Any Ram Air 455HO Formulas Exist?
 

I've never seen one in person, have you?

Dennis

Clearly, you mean 71 Formulas. I with you on that.

'71 455HO Formulas
 

Mike,

Right, 1971, I forgot to type that in. Dennis

They made 321 of the them, how many still survive?
Dunno.

I have seen one, back in 73.
I worked with a guy who had one.
Nice car.

:)

the Quezal Gold/White/White '71 (now Red/Black with Black vinyl stripe) that's for sale now has the PHS to show it was 455HO with Ram Air so that's one that's still around. http://www.motoexotica.com/inventory...ebird-formula/

Thanks Rick, that one I did see at Mecum too. So, I'm getting old and forgetfu

I think total production exists, but not RA optioned in 71...

I have the 1971 option code breakdown totals, and it shows 109 Firebirds equipped with Ram Air.

Mike

Mike is right.
321 were 455 HO Formulas, while in 1971 RA wasn't required with them.
His RA total is what Pontiac production listed.

:)

Is there a 72 Formula breakdown? Say like for M-22?

Same thing with the GTO's in 71 - if you didn't order it, you didn't get it.....unless you bought a Judge.

Not totally Formula with M22.
Around 757 Formula and TA had M22 trannies.
(some non 455 HO Formulas must have gotten the M22)

:)

455 HO Formulas.
 

All the 72 455 HO Formulas got functional ram air. Of the 276 produced I don't know what the manual versus automatic transmission numbers were. They are all pretty rare. :)

I've got a 72 Wilderness Green 4 speed basket case :-)

You could use the production numbers for the Formula 455HO before and after 1972 as a reference:

1971 production was 166 manuals to 155 automatics (seven of the 166 where 3 speed manuals) of the total 331 units produced.
1972 ?
1973 numbers of 227 manuals to 503 automatics out of the total 730 units

How did they miss the 72s? Got breakdown of options in 71 and all...

But, at least we got the 276 total...

I saw a 72 every day when it was my driver. Never should have let that go. Been trying to get it back ever since. M22. also

Any pics of it?

:)

'71 Ram Air 455HO Formulas
 

We understand the '72 455 HO Formulas all had RA standard, we just don't kn0w the tranny breakdowns.

But, the '71's are a conundrum since most of the cars ordered by customers and dealers for stock didn't realize Ram Air was a distinct separate option. It would be cool to see if any of the cars ordered for NHRA Stock class racing were ordered with RA.

Mike Noun, where did you get the 109 RA equipped Formula number? I've neaver seen that before, but, thanks much for sharing that.

It's amazing that so few exist today compared to the non RA Formy's.

Dennis

I would like to see a 1/4 mile comparison of the same car with RA air cleaner and then with the dual snorkel non RA air cleaner, do 3 runs with each and average the times. I have a funny feeling RA may not be as big a deal as we like to think :) Let the rotten fruit fly!

I only have 35mm pics of it.

Have a printer with a scanner?
(All in One like an HP printer)

Or a cell phone pic of the pic?

:)

I'll see what I can do.

71 and 72 breakdowns were posted on PY a few years ago.
(not in same thread though I don't think)

This is the one referenced, but my pic is hard to see some of the numbers on edge.
(and thanks to the person submitting them, can't remember who right now)

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...1&d=1423869655

:)

Member PB (Pat) posted the '72 sheets.
http://www.forums.maxperformanceinc....d.php?t=510747

Member Lloyd-TX (Lloyd) sent me the '70 and '71 sheets.

Thanks, Mike.
I was thinking PB and Lloyd were involved, but didn't want to say without correct info.

:)

Links don't work for me?

None of the links work. I cant even open anyones attached pics

I'm ready to post a few pics but figure I'll wait as the site is very slow.

Roger that!

Unfortunately the forum redesign by Ames will probably break all the old links/data.

:(

If you take the performanceyears.com out and replace it with maxperformanceinc.com may help.

:confused:

The new url for PY Forum has also changed, but most are probably still using the PY original address.
Eventually that will probably stop working.
(so you may have to change your browser bookmart to new one.)

:(

I won't speculate on what the actual value of it on a 455 HO Firebird might be, but it's worth noting that just about every car made nowadays has the air induction system set up to pull air out of the grille opening area rather than the open engine compartment; This is mostly to get the benefit of the lower intake air temperature, but also to take advantage of any "ram" effect at higher speeds.

A 455 HO Formula with open scoops and Ram Air on Hood does complete a nice look. Especially when you pop hood and those scoops to boots look very cool.

Plus, the formula hood design enhances larger openings to the whole functional Ram Air system. One of the better ones IMHO.

72 F455 Pics
 

Cardinal Red Black interior 4spd w/air

a few more
 

Pictures are from about 1979.

I just envision the UBB chaos all over again...

Here's a pic of the 1971 sheet that may be a little clearer.

Wow - that's a nicely optioned car!

Passed on buying this one in Seattle advertised in the old Piston & Rudder mag in 1989. 455HO, TH400, A/C with WU3 Hood Air Inlet & D80. Lucerne Blue, Black vinyl top & deluxe blue interior. It'd be a keeper today, but back then it had a bit more rust in the quarters than I wanted to deal with.
Was sold at Mission Pontiac Co. in San Bernadino CA. originally, Van Nuys built.
This Formula is one of the highest optioned '71 455HO Formulas I've seen with 22 extra cost options. Weird thing,...all these options with an open rear end. No Safe-T-Track on the list.
Haven't seen the car since about '91 or so.

And to think I sold it for the low, low price of $1700.00

I'm about 99% sure I owned this same car. Did it have honeycombs, a/c, and rear spoiler among lots of other stuff? I bought it out of Anacortes, WA back in 99,' which would make sense. Drove it down to CA in the rain with a sticking carb float and leaky vinyl roof. Stayed in a hotel and asked the front desk guy for a spare shower curtain to cover it overnight. Restored it without the vinyl roof and sold it in 2002? LOTS of metal work in window channels.

Very well could have been. VIN was 226871L106534. Any idea where it is now?

necdb3-

Thanks for the pics! Do you by chance have any photos of the back end of your car? I have a 72 455 HO Ram Air that was involved in a minor accident years ago by the second owner. When I got the car, the bumper was off and wrapped in brown paper as it had been in the shop being fixed and re-chromed. Mine has the two bumperets, but I'm contemplating not putting them back on. I'm getting ready to put the bumper back on and would like to have a pic or two for reference if possible.
Thanks.

Charles,

The car did have Bumper Guards but I don't any pictures of the rear. If your car had them, I'd put them on. I like the look of them but I may be partial because my car had them. Look at the pictures of "Adrian" That has Bumper Guards, unless you are looking for original pictures?

What color is the one you have?

Dave

My friend Sean had this 71 Formula 455 from 2006 until he passed away in 2009. It was supposed to be a Ram Air 455HO. Perhaps someone on this board has it now.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...pstt8jglfo.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...psxjhiw4jz.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...psk624zkkf.jpg

I got a call from a friend about three months ago telling me there was a 1971 Formula 455 in the local Pick and Pull yard. I had just had shoulder surgery so I was not in any condition to run out and start pulling stuff. I asked if it was a 455 HO car and he said it was, but the drive train was gone. I went by about a week later and took these pictures. The Formula 455 emblems were still on the fenders, and it was obviously an original manual trans car. According to what I have read there were no D port Formula 455's with manual transmissions in 1971, so if that is correct, then this was an 455 HO car. The "455" was still readable on the emissions sticker. I was told by a guy I know who got to the car first that the driveshaft was still there when he saw it, and it had the big fine spline yoke, indicating a heavy duty four speed.

The car was originally Castillian Bronze with deluxe sienna interior. It had gauges (with tach), power steering and power brakes. I got the seatbelts and a few other trinkets, and my buddy got a bunch of stuff. I snapped a picture of the data plate and wrote down the VIN. A few weeks later there was an ad on Craigslist asking whoever took the data plate of the Firebird in the Pick and Pull yard to contact the poster. I figured that meant someone wanted the numbers. Sure enough, I went by a week or so afterward and the dash VIN had been cut out. The car had aftermarket A/C and whoever took the public VIN did not bother to remove the A/C suitcase off the firewall, so the hidden VIN should still be there. No way to know if this was a Ram Air car without running the PHS, since the hood and engine were gone. Sad end to a cool car.

another one bites the dust

Bingo, that's the car. When I sold a green 71 HO 4spd in 2008, I received a call from latest owner in NY I believe. I initially sold it to collector in Maryland. From the vinyl top, there was extensive rust in the roof, especially in the area separating the noise reduction steel layer and the roof itself. Seattle weather doesn't help. If I remember right, deluxe int. cars have an extra layer of steel that lessen or help absorb road noise. It is very hard to access the inner roof completely. I had both window channels replaced, all metal fab. Pricey, however, I believe the car was later re-roofed, or posts replaced. Here's some before/after pics. I think I have a 10 minute VHS tape of the car somewhere - of course no player though.

Gregg, that was one gorgeous car with the Lucerne Blue and Honeycombs! Without the vinyl top, I think it is the best looking Formula color/wheel combination available not to mention an HO too!

X2!

Seems like allot of these Formula had Trim Rings when they supposedly available or???

The 15" trim was not available on a Honeycomb in 71 or 72 but everybody put them on once they became available in 1973. The problem is that once you install a set the clips mar up the edge of the wheel and you are stuck with them forever (or at least until you repaint the wheel).