New Member Intro and My 1988 Yellow Formula 350 Find
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Houston
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1988 Formula 350
Transmission: Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.27
New Member Intro and My 1988 Yellow Formula 350 Find
I have lurked around here for awhile as a non-member, but finally decided I needed to sign up once I discovered the 3rd Gen I have always wanted.
I am primarily a Corvette guy by heart, but when the Formula 350's began to hit the streets during my last few years of HS, I always wanted one, especially one of the yellow brochure cars.
I figured out pretty quickly the yellows were pretty rare out in the wild, so I resigned myself to just keeping the old Firebird brochure around to console myself with.
Almost 30 years go by without ever seeing a yellow 350 in person, and then to my utter amazement a friend of one of my customers tells me of one for sale less than 200 miles away from me here in Texas. I grabbed the car as quick as I could, and just brought it home last week.
The car stayed with the original owner until 2013, and has never been out of South Texas. It has been enjoyed quite extensively, with over 165,000 miles on the odometer, but was obviously well loved and cared for by the previous owners as can be seen by the general condition. I have the original window sticker, dealer sales order copy, original county tax receipt, all the manuals, and even the under hood lamp fuse in the original GM blisterpack.
For now I plan on doing nothing more than enjoy it and drive it while repairing the few minor issue that need correcting like a loose steering column, bad headlight motors gears, recovering the original seat covers, and reinstalling an original UX1 Delco radio.
I know it has been discussed often, but does anyone have a WAG of how many of the yellows Pontiac made during 1988? One thing I noticed about my car is the date stamp on the hood and fenders which are December 87 and January 88. It makes me wonder if this could have been one of the last yellows made.
Regardless, I am looking to forward to seeing some of the insights from other members and learning a bit more about my "brochure" car.
I am primarily a Corvette guy by heart, but when the Formula 350's began to hit the streets during my last few years of HS, I always wanted one, especially one of the yellow brochure cars.
I figured out pretty quickly the yellows were pretty rare out in the wild, so I resigned myself to just keeping the old Firebird brochure around to console myself with.
Almost 30 years go by without ever seeing a yellow 350 in person, and then to my utter amazement a friend of one of my customers tells me of one for sale less than 200 miles away from me here in Texas. I grabbed the car as quick as I could, and just brought it home last week.
The car stayed with the original owner until 2013, and has never been out of South Texas. It has been enjoyed quite extensively, with over 165,000 miles on the odometer, but was obviously well loved and cared for by the previous owners as can be seen by the general condition. I have the original window sticker, dealer sales order copy, original county tax receipt, all the manuals, and even the under hood lamp fuse in the original GM blisterpack.
For now I plan on doing nothing more than enjoy it and drive it while repairing the few minor issue that need correcting like a loose steering column, bad headlight motors gears, recovering the original seat covers, and reinstalling an original UX1 Delco radio.
I know it has been discussed often, but does anyone have a WAG of how many of the yellows Pontiac made during 1988? One thing I noticed about my car is the date stamp on the hood and fenders which are December 87 and January 88. It makes me wonder if this could have been one of the last yellows made.
Regardless, I am looking to forward to seeing some of the insights from other members and learning a bit more about my "brochure" car.
#2
Senior Member
Re: New Member Intro and My 1988 Yellow Formula 350 Find
Welcome to the forum and very nice formula. It could be possibly one of the last ones built in a yellow exterior. I only know that yellow was only available for first half the 88 production run and replaced the yellow with a medium orange metallic for the rest of the 88 model year. None the less yellow 88s are pretty tuff to find. Enjoy it.
#3
Member
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 180
Received 59 Likes
on
23 Posts
Car: 1988 Iroc
Engine: 5.7 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 9 Bolt 2.77 Posi
Re: New Member Intro and My 1988 Yellow Formula 350 Find
Great looking Formula! Great backstory on yours, always nice to get some documentation with the vehicle. I really don't give vettes a second look…they're everywhere. But I'll always strain my neck around to look at a third gen! Glad you found yours.
As 1989formulakid said, welcome to the forum!
Post up some more pics when you get a chance. Would love to see more of this yellow 350.
As 1989formulakid said, welcome to the forum!
Post up some more pics when you get a chance. Would love to see more of this yellow 350.
#4
Supreme Member
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Il
Posts: 11,896
Received 912 Likes
on
599 Posts
Car: 1989-92 FORMULA350 305 92 Hawkclone
Engine: 4++,350 & 305 CIs
Transmission: 700R4 4800 vig 18th700R4 t56 ZF6 T5
Axle/Gears: 3.70 9"ford alum chunk,dana44,9bolt
Re: New Member Intro and My 1988 Yellow Formula 350 Find
Welcome and wow what a nice looking car!! Pleas post up more pictures!
It's sad but I saw the 87 version of this in a JY back in the day. It was in decent shape too. Learned later that it had been crushed.
It's sad but I saw the 87 version of this in a JY back in the day. It was in decent shape too. Learned later that it had been crushed.
Last edited by TTOP350; 03-09-2017 at 08:08 AM.
Trending Topics
#9
Supreme Member
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 9,761
Received 584 Likes
on
402 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC-Z. Original owner
Engine: LB9. Dual Cats. Big Cam
Transmission: World Class T-5
Axle/Gears: BW 3.45
Re: New Member Intro and My 1988 Yellow Formula 350 Find
Welcome! More pics, please!
#10
Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1987 Firebird Formula
Engine: Carbureted - 305
Transmission: 700R4
Re: New Member Intro and My 1988 Yellow Formula 350 Find
Great looking car. I almost bought one like this that was advertised in Springfield, Mass for quite some time.I would like to see more photos when you have a chance.
Louis
Louis
#12
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Houston
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1988 Formula 350
Transmission: Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: New Member Intro and My 1988 Yellow Formula 350 Find
Thanks for the warm welcome. I don't know why exactly, but I am more excited about this car than most of the others that I have gone through over the years. I guess it's true what they say about the longer the wait, the sweeter the reward.
Here are a few pics on the trailer as I was taking it home.
A few shots after removing the original seats to clean up the carpet and take an inventory of the interior and condition
A few shots of the current condition of the engine compartment.
I will keep posting pics as I go through the car detailing and documenting some of the cool original things I see. I think this car is proof that not every 3rd Gen with higher miles hasn't been driven into the ground, and will actually hold up if taken care of properly.
Here are a few pics on the trailer as I was taking it home.
A few shots after removing the original seats to clean up the carpet and take an inventory of the interior and condition
A few shots of the current condition of the engine compartment.
I will keep posting pics as I go through the car detailing and documenting some of the cool original things I see. I think this car is proof that not every 3rd Gen with higher miles hasn't been driven into the ground, and will actually hold up if taken care of properly.
#13
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: MA
Posts: 732
Received 18 Likes
on
15 Posts
Car: 92 & 91 Z28 1LEs, 87 IROC-Z, 90 ZR1
Engine: L98, LT5
Transmission: 700R4, 6-speed
Axle/Gears: 3.45, 3.42, 3.73, 3.27
Re: New Member Intro and My 1988 Yellow Formula 350 Find
Beautiful car, what a great find! I have been looking for a yellow one for years. Can't wait to see more pics as you detail it up!
#14
Supreme Member
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Il
Posts: 11,896
Received 912 Likes
on
599 Posts
Car: 1989-92 FORMULA350 305 92 Hawkclone
Engine: 4++,350 & 305 CIs
Transmission: 700R4 4800 vig 18th700R4 t56 ZF6 T5
Axle/Gears: 3.70 9"ford alum chunk,dana44,9bolt
Re: New Member Intro and My 1988 Yellow Formula 350 Find
The more I see, the more I like !!!
#15
Supreme Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,997
Received 203 Likes
on
154 Posts
Car: 90 Formula / T-tops
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: MD8
Re: New Member Intro and My 1988 Yellow Formula 350 Find
Nice car! 3rd Gen Formula possibly one of the sexiest cars GM ever built. Nice clean curves, no fuss. Gives the Vette and the GTO a run for their money!
I'm hoping to rebuild my fathers Vette one day, like hanging out over there too!
I'm hoping to rebuild my fathers Vette one day, like hanging out over there too!
#17
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
Posts: 27
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1988 Firebird Formula
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Re: New Member Intro and My 1988 Yellow Formula 350 Find
I just got this one a month ago and am going through it. Love this car. Now I know what color I want to paint it! Beautiful car, Good job!
#19
Supreme Member
Re: New Member Intro and My 1988 Yellow Formula 350 Find
I have never seen a yellow formula 350 in person. Great find!! I would have bought that car in a heartbeat.