[blue71ta]

Originally Posted by dadsformula

So it looks like we now know of 4, 1973 4 speed L75 formula's. That's twice
what PureSD and i thought were around. Blue 71TA's Car not having Y99
really killed my thoughts on this, so we can assume that the suspension upgrade
was not required. Anyone of these not with the M21 trans? I assumed that
the close ratio was manditory, but this may also be wrong if any M20's are around.
Lloyd-TX may be correct that no forced options came with the L75 motor in 1973.
We can confirm one thing for sure. Y99 and no wheel option in 73 got you 15X7
steel wheels with the baby moon style caps. Not sure we can use the 1975 TA
455 Cars as a referance because the TA's included so many options, but even on
that Car certain items came with the L75, that would not appear with smaller engines.

Yes, mine came with the M21 close ratio trans also. Will post the PHS tonight...

[blue71ta]

Originally Posted by PureSD

Blue71ta, I have only seen one other 73 Formula 455 4spd other than the one I have. Very very rare! I understand Sd73 has one also. There are just a few of us lucky ones. Who else has one and does anyone know how many 455 4spd's had RA? I know only 227 455 4spd's were made, but dont know how many of those had Ram air.

Yep, only 227 made, that's why I bought mine. It's a project, but worth the effort IMO. I've been collecting parts for it & plan to start work on it this spring. Mine is Florentine Red with a black, deluxe interior, AM radio, 8 track, gauges, etc.

Not sure how many had Ram Air. Mine has the HD air cleaner option, which I belive is just the foam filter that surrounds the paper filter (on the air cleaner).

Any pics of yours you could post for inspiration?

[blue71ta]

ok, here is the PHS on my '73 Formula 455/4 spd for anyone that might be interested:

[PureSD]

Have it in storage now, but will be able to get some pics within the next week or so. I'll find this thread and post then. Gosh I almost feel related.

[blue71ta]

Originally Posted by PureSD

Have it in storage now, but will be able to get some pics within the next week or so. I'll find this thread and post then. Gosh I almost feel related.

Sounds good, I'll look forward to seeing them (the pics). Maybe we're distant cousins? LOL

[dadsformula]

Mine is Admiralty Blue with deluxe Saddle Interior. No Ram Air, but Y99, M21, L75
and 21 other options, including Block heater. Metal Work is Done, and included an
NOS Tail Panel that came with the Car. Got the fully rebuilt Drivetrain installed
just before Winter, and the Car runs great. Still have to find some Wheel Well
moldings, but otherwise complete. The 227 number, and my Son and i always liked
the early Formies are the reasons we grabbed it. When we showed our GTO, these
and the early TA's were the Cars we looked at the most.

[blue71ta]

Originally Posted by dadsformula

Mine is Admiralty Blue with deluxe Saddle Interior. No Ram Air, but Y99, M21, L75
and 21 other options, including Block heater. Metal Work is Done, and included an
NOS Tail Panel that came with the Car. Got the fully rebuilt Drivetrain installed
just before Winter, and the Car runs great. Still have to find some Wheel Well
moldings, but otherwise complete. The 227 number, and my Son and i always liked
the early Formies are the reasons we grabbed it. When we showed our GTO, these
and the early TA's were the Cars we looked at the most.

Admirality Blue with the Saddle interior will be a great color combo. Good luck with the rest of the resto.

[dadsformula]

Thanks Blue71, yea i look forward to getting the bodywork/paint done,
but i'm real pleased to have the Drive train in. It's a great feeling when
you get a new motor runnin. Good luck with your resto, and your do'in
the right thing gathering parts. Not easy to find for these Cars, and not gonna
get easier or cheaper any time soon. I actually bought my original Air Cleaner
off ebay before i got the Car home, and have not seen one for sale since.

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by blue71ta

ok, here is the PHS on my '73 Formula 455/4 spd for anyone that might be interested:

Hey James - NICE Formula 455!

Question - if you don't mind, would you e-mail me a better copy of your invoice?
The one you posted is way blurry when I clicked on it. Saved it anyway, but a better image would be nice.

TIA.

[blue71ta]

Originally Posted by Lloyd-TX

Hey James - NICE Formula 455!

Question - if you don't mind, would you e-mail me a better copy of your invoice?
The one you posted is way blurry when I clicked on it. Saved it anyway, but a better image would be nice.

TIA.

Lloyd, are you sure the blurriness isn't just from getting old?
(just kidding of course)
Yeah, it is a little fuzzy; I'll send you a clearer copy tonight. Thanks for the compliment. It should be a beautiful color combo when done.

[Exil]

Originally Posted by dadsformula

So it looks like we now know of 4, 1973 4 speed L75 formula's. That's twice
what PureSD and i thought were around. Blue 71TA's Car not having Y99
really killed my thoughts on this, so we can assume that the suspension upgrade
was not required. Anyone of these not with the M21 trans? I assumed that
the close ratio was manditory, but this may also be wrong if any M20's are around.
Lloyd-TX may be correct that no forced options came with the L75 motor in 1973.
We can confirm one thing for sure. Y99 and no wheel option in 73 got you 15X7
steel wheels with the baby moon style caps. Not sure we can use the 1975 TA
455 Cars as a referance because the TA's included so many options, but even on
that Car certain items came with the L75, that would not appear with smaller engines.

My 73’ 455 had a M21 tranny with 3:42 gears & the large Frt & RR sway bars. I don’t have the PHS on it or the build sheet. I’m guessing (not sure) the black interior may not be the original so if it was in the seat its long gone.
It looks like it didn’t come with a whole lota options. No A/C & I added the console. So it looks like someone bought it to drive if ya know what I mean.
I know the original color is white & someone painted it silver at some point. I painted it back to white only a much whiter white. It sat under a tree for many years before I got it & was under 60k on it then. I’ve had it since 88’ & only had maybe 6 years off & on of any driving. Im guessing I put maybe 20-25k on it. I cant tell for sure since the 4spd gave up in the early 90’s & has had a th400 since & the speedo gear is the one that came with the tranny so it reads much higher.
Looks like its one of the first made of the year since the vin is below 100 in the last two digits.

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by blue71ta

Lloyd, are you sure the blurriness isn't just from getting old?
(just kidding of course)
Yeah, it is a little fuzzy; I'll send you a clearer copy tonight. Thanks for the compliment. It should be a beautiful color combo when done.

Some of the fuzziness is def from getting old - and needing new eyeglasses, LOL!

TIA, James, and take care.

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by Exil

My 73’ 455 had a M21 tranny with 3:42 gears & the large Frt & RR sway bars. I don’t have the PHS on it or the build sheet. I’m guessing (not sure) the black interior may not be the original so if it was in the seat its long gone.
It looks like it didn’t come with a whole lota options. No A/C & I added the console. So it looks like someone bought it to drive if ya know what I mean.
I know the original color is white & someone painted it silver at some point. I painted it back to white only a much whiter white. It sat under a tree for many years before I got it & was under 60k on it then. I’ve had it since 88’ & only had maybe 6 years off & on of any driving. Im guessing I put maybe 20-25k on it. I cant tell for sure since the 4spd gave up in the early 90’s & has had a th400 since & the speedo gear is the one that came with the tranny so it reads much higher.
Looks like its one of the first made of the year since the vin is below 100 in the last two digits.

The front bar would be 1 1/4" and the rear 3/4" if it has the T/A (Y99) suspension. If equipped with the standard Formula suspension the front bar would be 1 1/8" and the rear most likely 5/8". Depends on whether it came with radials or belted tires.

[Exil]

Originally Posted by Lloyd-TX

The front bar would be 1 1/4" and the rear 3/4" if it has the T/A (Y99) suspension. If equipped with the standard Formula suspension the front bar would be 1 1/8" and the rear most likely 5/8". Depends on whether it came with radials or belted tires.

Mine is the same as the T/A. I remember years back (90'-91') getting polly urethane bushings for them & them being the largest. Without having the build sheet or a PHS I can just guess they were not added sometime after 73'. When business picks up I'll order a PHS doc since I've always wanted too anyway. I would like to see if it came with a RA aircleaner. All I can say for sure is its a real Formula455.

[Exil]

Anyone know the date of the first one in the 73' model year was? My engine has a date J062 & it would be cool to see how close to 1st mine was since how low my vin count is.

[blue71ta]

Cool, so including Exil's car, that's 5 of the 227 accounted for on this board - anyone else out there have a '73 Formula 455?
Oh yeah, plus the yellow one on eBay right now makes 6.

[1973Formula]

I have a '73 Formula 455. Mine is a TH400 Y99 car. Not many options other than AC. Also, this car is/was a complete basket case. Pics/PHS attached. I got the car as a shell for parts. It was a few months before I figured out it was a Formula 455. Too bad all the original drivetrain is gone.

Later-

[PureSD]

Originally Posted by blue71ta

Cool, so including Exil's car, that's 5 of the 227 accounted for on this board - anyone else out there have a '73 Formula 455?
Oh yeah, plus the yellow one on eBay right now makes 6.

The 227 number is 4 spds only. The one on ebay is an auto. I think there were 500 and some total 73 455 Formies. So even the automatics are very rare. Cool to see some coming out of the wood work.

[bird72]

Using High Performance Pontiac old articles (Number Crunching series) and I don't know accuracy of what they used:

1971:
Formula 455: Manual: none
Formula 455: Auto: 350
Formula 455HO: 4 speed: 159
Formula 455HO: 3 speed: 7
Formula 455HO: Auto: 155

1972:
Formula 455: Manual or Auto: none
Formula 455HO: 4 speed AND Auto: 276 (no breakdown)

1973:
Formula 455: Manual: 227
Formula 455: Auto: 503
Formula SD: Manual: 10
Formula SD: Auto: 33

F455's are rare cars.

[dadsformula]

So if accurate this data indicates total production of L75/4 speed Formulas
is 227 for all years combined. Now that is truely in the rare catagory.
Don't get me wrong, a 455HO or an SD is the cats meow for me, but i'm
feeling very lucky to have scored one of these Cars. I know L75 formies
were sold in 74, but even if we add those to this list, total production of
455 formies (all engines and trans combo's) is somewhere around 2,000
for all years combined. And we wonder why parts are so hard to find.