Third gen WS6 Formula?
05-15-2010, 10:04 AM
#64
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I've had several of these cars and have always liked them from the beginning.
05-15-2010, 06:05 PM
#65
I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. You stated all Formulas had this suspension which isn't true. The TBI equipped Formulas did not have WS6 suspension. The WS6 option to my knowledge had upgraded shocks and rear Disc brakes, and slightly larger performance tire. They also had a slightly wider rim "like the ones on the red car that was posted earlier" that was front and rear offset specific. The TBI formula had a wheel that looked the same as that but it was a narrower version.
I've had several of these cars and have always liked them from the beginning.
I've had several of these cars and have always liked them from the beginning.
05-16-2010, 10:25 PM
#67
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I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. You stated all Formulas had this suspension which isn't true. The TBI equipped Formulas did not have WS6 suspension.
Actually most of the the TBI Formula's I saw had the 15x7 Formula wheels. The TPI Formula's actually had 16x8 version. These wheels were front and rear specific on both the TPI Formula and the TPI Trans A/GTA in order to clear the front suspension outer tie rod ends.
The WS6 option to my knowledge had upgraded shocks and rear Disc brakes, and slightly larger performance tire. They also had a slightly wider rim "like the ones on the red car that was posted earlier" that was front and rear offset specific. The TBI formula had a wheel that looked the same as that but it was a narrower version.
The WS6 package came with larger front and rear sway bars, urethane end links on both sway bars, different shocks and springs, a 15:1 quick ratio steering gear box, the 16x8 wheels, 255/50/16 Goodyear Eagle Gatorback tires, 150mph speedo. Up until 1988 you had the option to add on the G92 9 bolt rear end with 3.27 rear gears and the 12" rear rotors that came with PBR aluminim calipers. In 1989 the G92 rear axle became a standard option on the Formula's with the TPI motors.
I've had several of these cars and have always liked them from the beginning.
Actually most of the the TBI Formula's I saw had the 15x7 Formula wheels. The TPI Formula's actually had 16x8 version. These wheels were front and rear specific on both the TPI Formula and the TPI Trans A/GTA in order to clear the front suspension outer tie rod ends.
The WS6 option to my knowledge had upgraded shocks and rear Disc brakes, and slightly larger performance tire. They also had a slightly wider rim "like the ones on the red car that was posted earlier" that was front and rear offset specific. The TBI formula had a wheel that looked the same as that but it was a narrower version.
The WS6 package came with larger front and rear sway bars, urethane end links on both sway bars, different shocks and springs, a 15:1 quick ratio steering gear box, the 16x8 wheels, 255/50/16 Goodyear Eagle Gatorback tires, 150mph speedo. Up until 1988 you had the option to add on the G92 9 bolt rear end with 3.27 rear gears and the 12" rear rotors that came with PBR aluminim calipers. In 1989 the G92 rear axle became a standard option on the Formula's with the TPI motors.
I've had several of these cars and have always liked them from the beginning.
I had a 1989 Formula 350 that I loved and put tons of money into. It was actually a rare optioned car as it had the factory t-tops option that came with the acrylic t-tops and not the glass ones. The only bad was the car was in Arizona for several years and the tops were damaged pretty bad when I got the car.
I sold my Formula wheels and ordered the black cross laced wheels in the front off set version as they had a wider dish on them and could rotate to either end of the car where with the stock setup the rear wheels were not able to rotate to the front as they would not clear the outer tie rod ends.
05-17-2010, 12:49 PM
#69
I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. You stated all Formulas had this suspension which isn't true. The TBI equipped Formulas did not have WS6 suspension. The WS6 option to my knowledge had upgraded shocks and rear Disc brakes, and slightly larger performance tire. They also had a slightly wider rim "like the ones on the red car that was posted earlier" that was front and rear offset specific. The TBI formula had a wheel that looked the same as that but it was a narrower version.
I've had several of these cars and have always liked them from the beginning.
I've had several of these cars and have always liked them from the beginning.
I also owned a 91 Formula with a LO9 (TBI) 305 that was a WS6 with the same wheels.
Actually most of the the TBI Formula's I saw had the 15x7 Formula wheels. The TPI Formula's actually had 16x8 version. These wheels were front and rear specific on both the TPI Formula and the TPI Trans A/GTA in order to clear the front suspension outer tie rod ends.
The WS6 package came with larger front and rear sway bars, urethane end links on both sway bars, different shocks and springs, a 15:1 quick ratio steering gear box, the 16x8 wheels, 255/50/16 Goodyear Eagle Gatorback tires, 150mph speedo. Up until 1988 you had the option to add on the G92 9 bolt rear end with 3.27 rear gears and the 12" rear rotors that came with PBR aluminim calipers. In 1989 the G92 rear axle became a standard option on the Formula's with the TPI motors.
The WS6 package came with larger front and rear sway bars, urethane end links on both sway bars, different shocks and springs, a 15:1 quick ratio steering gear box, the 16x8 wheels, 255/50/16 Goodyear Eagle Gatorback tires, 150mph speedo. Up until 1988 you had the option to add on the G92 9 bolt rear end with 3.27 rear gears and the 12" rear rotors that came with PBR aluminim calipers. In 1989 the G92 rear axle became a standard option on the Formula's with the TPI motors.
Also you could not get the PBR brakes in the rear until 89. 9bolt cars pre-89 had iron rear calipers.
Last edited by 97ramsst; 05-17-2010 at 01:02 PM.
05-17-2010, 01:11 PM
#70
All the info you need to know on the subject is here:
http://www.3rdgenformula.com
All Formulas came with the WS6 Performance Package and 245/50R16 Tires mounted on 16 inch Hi-Tech (convex) Turbo "Snowflake" style wheels from the 85 thru 87 WS6 Trans Am.
Source:
http://www.3rdgenformula.com/87/87_history.htm
If you want to argue that point then post pics and links...
Also I just thought of something that maybe confusing a lot of you...you could get a 3rd Gen V8 Firebird that wasnt a Formula unlike 4th Gen cars. Just because it was a V8 car it did not make it a Formula...and we are talking about Formulas.
http://www.3rdgenformula.com
All Formulas came with the WS6 Performance Package and 245/50R16 Tires mounted on 16 inch Hi-Tech (convex) Turbo "Snowflake" style wheels from the 85 thru 87 WS6 Trans Am.
Source:
http://www.3rdgenformula.com/87/87_history.htm
If you want to argue that point then post pics and links...
Also I just thought of something that maybe confusing a lot of you...you could get a 3rd Gen V8 Firebird that wasnt a Formula unlike 4th Gen cars. Just because it was a V8 car it did not make it a Formula...and we are talking about Formulas.
Last edited by 97ramsst; 05-17-2010 at 01:18 PM.
05-18-2010, 01:32 PM
#72
A word to the wise, though........ the gold wheels were not available on regular Trans Am models from 1987-1990 (black, red, white, and silver hues were available), but were made optional with certain colors on the Trans Am and Trans am Convertible beginning in 1991. In fact, the display car in the 1992 Pontiac brochure is a white Trans Am with the gold rims on it. Just another fact to consider....
05-19-2010, 11:33 AM
#76
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Are we still arguing that a car optioned with WS6 cannot be called a WS6?
So far we know:
-WS6 cars are optioned with WS6 package.
-WS6 cars were made from ~77-2002.
-Peoples individual "perception" aside, No factory car in the line up was ever named "WS6 Trans Am" or "WS6 Formula", those are nicknames given to them by the enthusiasts.
-Due to conflicting codes and factory shortage/strikes, not all WS6 cars had disc brakes or "performance suspension" badges.
-WS6 cars CAN have crosslace wheels (GTA) of varying color (Hi-tech turbo wheels were a Formula wheel).
-WS6 in reference to 3rd gen cars is a SUSPENSION option.
-3rd gens could option delete WS6 packages, but were standard.
-3rd gen T/A were charged extra for WS6 with the package being optional.
-All 3rd gen WS6 were V8 be it TPI/TBI/Etc.
And to re-address the original issue, could the 3rd gen WS6 cars be called WS6 Trans Am or WS6 Formula?
Answer: (public perception aside) Yes, as much as any 4th gen WS6 car can be referred to as such.
In fact, in reference to my 3rd gen cars I've always called them WS6. The majority of the 3rd gen community seems to as well, because as with the 4th gen cars, it separates your car from the crowd.
Will a non-enthusiast understand what a WS6 3rd gen is? Will a non-enthusiast understand what a WS6 4th gen is? Probably not.
Where is the argument?
So far we know:
-WS6 cars are optioned with WS6 package.
-WS6 cars were made from ~77-2002.
-Peoples individual "perception" aside, No factory car in the line up was ever named "WS6 Trans Am" or "WS6 Formula", those are nicknames given to them by the enthusiasts.
-Due to conflicting codes and factory shortage/strikes, not all WS6 cars had disc brakes or "performance suspension" badges.
-WS6 cars CAN have crosslace wheels (GTA) of varying color (Hi-tech turbo wheels were a Formula wheel).
-WS6 in reference to 3rd gen cars is a SUSPENSION option.
-3rd gens could option delete WS6 packages, but were standard.
-3rd gen T/A were charged extra for WS6 with the package being optional.
-All 3rd gen WS6 were V8 be it TPI/TBI/Etc.
And to re-address the original issue, could the 3rd gen WS6 cars be called WS6 Trans Am or WS6 Formula?
Answer: (public perception aside) Yes, as much as any 4th gen WS6 car can be referred to as such.
In fact, in reference to my 3rd gen cars I've always called them WS6. The majority of the 3rd gen community seems to as well, because as with the 4th gen cars, it separates your car from the crowd.
Will a non-enthusiast understand what a WS6 3rd gen is? Will a non-enthusiast understand what a WS6 4th gen is? Probably not.
Where is the argument?
05-19-2010, 11:47 AM
#77
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I have seen a few Trans Am's from the LT1/LS1 years for sale as a "Trans Am SRS edition"
I was like WTF is an SRS edition??? then i looked at my own car's passenger side airbag cover which says SRS.... seriously?
just because it has an airbag does not make it an "SRS edition"as for the different color wheels i just found an 88 T/A 'vert (probably done by ASC just like the camaros) with gray cross laced wheels. the pic is huge so i'll just include a link
http://www.vicarimotorsports.com/198...0Prototype.jpg
Last edited by 1995blacktattop; 05-19-2010 at 11:55 AM.
05-19-2010, 01:01 PM
#78
Hate to complicate this more, but 87 Formulas had different wheels then 88s. The 87s had carry over aluminum wheels from the 85-86 Trans Ams. It wasn't until '88 that they got the deep dish high tech turbo wheels. I like the Formulas a lot, I wanted one bad in high school but couldn't find one.
05-19-2010, 01:16 PM
#79
Hate to complicate this more, but 87 Formulas had different wheels then 88s. The 87s had carry over aluminum wheels from the 85-86 Trans Ams. It wasn't until '88 that they got the deep dish high tech turbo wheels. I like the Formulas a lot, I wanted one bad in high school but couldn't find one.
05-20-2010, 06:31 PM
#80
Just a few corrections...
So far we know:
.
-WS6 cars were made from ~77-2002. (1978-2002)
-Due to conflicting codes and factory shortage/strikes, not all WS6 cars had disc brakes or "performance suspension" badges. (WS7 was the non-disc brake option code early on when they ran out of rear disk assemblies)
-WS6 cars CAN have crosslace wheels (GTA) of varying color (Hi-tech turbo wheels were a Formula wheel). (High Tech wheels started out on the T/A on the 84 anne. edition car, Formula could have black cross lace wheels in 91 and 92 as part of the dual cat 5.0/5 speed 225hp performance package)
.
-3rd gens could option delete WS6 packages, but were standard.(option delete? Not quite sure what this means? a Formula was a WS6...and a GTA was a WS6...other than that it was an option)
-All 3rd gen WS6 were V8 be it TPI/TBI/Etc.(you could get the WS6 package on the 82-86 Firebird S/E, and this could also be combined with the 2.8 v6 and in theory the 2.5 tech 4)
So far we know:
.
-WS6 cars were made from ~77-2002. (1978-2002)
-Due to conflicting codes and factory shortage/strikes, not all WS6 cars had disc brakes or "performance suspension" badges. (WS7 was the non-disc brake option code early on when they ran out of rear disk assemblies)
-WS6 cars CAN have crosslace wheels (GTA) of varying color (Hi-tech turbo wheels were a Formula wheel). (High Tech wheels started out on the T/A on the 84 anne. edition car, Formula could have black cross lace wheels in 91 and 92 as part of the dual cat 5.0/5 speed 225hp performance package)
.
-3rd gens could option delete WS6 packages, but were standard.(option delete? Not quite sure what this means? a Formula was a WS6...and a GTA was a WS6...other than that it was an option)
-All 3rd gen WS6 were V8 be it TPI/TBI/Etc.(you could get the WS6 package on the 82-86 Firebird S/E, and this could also be combined with the 2.8 v6 and in theory the 2.5 tech 4)
Last edited by Philhawk02; 05-20-2010 at 06:37 PM.