Georgio281

iTrader: (1)

I know a bit about LS1 F-Bodies, but not extensively... I lost my pride and joy, my 2000 Mustang GT a few days ago to a hit and run. I'm not ready to get back into a Mustang yet, and I thought of a car I've always (guiltily) wanted: The Trans Am. Anyways, I found this Formula today (going to check it out tomorrow). It's a 2000, 6-speed, with 50,000 miles. Everything looks good. Can you guys check out the pics in case something looks fishy? I'm a n00b to these beasts, so please fill me in.







I compared it to some pictures of what I assume were Formulas on google, and I notice the front bumper is different. Is it the one off of the WS6? Like I said, I'm a little confused. Also, what are some things I should be weary about when I go to check it out (things to look out for, etc.). Thanks a lot, guys! Maybe I'll be becoming a part of the family soon. Switching to the dark side, hehe.

EDIT: Another thing, the hood scoops look different to me for some reason... I remember there usually being a separator going through the middle, horizontally across.

LS1W66

That's a Trans Am with a Suncoast Raptor hood.

zaaronz

iTrader: (13)

Nice looking car, those are my favorite hoods on em. And the car has trans am front and rear bumpers, so they were either replaced sometime, maybe when the hood was put on or maybe because of a wreck. You never know, try and find out. But deff a good looking ride, and a nice color

zaaronz

iTrader: (13)

its probably not a formula anyway, the license plate does say ta lol

Georgio281

iTrader: (1)

Well, it's from a dealership. They have the entire CarFax. No wrecks in the history.

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

thats a nice clean car. how much is the owner asking?

99FormulaM6

iTrader: (21)

Looks good from the pics. Dealer probably misadvertised it as a Formula. It is clearly a TA from the pics

Georgio281

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the heads up, figured some Formula owners would come in here and straighten it out. That said, I'm still in love with the car. Dealer is asking $12k, but I'm confident I'll talk him down.

DownSouthWS6

iTrader: (1)

That's a t/a. My car said it was a formula on the carfax so that may be why the dealership calls it a formula. But who cares, it looks sweet. If nothings wrong with it I'd get it.

Optimus_Prime

iTrader: (4)

S N M ...isn't S and M some kind of bondage?

justin455

It IS a formula is the why they call it that. It's slightly complicated, but actually easy.

V6 = Firebird

V6 body w/ V8 = Firebird Formula

V8 w/ Trans Am option = Firebird Formula Trans Am

All are Firebirds, all V8's are Formulas, and Formulas can be optioned with the Trans Am trim which gives you the different front/rear fascia, hi-rise spoiler, and ground effects.

FYI, it works this way for Camaros too. All SS's are Z28's, but not all Z28's are optioned with the SS trim.

eseibel67

iTrader: (10)

Looks like a TA to me, but the RPO sticker on the driver's door will give a positive I.D.

I would keep looking if I were you, though. Too many boyish mods for my taste. I say pass on a car if an 17 year old doesn't want it anymore.

Ice78Transam

iTrader: (1)

Exactly. Confuses a lot of people. I'm the proud owner of a Pontiac Firebird Formula Trans Am WS6...

Georgio281

iTrader: (1)

What mods can you guys see just from looking at the pics? Obviously the airbox and the strut tower brace...

Also one more silly question... I have black Terminator wheels from my Mustang (17x9/17x10.5). I know the bolt patterns are different, but is there any way I could get them to fit (such as an adapter hub, etc.)? Has it been done? Thanks for all the help so far, I appreciate it.

And btw, it was a single owner, middle-aged guy. No 17 year old.

OSU Football Fan

iTrader: (23)

The exhaust tips look like magnaflow. But it has an SLP badge.
So it might be an LM1 or LM2 with the single tips.
It's tough to tell for sure from the angle.

Then of coarse the obvious stuff like tail light blackouts, white face gauge
overlays, optima battery, hurst shift ****, ipod adaptor, & pedal covers.
It has a B&M sticker under the hood so it might have a B&M shifter.

Good luck.

LS1W66

The problem with this logic is that the car is either a Formula or Trans Am It can not be both.

The Vin numbers do not differentiate between the models they only identify a V6 or V8 Firebird. This is why DMV Registrations and Insurance info calls them Formula/Trans Am Each car has it's identifying RPO code.

WS9 = Formula conversion Pkg
W66 = Formula Merchandise Pkg
Y82 = Trans Am Merchandise Pkg


Most people get confused at this point because they see the WS9 (Formula conversion pkg) code on their Trans Am. This Code does not mean the car is or ever was a Formula, It identifies a V8 equipped Firebird so all Formula's and Trans Am's will have this RPO. The W66 and Y82 codes identify the model and they will not coexist on the same car.

Oh and the reason the SS is classified as a Z28 SS is because it was an option Pkg on the Z28. It's not a seperate model like Formula or Trans Am.
So it's no different then Formula WS6 and Trans Am WS6, Formula Firehawk and Trans Am Firehawk.

justin455

This is true, but there was a good bit of misinformation in this thread in such a short time so I was just trying to get a little knowledge out there. Most people can understand what I said and not look like an idiot in front of f-body guys after repeating it.
More or less I was just trying to keep this from becoming one of the many countless threads just like it this in basically every other subsection.