A 1989 Pontiac Firebird Formula that sat untouched in a deteriorating Kentucky barn for nearly two decades is now undergoing a painstaking revival after enduring structural threats, theft, and significant interior damage. The car, featured by ProjectTimeGarage, had been parked since 2001 due to a fuel pump issue and forgotten as the building that sheltered it slowly collapsed around it.
The Firebird’s story stretches back to a late-1980s purchase, when its owner bought the car with just 11,000 miles on the odometer. The Formula represented Pontiac’s performance-focused offering in the third-generation lineup, benefitting from the WS6 handling package and sharing key mechanical features with the Trans Am. For 1989, Pontiac produced 64,409 Firebirds in total, including 16,670 Formulas. This particular example came equipped with the T-top roof and the standard 5.0-liter V8 with throttle-body injection, rated at 170 horsepower and paired with a five-speed manual transmission.
Its long dormancy did not go unnoticed. Thieves entered the barn, taking the radiator and leaving the driver’s door ajar, which exposed the interior to rodents. Years of infestation turned the cabin into a hazardous mix of decayed material and animal waste. Seats, carpet, and soft trim were destroyed. Even the T-tops had to be removed immediately just so the owner could safely move the car out of the building.
Despite its grim appearance, the Formula revealed a surprise once placed on a lift. The chassis, subframe boxes, and floor pans were in remarkably preserved condition, still wearing their original protective coating. The lack of structural rust made the car a strong candidate for restoration, even as its interior required a complete teardown.
Getting the Firebird to run again required resurrecting its fuel system. The failed fuel pump was only the beginning; old gasoline had hardened inside the throttle-body injectors, seizing their internal parts. After careful disassembly, heat, and penetrating oil, one injector was brought back to life. With a temporary external pump and one functioning bank, the V8 finally sputtered to life for the first time in more than twenty years—just enough to drive into the workshop under its own power.
The next steps include stripping the contaminated interior and replacing the compromised injection components. For collectors, the car’s appeal lies in its configuration and rust-free structure. While a clean 1989 Formula typically brings values in the mid-to-high five figures, the rare Turbo Trans Am variants of the era command far higher prices.
For its owner, the rescue of this Firebird is more than a project car. It represents an effort to preserve one of Pontiac’s final expressions of analog performance before the brand’s decline, turning a barn-rotted survivor into a worthy reminder of its era.
