1973 Pontiac Formula 455, 4 speed, One of 227 made, 23 Options!

Please read entire description and view all photos before bidding.
There are many more photos at the bottom of the listing (scroll down to see them). Click on the first one to see larger images. These were taken during the assembly process, but the car IS assembled now.

With that being said, you are bidding on a 1973 Pontiac Firebird Formula 455, 4 speed. This is one of only 227 made in this configuration. It is originally Florentine Red (burgundy) with a black deluxe interior - a beautiful color combination and one of the reasons I bought it.

BODY:
This is a VERY solid California car. It is an excellent candidate for a complete restoration. There is very little rust on the body and the shell itself is still wearing it's original paint, so there are no hidden surprises - you can see exactly what you're getting. The floors, frame rails, rocker panels are all very solid. The reason the front clip (fenders, hood, bumper, etc.) are a different color is because they were missing when I got it, so they have been sourced from other '73 birds. The Formula hood is in good shape - no broken vents and the rear corners are good, unlike a lot of them. The front of the hood scoops have not been cut out either. The core support and wheel wells are '73 parts as well. The door glass is not installed, but is included with the sale. The front valance is brand new. The rear filler panel is damaged, but I have another one I will include with the car.

DRIVETRAIN:
The engine is not numbers matching, but is a correct 1973 455-4 speed engine that is dated within a month of the car's build date. It is NOT currently running or driving. The crankshaft, rods & pistons are not installed in the block, but are included in the auction. The distributor is the correct number and correctly dated for the car, as is the intake manifold. The carb is a 7043266 (1973 400 with auto trans), but I do have a 7043265 ('73 455 4 speed) available at extra cost to the winning bidder.
The transmission is a correct Muncie M21 from a '73 Trans Am. The shifter, shifter plate and linkage are all correct '73 parts. It looks to be in good condition, but may need to be gone through. The crossmember and driveshaft have been cleaned & painted. The driveshaft has had the U-joints replaced and new straps and bolts to mount it to the rearend.
The rearend looks to be a 2.73 open from my research. It should have a 3.42 ratio, but this could be changed during the restoration.
INTERIOR:
The interior is in driver condition. Would need to be redone for a show car, but is usable as-is if you just wanted to get the car up and running / driving. See pics.

In summary, this is a rare, desirable Formula in a great color combo and with a very solid body. I planned to do a full resto on it, but have too many other projects and could use the space. The last photo is obviously not this car, but is a near twin to it. I posted it to show what this one could look like.

Terms of sale:
The car will need to be trailered. Buyer is responsible for pickup of the vehicle, but I will help load it and the extra parts.
Please have all of your finances in order before bidding. A $500 deposit is due within 24 hours of auction end, with the balance due within 3 days of auction end. The deposit can be paid by PayPal. The balance is to be paid by wire transfer only.