some sort of value for the ram air option. Should be a substantial amount too. Just look at the reported numbers. Only 1478 of these 455 cars sold new. Add the ram air option and it's said you have 160. It's no wonder that most of these estimation sites don't even list that option to add a percentage for this car.

By 1974 there just weren't many people ordering cars with 455's, let alone cars sneaking out with functional hoods. So to find one 43 years later...well....

If it were me selling a real documented 74 455 Formula ram air muscle car that runs and drives in this condition with a rock solid paper trail, I wouldn't take a penny less than $20k here, and I'm confident it would sell easily at that price. Anyone that wanted it for less I'd tell them to keep looking, this car isn't for you.
These cars are getting older and harder to find every day, good ones more so. As the car gets older, the price just goes up, They don't get cheaper. If you plan to keep the car for at least a few years, the car should appreciate at least a small amount. As the 70-73's continue to climb in price and out of reach for most, the 74 and up will continue to gain in popularity. This is already happening to some degree.

[Judge273]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

Locally, at that price you could probably find yourself in a 70-73 Formula - if not a TA - definately in a minty '74 TA.

Really? Must be not minty 70-73 cars?

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

Yes, you have to add some sort of value for the ram air option. Should be a substantial amount too. Just look at the reported numbers. Only 1478 of these 455 cars sold new. Add the ram air option and it's said you have 160. It's no wonder that most of these estimation sites don't even list that option to add a percentage for this car.

....

I will respectfully disagree.

With earlier "Ram Air" car, you got a whole package, not just a functional hood;
These cars, like it or not, it used the exact same engine as a full sized sedan would get.

The option was called "ram air hood inlet" for a reason - the option ONLY affected the hood and air cleaner.

There is no direct comparison for 73-74 Formulas with this option, because the option as applied to 1970-1972 cars was substancially different;

• 1970 = it was an engine option which dictated cam, heads, and RA manifolds
• 1971 = it was an option on the (replacement for the) 'ram air' engine - so it could only be opted on cars that already had specific heads, a specific cam, and hte RA manifolds.
• 1972 = it became a n/c option as soon as the 455HO was ordered.

Don't get me wrong, it is a neat option, but in my opinion it shouldn't add more than say a wheel option to the base value of the car;
I personally wouldn't think that two identically opted cars sided by side - with only the presence or absence of the 'ram air hood inlet option' to substantially differentiate the value;
I am pretty sure the same would be said for 1971 455HO cars with or without the option.

Would it add something, sure, but alot, no.

To try to draw a comparison or three:
You won't see 1970 Formulas having a substantial difference in value for M20 vs M21;
Nor any substantial value difference for M20 cars with 3.55:1 vs 3.73:1
You will see a substantial difference in value between 1973 Formula 455's with the 4spd vs the auto;
But I doubt that anyone would pay more for a 1973 Formula 455 with the auto and the 'ram air hood' option over a 1973 Formula 455 with a four speed and a non-functional hood.

But hey, these are my opinions, and it's yours which matters.

I would just feel bad if I didn't speak up, and you had some sort of buyers remorse after purchasing a car.

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by Judge273

Really? Must be not minty 70-73 cars?

no.

There is a substantial jump for 70-73 cars;
even nadaguides reflects this.

But I would wager a minty 74 TA could be had for that money.

[oldsmobiledave]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

no.

There is a substantial jump for 70-73 cars;
even nadaguides reflects this.

But I would wager a minty 74 TA could be had for that money.

Like this one? Asking $30000 Canadian $22500 USD

I am still waiting to hear if the engine & trans are original or not. It is a YY code block but we could not make out the VIN on the block when I viewed the car last week.

[unruhjonny]

nice!

That is a beautiful car!!

I love the colour combination too!

Those "horsecollar" seats are really nice too.

[muscle_collector]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

Yes, you have to add some sort of value for the ram air option. Should be a substantial amount too. Just look at the reported numbers. Only 1478 of these 455 cars sold new. Add the ram air option and it's said you have 160. It's no wonder that most of these estimation sites don't even list that option to add a percentage for this car.

By 1974 there just weren't many people ordering cars with 455's, let alone cars sneaking out with functional hoods. So to find one 43 years later...well....

If it were me selling a real documented 74 455 Formula ram air muscle car that runs and drives in this condition with a rock solid paper trail, I wouldn't take a penny less than $20k here, and I'm confident it would sell easily at that price. Anyone that wanted it for less I'd tell them to keep looking, this car isn't for you.
These cars are getting older and harder to find every day, good ones more so. As the car gets older, the price just goes up, They don't get cheaper. If you plan to keep the car for at least a few years, the car should appreciate at least a small amount. As the 70-73's continue to climb in price and out of reach for most, the 74 and up will continue to gain in popularity. This is already happening to some degree.

save me from digging them out, did the sheets that fred simmons made up break the formulas down to show only 160 produced with the 455 and ram air???

[Held for Ransom]

I don't have the sheet, but my guess would be the 160 is low. The price difference between the 400 and 455 was only $57.00. Price difference between the 400/4 speed and the THM400 was $36.00.

[74 SD455 Formula]

A 160 74 Formula's with Ram Air. Believe it or not I have had 3 of those in my live. I currently own a 74 SD 455 Formula with an Automatic and NO A/C. Did you know there were less NON A/C Auto's made than 4 spd's. Yet everyone will pay more for a stick.Rare dose'nt always mean it's worth more. People will still pay more for a T/A yet there were far more of them than Formula's.JMO.

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by oldsmobiledave

I came across a 1974 Formula 455 for sale. Seller claims that it is 1 of only 160 cars built with Ram Air.

Does the 1 on 160 refer to all Formulas (400 and 455 combined) or just 455 cars?

The re-po sale sticker shows $43.68 charge for the Ram Air hood. Does that prove that this is 1 of 160?

Thanks in advance

Oldsmobiledave, Maybe you've moved on regarding the RA455 Formula, but here is the 33,000 original mile 'survivor' '74 RA455 Formula my brother Dan bought last spring for $25k in Indiana. The seller was asking for more, but he was the only serious buyer he had. Everything works including the A/C and is a Honeycomb car. The original owner installed the TA swirl polished dash insert shortly after delivery. It needed a good cleaning and going-over, but drives and looks new. These RA455/400 cars are getting more attention as time goes by.

Dennis

[The Boss]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

Oldsmobiledave, Maybe you've moved on regarding the RA455 Formula, but here is the 33,000 original mile 'survivor' '74 RA455 Formula my brother Dan bought last spring for $25k in Indiana. The seller was asking for more, but he was the only serious buyer he had. Everything works including the A/C and is a Honeycomb car. The original owner installed the TA swirl polished dash insert shortly after delivery. It needed a good cleaning and going-over, but drives and looks new. These RA455/400 cars are getting more attention as time goes by.

Dennis

You boys sure have some nice toys!

[oldsmobiledave]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

Oldsmobiledave, Maybe you've moved on regarding the RA455 Formula, but here is the 33,000 original mile 'survivor' '74 RA455 Formula my brother Dan bought last spring for $25k in Indiana. The seller was asking for more, but he was the only serious buyer he had. Everything works including the A/C and is a Honeycomb car. The original owner installed the TA swirl polished dash insert shortly after delivery. It needed a good cleaning and going-over, but drives and looks new. These RA455/400 cars are getting more attention as time goes by.

Dennis

Thanks for sharing. That car is very well bought for $25000 USD.

I am weighing my options between the 455 Formula (NOM) with an asking price of $24000 USD & a 1974 Trans Am with original 455 (but not original M40). and an asking price of $22250 USD.

The Formula is in Alberta & will not require an Out of Province Inspection where as the TA is in British Columbia & will need OOP inspection. Transportation costs & OOP inspection add $1000 to the cost of the TA, Both cars are M40 no a/c with 3.08 anti spin, power windows & tinted glass on Rallye 11s.

And of course there is always the option to buy neither & wait for a 70-73 car.

[unruhjonny]

@ Oldsmobiledave: I hate to say it, but from an investment standpoint, the Trans Am is a better buy.

@ SD455DJ: That looks to be a beautiful car, and from the pictures, the only non original part I can see is the dash insert which you mentioned - unfortunately the Formula that OldsmobileDave is looking at needs some work to get to your car's level.
Personally, I also prefer the colour combo of the Formula you shared over the one here in Alberta.

[oldsmobiledave]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

@ Oldsmobiledave: I hate to say it, but from an investment standpoint, the Trans Am is a better buy.

@ SD455DJ: That looks to be a beautiful car, and from the pictures, the only non original part I can see is the dash insert which you mentioned - unfortunately the Formula that OldsmobileDave is looking at needs some work to get to your car's level.
Personally, I also prefer the colour combo of the Formula you shared over the one here in Alberta.

I appreciate your input. Investment potential is a portion of the decision but not the only factor. I have always preferred the Formula to the TA. However I think I could love either.