Whiplash88

So ive been looking at alot of trans ams lately since im buying my first one this week, but im a lil confused on somethings ive noticed

1)on some ive looked at it the "trans am" letters on the fender are colored, but on the rear square piece where the trunk keyhole is it doesnt say "trans am" in red ,but on some others it does

2)what is the difference between the "firebird formula" & the "trans am", is it just a different way of saying the same thing?

3)the cars with the smaller spoiler are firebirds not trans ams right? like in 1) i see on the back it says "firebird" instead of trans am, is there a performance or option difference.

sorry for all the questions lol. can someone set me straight on all this.

t_raven

iTrader: (12)

Firebird is the base. Trans Am and Formula are different option packages on the Firebird. From 93-02 any non TA or Formula is a v6 car. A Formula is more like a base model with a V8 where a TA is a V8 and has more options.

Mr Phil

V8 or go home lol

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Firebird= v6 body v6 drive train
Trans Am= v8 body v8 drive train
Fomula= v6 body v8 drive train

Ws6/Firehawk/etc are all packages..
Therefore a Ws6 could be a Ws6 trans am or a Ws6 formula.

They are all firebirds...

firebird
firebird formula
firebird trans am
firebird formula ws6
etc

This is directed towards 98-02.... There were some odd options in the early Lt1 (93-97) cars. The GT... The low rise on the Trans am, etc.. Gets kind of confusing, although the name doesn't change.

Whiplash88

Yea, I'm talking about 98-02, I looked up the vin decoder Vs are formulas/trans am & S are the v6 firebirds I think.

So if it has the bigger spoiler but doesn't say "trans am" on the back, then it's a formula right?

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Unless someone has changed things from the way it came from the factory.....

If it has a lowrise spoiler and says firebird it is a v6 body/power plant
If it has a lowrise spoiler and says formula it is a v6 body/v8 power plant
If it has a highrise spoiler it will always be a v8 body/v8 power plant

Some of the Firehawks came with a modified lowrise spoiler. From a distance it looks like a lowrise but when you get up on it they have a "lip" that flips up. Very rare, I have only seen one in person.

JLFIII

iTrader: (1)

The best way to tell what car your looking at us to use the RPO codes on the door. That is how I identified mine. It cleared up many of my questions very quickly...WS9+Y82= Trans Am. Do a search on this site and you'll find many threads on it.

Sometimes you just never know the history of a car, anyone can swap out a junkyard hatch with a different wing on it if the original is damaged, and the tail light filler panel can be changed easily as well.

Hope all this info helps you out, happy hunting!

97ramsst

iTrader: (162)

A Formula will actually say FIREBIRD on the filler panel (the thing between the taillights)...but will say FORMULA on the door not FIREBIRD.


If there is nothing on the filler panel its been sanded off and polished.

1995TransAMLT1

Just like the others are saying, a firebird is the v6 model. Formula is basically is V8 Firebird, and the Trans Am also has a V8 and generally has most (if not all) of the available options. The trunk filler panel, I believe, only started being filled in with red or whatever color toward the end of the fourth gen. (correct me if I'm wrong on that last one). Many websites (Phoenix Graphix) have a decal you can purchase in red for the panel. If you are purchasing, get the Trans Am, you won't regret it!

'99REDTA

iTrader: (1)

Do those have the strips of leds for third brakelight? I know of a car out here that confuses me one the door it says 35th anv (I think, may be a different year but its ls1) but it has ws6 hood, different lowrise wing, and trans am front bumper. Just don't know why somebody would want to swap that out or if it was a factory option.


And my '99 TA says trans am in the filler panel

NC01TA

Unless it's a convertible . Just thought I'd add to your confusion.

Whiplash88

lol

im definately not getting a V6 firebird .alot of the pics people post on ads its hard to see if it says formula or trans am cause the letters blend in with the paint. i just thought there was a performance difference between the formula & trans am.

on a side note, is the "ram air" letters on the hood a sticker or badge? also are the "trans am" letters on the fender stickers/badges/ or painted on?

DrEvyl

iTrader: (5)

Since the 3rd gen, the term "Formula" has always referred to a base Firebird with a V8 engine.

To add to the confusion even more... LT1 Trans Ams didn't always come with up level spoilers.

DrEvyl

iTrader: (5)

The only real way to tell the difference between a Formula and a Firebird if the side emblems have been removed is to look under the hood. If there's a V8, it's a Formula.


sticker

They're plastic letters stuck on the side of the car.

1995blacktattop

iTrader: (2)

yup, all 1993 T/A's had the uplevel spoiler (saw one car without it but it was a prototype and had a rare shaped dashpad too)

then in 94 you had your GT with the uplevel spoiler and regular t/a without
95-96 or 97? they dropped the GT and the spoiler became a ~$400 option RPO code T43 on the regular trans am. I have seen some fully loaded 1995 trans ams (Leather, ttops, Traction control whcih is rare for 95) without the rear spoiler which looked weird, and others less loaded that had the uplevel one lol.

then if you wanna get real confusing, there were some 1997 firehawks with the LT1 WS6 hood (different from early firehawk hood) that also had an optional uplevel T/A spoiler, so they look like a Formula WS6 with a T/A hatch....

1320Chicken

iTrader: (4)

Could you get a formula with leather interior? For some reason I was thinking that was a trans am only option.

It is common for the lettering on the filler to just wear off.

To me pop the hood and see if its a v8 then look for the other options you want. I'd check the codes just to make sure it was a factory v8 and not a swap. I wouldn't want to take a chance on whoever swapped it cutting corners.

JLFIII

iTrader: (1)

lol

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

Between the tail lights (bird logo and lettering) is very common to fade away. Sometimes, people sand off the faded remains, and other times, it fades away on its own lol.

-Formulas had the same exact drivetrain as Trans am's, but had the standard firebird body.
-Trans am's had highrise spoilers (with the exception of a non-GT 94), sideskirts, different front bumper, and the bigger rear bumper.
-Leather was available on the formulas, and standard on TA's.
-T-tops were available on formulas, and standard on TA's (except a non-GT 94)
-Automatic and Manual trannys were available on both TA's and Formulas

"MAC"

iTrader: (1)

When you go and look at it open the hood and check to see if its a V8 or V6 its the best way to tell. A guy at Chattanooga State has a V6 camaro and he made it look like the SS. At first glance I saw it and was like its a Nice SS then I realized he only had 1 tail pipe and was like that's a nice replica. Point is a lot of people buy V6 cars and make them look like the V8 ones. The guy at my college def has a V6 bc No SS or WS6 came from factory with 1 tail pipe and the V8 versions sound completely different than a V6. His def sounds like a V6.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

98 Ws6 came with a single exit exhaust.