The Formula WS6
#018 was built by GM w/RPO codes
WS6 and 1LE but was never sent to SLP for conversion.
The
1991 WS6
was the absolute
apex of F-Body production in every sense of the word and forever will be with
the demise of the F-Body in 2002. A company called
SLP Engineering (Street
Legal Performance) joined up with PMD in
1991 to produce the fastest,
most extreme, hard edged, Firebird ever. They succeeded. These cars were totally
outrageous.
Option code WS6 is what you checked on your Formula's order form at the
dealership if you were in the know. This instantly meant that you would be
paying a minimum of $39,995 and that you would have one of the fastest muscle
cars ever made. SLP was
contracted to produce only 250 Firehawks in 91-92. Only 27 Firehawks were
ordered between 1991 and
1992 but only 25 made it into production after #'s 18 and 23 were canceled.
0-60mph in just 4.6 seconds, 1/4 mile in just 13.2 (1 magazine reported a
12.9!!!) and a top speed of 160+ along with a skid pad of .94g's. Here's the
kicker though, you still had a highway mileage of 25mpg and it was 50 state
street legal! Firehawks #001-18 were
1991 Formula's and Firehawks
#19-26 were 1992 Formula's. The last
Firehawk #27, was a 1992
Trans Am convertible.
This is
1991 Firehawk #001. It's the
Firehawk that was given to
Car & Driver and all other automotive publications for testing and still has
only 11K miles. This Firehawk had the standard
Firehawk package and some of
the competition package goodies. Before this car there was only 1 other
Firehawk,
SLP original pre
production and development car for the
Firehawk program. That car
had no sequence number and to this day it is still owned by the founder of
SLP, Ed
Hamburger.
This is the famous high flow down draft
"T-RAM" intake manifold built and used by
SLP on all of the 3rd Gen
Firehawks. This intake guaranteed a minimum of 45 HP over the stock TPI plenum
right out of the box and onto a stock L98. The Formula's drive train was
completely removed and replaced to make a
Firehawk. Firehawks used a 4
bolt main block, forged steel crankshafts, 1053 alloy forged steel "Pink"
connecting rods, lightweight high silicon cast LT1 aluminum pistons, steel
billet hydraulic roller camshaft, high output aluminum cylinder heads with SS
valves, Tri-Y headers, and a dual catalytic converter exhaust system, just to
name part of it. The last 3 Firehawks made all shared and all aluminum 366ci
Rodeck block engine rated at 375HP. What even made these engine's even more
special is that all of them (except the last 3) were actually built by GM to
SLP specs and they also came
with a warranty from SLP.
This is the interior of 003 You can see how SLP had to make a custom center console to handle the placement of the ZF-6 speed transmission. The prototype 'Hawk and #001 used a factory 5-spd console but this was found to be inadequate, hence the custom console. The Firehawk production number is also stitched into the map pocket, although there is in fact 1 of the 25 Firehawks that made it out without the Firehawk logo or production number stitched onto the map pocket. The rest of the interior was that of a totally stock Firebird Formula assuming it's a non competition 'Hawk. Talk about the ultimate sleeper!
You had 2 suspension choices when it came to the 91-92 Firehawk. The basic suspension was the developed for the GM Canada Motor sports (F-body) racing series WS6: Players Club. This included Koni shocks, higher rate springs and larger Corvette based disk brakes. The other suspension choice was the $8,995 "Competition "R" Option Package". The main feature of this upgraded suspension was the 13" Brembo cross drilled disc brakes, the same brakes as on the Ferrari F-40. SLP also included a high durometer suspension bushings, 6-pt roll bar, a Recaro racing seat w/five point racing harness, aluminum hood, and even lost the back seat among other things. Out of the 25 only 9 have the Competition "R" Package. 1 Firehawk, #003, even got a 12 pt cage, a Fuel Safe fuel cell, and a driveshaft loop. It was the only Firehawk to get a 12 pt cage over the standard 6 pt, and a driveshaft loop. Only 2 Firehawks, #003 & #008, ever got a fuel cell. This just goes to show how hard-core you could get when ordering your Firehawk from SLP.
GM only made the RPO code B4U available on Red hardtop Formula's with L98 1LE's and yes they came with factory A/C too! Because of these facts, only 19 of the 25 Firehawks made by SLP in 1991 and 1992 are factory optioned Firehawks w/RPO code B4U because the others are either; not red, have other options the buyers wanted but could not get on a regular Firehawk, the prototype, ordered after 92 production stopped, or as in the last case, a convertible Trans Am. Ed Hamburger himself used to test drive each Firehawk personally until he was convinced it was perfect. He was known to have put anywhere between 80 to 300 miles on one of these cars getting it to where he was satisfied. Due to this fact, there are no super low mileage Firehawks, the lowest mileage Firehawk known is #012 with only 100 miles.
You may also notice that some WS6 have the trademark "FIREHAWK" decal on the doors while others do not. This is due to a copyright issue between Firestone (the owners of the FIREHAWK trademark) and SLP which was occurring at the time. Only a handful of the 25 cars ever got the decal applied by SLP because there were several times during 91 and 92 when SLP was ordered to quit using the decal and other times when it was permitted to use the decal. Finally by 1993 and agreement had been worked out which allowed SLP to use the FIREHAWK logo on all of their cars.
The 1991 & 1992 Firehawk program just about bankrupted SLP Engineering but thanks to the introduction of the 4th Gen Firebird in 1993 with the GM optional LT1 350 and T-56 6-spd, SLP was able to bring the base Firehawk down to less than $6K which vastly increased sales and saved the company but the new 93+ Firehawks did not have near the modifications of the 91's and 92's.
Firehawk Production Breakdown:
Cars Ordered:
27
Cars Built:
25
Cars Canceled: 18 & 23
Colors:
"Mandatory Red" 81U:
21
Medium Quasar Blue Metallic 80U: 1 (#022)
Medium Green Metallic
45U: 1
(#024)
Arctic White
10U:
1 (#025)
Dark Jade Gray Metallic 18U: 1
(#026)
Options:
Competition "R"
Package:
9* (#'s 002, 003, 004, 005, 008, 009, 016, 025, 027)
Aluminum
Rodeck 366ci Engine 3 (#'s
025, 026, and 027)
T-Tops:
1 (#025)
Convertible:
1 (#027)
*Some sources say that there were in fact 11 Competition models made but I believe this to be incorrect. The reason for this is that some people consider #026 to be a competition model when in fact all it shares with it's competition cousins is an aluminum hood and Brembo brakes. Also #001's bolt-in 6-pt Roll Bar and single Recaro Seat was removed by SLP before it was sold in 2001 so there for it is no longer a "Competition" Model.
| Firebird History1991Firebird History Firebird History |
|---|
The regular Z28 name returns since GM was now unable to make IROC-Z's. All lower valances and rear bumper redesigned. Side valances had scoops in front of each wheel (like Mustang GT). Z28 got a large Ferrari F40 style rear wing. On the Z28, `CAMARO' on the front license plate panel was replaced with the bow-tie emblem. The hood louvers on the previous year's IROC were replaced by hood `power blisters' on the Z28. Engine designations were removed from side valance badging and only appeared on the rear bumper.
The standard wheel for the Z28 was a newly styled 16 inch wheel. Standard tires for the Z28 were P235/55R-16 tires; P245/50ZR-16 tires were optional on the Z28, and standard on 350 Z28 and Z28 convertible.
RS was available for the first time with 16 inch wheels. Tires for the 16 inch wheels on the RS and RS convertible were P235/55R-16. RS also got the grid taillights like the Z28. The CHMSL was moved from the spoiler to the inside top edge of the hatchback glass. The slightly smaller non-CHMSL spoiler from 1982-1986 replaced the CHMSL spoiler on the RS.
G92 packages with air conditioning (C60) and without air conditioning (C41/1LE) still available on Z28. All 350 Z28's were required to have one of the G92 packages in 1991. G92 was not available on the Z28 convertible (as was the case with the previous year's IROC-Z convertible).
289 1991 1LE LB9 (305 TPI ) Z28's were built. 175 1991 1LE B2L (350 TPI) Z28's were built.
B4C `Special Service' police package became available to law enforcement agencies only. Cars were RS coupes with Z28 5.0 TPI or 5.7 TPI drive trains and Z28 suspensions. These cars came equipped with the 16 inch wheels and P245/50-ZR16 tires, engine oil cooler, rear disc brakes, and limited slip axle. Midyear, the 1LE 11.86 inch front brakes and HD calipers became optional for the B4C. This package was the only way to get air conditioning and the HD front brakes. There were 592 1991 B4C Camaros built
Office of Defects Investigation
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| Make/Model |
Required Parts-Marking (Major=M) (Replacement=R) |
Production year (s) requiring Parts-Marking |
Exemption Type (Full/Partial) |
Production years exempted from Parts-Marking |
Reference Information |
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| Pontiac Firebird |
(M & R)
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1987-2002
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PARTIAL
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1990-2002
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From MY's 1991-2002, parts-marking is required for the engine and tranmission only. |
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Frontal Star Rating
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Star Rating
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| Driver | Passenger | Front Seat | Rear Seat | 2 wheel drive | 4 wheel drive | ||
| 1991 Pontiac Firebird 2-DR. HB. (PC/Me) |
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Not Tested | Not Tested | Not Tested |
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| 1991 |
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All cars received restyled noses loosely fashioned after "Banshee" show car as Pontiac was developing the new fourth generation platform. Trans Am's ground effects restyled as well. Base model Firebird available with Trans Am ground effects. Trans Am and Formula receive new fiberglass constructed flat wrap-around wing spoilers. The new styling brought higher sales, up from 1990's sales. All L98 cars now receive N10 dual cats standard. Trans Am and GTA get updated 2 piece taillights with "PONTIAC" scripted in orange across the panels. Center high mounted stop lamps move to inside top edge of hatch. Firebird convertible reintroduced. Firebirds with t tops were sent to ASC for conversion to convertibles. Previously ASC converted cars for customers but it had never been through GM. The Firebird convertible was available with the LHO 3.1L V6, the L03 5.0 V8, and the LB9 5.0 V8. Production improvements led to use of new body sealants that added to the rigidity of the body.
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