[Bruce Meyer]

This looks like it could be a really good deal https://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/c...255504199.html

[hurryinhoosier62]

Good starting material for a race car.

[MikeNoun]

Interesting little car. This was the last year for the Astre, and in 1977 Pontiac had the Astre Formula, Sunbird Formula, and Firebird Formula. Would be a neat car to shoehorn a Pontiac 400 into.

[54nomore]

Boy, that ad is chock full of info. Lol. I am a fan, however. I took a '78 Monza wagon and turned it into an Astre. Just a year ago, I managed to put a 301 in it also! Anyway, I wonder what year his car actually is. Can't see the grille and it can't be a '79. Here's mine.

[Bruce Meyer]

I think its a 77. If it had a 4 speed I would be all over it just to toy with.

[54nomore]

Absolutely! My Astre donor car was a 4 speed, but it was also a notchback and reeked bad of mice, which is why I went the route I did.

[77 TRASHCAN]

When I test drove my T/A, a car transport truck was unloading new cars. The truck driver was backing off an Astre as we drove by the transport truck in the lot...The salesman riding with me rolled down the window and screamed at him, "Don't unload that pile of sHeet here!!!
I didn't really understand at the time. I was just 18. knew more about cars than most my age, just assumed the Astre was just another car, just smaller....LOL

Making one into a drag racer is the best use for one.

[camerjeff]

Its a 77, only year they made an Astre Formula, Interesting car, no optional Hood Decal (most had them) and Like my car the person ordering the car must not have known the Formula Steering Wheel was standard on the Astre Formula, my cars PHS has a $17 charge for the custom cushion steering wheel. I can't believe someone paid extra money to not get a formula wheel.
I see it has the base interior, they actually get the base Firebird seats if the Delux interior was optioned. I bet it was built in December of 76 as it has the same production errors? as my car did, body colored sport mirrors (should be charcoal to match the lower body stripe) And has the side window stainless trim added. It should be just charcoal painted, my car had the paint but had the bright work added over it.

Could be a nice builder should be as rust free as they get, they do make nice drivers for what they are.

Some pic's of my car. The last one is not my car but shows the optional hood decal I am glad my car didn't have.

[1965gp]

I love that color combo and I really like the hood decal- I would want it.

[MikeNoun]

Pontiac continued to sell Astres even though the Sunbird was on the same showroom floor. The 1977 Formula Astre was a last ditch attempt to generate Astre sales.

When the Astre was discontinued, Pontiac continued to use the old Astre body for the station wagon models only (1978-1979). These station wagon Sunbirds looked very outdated in a sea of rectangular headlighted cars as they used the old 2-headlight Astre nose and body.

1977 was the last year for the Astre, the only year for the Formula Astre, and the first appearance of the Iron Duke 4-banger.

The brochure showing the 1977 Formula Astre shows it in front of a Woodward Ave sign.

[Bruce Meyer]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Pontiac continued to sell Astres even though the Sunbird was on the same showroom floor. The 1977 Formula Astre was a last ditch attempt to generate Astre sales.

When the Astre was discontinued, Pontiac continued to use the old Astre body for the station wagon models only (1978-1979). These station wagon Sunbirds looked very outdated in a sea of rectangular headlighted cars as they used the old 2-headlight Astre nose and body.

1977 was the last year for the Astre, the only year for the Formula Astre, and the first appearance of the Iron Duke 4-banger.

The brochure showing the 1977 Formula Astre shows it in front of a Woodward Ave sign.

So it has an Iron Duke in it? Didn't Pontiac make Super Duty parts for that motor at one time?

[camerjeff]

Yes the Iron duke was the standard engine in 1977 Astre Hatchback's & Wagons's, The 2 door sedan still had the Vega's 2.3 Standard with the iron duke optional. But in High Altitude counties & CA the Vega 2.3 was the only engine available. The yellow car with the hood decal in my last post is from Utah and has the SOHC Vega 2.3 2bbl in it. But the Vega engine was a credit option in the other 2 body styles so they all can have the Vega engine in them in 77.
As for the SD parts for an Iron Duke, the SD4 really it is a different engine than the street Iron Duke, I do not think anything interchanges between them.

['ol Pinion head]

Someone needs to buy the lil thing & build a lightweight racecar. Been a while since have seen a Formula Astra for sale. Owned a year old '77 Vega GT wagon during '78. Picked it up as a dealer repo w 28,000 miles for $1300. The wgn ended up detailing up very well, was firethorn red, maroon vinyl & fabric interior. The steel sleeved 4 cyl was very dependable, was backed by a T5 5 speed. Being young, I was hell on the clutch. Ended up installing a hd clutch & replaced the muffler. Dad & I rebuilt the alternator, & I ended up replacing the battery. Drove the wheels off it for little less than a year, when sold it to an older fellow down the block... actually made a few bucks off of it.

On the Formula Astras & Formula Sunbirds ran across nearly two dozen of them in late 80's & early 90's boneyards. Often in "out in the sticks" country yards. Pulled many a thin rim Formula wheel off both bodystyles, as well as a few rear spoilers off Formula Astras. & some sort of Vega. Moving parts, week before last, came across a nice original 3 piece spoiler boxed up. Been a long time since have spotted any Vega or Astra out in the yards, too many were crusher bait.

[camerjeff]

If that rear spoiler is off of an Astre, or a Sunbird Coupe they are worth some $$$ I get about 10 requests a year for the 3 Piece Astre Spoiler from Vega Guys, and the Sunbird Coupe spoiler is a rare beast that I know of at least 2 people that have been looking for 1 for years.
The Sunbird Hatchback Spoiler has a smaller market as they don't fir the wrap around tail lights of most Monza HB's. And the Sunbird HB's rear tail light panels problem of simply turning to dust has limited people redoing the HB versions.

I also have a 78 Sunbird Wagon with 76 Astre Grills, it is the car that got me hooked on H-body Pontiac's. With the torque arm rear suspension, and the stock V6 it was pretty fun to drive stock, a lot more fun after some mods. My car has the Delux Interior so it has base Firebird Bucket Seats, it is actually comfortable for me to drive. I can drive it for 5 hours and feel fine getting out of it. I can't say that for most modern subcompacts I am forced to drive for work.
I agree someone close should grab this one. Here is what the engine compartment should look like, my old White car I owned 20 years ago. Chrome Valve cover on the 2bbl 2,5 Iron Duke, Formula Decal on the Air cleaner cover. It the only Picture I seem to have on my HD. The rest of them are probably in a shoe box somewhere in the basement.

[Stuart]

Looks like a nice car, but personally I wouldn't have used a photo of it on the hook behind a tow truck in the ad.

[Mr Anonymous]

I got my license in 1986, these H-body cars were everywhere. I had a Buick Skyhawk S, 231/t-50 hatchback car. Older brother had a Monza Town Coupe at the time. My v6 would whip his ass with the 4cyl. Vegas, Astres, Sunbird, Skyhawlks, Monzas, Starfires, very aero for racing, but replace every damn thing except the body shell. I graduated from the Skyhawk to the 1977 cutlass, in my graduating class of 130 in 1988, there were 4 77s and 2 76s cutlasses. They were everywhere and they were cheap. H-body to A-body to G-body. Now the 1999 Bonneville I'm driving is called an H-body too. Life goes full circle I guess.

[ponjohn]

Saw a recent photo on FB of a Sunbird Formula hatch. It has draglites etc...cool looking car.

What was the evolution of the H bodies...

Astre ( Vega)...Monza...Sunbird?

[Chief of the 60's]

I owned a Formula Astre. I only ever saw 2. One was in the showroom of a local Pontiac dealer and mine. I kind of miss it.

Originally Posted by ponjohn

What was the evolution of the H bodies...

Astre ( Vega)...Monza...Sunbird?

Yes. Along with the Monza/Sunbird was the Olds Starfire and the Buick Skyhawk. The H-body then continued on in 1986 as a FWD fullsize in Bonneville, LeSabre and Olds 88.

[tom s]

Ironic,there was a Astra at Donut Derilics yesterday,only one I have ever seen there.Tom

[TAKerry]

Girl I went to hs with had one. If I remember right it was yellow. I always thought they were pretty cool little cars. Kinda like a starter kit for a trans am! There was a nice low mile "barn find" for sale locally a couple of years ago. The guy wanted something like 2k for it. It was in great condition. I thought about getting it for about 5 min. but had too many things going on at the time.