My dad and I had always preferred the performance oriented cars from Pontiac. He had previously owned a ’65 LeMans, a ’66 GTO, and ’67 GTO.
I purchased this near-new '73 Formula 400 in May 1974.
It was the spring of 1974. As the winter weather began to break, my mind started focusing on performance cars once again. The previous spring (1973) I took delivery of a midnight blue ’73 Buick Regal that I had ordered, and although the Buick was a great looking car, I longed for something sportier and with more performance.
This is the '73 Buick Regal I was driving when I found the '73 Formula 400.
I turned back to Pontiac and its Firebird lineup in particular. My first new car purchase was a modest base-model '70 Firebird in Bermuda Blue. In the fall of 1971, I ordered and took delivery of a Cameo White ’72 LeMans. I eventually traded it for the Buick and it didn’t take long for me to realize how much I missed the excitement surrounding the Pontiac brand. The Firebird Formula was the car I wanted this time around.
I visited McKenzie Pontiac in Omaha to check out the ‘74 Firebird Formulas and found that they only had one in stock. It was a Cameo White Formula 350. Due to the Arab Oil Embargo of late 1973, the dealers were stocking more Formula 350s, thinking they would be more appealing to buyers in light of that fuel crisis. I can still recall the distinctive sound of its dual exhaust when I started the engine. But it wasn’t what I wanted. My mind was set on the quicker Formula 400.
The Dewey Chevrolet ad that I spotted in the Sunday edition of the Omaha World Herald on May 5, 1974.
While subsequently looking through the classifieds in the local Sunday newspaper, a large car dealer in Omaha, Dewey Chevrolet, had advertised a ’73 Formula 400 with only 8,000 miles. I actually skipped my late-morning class at the University of Nebraska, Omaha on Monday so I could head straight to the dealership.
The Formula 400 was exactly as described in the ad.
When I arrived I found a Florentine Red Formula 400 with matching Burgundy Custom Interior waiting for me. There it sat with a Turbo 400 transmission, 14 x 7” Rally II Wheels, F70-14 white-lettered Uniroyal Tiger Paw tires, and an AM/FM radio. It was in like new condition and exactly what I was looking for!
I fell in love with the Formula's sporty attitude and dual snorkle hood.
It was the sales manager’s personal driver and when the salesman asked me if I wanted to test drive it alone, I gladly accepted. As I carefully pulled away from the dealership lot, I looked back to see if he was still watching me. When I knew I was at a safe distance, I floored the throttle and it immediately downshifted into low gear. The rear tires broke loose and the dual exhaust emitted that beautiful sound through the transverse mounted muffler. When it shifted into second, a loud scream could be heard as the rear tires broke loose again. This was enough for me. I turned around and headed straight back to the dealership to find out what it would take to make this dream car a reality.
We worked out a trade with my Buick and the next day the Formula 400 was in my driveway. Everyone thought it was a brand new car and after I gave it a thorough detailing, it did look like it was right off the showroom floor. My future wife (and Rocky’s mother), Carmen and I would cruise around many evenings in the Formula, as it was the perfect vehicle for that application. It was also a formidable street performer. Because of its aggressive looks I can remember answering several stoplight challenges.
The Florentine Red '73 Formula 400 was equipped with a matching vinyl top and custom interior. I much prefer the look of a second-gen Firebird with the rear air spoiler. I went so far as to price out having one added.
Carmen and I were married in August 1974 and in an attempt to prepare for future children, I thought it was best to get something bigger and more conventional for our family additions. In January 1975 I traded the ’73 Formula 400 for a ’75 Monte Carlo, and although it was a very practical car, my driving experiences were never the same. The Monte Carlo didn’t last long. I had to get behind the wheel of another Pontiac F-body. I ordered a Firethorn Red ’76 Trans Am in August 1975 and took delivery of it in early October 1975.
Over the years I’ve had many other Pontiacs, and even though the ’73 Formula 400 wasn’t the fastest or the best handling Firebird I’ve ever owned, I’ll always regard this car as “the one that got away.” I’m sure if I had kept it, I would have upgraded the standard Formula suspension to the Trans Am suspension with 15” wheels and bigger sway bars, and reworked the engine with some of the latest technology to make it run better. But for me back in 1974, that car was just perfect for what I wanted at that time.