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Old 06-12-2010, 06:21 PM
GTO1AB GTO1AB is offline
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Default '70 Formula 400 w/ram air

I saw this at www.harwellmotors.com
Good looking car, white w/red interior, all original.
$17,900

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Old 06-12-2010, 06:48 PM
poncho-mike poncho-mike is offline
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I don't know about all original.

At a minimum, the driver's side fender has been replaced (notice the square hole for the Tinnerman clip to mount the hood hinge). The Formula 400 emblems are also the later style. I've got a 70 Formula 400 I bought in 1982 with 60K miles from the original owner. The early fender emblems were thicker I think Pontiac went to that style of fender emblem in 1973. My 74 SD455 Formula uses that style emblem.

I'm not tryint to nit-pick the car. The ad states "The body still has its original panels with nice paint." The photos tell a little different story. Still, it's a very nice car.

Mike

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Old 06-12-2010, 06:55 PM
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This might be a dumb question but shouldn't the cowl tag read "w66" being a formula?

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Old 06-12-2010, 08:09 PM
poncho-mike poncho-mike is offline
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I noticed that, but I've seen a couple of early Firebirds over the years that were missing the code.

The cowl tag starts ST70 23387 NOR, which is common for Norwood built cars. I believe the California built Formulas would have read ST7022687. The car was built 04C, so I would have thought it would have the W66 code.

The 70 Formula I currently have shows the W66 code and was built around that time. It is a 350HP 400 auto low option car.

I would think any serious buyer would order the PHS on the car to verify it's originality.

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Old 06-12-2010, 10:33 PM
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Wrong hood, but it wouldn't stop me from driving it.

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Old 06-12-2010, 11:26 PM
GTO1AB GTO1AB is offline
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You guys are way ahead of me on Firebirds. I am more into my original 65 Tempest coupe. I just saw the bird and thought I would pass it on. I thought it looked pretty good. I check this dealers site often and see some pretty decent cars show up there. They move pretty quick too. I bet the Formula is sold in no time.

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Old 06-12-2010, 11:50 PM
eaglesan13 eaglesan13 is offline
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Here is a picture of data plate on my April build Norwood car, and it has the W66 on it. I have seen 70 Formula's with the late hood but never this early, only on July built Van Nuys cars.

Nice car thought. But, is that a dash cap? I see there is no pull strap above the glove box but it has deluxe interior. The fan shroud has the hole in it too.
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Old 06-18-2010, 06:57 PM
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Trim tag does look a bit fishy (I agree it should say W66), and it's clearly been restored/refurbished with a few replacement parts. But it's a very sharp looking car. I love the color combo.

If it's truly a matching number RAIII car, the asking price of $17,9 actually seems on the low side.

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Old 06-18-2010, 11:05 PM
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I looked at this car a little over a year ago when an individual owned it a few miles from the current seller, maybe its on consignment now. It has a 224 VIN and no W66 on the data tag. It also had the original XX code 400ci 265hp 2bbl block in it. The previous owner had added #13 heads if I remember correctly, a 4 bbl intake and a no number q-jet. I showed the owner at that time all the reasons it was not an original ram air car or even a Formula and I think he believed me. Somehow over a year later it is now being sold as a Ram Air Formula by the new seller. I noticed it the other day online and the owner of Harwell has yet to return my call on it. His receptionist told me there is a deposit on the car. The shame is it's a nice looking car and it's got one of the nicest red deluxe interiors I've ever seen and some good added options including a factory ram air set up.

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Last edited by RicksGTO; 06-18-2010 at 11:32 PM.
  #10  
Old 06-19-2010, 02:31 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RicksGTO View Post
I looked at this car a little over a year ago when an individual owned it a few miles from the current seller, maybe its on consignment now. It has a 224 VIN and no W66 on the data tag. It also had the original XX code 400ci 265hp 2bbl block in it. The previous owner had added #13 heads if I remember correctly, a 4 bbl intake and a no number q-jet. I showed the owner at that time all the reasons it was not an original ram air car or even a Formula and I think he believed me. Somehow over a year later it is now being sold as a Ram Air Formula by the new seller. I noticed it the other day online and the owner of Harwell has yet to return my call on it. His receptionist told me there is a deposit on the car. The shame is it's a nice looking car and it's got one of the nicest red deluxe interiors I've ever seen and some good added options including a factory ram air set up.
So maybe the $17.9 asking price isn't that low for a Firebird that's a Formula Ram Air clone? No where on the ad does it say clone, tribute, or recreation!

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Old 06-19-2010, 09:51 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 70FormulaCA View Post
So maybe the $17.9 asking price isn't that low for a Firebird that's a Formula Ram Air clone? No where on the ad does it say clone, tribute, or recreation!
Agree, that puts the price in a better perspective.

Still a darn nice looking car, though.

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  #12  
Old 06-19-2010, 10:51 AM
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They sure have some decent priced cars....a few converts like the 70 Cutlass for $12,900, a 67 Skylark vert for $10,900.

This 71 Lemans Vert is on ebay and lookes interesting for 14,900.....cant beat that if it drives decent and not a rust bucket under the paint!

http://www.harwellmotors.com/showcar.php?cid=565

This dealer is probably realazing he has to sell them RIGHT to keep the doors open.

Ignoring info to prop up a car isnt cool though. IMO

Jeff
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  #13  
Old 06-19-2010, 01:25 PM
mmarx mmarx is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RicksGTO View Post
I looked at this car a little over a year ago when an individual owned it a few miles from the current seller, maybe its on consignment now. It has a 224 VIN and no W66 on the data tag. It also had the original XX code 400ci 265hp 2bbl block in it. The previous owner had added #13 heads if I remember correctly, a 4 bbl intake and a no number q-jet. I showed the owner at that time all the reasons it was not an original ram air car or even a Formula and I think he believed me. Somehow over a year later it is now being sold as a Ram Air Formula by the new seller. I noticed it the other day online and the owner of Harwell has yet to return my call on it. His receptionist told me there is a deposit on the car. The shame is it's a nice looking car and it's got one of the nicest red deluxe interiors I've ever seen and some good added options including a factory ram air set up.
They responded to my email and he said he has PHS docs...and a deposit. Rick, did you see the PHS on the car when you looked at it?

FWIW, I was looking at a '68 427/435 Corvette they had last year and they stated the car had it's original panels when in fact it had '70 1/4 panels on it (first year of flares)....

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Old 06-20-2010, 08:54 AM
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I didn't see the PHS on it as the previous owner had not pulled it, and I was trying to get to his house as quickly as possible so I didn't take time to request it. Once I saw the 224 VIN and the XX code numbers matching block I lost interest.

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  #15  
Old 06-20-2010, 01:09 PM
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If it had a spoiler and a third pedal it would be just about perfect!

BJ

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Old 06-20-2010, 02:05 PM
eaglesan13 eaglesan13 is offline
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Even if it's not a real RA car it's a nice car for the money. This appears to be a car you could buy to drive and enjoy without having to do a bunch of work to it. Later, if you wanted to part with it you would probably get your money back.

  #17  
Old 06-20-2010, 11:08 PM
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<he said he has PHS docs>

It is a cake walk to forge phs documentation.

In other words, unless you get the documentation directly from phs, it's a craps shoot whether or not it has been forged.

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