1970 Formula 400 Build
 

Starting this thread to document the build and take any pointers and advice you guys have to offer.

I recently purchased this 1970 Formula 400, when I purchased the car I thought I was purchasing a base model firebird (with plans to clone a formula) it had no motor or transmission for 3,200. Went and looked at it and told the gentleman selling it that I most likely was gonna pass on it. Got home that night and couldn’t get the car off my mind. I know they are not getting any cheaper or easier to find and I didn’t want to let the chance to own one of my favorite Pontiacs slip. Bought the car and got it home started looking it over and saw the “W66” on the cowl tag, could not of been happier, my formula would no longer be a clone. Having the engine, transmission and original hood missing made me think this could have been a RA car. Pulled PHS and it was not a Factory ram air car, however it was a PMD zone 7 company car before going to McMullen Pontiac in February of 71. I was given almost no information on the car from the seller. I did reach out to one of the known previous owners who told me this car has sat in his fathers barn for the past 30 years. Excited to bring her back to her former glory.

PHS reports

Cool Formula! Cardinal Red and should be the standard 3.07 rear axle with Safety Track. I will be following for sure.

Dennis

That's going to be a cool car when all fixed up. Interesting mix of options. Looks to may have had a custom interior based on the grab strap in the dash. Also, may have a Trans Am dash panel? Can't tell much from the distant pics. Good luck with it. They were great looking cars.

The PHS shows standard trim - Sandalwood.
It also has the usual 75-up engine turned dash.
Also early years rear spoiler added.


Still a good 70 formula.


:)

I believe that to be the original dash, I could be wrong but it is sandalwood painted black. I know the gauge bezel is wrong for a formula but I like the trans am metal look. I don’t have extra money falling out of my pockets so I will most likely not be able to do a 100% factory correct build, i know the spoiler is not normally on formulas but I like it, this car is gonna be a combination of my preferences/ what I can afford.

First update of things I accomplished before making an account on the forum.

My dad found a Pontiac 400 and TH350 from a 77 trans am for $300

Sold the god awful L88 hood.

Picked up two hood hinges. (Car had only one and it had a weak spring for it the l88 hood.) $70

Found a base firebird hood off a 75 firebird on market place for $60 (base hood is better than no hood)

Found formula hood on marketplace , has a crack in it and some damage around the hinge mount. Also someone filled the cowl vents in at some point. Not thrilled about the vents being filled in. Paid $200 for it, thought I may be able to repair it and swap them out eventually.

Sanded and painted underside of base hood. Got hinges sanded and primed.

Congrats on the find!

Incase you are open to it, I would suggest that dash swaps for these cars are more common than you might think;
In many areas of the continent these dashes cracked PDQ - so finding a car which did not have it's dash swapped is rather rare - and virtually fodder for completely unmodified cars.

I try to never say never, but a dash strap denotes deluxe interior;
Unless you have hard proof otherwise, I'd say that's a replacement dash.
BUT(!)
If it's in great shape, keep it.

Thanks for sharing the PHS-es(!!) - this car epitomizes why I love the early Formula's - the sheer diversity in these cars.

The only possibly performance minded option is the "safe-t-track" (posi) differential - but even that option has a legitimate practical reason for being there.
All the rest of the options are appearance or convenience options;

• chrome moldings - appearance
• rally wheels - appearance
• white letter tires - appearance
• recesses wipers - appearance
• console - convenience... or maybe appearance - because a column shifter isn't cool.
• power steering - convenience
• power brakes - convenience
• automatic - convenience
• power windows - convenience
• tinted glass - convenience
• AM/FM radio - convenience

I don't think I've seen one opted like this;
Typically appearance cars do have many convenience options, but the power windows and AM/FM radio I have generally associated exclusively with cars which had deluxe interior and a gauge option.

I noticed it had everything to make it a trans am underneath, power brakes, variable power steering, safe t trac, I would consider all of those performance options. It does have rally gauges but this was not on the phs so the cluster most likely was changed if I had to guess.

Trunk was a lake when I first brought it home, got it all dried out and started attempting to stop the rust. Thought it looked really good until I put my flashlight under the car…

The RTS emblem above the steering column wasn't used until 1975 and newer.


:)

Cool project. Mine was shipped out of Norwood the day before yours. Would be interested to see how close the VINs are.

That’s awesome for only one day apart my vin sits about 420 cars before yours

Find of the day , Original tail lights $100 for the set.

That speedo is likely a 1937/1974 unit.
The seatbelt warning was added midway through the 1972 model year.
If the wiring plugs into the speedo properly, then it's likely had loom swap(s) - the plug for the gauges changed after 1971.

Those 37 Pontiacs had the most futuristic dashes of their times. 😀

Congrats on the acquisition - it will be a fun project!

Guage cluster
 

Crawled under the dash and someone definitely had some cobble going on, I’m not tearing to deep into it just yet however will take any info this picture can provide despite the mouse nest.


Rims were another $100 find 2 15’s and 2 14’s seem to be in decent shape

Very cool! Yours was a very similar car to mine, will definitely be following you project! Mine shipped 2 days later out of Norwood!
Congrats and good luck on your restoration!

Got those on instead of the random mismatch rims that came on it.

Started trying to get the cowl prepped for some new semi gloss black paint, pulled the passenger fender off and found a nice little hole hiding back there. Other than the the dent from where it was hit at some point the fender is surprisingly rust free. Cowl has some pitting. I did find all the original screws to hold the cowl screen down under the fender when I pulled it off.