1988 Formula Build for Jeri (Page 2/12)
Toddster SEP 07, 11:16 AM

quote
Originally posted by blackrams:


Had I known, Jerri could have been happy long ago. Mine could be your car's twin.
My 88 CJB Formula, 5 speed with most of the bells and whistles sits the vast majority of the time. Have thought about her going several times. I just don't have the time and resources to retain, use and play with the whole fleet. My sideline activities (transporting other people's junk) takes up way more time than it's worth.

Rams



Sounds like you are thinking of a career change Rams.

Yes, I could have posted an ad about looking for the car she wanted but then it would cost a lot and not be as much fun to build. I'm all about bringing the dead back to life.
Toddster SEP 15, 08:13 PM
Bargain tip of the day:

OHTSU FP7000 Tires 480 Wear, A traction, A temperature, 60,000 miles, H rated (130mph), $247 plus another $60 for new valve stems, mounting and balancing with unlimited rotation and rebalancing for a total of $307 total at Walmart. I ordered them online and they delivered them to my local Walmart within a week with no delivery charge.

BTW, see how they compare in size with my Chevy Silverado tires below.



Also, I took out the engine and transmission from my 1987 GT parts car and cleaned it up before pulling the 5-speed for the swap. TIP: if you think you don't need a pressure washer, you need a pressure washer.

BEFORE:


AFTER:


A cleaning reveals a lot of sins. The reason this car was sold for scrap is an old favorite:


Got me some welding to do.

[This message has been edited by Toddster (edited 11-15-2020).]

Toddster SEP 15, 09:17 PM
Since the Formula is bare bones and automatic, I need a donor car for parts to be able to transform it into a 5-Speed, add Power windows, mirrors, door locks with keyless entry, cruise, subwoofer and a performance sound system with bluetooth and other bells and whistles.

Meet the donor. I bought these 2 GTs for $500 each, 1987 and 1988. I got them from a wrecking yard in Wilson California so I call them the Wilson Sisters.

(I will restore the 1988 GT after the Formula) The '87 GT make a perfect donor for the Formula, the '88 GT and for our son's '86 GT. It is rust free and loaded!

[This message has been edited by Toddster (edited 11-15-2020).]

2.5 SEP 16, 08:51 AM
blackrams SEP 16, 09:21 AM

quote
Originally posted by Toddster:


Sounds like you are thinking of a career change Rams.

Yes, I could have posted an ad about looking for the car she wanted but then it would cost a lot and not be as much fun to build. I'm all about bringing the dead back to life.




Yeah, I retired. But still get requests for transporting something somewhere. I'm getting pretty selective about where I go and what I haul. Thinking about selling my trailers, already sold one of my trucks.
You might be surprised at how little cash it would take to drive my 88 Formula, CJB, 5 speed car home. I realize you will enjoy the build but, I'm thinking I've got one, maybe two too many Fieros. The 88 Formula, 3800SC, five speed car still holds my attention but, eventually, it will go to.

Rams
Toddster SEP 16, 10:16 AM

quote
Originally posted by blackrams:


Yeah, I retired. But still get requests for transporting something somewhere. I'm getting pretty selective about where I go and what I haul. Thinking about selling my trailers, already sold one of my trucks.
You might be surprised at how little cash it would take to drive my 88 Formula, CJB, 5 speed car home. I realize you will enjoy the build but, I'm thinking I've got one, maybe two too many Fieros. The 88 Formula, 3800SC, five speed car still holds my attention but, eventually, it will go to.

Rams



Let's see a picture of the Formula!
olejoedad SEP 16, 11:35 AM
OHTSU is made by Falkan and their tires use some of the old Falkan sidewall and tread patterns.

They are good tires, I've had a set on the front of my Formula for a few years.

[This message has been edited by olejoedad (edited 09-16-2019).]

Toddster SEP 19, 10:54 PM
I was wondering how bird poop got all over the seats and dash with the windows rolled-up. What a way to go.



The next phase of the job is to totally remove the entire interior. For those of you who Jones after Rust free western cars, there IS a down side.



What is the wide wide world of Trailer park fixes am I looking at?



I LOVE unbroken trim pieces. the trim on this car is dirtly as all get out, but undamaged!



Steering column is out and now for the Automatic tranny brake assembly. The only thing holding it in place is a single 13mm nut on the top of the frame. Once you get the nuts off the Brake Booster, just pull it out. You may need to move some wiring around a bit.:



To convert to a 5-Speed you need to remove the 4 nuts holding the brake booster to the brake assembly. And you need to remove the blanking plate over the clutch hole. Just use a screw driver to pry the center metal tab up and she pops right out.



Since I am going to add Power Windows, Mirrors, etc taking everything out is essential. But this only took 3 hours so it is not as daunting as it may look.



Next, because the car has been sitting in the desert for 15 years, EVERYTHING is covered with dust. that also means that the Heater Box is probably filled with crud so out she comes for a rebuild:

Before


After (I used 3M foam to replace the deteriorated foam on the flappers, and I replaced the A/C filter)


That's enough for today. I'll get back at it on Sunday.

[This message has been edited by Toddster (edited 11-15-2020).]

RandomTask SEP 20, 08:29 PM
Offs, I paid twice that for my formula with no t tops... but it has the 5 speed...
Toddster SEP 21, 10:28 AM

quote
Originally posted by RandomTask:

Offs, I paid twice that for my formula with no t tops... but it has the 5 speed...



I found a few bargains lately on T-Tops. I'll post another thread about them later. But you still got a bargain. Any Formula in any condition is a steal at $1400.