SilverStang00

iTrader: (2)

Ok all you Pontiac gurus, I need a little schooling. There is a 97 Formula for sale here locally that a friend of mine was interested in. It has all of the Formy stickers/graphics, but has a ram air hood. Is this a factory option on Formula cars? A good possiblity is the previous owner put the hood on, but he hasn't got any details on the car yet, so I thought I would ask you guys. I know they made some WS6 Forumulas in the LS1 models, just curious about LT1's. THANKS!

ksuburban

im not positive but i do belive that the formulas came with the ram air hood from the factory.

Sneakyws6

Make sure you are researching before you are posting answers like the above...

Formulas had the same hood as the Trans Ams for the 97 model year. Check the RPO sticker on the door or under the center console lid and see if the WS6 RPO is there. If it is a WS6 car it should have 17" wheels and the Ram Air air box that is open on the top of the air box so that it can meet and seal to the hood.

Neither car came with the Ram Air hood unless they had the WS6 package on them from the factory.

ksuburban

Thats why I said "im not positive".

koolaid_kid

iTrader: (21)

The 97 Formula was a V6 body with a TransAm drivetrain. The only stock graphics were a sticker on the right side of the front and rear bumpers lettered "Formula". (Earlier models said "Formula V8") Any other graphics present would have been aftermarket. On the WS6 or Firehawk models, I am not sure.
As far as the hood, check for the 17" wheels with the WS6 letters, as well as the RPO as mentioned above. IIRC, the letters WS6 would also be on the right rear, which you did not mention.
If it is a true WS6 model, it is a rare car. If not, it is just a great car.

SilverStang00

iTrader: (2)

Ok, thanks guys. The car has aftermarket 18 in. wheels so that doesn't help. I dont think it has the WS6 badge either. I will tell my friend to check the code. How rare are WS6 Formys, or Firehawks? Would it be worth 8k?

97redTA

Well hello, Kyle. How many miles are on it and who's looking to get it? It'd have to be very nice with low mileage to be worth 8 grand, in my opinion.

SilverStang00

iTrader: (2)

Whats up man, I beleive the car has 80k miles or close to it. Allen was looking at it. He went and test drove it and didnt like it at all, said it was pos. He sold his Mach 1 so he is in the market for something else, he was wanting a TA, but now I think he's back on Mustangs That Formula looked good thats for sure. If I wasnt set on a Camaro I would have considered it, until he told me how shitty it was.

fastmach04

Yep, that's me looking for something else! The car was in perfect shape as far as cosmetically, but a few things were found wrong with it when I drove it. There was a pretty strong vibration in the car while it was moving, more noticable when you sit in the passenger seat. The front end was sitting on the ground, so the exhaust was rubbing on EVERYTHING!!! Also, it didn't have power steering. I checked the fluid, it was full. I am assuming it needs a power steering pump. Also, the check engine light was on, but I am assuming that is from the exhaust (off-road pipe) but I would have to have it checked out before I bought it. Like I said, it was great as far as looks, and it had a good bit of power. But I don't think it was worth $8,900, plus having to fix a lot of things on it right from the start. As far as whether it's a WS6, I didn't look on the door or console for the WS6 code, but the vin# is 2G2FV22P8V2208896. Couldn't you tell from the vin whether it's a WS6?

97redTA

Someone could tell, but I don't know anything about VIN codes. It's 95% likely that its not a WS6 especially if it doesn't have the badge on the rear bumper, and like sneakyws6 said, it would have the airbox in the middle of the engine compartment with an open filter instead of off to the side next to the fenderwell. And it's not worth the money anyway. Most people won't pay that for ANY lt1 car, and plus, you'll find that it would probably be cheaper to have gotten an Ls1 car by the time you make the kind of power you want.

Ls1+big cam+boltons+tune= 415+ rwhp

415rwhp lt1= Well I'm still trying to figure that one out...

97redTA

So you're shopping around for a camaro now, Kyle? You sellin the mustang or starting a collection?

fastmach04

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. It's not worth that much money anyhow. It does have the center airbox with the open filter right under the "ram air" part of the hood. Oh well, I think I've decided to stick with an old fox body mustang anyways. They just look better in my opinion, and they are cheap to buy, and cheap to make lots of power.

97redTA

Yeah, you should get what YOU want most. So why did you sell your stang? Just ready for a change? Oh and for future reference, I found that that there is a link to a 4th gen fbody VIN decoder in one of the stickys in the firebird specific forum.

Sneakyws6

Just as an FYI the VIN decoder can not tell you if a car is a WS6 car or not. It is not encoded into the VIN, only on the RPO sheet on the door, or console lid. Only GM, SLP, or ASC would be able to tell you if a particular car's VIN is for sure a SS or WS6 car as they will have it in the build records.

SilverStang00

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, I wish I could afford to have both, but I am going to sell my car and in a couple months time buy an SS. I wanted one when I sold my Lightning, but they were expensive as hell, and I found my car already modded cheaper than a stock SS about 2 years ago. It makes me sick going out and seeing all those damn GT's all over the place too, I want something different. Get an SS and do a heads/cam combo, and I'll be satisfied.

97redTA

Yeah that'll be awesome. Going for the A4? Less fun, but it might save you a 12 bolt in the long run...

SilverStang00

iTrader: (2)

Definitely going for an A4. I plan on a stall being one of my first mods. I'll miss banging gears, but at the strip a stalled A4 would be awesome. And to be honest it kind of sucks having a high HP stick car. An auto will be a nice change.

97redTA

I'm totally with you on this one, bruther. I'm ready to trade mine for a stock ls1 A4 at any time. High horsepower, stalled automatic with sticky tires may not really be less fun, just a different kind of fun...

SilverStang00

iTrader: (2)

FO SHO!! I think a stalled auto will bring just as many, if not more smiles to my face. So you finally got fed up with yours? I know you have had some major issues, so I wouldn't blame you.

97redTA

Its not really that I had major issues, it's that I had a major amount of small issues. Namely rear end issues. And thats the gay part of having a 6 speed. Not to mention I've been fuckn with it for the past four years. ****, even when the T/A works, I'd just at least be driving the LS400 most of the time. So I figure, combine the perks of both cars and throw in a nice converter, and I might really be working with something here...