Hello all! I am looking for some advise and this forum seemed like a good place to gather some info. I have a 79 Formula W72 400 4-speed car that I am looking to have restored. I have owned it since 1991 and it was the car I drove in high school. I am the 3rd owner (I know the first and second owners) and the car has 64,000 original miles. It is completly original (except for the carburator- I had a NOS fire back in the day). I am looking to send it out for a complete nut and bolt rotiserie restoration. I am looking for a showcar and I am willing to travel to the right shop.

The car is loaded up with options except power windows. The original owner ordered this car and for some reason, the car was shipped without them, but I like it that way. It is white with a grey bottom, blue stripes and a baby blue custom vinyl interior. It has T-tops, power trunk release, pulse wipers, A/C, W50 appearance package, rear defrost, am/fm casseste, and all of W72/L78/WS6 heavy duty appointments. Yes, I used to drag race this car every weekend at the track and on the streets of Philadelphia back in the day. She was a rear sleeper, running low 12's consistantly on the bottle. It's best run was 11.88 with a 250 shot! Fortunatly, I was smart enough back then to not to ruin the car's originality. Heck, the valve covers haven't even been off! As soon as I found out how rare it was, I stopped racing it. Like I mentioned, I did have a NOS fire that ruined the carborator, air cleaner and plenum pieces. Aside from that, the car is 100% complete down to every vacuum hose. It currently has 3.90 gears, and I wont be changing those- it runs so much better. I did blow the orignal trans, but like I said, I was smart enough to have it rebuilt and put on the shelf for the future. My mother drove it once and didn't realize the the emergency brake was on which fried the rear calipers and rotors. Similarly, I put new ones on and keep the correct originals.

It has been siting in our barn- yes, it is a true barn car. I drug it out of there last weekend and cleaned off 14 years of dirt. It faired fairly well, but some mice had fun with the interior. I just drained the tank, changed the oil and filters and it is almost ready to breath again. This car has a lot of great memories for me and I can't wait to get it back to it former glory. Fortunatly, for me, it is not the car "that I wish I never sold"!

Sorry to go on and on, but I am excited to get it done. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I'm not looking for the cheap alternative, but rather someone that can make this car as close to a 100 point show car as possible. Thanks for your help! -Eric

My neighbor across the street owns a full restoration shop. He does some truly amazing work. He treats each car he restores as if it were his own. The classic restorations he does he will bring home and park in his own garage so the car does not sit unattended overnight. (Which is kind of cool for me ) Bruce's Body Shop, 2101 Starkey Road # M5, Largo, FL 33771 (727) 515-5897. Talk to Bruce and tell him his neighbor Tracy sent you.

if you have the cash to me one of the best f body shops in the country is restore a muscle car in nebraska.....visit them at www.restoreamusclecar.com dave can take excellent care of you