Yeah I get it.
I would suggest though, that the Trans Am was the "image" car, not the Formula;
The Formula was more of a "meat & potatoes" kind of car;
the only way it differed in appearance from the base model was the hood.
And then it was greatly watered down in 1971 with the base engine being a L30 (350/2bbl), it could still match the performance of a TA, but it wasn't the image car that the TA was.
Where the TA said something like "look at me, I'm a race car!" (for it's time), the Formula hood may have said, "whoa there buddy, before you go and challenge me, you don't know what I have going on here, but you had better believe it's a V8!".
I love the column shift on your car because it was intentional, and because it's unique.
You can make a solid argument for 1970 or maybe 1971 cars accidentally being ordered with a column shift, but by 1973, it was well established that an automatic without a console netted column shift.
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1970 Formula 400
Carousel Red paint on Black standard interior
A no-engine, no-transmission, no-wheel option car.
Quite likely one of few '70 Muncie three speed Formula 400's left.
1991 Grand Am: 14.4 @ 93.7mph (DA corrected) (retired DD, stock appearing)
2009 Cobalt SS: 13.9 @ 103mph (current DD; makes something north of 300hp & 350ft/lbs)
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