The Beginning of Tomorrow

[ocnblu]

This is the kind of thing GM was good at back in the day. Sad it's all over.

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/olTdTTEx5NI?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Edited January 1, 2012 by ocnblu

[67impss]

Sure loved those Formula 400's clean cars

[Camino LS6]

Beautiful bodystyle... kinda weird to see a Formula with hubcaps though.

And no spoiler!

[ocnblu]

I'd take it just like that, but with Rallye II wheels. Not sure when they first appeared though.

[67impss]

It'd look good with the old Pontiac factory Ralleys with the 6 slots like Vette ralleys you know the ones from Goats

[Robert Hall]

I'd take it just like that, but with Rallye II wheels. Not sure when they first appeared though.

'67...

Odd to see a Formula w/ hubcaps and whitewalls..maybe a pre-production car?

Edited January 3, 2012 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[67impss]

The gift of Balthazar

http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Pontiac/1971%20Pontiac/1971_Pontiac_Performance_Cars_Brochure/1971%20Pontiac%20Performance%20Cars-28.html

Standard equipment in 71 for all Firebird models.

[ocnblu]

One had much more freedom to customize a car through factory options back then. Now it's all or nothing.

[67impss]

Sadly true

[hyperv6]

We have had some real odd combo's with many of the older Pontiacs we have fooled with over the years.

My boss just got done last year with a Ram Air III Bird. It has nothing but engine no radio no power anything. He even has the original Dog Dish Caps on it. It was on the cover of High Perfromace Pontiac. It had been a drag car most of it's life and really needed little work to make it into a POCI Gold car.

Pontiac and Ford did do a lot of special cars in the 60's and they still pop up now and then. Chevy is know fo their COPO cars but many of the Pontiac cars were on offs because someone knew some one.

A co worker Buddy of mine has a 60 Catalina coupe with a 4 speed. It came from GM with old Stewart Warner guages installed where the idiot lights were. The car was built for Pete Seton the son of a GM VP. He raced it at the US National in 1960 in Detroit. If you look at the Photo of the two 60 Cats in the photo his is the blue one behind Jim Wangers red 60 Royal Pontiac car.

It is back to street drive status but with a much more powerful 455. He still has the original engine as was damaged in 1965 and the car was parked then till he bought it around 1990. It still had the original slicks on it. Word was it also raced on Woodward back in the day before coming to Ohio. Many of the old time Pontiac guys flock to the car when he take it to the Pontiac nats. Terry worked with Arlen Vanke and the other drivers from Knafel Pontiac back in the 60's.

Terry and my buddies dad ran a 4 door Cat drag car with help from Bill Knafel. I wish I had only some of the parts they threw away back then. The ones they kept and still have today are amazing. Needless to say we had a few tripower cars to drive when ever we wanted one. My buddies dad still has three today.

Edited January 6, 2012 by hyperv6

[Blake Noble]

Some of the other "Beginning of Tomorrow" Firebird ads have been posted here before. I personally can't bear to watch them -- they're far too depressing.

[balthazar]

The 'old ralleys' were Rally I 's. I too like them a bunch- would've liked to see them continue alongside the Rally IIs.

Better yet, I wish the GTO/LeMans 8-lugs had reached RPO status.

Whole purpose of the Formula was T/A performance in a stripped-down car.

As such I believe the steelies/dog dishes were lighter than the T/A Honeycombs.

Also explains the lack of a spoiler (it was available).

Later on, the Formula got bogged down with gingerbread.

[Robert Hall]

I've always liked the hood scoops on the early Formulas..went well w/ the '70-73 grille style...

[Camino LS6]

Whole purpose of the Formula was T/A performance in a stripped-down car.

As such I believe the steelies/dog dishes were lighter than the T/A Honeycombs.

Also explains the lack of a spoiler (it was available).

Later on, the Formula got bogged down with gingerbread.

Have to disagree with that last bit somewhat. Even in the last year of produxtion, the Formula was lighter than the T/A and they were always a cleaner look.

[balthazar]

Whole purpose of the Formula was T/A performance in a stripped-down car.

As such I believe the steelies/dog dishes were lighter than the T/A Honeycombs.

Also explains the lack of a spoiler (it was available).

Later on, the Formula got bogged down with gingerbread.

Have to disagree with that last bit somewhat. Even in the last year of production, the Formula was lighter than the T/A and they were always a cleaner look.

My reference was vs. the '70; by '81, the Formula had the spoiler, steel Rally IIs, and exhaust splitters (prolly other equipment) standard- just like the T/A.

It wasn't as stripped down as the '70 in the video above. Then again- there just wasn't as much of a performance range left, either, so IMO Pontiac gave it some more flash (esp considering it was slotted right below the T/A in price). Standard Formula motor for '81 was the 4.3L V8.

[Camino LS6]

Whole purpose of the Formula was T/A performance in a stripped-down car.

As such I believe the steelies/dog dishes were lighter than the T/A Honeycombs.

Also explains the lack of a spoiler (it was available).

Later on, the Formula got bogged down with gingerbread.

Have to disagree with that last bit somewhat. Even in the last year of production, the Formula was lighter than the T/A and they were always a cleaner look.

My reference was vs. the '70; by '81, the Formula had the spoiler, steel Rally IIs, and exhaust splitters (prolly other equipment) standard- just like the T/A.

It wasn't as stripped down as the '70 in the video above. Then again- there just wasn't as much of a performance range left, either, so IMO Pontiac gave it some more flash (esp considering it was slotted right below the T/A in price). Standard Formula motor for '81 was the 4.3L V8.

Point taken.

But right up until the end, (if optioned properly) the Formula still offered a stealthier, and lighter package with T/A performance.

The late 4th gen 1LE Formulas are a real treasure (if you can find one).

[NeonLX]

I remember my jaw dropping when I found out they were stuffing the big 455 into the new Firebird...1970 was one helluva year; the last gasp before the big downhill slide of the rest of the decade (my opinion, of course).