The factory '70 YZ-code 345-horse 400 engine was rebuilt prior to Bill purchasing the Formula. In fact, he bought the engine first and then had to chase down the rest of the car!
Ultimately, Bill not only found a Ram Air Formula 400, but he found a rare Goldenrod Yellow example with A/C and automatic trans, not to mention Safe-T-Track, variable ratio power steering, power brakes, F60x15 tires, tinted glass, push button radio, clock, molding and dcor, console and remote deck lid release.
The Norwood-built Bird was sold through Ernie Von Schledorn Pontiac after having arrived there on April 3, 1970. Suggested retail was $4,772.72.
Bill remembers, "When I called regarding the ad, the lady who answered the phone said, 'It has the hood with the holes in it for the air to go through to the motor.' Could this be a real Ram Air Formula, I thought? I was about to find out. By the time I got there, she had already sold the body to a guy who was looking to part it out. I learned that she had already rebuilt the engine so I bought it from her and also got the number of the guy who bought the body. As a coincidence, though he lived in Arizona, he had grown up in a town 10 miles from where I grew up in Minnesota. He agreed to sell me the body for $300 more than he paid for it only a few days before."
Pontiac's stylists really were at the top of their game in this era.
Body
Once Bill took possession of the body, he quickly realized why it had been bought as a parts car, as its condition was very poor. After a misfire on the restoration that involved a "friend," his eviction, and loss of money earmarked for the bodywork, Bill contacted Mike Baumgardner to perform the bodywork on the project. Bill says, "Mike's fine work is what has made the car the beauty that it is today." First, they tore the Formula down to assess the damage. Then they purchased another '70 Formula and combined all that was service-able from both cars to build the Pontiac you see here.
Ultimately, Mike painted it using a DuPont base/clear system. Once the bodywork was complete, primer, block-sanding, and sealing was followed by six color coats of Chroma base and five coats of Chroma clear. The latter was wet-sanded with 600- to 1,500-grit and then polished to the shine you see in the photos. This was back in 1997, and the paint still looks great 10 years later.
Drivetrain
Rebuilt by Automotive Machine of Scottsdale in 1993 prior to Bill's purchasing the Formula, the factory YZ-code 345-horse Ram-Air III engine features a 0.030 overbore and the pistons required to fit the bigger holes. Proper machine work was performed, and all serviceable parts were replaced with stock equivalents at the time. Even the cam maintains its 068 specs of 288/302 duration and 0.414/0.413 lift. The Q-jet is not original but the heads (No. 12s) and the intake (No. 9799068) are. The D-port Ram Air manifolds are reproductions, and a stock replacement exhaust system feeds into a Flowmaster crossflow muffler to add a little bite to the exhaust note. Transferring torque rearward, the code PQ Turbo 400 operates more efficiently via an upgraded converter and a shift kit. Out back, the 12-bolt Safe-T-Track rear houses 3.31:1 gears.
Owner Bill McCoy spotted this Ram Air '70 1/2 Formula 400 in the Arizona Republic classified ads back in 1994.
Chassis
Though new body mounts have been installed, the suspension is mostly stock, with parts being replaced as they have worn over the years. Subtle upgrades include T/A stabilizer bars that measure 1.25 inches up front and 0.875 inch in the rear and AutoZone gas shocks. Factory 11-inch front disc brakes are aided by 9.5-inch drums out back. Though the Formula was built with optional 15x7 Rally II wheels and F60-15 raised white letter tires, they were long gone when Bill got it. A later set of Rally IIs are currently on the car and feature 235/60R15 Goodyear Eagle STs in front and 245/60R15 BFGs in the rear.
Interior
Inside, Bill upgraded the interior from standard to Custom specs, adding Comfort Weave vinyl for the seats and the assist bar on the dash, among other items. (Custom door panels are soon to replace the standard ones currently installed.) He also swapped a Formula steering wheel in place of the factory deluxe wheel, a dash tach in place of the optional clock, and a new carpet in place of the old one. Tunes are provided via an Aiwa CD AM/FM head unit, a pair of Pioneer 4-inch 2-way speakers in the dash and two 6x9 3-way speakers in back.