The Formula was actually an option package that could be added to the base 88 coupe. All Formulas had the GT suspension, V6 engine, gauge package and wing as standard equipment. I think the Formula had all season tires where the GT had "performance" tires in the same size.
Leather and lumbar I don't think were available. Neither were gold wheels or a luggage rack. Power mirrors and performance sound (subwoofer) were very uncommon, but I think they were available. (At least Mark Corbin's Fiero Spotter's Guide seems to indicate that they were. I may be wrong about this. I'll check when I get home.) All the other usual goodies (A/C, power windows and locks, tilt, cruise, delay wipers, rear defog, T-tops or sunroof) were available too.
Most Formulas were not highly optioned, since they were sold as "bang for the buck" performance cars. A loaded Formula actually approached the price of a loaded GT.
BTW, the only other Fiero to have a wing as standard equipment was the Indy.
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 10-05-2005).]
IP: Logged
04:05 AM
fierobear Member
Posts: 27104 From: Safe in the Carolinas Registered: Aug 2000
Originally posted by Raydar: Leather and lumbar I don't think were available. Neither were gold wheels or a luggage rack. Power mirrors and performance sound (subwoofer) were very uncommon, but I think they were available. (At least Mark Corbin's Fiero Spotter's Guide seems to indicate that they were. I may be wrong about this. I'll check when I get home.)
As far as I know, power mirrors and subwoofer were NOT available. I have a friend that has a Formula with gold wheels. I'm fairly certain that they are origninal equipment. It's bright red, and has a beechwood interior, believe it or not.
IP: Logged
04:45 AM
Raydar Member
Posts: 41164 From: Carrollton GA. Out in the... country. Registered: Oct 1999
Originally posted by fierobear: As far as I know, power mirrors and subwoofer were NOT available.
That's the most widely held belief. Again, I may be mistaken, but I seem to remember reading about a handful with those options. I'm not sure where Mark's info came from.
quote
I have a friend that has a Formula with gold wheels. I'm fairly certain that they are origninal equipment. It's bright red, and has a beechwood interior, believe it or not.
I'm not too surprised about the beechwood interior. I've seen at least one Formula (the medium red one that Chester and Elvira had before it got squashed) with beechwood interior. OTOH, the gold wheels are a huge surprise. John Wilhoff (88 Database Guy) would be surprised to hear about it. He's been trying to document that option for a long time. Does the car have the correct RPO for the gold wheels?
IP: Logged
05:18 AM
LZeitgeist Member
Posts: 5662 From: Raleigh, NC, U.S.A. Registered: Dec 2000
The dealer would have to have switched the wheels from a GT in order for a Formula to have gold wheels. Gold wheels were not available on a Formula from the factory.
Originally posted by fierobear: As far as I know, power mirrors and subwoofer were NOT available.
Finally made it home. According to the Fiero Spotter's Guide, there were 94 Formulas equipped with power mirrors and 8 equipped with the subwoofer system. I'm not sure where Mark's info came from. I have never seen either option installed on a Formula from the factory.
FWIW, the RPO code for the gold wheels is supposed to be 60P. It would be interesting to see if your friends have the correct RPO on the label. Stranger things have happened.
BTW, the trunk popper switch was also an available option. Only 279 Formulas got them.
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 10-05-2005).]
IP: Logged
07:54 AM
htexans1 Member
Posts: 9115 From: Clear Lake City/Houston TX Registered: Sep 2001
Originally the Formula was a lightweight "performance variant" based on the coupe. However if you wanted to and the dealer filled the order sheet correctly im sure many things uncommon could have been added. My FOrmula is CJB. (T-Tops) it also has trunk release, power, stock. S. Williams
------------------ 1988 Fiero Formula T-tops CJB 143 of 1252 "factory T-top cars"
IP: Logged
08:18 AM
F-I-E-R-O Member
Posts: 8410 From: Endwell, NY Registered: Jan 2005
I'm not too surprised about the beechwood interior. I've seen at least one Formula (the medium red one that Chester and Elvira had before it got squashed) with beechwood interior.
Was the beechwood interior uncommon in a Formula?
IP: Logged
10:37 AM
m0sh_man Member
Posts: 8460 From: south charleston WV 25309 Registered: Feb 2002
Finally made it home. According to the Fiero Spotter's Guide, there were 94 Formulas equipped with power mirrors and 8 equipped with the subwoofer system. I'm not sure where Mark's info came from. I have never seen either option installed on a Formula from the factory.
I have to wonder if these weren't some kind of "special case", like a worker in the factory getting them, or something? In other words, Joe Average couldn't order that stuff from a dealer.
quote
FWIW, the RPO code for the gold wheels is supposed to be 60P. It would be interesting to see if your friends have the correct RPO on the label. Stranger things have happened.
I called my friend, and he said there is no 60P code. His wife said they have the invoice from the previous owner, and that the wheels were on there. Probably added by the dealer somehow.
quote
BTW, the trunk popper switch was also an available option. Only 279 Formulas got them.
I forgot, how many total Formulas were made?
IP: Logged
01:52 PM
Formula88 Member
Posts: 53788 From: Raleigh NC Registered: Jan 2001
A lot of non-standard stuff could have happened towards the end of the production run. If they've got orders for cars, but they have more option parts than needed, I could see a few extras getting done.
The gold wheels could easily have been done at a dealer. Either the dealer ordered the rims, or they just swapped them from a GT on the lot. It would be no big deal to a dealer to make a sale. If it doesn't have the RPO code, that's most likely what happened. So, it may have come "new" with them, but it didn't leave the factory that way.
I know Beechwood was available on red cars. Most of the ones I've seen were either Bright Red, Med. Red Metallic, or White. I almost bought a red Formula with Beechwood interior before I found mine. It had black lace wheels, too.
IP: Logged
02:46 PM
FIERO JOHN-WI Member
Posts: 2413 From: GREENFIELD, WI, MILWAUKEE Registered: Jun 2001
Beechwood is rarer then gray only because of the color RECOMMENDATION Pontiac made. You had 6 exterior color white, 1)red, 2)burgandy,3)white, 4)black, 5)silver, 6)yellow The first 4 colors (mentioned above ) could be gray or beechwood interiors (didn't matter) The last 2 colors (silver/yellow) Pontiac recommended the gray interior, BUT you could order beechwood. With that said If the first 4 colors above got split right down the middle with gray/beechwood and for the most part ALMOST all the (silver/yellow exterior fieros) got gray. The beechwood would be rarer! (BUT NOT BY ALOT, SINCE THE PRODUCTION # 'S FOR SILVER/YELLOW WEREN'T ALOT) Same would go for the GT as well as the base coupe!
And at least one silver Formula had factory power steering. (took it out for a test drive several years ago guy wanted $4500 for it wish I had bought it then)
IP: Logged
09:34 PM
Oct 7th, 2005
Raydar Member
Posts: 41164 From: Carrollton GA. Out in the... country. Registered: Oct 1999
Originally posted by fierobear: I forgot, how many total Formulas were made?
According to Corbin's, there were 5,634.
quote
Originally posted by Formula88: A lot of non-standard stuff could have happened towards the end of the production run. If they've got orders for cars, but they have more option parts than needed, I could see a few extras getting done.
A few years ago, someone came to one of our club meetings with some magazines they had received as part of a club membership. (FOCOA, perhaps?) One of the magazines contained an article which basically stated that there were four Formulas that escaped from GM with fastback body sections installed. Supposedly, during the last day(s) of production, the line had run out of notchback body clips, and the workers decided among themselves to do something "different". As the story goes, management found out about these cars and ordered them destroyed, but supposedly, they were hidden "until the coast was clear". I'm guessing they were quietly purchased by workers, as I don't see how they could have otherwise escaped. There were even pictures in the magazine.
Of course, this would have been easy to "fake", at any time, by swapping body clips, but it still made for an interesting read.
I keep repeating this story in hopes that someone else has at least seen the magazine article. (It would be *outstanding* if it were actually true, but I don't hold that much hope.) I haven't lost my mind. I promise.
And at least one silver Formula had factory power steering. (took it out for a test drive several years ago guy wanted $4500 for it wish I had bought it then)
How do you know it was factory? Did it have the RPO code? (what IS the RPO code, anyway?) Not doubting you saw and drove the car, but a lot can happen over the years.
IP: Logged
07:57 PM
Greg Z Member
Posts: 1218 From: New Orleans Registered: Jun 2004
How do you know it was factory? Did it have the RPO code? (what IS the RPO code, anyway?) Not doubting you saw and drove the car, but a lot can happen over the years.
I don't know what happened at the end of the production run, but this what's listed in my '88 brochure.
Formula - In addition to what's standard on the Fiero coupe, Formula features: 2.8 Liter V-6 Rear deck spoiler Special front and rear shocks Special springs Stabilizer bar, 23mm rear Suspension, WS6 performance Tires, P205/60R15 (front), and P215/60R15 (rear), Goodyear Eagle GT+4 Tuned dual twin port exhaust Wheels, 15" Diamond spoke aluminum, black
Formula Option Groups I, II, III I) Tinted glass, tilt steering, controlled cycle windshield wipers
III) Tinted glass, tilt steering, controlled cycle windshield wipers, A/C, lamp group, visor vanity mirror (passenger), cruise control, power locks, power windows including map pockets (power mirrors are shown as NOT AVAILABLE on Formula)
Then it lists the individual options as follows: Standard: 2.8L V-6 with MFI, spoiler rear deck lid, Diamond spoke 15" aluminum wheels - black only on Formula (gold or black available on GT)
Available options: A/C with soft ray tinted glass, defogger electric rear window, carpet floor mats, power door locks, power windows, radio Delco ETR AM/FM/Cassette stereo (UM6), radio Delco ETR AM/FM/Cassette stereo with 5 band graphic equalizer, removeable sunroof, 3-spd automatic transmission
Not Available on Formula: luggage carrier-decklid, inflatable lumbar bucket seat-driver side only, Ventura leather reclining bucket seats, subwoofer speaker system
That's right out of the '88 brochure for whatever it's worth. Mine's got everything but the sunroof and the graphic equalizer.
------------------
IP: Logged
12:03 AM
2000RagTop Member
Posts: 3999 From: Sussex, (Milwaukee) Wi. USA, Earth Registered: Jun 2003
And at least one silver Formula had factory power steering. (took it out for a test drive several years ago guy wanted $4500 for it wish I had bought it then)
Some Fieros had power steering?? That would've been nice as the lack of P/S is a bit of a pain in the ass, but would certainly drain a few more HP out of the 2.8 ...
-Mulholland GT
IP: Logged
02:30 AM
2000RagTop Member
Posts: 3999 From: Sussex, (Milwaukee) Wi. USA, Earth Registered: Jun 2003
Back288....... If you have any more info on your car, I wouldn't mind viewing it..... The reason why...?? I'm picking up a Formula this Sunday from the Freedom area, just north of Appleton.
Admittedly I didn't see the RPO code but the guy said he had bought it new. He wasn't much of a Fiero enthusiast he just had it as a sports car to drive occasionally. He said it was an orginal car with no mods. I did asked him if it had P/S when he bought it from the dealer as far as he knew but he said he thought all cars nowadays had P/S and he said he hadn't done anything to it since he bought it from the dealer. You could spin the steering wheel with one finger when the car was standing still and the engine reved up 200 rpm everytime you moved the steering wheel when the car wasn't moving. That would bring up the other question of course "where would he get an after market P/S unit from" ?
My Formula came plain jane. no power anything, no rear defrost, nada. Just AC and T-Tops.
Not to hijack the thread. But I bought my Formula used. and am looking for an Original scan of a Formula window sticker to make some modifications to. Can anybody help?
