1973 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400 True Survivor Car, Must See! on 2040-cars

I am offering for your bidding consideration what may be a one of one 1973 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400! I have spent years going to various car shows and surfed the internet etc, also the Dayton Ohio area Trans Am Nationals for a very long time now and I’ve never seen another Bird wearing this unusual color in person! Searching the internet I have found just a couple of other ones. The color is Desert Sand, paint code 56 and the paint is still original except for a touch up here and there. I am a refinish technician for a local GM dealership and I can assure you this car has the original paint on her! I have called it the Mustard car since obtaining ownership from the third owner in Colorado where it was originally delivered as a new car in 1973. The Bird was delivered to the original owner from Leo Payne Pontiac Plaza in Lakewood Colorado. I have the hand written sale sheet from the car being ordered and the original build sheet also. The car is unusual and noteworthy in so many ways! 

The car was ordered from the dealer and delivered with a high altitude package, also with a handling package (code Y 99) featuring front and rear sway bars. The build sheet also shows the code G-80 for posi-traction. The car also came with factory installed rear window defroster, air conditioning, (that is still blowing cold with regular upkeep and maintenance and still has R-12 refrigerant as the Freon). The car was fitted with a heavy duty alternator (build sheet code KB) to accommodate the extra options and the original alternator is still on the car and was professionally rebuilt a few years ago! The car recently had the upper glass weather strips replaced on both sides with OEM seals, not aftermarkets. Both doors also got new outer belt moldings too! 

The bird flew from the factory with hideaway wipers, and the rear bumper sports those grandpa looking bumperettes that were factory optioned as well. The car was delivered new with a cordova vinyl top colored in trim code 243 or “chamois” that is original and still on the car! Also fitted from the factory were Optional radial white wall tires that were mounted onto only 285 Formulas and Trans Ams in 1973, And just 298 Formulas received the Superb T/A suspension package under code Y99 in its very last year of availability. Obviously the tires are long gone as the tires have been changed out many times over. The spoilers on the trunk and quarter panels were dealer optioned, meaning they were installed at the dealer. They are factory parts and were professionally installed 

The car has always been professionally maintained and garage kept and to this day starts and runs extremely well. She runs incredibly strong for a car with 135,000 miles on her! The car even idles down on its own from a cold start as the choke pulls itself off! The upper control arms were removed a few years ago and had new bushings pressed into place and the car was given a thorough alignment. The car drives and handles like a dream. The car also had the intake manifold resealed and the timing chain and gears were replaced at the same time with new seals and gaskets obviously. 

The car still has the original interior, the seats are in great shape and all the interior fittings are present and functional. The car just received a new windshield as the original was peppered with those pesky rock chips, so a glass company that services our dealer found me a windshield with all the correct markings and antenna to duplicate the original. Please note that this car is not restored and has flaws as it is 41 years old. The decision to just keep it up with regular maintenance was made because everything still works and lots of collectors like an original “survivor” car. I’d rather see a well kept original car any day over one that has had a restoration with aftermarket parts thrown at it. 

The paint has aged along with the owner, the paint now sports some “crazing” “or crows footing” as we call it in the refinish industry, the result of years of the sun beating down on that factory lacquer when she goes out for a drive, what do you expect from a 41 year old car still wearing its original skin? The headliner has started to sag and the dash finally cracked right where most do. The front valance is obviously plastic and has suffered from parking blocks over the years as we all know these cars sit low enough to hit them. The hood however has no cracked or missing vents at the back! This was a common problem from slamming the hood closed but this hood has been spared so far! The vinyl top shows some bubbling along the belt line, assuming there is some minor rust under it. The rest of the car shows fairly well actually, not bad at all for a car that is over four decades old! The body has some damage (see the pictures) and the car is very restorable should you choose. I chose to not pursue a restoration as the car is very desirable as a survivor in this condition. The last ten years or so the second generation birds have gained a lot of respect with the collectors now that their true value has been more understood. I think what I am offering up for bids is a great example of a specially ordered car in 1973 and is still running strong and worthy of my reserve price due to its color rarity and the fact it is a true survivor. The 1973 Birds have another feather to stick in their caps also, since the assembly lines were shut down for several months due to the strikes in 1973 so, the 73 model year was a very low production year adding even more rarity to this already unusual car! 

I have set a reserve that I think the car is worthy of and after talking to several other serious collectors we all concur. I will expect a deposit of 25% of the final price within 48 hours and final arrangements within 7 days unless other arrangements are agreed upon. I do not intend to entertain any trades or wheeling and dealing, I am firm on my reserve price so please only serious inquiries and bids only. I have more pictures upon request and I am willing to talk to potential bidders on the phone. I am located in Grove City Ohio close to Columbus and Galloway. No tire kickers please. Thank you and good luck!

Getting some questions now about the car. The car is in fact all numbers matching, the engine and transmission are numbers matching to the vin number and as a matter of fact, neither one has ever been out of the car! The car has been meticulously cared for and believe it or not still has the original starter turning the engine over! I just remembered tonight as I walked around the car, I've followed these Firebirds and Formulas for years and never saw another Formula with a factory installed vinyl top. The transmission and rear end have received regular maintenance along with routine oil changes, brake jobs, wiper refills, I could go on and on. The sum up again, the car is what it is, a well documented car and I have two build sheets, sheets number 2 (the one you find behind the seat) and 4 (the dealer build sheet as they get the car) in my possession! I want to close my description with this fact, if you want a perfect car this car is not for you. I am offering a piece of Pontiac history here with a story that can be documented and still draws a crowd. 

Due to an unusual amount of questions being asked, it is time for another revision to the car. I will not disclose the reserve to anyone, you will discover the reserve by bidding accordingly. Also, I will NOT sell any item or part from this car seperately. I am sticking to my guns, offering a very nice slice of Pontiac history. The car still has power beam headlights in it and if you look closely at the core support picture you will see streaks and runs in the original paint. This is because the core support was dipped at the factory and dried as it was pulled out and hung from its side, no real good way to duplicate that! Check out that picture! There has never been any black spray paint under the hood of this car! In fact, if you look closely there is some writing on the hood dated 1973 and I assume it is a mold release worker or quality control worker, or maybe even the guy that installed the hood. The date was written in what appears to be white wax and is still visible! The hood to cowl seals are usually dry rotted and crusty from age, the seals on this car are still soft and pliable and original, in fact the original clips that hold it down are still in place!