1971 Pontiac Formula, skirts or no skirts

[qnitro]

OK guys, Im back and forth on this... My car is over at Vince's shop(Mean Street Performance) having the Detroit speed Quadralink/Mini tub and metal work done, and Im getting ready for further actions. I have a stock front powder coated subframe, did the coil overs, Tubular control arms, AGR Box, DSE sway bar, CCP spindles with corvette hubs and baer brakes.. So car will be sweet.. question is, Its a 71 Formula, fiberglass hood(dual snout) and the 1 year only shark fins grills on the fenders. Should I put the wheel flares on the front and back?? I love the look, but havent had any real luck finding any good pics.. heres the sub frame waiting to head over to Vinces shop.. and by the way, Vince's shop is awesome.. the work that is going on over there... Mama Mia..

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab237/qnitro/Mobile%20Uploads/E44F19BB-C703-40D2-B1C4-C2186E7349B5_zpspuhnh95f.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/qnitro/media/Mobile%20Uploads/E44F19BB-C703-40D2-B1C4-C2186E7349B5_zpspuhnh95f.jpg.html)
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab237/qnitro/Mobile%20Uploads/4668EDE3-3665-437F-83B5-2F69CCF65823_zpsz7pzq4qs.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/qnitro/media/Mobile%20Uploads/4668EDE3-3665-437F-83B5-2F69CCF65823_zpsz7pzq4qs.jpg.html)
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab237/qnitro/Mobile%20Uploads/91EEB603-BE48-4E3B-982D-10992510E913_zpssrxkvph3.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/qnitro/media/Mobile%20Uploads/91EEB603-BE48-4E3B-982D-10992510E913_zpssrxkvph3.jpg.html)


Heres my 1974 Trans Am Im trying to finish..

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab237/qnitro/Mobile%20Uploads/5B001F3C-E16F-468D-B1E0-4B9A90A324D2_zpstxv9uqfa.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/qnitro/media/Mobile%20Uploads/5B001F3C-E16F-468D-B1E0-4B9A90A324D2_zpstxv9uqfa.jpg.html)

[WSSix]

Are you referring to the TA wheel flares? If so, no. Let a Formula be a Formula and a TA a TA. They are both great. I love seeing them because it's two different takes on the same car essentially.

What wheels do you have on the subframe?

[transam]

I wasn't a fan of the oem flares, so i had the year one fiberglass firebird flares installed, they are wider as well, I'm not sure if they still make them however. Great looking project !

[Solid LT1]

T/A flares belong on T/As! Also please make sure that whoever drew the large back window outline on your dusty car does the world a favor and has his tubes cut so he can no longer generate offspring! I HATE! The 75/later big window Fbodies not a decent one!

[qnitro]

Yeah, that was explaining to a Noob the differnce between the fbodys...



T/A flares belong on T/As! Also please make sure that whoever drew the large back window outline on your dusty car does the world a favor and has his tubes cut so he can no longer generate offspring! I HATE! The 75/later big window Fbodies not a decent one!

[BBBluey]

The T/A flares look awesome but... they are for the T/A.
The Firebird is more in line with a Camaro. Have you seen a Camaro with T/A flares? They do copy the dual snorkel hood though...

Especially as you mention in your OP, you have a 71...one year only model. In fact, you sure it's not a 70 1/2 model?
Either way, it so happens to be my dream model/year/car and therefore everything about it is beautiful to me.

[chichirone]

I too vote NO. Here is a pic of Bryan Cope's 71 with a couple TA goodies on the car...no flares tho! Our 73 Trans Am is in line behind him with the wife at the controls.

http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag340/Jdeluca/IMG_0739_zpsyxk6wga6.jpg (http://s1372.photobucket.com/user/Jdeluca/media/IMG_0739_zpsyxk6wga6.jpg.html)

[carbuff]

Jay posted my vote. And I even have the holes in the front fenders to run them. To me, the problem with most of the flares (original or aftermarket replicas) is that they don't tend to fit well. They seem to require a good bit of work to make them fit.

My original plan was to add some aero options to the nose of the car, attached to the spoiler that we originally built. We might use the original sheet metal holes for mounting, but to this point, nothing has been needed. Maybe once I start doing more higher-speed track days.

[OLDFLM]

IMHO the best and only option for a 70-73 Formula:

http://www.spoilersbyrandy.com/Pages/7073Firebird.aspx

[BBBluey]

Please, no matter what, do not destroy 71 louvers/fenders to put T/A scoops.

[OLDFLM]

Please, no matter what, do not destroy 71 louvers/fenders to put T/A scoops.

^^^ Agreed! ^^^

I regret deleting the functional fender vents on my car...

[qnitro]

Love Randys stuff, put it on my Cuda..

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab237/qnitro/Barracuda/DSC01517_zps7441e131.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/qnitro/media/Barracuda/DSC01517_zps7441e131.jpg.html)



IMHO the best and only option for a 70-73 Formula:

http://www.spoilersbyrandy.com/Pages/7073Firebird.aspx

[qnitro]

Hell no... Thats the heart of the 71 :)


:badidea: :badidea:

Please, no matter what, do not destroy 71 louvers/fenders to put T/A scoops.

[Panteracer]

Funny when I first bought my $300 70 1/2 bird (Espirit)
I put all the Ta flairs etc... They were the biggest cone collectors
I had for a long time... was running a 69 Ta clone before and the wider car
with the flairs took a while to adjust.. but for a beater car they
looked cool

Bob

[Blackened]

I like the look myself and would build it. Primarily with the TA fenders though.
Panel fitment and color would be key. A dark color (black or blue) or using one of the original colors like Lucerne Blue might be easier in keeping it looking 'clean'. Tropical Lime might be over the top ( or really cool ).
Imagine the last car with the Formula hood.

Not so sure if the same look can be pulled off with the 71s vents.

570805707957076

[cpd004]

I originally wanted to make mine look more like a Trans Am, but the look my car has now has grown on me so much that I don't want to do the conversion:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v290/unitsn4/3c05ed25-ec4c-4f2a-804f-c2d324a16056.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/unitsn4/media/3c05ed25-ec4c-4f2a-804f-c2d324a16056.jpg.html)

[BBBluey]

I originally wanted to make mine look more like a Trans Am, but the look my car has now has grown on me so much that I don't want to do the conversion:

That's a beauty! Very classy and clean.
I wouldn't touch a thing.

[cpd004]

That's a beauty! Very classy and clean.
I wouldn't touch a thing.



Thanks for the compliment!

[flomofo]

I wouldn't mess with it either, but I like the simpler look (Camaro).