amsoilguy

iTrader: (1)

I have a 1998 black WS6. I have been doing some research on it, running all the rpo codes, calling Canada, calling INALFA former ASC. Im getting no where. I'll ask build # questions elsewhere but what is the difference in formula and trans am exactly. Mine is a trans am ws6 but pulled off the line as a formula? does it mean anything? or, it is what it is (face value) a t/a ws6 that started life on the line as a formula? sorry if this is dumb just curious

Big Chuk

iTrader: (11)

A Trans Am is the same car as a Formula only Fully Optioned....Pwr,Leather,the works, with a different Facia & Spoiler. So basicaly a Trim package.
A Formula doesn't automaticly come fully optioned, Different facia & spoiler hence it is typicaly a Lighter car.

amsoilguy

iTrader: (1)

Thanks. I figured so I had a formula LT1 and I got lucky. got a factory fast one. she was strong for stock. Was it common for formulas to become ws6's or didnt matter they just pulled cars of the line and made the ws6? Im trying to school myself on the history of my car. found out alot on it. now on the impossible mission to find the ASC number. thanks for the info

JohnnyBs98WS6Rag

iTrader: (1)

You could order a Formula w/ a WS6 option from '96 - '00. WS6 was no longer available on Formulas in '01-'02.

The 1LE option on '98+ required Formulas as a starting point, required both the M6 and WS6 options, and t-tops were not optional. There were a few other N/A items w/ 1LE, I'm thinking leather and power windows, but not sure there.

In '98+ most of the WS6-unique equipment (wheels, suspensions, PS cooler) was installed on the factory line in St. Therese, then the cars were shipped (w/ a plain hood installed) to ASC to swap the hood, install the raised airbox and badges. Then the cars were shipped back to the St. Therese plant for final prep and shipment to the dealer Not sure what the details of the process was for the LT1s in '96-'97 that were converted by SLP.

In general, Formula WS6s were more rare than T/A WS6s.

BTW, good luck on finding the ASC# for your black '98 WS6. I have the numbers for all colors of '98s except for the black and red WS6s. If you ever find a source, let me know. I was lucky and got mine back in '99 before ASC lost this info.

amsoilguy

iTrader: (1)

Thanks. I thought it was cool that my car was a formula before a they turned itno a WS6 trans am. if i can ever get my hands on the info for the red and black cars i will try and get as much as i can, or get a contact so i can spread the knowledge.

LS1W66

Why would you think that it was ever a Formula ?
If your refferring to the WS9 Formula conversion RPO then you are incorrect.
The WS9 RPO means the car is a V8 Firebird (all V8 cars will have this RPO)

W66 Formula Merchandise Pkg and Y82 Trans Am Merchandise Pkg are what determines the Model.

WS9 + W66 = Formula
WS9 + Y82 = Trans Am
WS9 + Y84 = Trans Am Convertible

amsoilguy

iTrader: (1)

i guess i was incorrect? these are the rpo codes off my door and the descriptions of the codes from the different sites online. I am in no way tying to argue these codes I have no clue just trying to find out.

do you have an accurate site to get rpo codes? that would help me

i am ws9+y82

i checked rpo codes and looked up rpo codes on a couple of different sites. lol they are prob all the same just copy paste. this is what i found?

WS9 : MODEL CONVERSION, FORMULA
Y82 : MERCHANDISED PKG, FORMULA

143 : TRIM COMBINATION, LEATHER, LT GRAY (3) (92)
14I : INTERIOR TRIM, LT GRAY (I) (92)
1SA : OPTION PACKAGE 01
41U : PRIMARY COLOR, EXTERIOR, BLACK
A31 : WINDOW, POWER OPERATED, ALL DOORS
AAA : 4-WAY MANUAL SEAT ADJUSTER
AG1 : ADJUSTER, FRT ST, POWER, 6 WAY DRIVER, SPLIT BENCH
AK5 : RESTRAINT SYSTEM, FRT SEAT, INFLATABLE, DRIVER
AR9 : SEAT, FRT BKT, EUROPEAN STYLE, PASS A DRIVER RECL
AU0 : LOCK CONTROL, REMOTE ENTRY – KEYLESS ENTRY (DOMESTIC)
AU3 : LOCK CONTROL, SIDE DR, ELEC
CAF : HANDLING CHARGE-ST. THERESE TO AMERICAN SUNROOF
CC1 : ROOF HATCH, REMOVABLE PANELS, GLASS
C60 : HVAC SYSTEM, AIR CONDITIONER FRT MAN CONTROLS
DE4 : SUNSHADE, REMOVEABLE HATCH ROOF
DG7 : MIRROR O/S, LH & RH, REM CONT, ELEC, PAINTED
DL5 : DECAL, ROADSIDE SERVICE INFORMATION
FE4 : RIDE & HANDLING SPECIAL SUSPENSION SYSTEM
FE9 : CERTIFICATION, EMISSION, FEDERAL
G80 : AXLE POSITRACTION, LIMITED SLIP
GU6 : AXLE REAR, 3.42 RATIO
IP3: ? or 1P3
J65 : BRAKE SYSTEM, PWR, FRT & RR DISC
K43: ?
LS1 : 5.7L GEN III V8 ENGINE
MM6 : TRANSMISSION, MAN 6 SPD, BORG WARNER
MN6 : MERCHANDISED TRANS, MAN 6 SPD PROVISIONS
N66 : WHEEL, RALLY TYPE , VARI
NF2 : EMISSION SYSTEM, FEDERAL, TIER 1
NP5 : STEERING WHEEL, LEATHER WRAPPED
PBT : TEMP. WHL & TIRE-UPFITTER DLVY
QFK : TIRES, P275/40ZR17 SPEED RATED
R7X: ?
R9U: ?
R9Z: ?
STE : ASM PLT ST. THERESE
T43 : SPOILER, RR
T78 : HEADLAMP CONTROL - DELETE
UA6 : THEFT DETERENT SYS
UB3 : CLUSTER, INST, OIL, COOL TEMP, VOLTS, TRIP ODOM, TACH
UK3 : ELECTRONIC SYSTEM, ACCESSORY CONT
U75 : ANTENNA, POWER, RADIO
VM3 : BUMPER STD IMPACT 5 MPH FRT &RR
V12 : COOLING SYSTEM, POWER STEERING, FLUID
V73 : VEHICLE STATEMENT, USA/CANADA
WS6 : PERFORMANCE PACKAGE, SPECIAL
WS9 : MODEL CONVERSION, FORMULA
W55 : RADIO ETR AM/FM STEREO W/COMPACT DISC PLAYER AND GRAPHIC EQUALIZER, INCL. CLOCK, SEEK UP/DOWN, REMOTE CD PRE-WIRING, MONSOON 500 WATT PEAK POWER W/10 SPEAKER PREMIUM SOUND SYSTEM AND STEERING WHEEL, LEATHER WRAPPED, W/RADIO CONTROLS
Y82 : MERCHANDISED PKG, FORMULA

PontiacFan

iTrader: (104)

"cool that it was a Formula" means nothing really.
They all were 'WS9' Formula-based cars, before they got the Trans Am adder option.
Yes, as you said in a way, 'started life as a Formula'.


You also don't have an "LT1", ..., But that requires a lot more research to find out what you really have.









Wait, ..., no it doesn't, ...

LS1W66

RPO code designations do not remain constant for all Generations
And most of the sites I've seen list multi generation RPO's so things can get confusing very quikly when you see 2 codes that mean the same thing
My Formula has the WS9 and the W66 codes dictating that it is a Formula.
Of coarse I ordered the car so I know what I got.

Just some food for thought
The W66 code goes all the way back to the base model Firebird 400 for 1967
and was the original Formula RPO when the model debuted in 1970.
The Original Trans Am RPO was WS4 starting in 1969 when it changed to Y82 is unclear but it was definetely after 1981.

amsoilguy

iTrader: (1)

pontiacfan your right i dont have "lt1"? if your talking rpo LT1 or LS1. last time took her for a spin she had the rpo code LS1

there are some RPO codes on there that i have not been able to find. The RPO codes dont mean much. I started off just wanting them to print out to keep for myself and to take to shows.

JohnnyBs98WS6Rag

iTrader: (1)

As was said, our cars aren't built quite like that. This is just semantics, but the way you stated it makes it sound like your car was built-up as a Formula on the line, then at some point they un-bolted the Formula front and rear facias and bolted on the T/A facias. I've also seen people state that "all T/As start life as Formulas", again giving a false impression.

While the VIN # does not distinguish between a "Formula" and a "Trans Am", for the purposes of most states' BMVs and insurance companies, they only care whether the car has a V6 or V8 under the hood. So the VIN# has sufficient info for those purposes.

From a marketing and manufacturing perspective (ordering and building cars), those RPO code combinations that distinguish between a "Formula" and "Trans-Am" are necessary for the computers to price the car and to build it on the assembly line. WS9 kicks in the pricing framework for a V8 Firebird and the basic V8 drivetrain parts on the assembly line. The W66 and Y82 codes kick in different groups of options for pricing and parts for lining up on the assembly line (facias, cloth vs leather interiors, manual / power windows, etc). The listing of RPOs for a given VIN# is established long before the first bolt is installed on the assembly line. Trans-Ams "start life" as Trans-Ams, not Formulas.

Thusly, it is more accurate to state that "A T/A is a Formula w/ the T/A trim option" than it is to say "A T/A starts life as a Formula".

amsoilguy

iTrader: (1)

That makes perfect sense to me. Thanks for all the info guys.

Im about to give up on the ASC # so many cant find info on black and red cars. I dont think im gonna get any farther than I have with that.

let me know if anyone has a good place for RPO codes. Im looking to see if you guys/girls have confirmed or know if there accurate. I found alot but there all a little different????

Thanks for the help
just tryin to lean the history of my WS6

bandito

Mine is a ws6 and the ecm says its a formula? Its a 2002

JohnnyBs98WS6Rag

iTrader: (1)

Not sure what you mean by "ecm says"....... but from a drivetrain / VIN# / insurance / title perspective, T/As and Formulas are the same.

If your 2002 really is a WS6, then it's definately a T/A as WS6 was not available on a Formula in 2001-2002.

eseibel67

iTrader: (10)

The reason is that scanners call any V8 Firebird a Formula, even if it's a Trans Am.

So do aftermarket parts suppliers. For the prupose of scanning or parts replacement, calling it a Formula covers it all accurately.

eseibel67

iTrader: (10)

K43 - 102 amp alternator

LSTransAm11

What are the RPO codes on a WS6 Formula? Are they the same R
PO codes as a Trans Am WS6? I am going to look at a WS6 formula tomorrow and I want to know how to tell if its a true WS6... and I know that there are many threads on how to tell if its a real WS6 but is there any difference in how to tell a FORMULA WS6? Thanks

LSTransAm11

Anybody?

Big Chuk

iTrader: (11)

It will have a WS6 rpo

JohnnyBs98WS6Rag

iTrader: (1)

W66 distinguishes a Formula from a T/A. All 4th-gen Formulas will have W66, T/As will not.

If the Formula was built w/ the WS6 option, it will have both W66 and WS6 RPOs.

T/As will have Y82, Y83 or Y84 (verts).

So basically:

WS9 = V8 Firebird (Formula & T/A)
W66 = Formula
Y82 or Y83 = T/A coupe
Y84 = T/A vert
WS6 = WS6 (available option on Formula & T/A)