Great video. I still have my 79 ttop formula bought new in october o78 when they 1st came out on the lot.went through interior.replaced 305 with a 350.just need a little body and a fresh coat of paint.first new car at 18.put on 235000 miles on it before retiring the 305.proud owner for 46 years.enjoy your formula.
The 1979 WS6 suspension found on the TA's and Formulas were excellent in their day. I had the added feature of 4 wheel discs on my TA and can attest that it was a performer at auto crosses. The mods you are making to the car, especially the 400 Pontiac engine, will make you smile. Keep working on the suspension it will pay off. Good luck and excellent video.
Your video was excellent to refresh my memory because my rear end has been out of the car for a little over a year ! I am restoring a 79 trans am ! Every thing all new ! Thank you great video !👍
‘79 Formula is a year and model type that doesn’t get much love, hope you keep these videos coming. I’m an original owner of this exact same car so if you need someone to test drive and let you know how it compares to when it was new, I’m your guy.
Thank you for the kind words John. And congrats for being an original owner!! I've always thought the '79 was one of the best looking cars ever made by any manufacturer. The first car I ever owned was a similar iteration, '79 Esprit, same color, same engine/trans combo, same t-tops. I've had this one since June of 2019. It will probably be the last car I ever own. When I bought it, I found paperwork from the original owners in the glove box and contacted them on Facebook. They were quite pleasantly surprised to hear about their former ride. I'm just about finished building out a 400-cid from a 1970 Grand Prix to stuff in it.
In my opinion, a Formula is the same in performance as a Trans Am , just an economy edition. I have a '79 Trans Am. 20 years ago I had a swaybar link break on me as I was cranking through a curve at speed. Inspecting it I saw the person that cut the old exhaust off hit it with a torch. Back then there was no replacements available anyplace. So I had to make my own. Haven't had a problem with it since then. Going with a 400 will definitely wake up the performance over the 301. You did a great job with parts selection. Did your research and made frugal choices like I would do. The only thing I think I would've done differently would be to bolt the front mounts to the spring eyes and torque the bolts then install the mounts to the car. That's the way I did it in my Nova. Yeah those cage nuts vary in quality. I ran into that many times in my 20+ years as a professional. Been working on my own cars since I was 16 (so that would be about 38 years). Good luck with your projects!
Thank you for the very kind words Mike. I like your suggestion for the front mounts being bolted to the springs first. Next time. ;-) Sounds like we're from the same generation as age 16 was 40 years ago for me.
@@scottmochinski5447 Sometimes I have to remind myself I'm not as young as I was. I remember going to the theater with my Dad (age 50) to see Smokey and the Bandit. Now I'm older than he was then, and I have a Trans Am like Bandit. My how time flies!
Scott, nicely done and presented. I'd be interested in learning more about your plans with this car. This past July I bought a 1979 Camaro Rally Sport with a 305 V8 & 4-speed transmission. I'm making almost identical suspension changes. I just received new rear springs from Detroit Eaton Spring, KYB shocks and I'm adding a 0.875" rear sway bar. Additionally, I rebuilt the rear end with a 3.23 ring & pinion and added a positraction carrier. Up front I'm adding all new bushings, new KYB shocks and a 1.25" sway bar from a WS6 Trans Am. Brakes are being rebuilt while I have the suspension apart. Once all that is completed I'll begin to work on the engine. Feel free to contact me so we can chat up our similar builds. Regards, Keith.
Thank you for the kind words Keith. Yes, my front suspension is getting a rebuild too. I've been waiting months for front coil springs from Classic Industries (they were the least expensive) but I'm not going to wait much longer. Sent you (at least I think it's you) a Facebook Friend request (from Mo Chinski).
So I’ve got a 1979 Camaro and I have what looks like the exact same kit as you, but my car is a Berlinetta so it never had a factory rear sway bar. So when I went to install the end links I did not have the bolts to bolt the end links to the frame rail and I noticed while trying to find bolts that the holes in my frame rails are not threaded. Is it ok to drill and tap those holes so they will take a bolt?
I think you did a good job on your video. I may have missed it, but on the sway bar bushings..are they rubber or poly? I'd like to change mine keeping it stock or maybe a notch better.
Thank you trex117427. All the new bushings are poly. I had heard some bad things about poly...that they squeak, that ride quality suffers...so I originally wanted rubber. What I found was that the parts that had the bushings pre-installed, like one end of the sway bar links and the leaf springs, all used poly. It was difficult to even find rubber bushing kits. So poly it is. I greased them up with axle grease to take care of any squeaks and as far as ride quality, well, it's a heck of a lot better than what it was with the 40-yr old rubber bushing that were on there.
Thanks for the quick reply. I've noticed most parts are poly also. I guess I won't worry too much about it and just order what I can get. Too bad, I think I used rubber in the control arms. The energy suspension sway bar kit I found doesn't show bolts. I'll keep looking.
The sway bar itself is from Classic Industries. The sway bar mounting kit is from Firebird Central. I can't remember now how it happened but somehow I ended up with two sets of brand new sway bar links so maybe both orders came with the links.
Unfortunately for you, You'd have to go back to 1979 to see what the best Pontiac had to offer. Because these cars handled very well in 79. But you've been spoiled with 40 + years of suspension technology.
@@scottmochinski5447 Me too 1959. As a matter of fact I still own a 79 factory 4 speed 301 4 bbl Formula. Original everything. Not really fast, but fun to drive. Enjoy.
Great video. I still have my 79 ttop formula bought new in october o78 when they 1st came out on the lot.went through interior.replaced 305 with a 350.just need a little body and a fresh coat of paint.first new car at 18.put on 235000 miles on it before retiring the 305.proud owner for 46 years.enjoy your formula.
The 1979 WS6 suspension found on the TA's and Formulas were excellent in their day. I had the added feature of 4 wheel discs on my TA and can attest that it was a performer at auto crosses. The mods you are making to the car, especially the 400 Pontiac engine, will make you smile. Keep working on the suspension it will pay off. Good luck and excellent video.
Thank you so much for your kind words and shared knowledge Bill.
Your video was excellent to refresh my memory because my rear end has been out of the car for a little over a year ! I am restoring a 79 trans am ! Every thing all new ! Thank you great video !👍
Thank you for your kind words Steve! I hope your project is going great!
‘79 Formula is a year and model type that doesn’t get much love, hope you keep these videos coming. I’m an original owner of this exact same car so if you need someone to test drive and let you know how it compares to when it was new, I’m your guy.
Thank you for the kind words John. And congrats for being an original owner!! I've always thought the '79 was one of the best looking cars ever made by any manufacturer. The first car I ever owned was a similar iteration, '79 Esprit, same color, same engine/trans combo, same t-tops. I've had this one since June of 2019. It will probably be the last car I ever own. When I bought it, I found paperwork from the original owners in the glove box and contacted them on Facebook. They were quite pleasantly surprised to hear about their former ride. I'm just about finished building out a 400-cid from a 1970 Grand Prix to stuff in it.
In my opinion, a Formula is the same in performance as a Trans Am , just an economy edition. I have a '79 Trans Am. 20 years ago I had a swaybar link break on me as I was cranking through a curve at speed. Inspecting it I saw the person that cut the old exhaust off hit it with a torch. Back then there was no replacements available anyplace. So I had to make my own. Haven't had a problem with it since then. Going with a 400 will definitely wake up the performance over the 301. You did a great job with parts selection. Did your research and made frugal choices like I would do. The only thing I think I would've done differently would be to bolt the front mounts to the spring eyes and torque the bolts then install the mounts to the car. That's the way I did it in my Nova. Yeah those cage nuts vary in quality. I ran into that many times in my 20+ years as a professional. Been working on my own cars since I was 16 (so that would be about 38 years). Good luck with your projects!
Thank you for the very kind words Mike. I like your suggestion for the front mounts being bolted to the springs first. Next time. ;-) Sounds like we're from the same generation as age 16 was 40 years ago for me.
@@scottmochinski5447 Sometimes I have to remind myself I'm not as young as I was. I remember going to the theater with my Dad (age 50) to see Smokey and the Bandit. Now I'm older than he was then, and I have a Trans Am like Bandit. My how time flies!
Scott, nicely done and presented. I'd be interested in learning more about your plans with this car. This past July I bought a 1979 Camaro Rally Sport with a 305 V8 & 4-speed transmission. I'm making almost identical suspension changes. I just received new rear springs from Detroit Eaton Spring, KYB shocks and I'm adding a 0.875" rear sway bar. Additionally, I rebuilt the rear end with a 3.23 ring & pinion and added a positraction carrier. Up front I'm adding all new bushings, new KYB shocks and a 1.25" sway bar from a WS6 Trans Am. Brakes are being rebuilt while I have the suspension apart. Once all that is completed I'll begin to work on the engine. Feel free to contact me so we can chat up our similar builds. Regards, Keith.
Thank you for the kind words Keith. Yes, my front suspension is getting a rebuild too. I've been waiting months for front coil springs from Classic Industries (they were the least expensive) but I'm not going to wait much longer. Sent you (at least I think it's you) a Facebook Friend request (from Mo Chinski).
So I’ve got a 1979 Camaro and I have what looks like the exact same kit as you, but my car is a Berlinetta so it never had a factory rear sway bar. So when I went to install the end links I did not have the bolts to bolt the end links to the frame rail and I noticed while trying to find bolts that the holes in my frame rails are not threaded. Is it ok to drill and tap those holes so they will take a bolt?
I think you did a good job on your video. I may have missed it, but on the sway bar bushings..are they rubber or poly? I'd like to change mine keeping it stock or maybe a notch better.
Thank you trex117427. All the new bushings are poly. I had heard some bad things about poly...that they squeak, that ride quality suffers...so I originally wanted rubber. What I found was that the parts that had the bushings pre-installed, like one end of the sway bar links and the leaf springs, all used poly. It was difficult to even find rubber bushing kits. So poly it is. I greased them up with axle grease to take care of any squeaks and as far as ride quality, well, it's a heck of a lot better than what it was with the 40-yr old rubber bushing that were on there.
Thanks for the quick reply. I've noticed most parts are poly also. I guess I won't worry too much about it and just order what I can get. Too bad, I think I used rubber in the control arms. The energy suspension sway bar kit I found doesn't show bolts. I'll keep looking.
Where did you get the sway bar and links from? I can't pinpoint it in the video
The sway bar itself is from Classic Industries. The sway bar mounting kit is from Firebird Central. I can't remember now how it happened but somehow I ended up with two sets of brand new sway bar links so maybe both orders came with the links.
Unfortunately for you, You'd have to go back to 1979 to see what the best Pontiac had to offer. Because these cars handled very well in 79. But you've been spoiled with 40 + years of suspension technology.
Fortunately for me Stephen, I was born in 1964 so I was there. 🙂
@@scottmochinski5447 Me too 1959. As a matter of fact I still own a 79 factory 4 speed 301 4 bbl Formula. Original everything. Not really fast, but fun to drive. Enjoy.