Day Nine: Tire SmokeThe new computer cost us 100 bones plus another $75 for the core. We plugged it in and the car fired right up and ran smoothly so we went out for some test laps. It's good, but the gas gauge is still broken, the radio doesn't work, and a lot of that worthless '91 GM water-based paint flaked off the hood and roof when Freiburger washed it. That just means there's more work to come. Stay tuned!
' The 7730 ECM box is actually the same for the 3.1L, 5.0L, and 5.7L cars, so look to the wrecking yard for spares in six-cylinder and eight-cylinder speed-density F-Bodies and Berettas, then swap in your PROM chip.
| THE TRUE PAIN OF OWNERSHIP |
| Description | PN | Brand | Price |
| '91 Firebird Formula | N/A | N/A | $1,500 |
| Battery | N/A | Delco | 75.00 |
| Distributor cap | DR134B | Standard | 18.81 |
| Rotor | DR133 | Standard | 3.81 |
| Spark plugs | R45TS | ACDelco | 14.72 |
| ECM | 780-7730 | Standard | 107.97 |
| EGR valve | 214-5540 | ACDelco | 62.50 |
| Fuel filter | G3727 | Fram | 10.88 |
| Fuel pressure regulator | PR10 | Standard | 62.68 |
| Heater hose | N/A | N/A | 2.71 |
| Intake plenum gaskets | 23468 | Corteco | 10.82 |
| Transmission seal | 96135 | National | 1.88 |
| Transmission mount | 2394 | Anchor | 16.54 |
| U-joints | 5346 | Precision | 20.64 |
| Hood assist rods | 901322 | Monroe | 41.40 |
| Hatch assist rods | 901020 | Monroe | 74.40 |
| TOTAL | $2,024.76 |