Frenchy's Formula, being a 73 model, was pure Pontiac. The "Olds engine in a Firebird" deal didn't start until later, like in 1978 or 1979, when you could end up with an Olds 403 under that "6.6 Liter" shaker scoop rather than a Pontiac.
IIRC, and I looked at a LOT of T/A's and Formulas..........the Pontiac engined cars had "T/A 6.6" decals on the shaker scoop, while the more common Olds powered cars had "6.6 Liter" decals on the scoop.
I'm still waiting on this old farmer I've known for years to part with his 78 Trans Am. He bought it new off the showroom floor.
It's the Gold Edition, with Pontiac 400, 4 speed, power everything, and 44,000 original miles. He's had it stored in his bar since 1986, and I still have dibs on the car if and when he decides to sell.
Only car I ever had that was really worth keeping (like Frenchy's Formula) was about 5 years ago.
1979 Trans Am, Pontiac 400 (rare for that year), 4 speed (again, rare for that year), 4 wheel discs (rare), all power, T-tops; out of 150,000 Trans Am's made that year, it was one of 1500 built with the listed options. I tracked down the original owner through the paperwork in the glovebox, called him, and got the car's history. I paid $1200 for it, drove it home, called him two days later, turned down an offer from him for $3000 sight unseen to buy the car back (stupid, stupid, STUPID of me), kept it stored in a shop til I graduated nursing school, then went to work on it.
When I got started on it, I remembered the downside to T-tops: The seals were bad, and had been bad a long time. They had leaked and allowed moisture into the car long enough that the floorpans were rusted. Um........rusted THROUGH is a better phrase. Between that, and an electrical problem that had me pulling my hair out (everytime I turned on the headlights, the tach went haywire, the dashlights went out, and the left turn signal came on and stayed on..........ground problem I was told), I finally called it quits and traded her to a guy for his 1986 Monte Carlo SS.
He wrapped it around a telephone pole about 3 months later ( I didn't mention the engine in the Trans Am had just been rebuilt, and the thing was scary fast, with loads of bottom end torque), while I still have the MCSS.
Congrats, Frenchy! Helluva car you got!
