I purchased my 1992 Pontiac Firebird Formula, the first time, on February 11, 1996. I wanted to buy the Formula because I had always wanted one when I bought my Camaro RS. After I totaled my 1991 Camaro RS, I went through a period of other cars, such as: 1993 Dodge Daytona IROC, the 1973 Camaro RS/Z-28 and a 1994 Chevrolet Silverado C1500. Still, I wanted a 3rd Gen F-body again, and I had been looking for a TPI car. I found this car listed in the newspaper for sale at Fitzgerald Auto Mall in Kensington, Maryland. I called and asked about the car, specifically asking if it was a Tuned Port car. The salesman assured me it was and it was a must see. I was there in less than an hour and fell immediately in love. He gave me the keys to start it and to take a test drive. As soon as I started it, I felt like I knew the car...not in a good way, though. I popped the hood and to my disgust, there sat a 5.0 TBI engine. Damn. I was mad. Still, I decided to test drive it. After driving it, I felt the love I once felt for my 1991 Camaro RS, and even though it did not have the engine I had wanted, I bought the car. After I got my 1997 Camaro SS I sold the Formula, but by February 2000 I was wanting a third gen F-body again, and bought this Formula back February 26, 2000.
I'm no stranger to TBI engines, this is my third TBI engined 5.0 from GM. And as much as I did not want the engine, the car more than makes up for it. I do not mean any offense to those who have or love TBI engines, it is just not how I wanted to go. I am considering several plans to make some real power in the future replacing my stop gap 1986 Corvette L98 motor that I recently swapped in, such as:
-A modified ZZ4. The base plate would likely be an Accel, Extrude Honed, AS&M or TPIS Long Tube Runners, and a fully ported plenum with a 52mm Throttle Body. The heads would be Air Flow Research one's, ported, and EGR compliant. I will step up to a larger cam, too, but I have not chosen one yet.
or
-A .30 over 350 2 or 4 bolt '87 up main block. Vortec heads and the Scoggin Dickey Performance Parts Vortec TPI base, AS&M or TPIS Long Tube Runners, fully ported plenum with a 52mm TB, a Comp Cams XR269 cam, 1.6 rr's.
Last, I will be getting a PRO-BUILT 700r4 and a Precision Industries Vigilante 2800 stall torque converter.
No more mods are planned after this, as my wife will surely have divorced me by then. |
