Burt Reynolds' 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Sold for $240,000. Launched on the big screen in 1977, Smokey and the Bandit revolves around two bootleggers as they attempt to illegally transport 400 cases of Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta. The story replaced the Coors beer with Mobil 1 products. Smokey & The Bandit is the greatest movie of the 20th Century! Sales almost doubled in two years, which is a very big deal given that the Trans Ams 1978 facelift was rather minor save for the front fascia. Even when the 2nd gen was already coasting on fumes, and defanged, and after the reasonably shitty Smokey and the Bandit sequel, Pontiac managed to pump out 107,000 Trans Ams in 1980 and 70,000 for the 2nd gen Trans Ams swan song in 1981. Cape was far enough north that it was watered down and there was so much cross-pollination with the Illinois side you really didnt discern much difference. After the movie came out, Firebird sales increased even more, but the Trans Am was now the most popular one. She is a runaway bride, sitting on the side of the road in her 1973 Chevrolet Impala coupe. Its W.W. Although he's into just about any type of vehicle, Ciprian is not your typical car enthusiast. It seems Plymouth was in a distant second for product placement. AWESOME! In response, Needham told Reed that he liked the song so much that if Reed changed even a word or a note, Needham would "choke him". Needing a fast set of wheels to distract law enforcement, Reynolds character purchases this 1977 Pontiac Trans-Am. In the movie . Three actors from the main cast of The Dukes of Hazzard appear in small uncredited roles in Smokey and the Bandit: Ben Jones, John Schneider, and Sonny Shroyer (who played a police officer in both). It was destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit II and in a flashback scene in Part 3. The Burdettes' car is a 1974 Cadillac Eldorado convertible painted in a "Candy Red" color scheme and is seen briefly at the beginning of the movie and in the final scene as the Bandit, the Snowman, Fred the dog, and Frog use it to make their escape. For Smokey and the Bandit II (1980), Needham asked for and received 10 Trans Ams and 55 Bonnevilles with no trouble. The owner restored it and sold it at the Scottsdale 2016 auction by Barrett-Jackson. It outsold its Chevrolet Camaro counterpart for the first time. 1-Smokey and the Bandit-The classic, the original, and the best one by FAR. The pair arrive in Texarkana one hour early and load up the truck, but just as they head back, Carrie, a runaway bride, intercepts Bandit and jumps in his car, unwittingly making him an indirect target of Sheriff Buford T. Justice, a career Texas lawman whose witless son Junior was to have married Carrie. Burt Reynolds once claimed in an interview that there were actually 12 Trans Ams featured in Smokey and the Banditand he wrecked every one. As if GM owes them something. Both sequels used another Trans Am, not a Cadillac Eldorado, as seen below. He gave Needham a preview of the song and, getting no reaction, offered to rewrite it. Put one on and the lady looks like shes not wearing a bra. It became Reed's signature song and is on multiple albums, including Country Legends and his live album Jerry Reed "Live!" When Smokey & The Banditfirst aired on television in the early 1980s, the Gleason phrase sum bitcha regional butchering of son of a bitchhad to be dubbed out. Reed also penned and performed the song for the opening credits, entitled "The Legend", which tells of some of the Bandit's escapades before the events of the film, and the ballad "The Bandit", which is in several versions in the movie and on the soundtrack. WildI watched this for the first time in years after watching the latest Archer.the whole thing is an homage to S&B. Further, as Pontiac has deliciously obvious product placement, anyone who delights in 70s era Pontiac iron will experience visual ecstasy. Gas was a buck a gallon at the time so fuel economy wasnt a major issue. a custom mandrel bent dual exhaust, and the Mondello bottom end plate to stabilize the windowed mains. Weve got a long way to go and a short time to get there Here is the LeMans; Gleason literally drives the wheels off: As an aside, heres a curious bit of trivia. Dont let his grumpiness fool you though; hes more than excited to provide the latest news and reviews on the most interesting cars in the industry. Tragically, every Trans Am used in filming was destroyed. The area around Helen, Georgia, was used for some locations. It consists of any of the various Louisiana-style hot sauces on Texas toast-style bread alongside the fourth most famous product of Pittsburg, Texas (behind Pilgrim's Pride, Cavender's, and Carroll Shelby)Pittsburg Hot Links. Thanks for this, Jason. However, as our heroes were successful in delivering their truckload of Coors, the writers effectively poised themselves for a sequel. Let me get the popcorn for this one. Also up for auction was a go-kart replica of the car, which sold for nearly $14,000. Funny that T/A isnt on the movie poster, considering it was the obvious star of the show. If you watched the second clip above, this truck should look familiar. [4] Just two days before production was to begin, Universal sent a "hatchet man" to Atlanta to inform Needham that the budget was being trimmed by $1 million. And he succeeded as far as the Pontiac Trans Am is concerned. In Smokey and the Bandit, there were eight 1977 Trans-Am cars and approximately the same number of police cars (but some said ten). And then they made the biggest mistake of their lives and went to national distribution. As Fred Flintstone was modeled off Ralph Kramden, the Jackie Gleason character from the 1950s television showThe Honeymooners, the tone and intonation of the dubbing was highly convincing. Some fellow classmates were extras on the film set, and it was a big deal around here at the time. While watching the movie (yes, I did have to diligently research this article), one shot seemed to indicate this may be a dummy scoop. The three movie cars were destroyed during various stunts, so the promo car is the only surviving Trans Am connected to this film. However, the U.S. government introduced new emission controls in 1972, and automakers had to step back. The worldwide gross is estimated at over $300 million. Buford, with Junior along, ignores his jurisdiction and doggedly chases Bandit all the way to Georgia to retrieve Carrie while various mishaps cause his cruiser to disintegrate on the way. With that in mind, Ill go with what Ive heard from my Georgia friends, to wit Sheriff Justices diablo sandwich is the Macon version, which is made with fried eggs and red hots. He obtained the attention of studios and aimed the film at a more mainstream release after his friend Reynolds read the script and agreed to portray the Bandit, with Reed now portraying the Bandit's friend the Snowman. I was just tweaking Jason. If you notice there are several different angled skid marks on the road in the scene where the Bandit picks up Frog, you can see that they did a couple of takes of the T/A skidding to a stop and taking off again. And Coors itself limited its distribution to west of the Mississippi. After the movie did well, Pontiac gave Burt a free Trans Am to drive for a few years. Two units were 1974 models, as evidenced by standard silver Kenworth emblems on the truck grille, and one unit was a 1973 model, as evidenced by the gold-painted Kenworth emblem on the truck's grille, signifying Kenworth's 50 years in business. That said, an uncomplimentary accent does exist. Today, Smokey and the Bandit remains one of the most popular car action films ever made, and the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am will forever be wed to the movie. Apparently the engine sounds were lifted from another movie, I think two lane blacktop? But that doesnt make for an interesting movie premise. I will confess, however, that it was a fun movie to watch and I have caught it on TV a time or two in recent years with my kids. [28] However, this is inaccurate; within seconds of Bandit picking her up, Frog tells him "there is a wedding in search of a bride" and goes on to explain her ill-advised romance with Junior, as the Bandit holds up the CB mic for the Snowman to hear. Sure Smokey helped, but was not the sole reason T/A and F body sales went up. In 1976-78, while a high school student in Norwalk, CT, me and a few buddies would routinely drive up to Vista, NY, which was just over the state line. This reminds me of the classic introduction (actually written by Dick Cavett) said by Jack Paar on The Tonight Show: I was 3 years old when the original came out, and do not remember any of these details but, supposedly this was the first movie my parents ever took me to. Back in 1984, I went to look at a late 1970s Plymouth cop car as well. NY 10036. No, the T/A was selling fine before the movie, and the black/gold package dates to 1976, a full year before the movie was out in summer 77. Musicians such as Beegie Adair and George Tidwell[20] played on the soundtrack. The little packy there had Coors and even though it was horribly expensive, we thought it was the elixer of the Gods. It was something regarding distribution limits. I never understood why dragging a truckload of beer from Colorado to Georgia was such a big deal. Now, having only three Trans Ams to wreck for a movie is minimalist, to say the least. I've heard . I beg to differ Mr -Nate. I drive a conversion van. And lets not forget the Trans Am rental car Steve McQueen drove in his very last movie, The Hunter from 1980. The Trans Am was already pretty popular in the mid-1970s, with sales hitting 68,745 units in 1977. "Smokey and the Bandit Pursuit Pack" is formatted as a box set that in presented in full color in widescreen. Smokey & The Bandit Police Cars. The scenes set in Texarkana were filmed in Jonesboro and the surrounding area and many of the chase scenes were filmed in the surrounding areas on Highway 54 between Fayetteville and Jonesboro for a majority of the driving scenes, Mundy's Mill Road, Main Street in Jonesboro, Georgia State Route 400, I-85 (Pleasant Hill exit) and in McDonough. Burt Reynolds is originally a Georgia boy. A diablo sammich from my understanding is a like a Sloppy Joe but with taco seasoning added in for spice. That song often pops into my head at the start of long drives. I remember reading somewhere that one of the cars was equipped with a 455 for some of the higher speed scenes. For Smokey and the Bandit II (1980), Needham asked for and received 10 Trans Ams and 55 Bonnevilles with no trouble. [8] Niver provided much of the western attire worn in the film, as well as the custom-made sheriff's uniforms (waist size 64") that Gleason wore throughout the film. Not everything was Pontiac, as evidenced by this 1973 Plymouth Satellite coupe (CC here). We just watched this with the kids the other week, along with Cannonball Run. His father was also the inspiration for the word "sumbitch" used in the film, a variation of the phrase "son-of-a-bitch" that, according to Reynolds, he uttered quite often. Chevy almost did the same with its counterpart, the Camaro. Anyway, on the trip east, we stopped at a grocery in Topeka, Kansas and bought 16-18 cases of Coors, all that we had room for in the car. And theres beer in Texarkana.. Movies like Mad Max: Fury Road and Furious 7 may ruin a lot of cars, but they were far from the first. These Furys, as well as some of the LeMans units, have hood scoops. With Reynolds' salary at $1 million, Needham was left with only $3.3 million to make the film. I think even the 2nd gen Camaro enjoyed some of the blast wave from Smokey and the Bandit, 1979 was the best year ever for Camaros as well, with over 280,000 Camaros being sold. So lets explore this car (and truck) heavy flick, all while giving those who have not seen it a glimpse into a movie whose complexity and intellect remains unparalleled within the history of cinema. Sally Field and Burt Reynolds began a relationship after meeting on set. Gleason probably wanted too much money to provide the dubbing, which is a shame because it ruins the TV version. I still think its more entertaining than Star Wars. Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 American road action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams and Mike Henry. In my area, nearly every one listed is an ex cop car. When it was over, I cried and cried and cried because I didnt want it to end. This is obvious, because there is no fuel tank on the underside of the trailer to power the refrigeration unit, and the unit is never heard running. I only got one of them LOL. While the initial concern was it having a regional appeal, it would ultimately play as well in New York City and Chicago as it did Atlanta, Georgia, or Biloxi, Mississippi. Olds 88. If I recall correctly, Firebirds in general (along with Camaros) were selling well prior to 1977, but the Trans Am was not the best-selling one. So why did they go with sound effects instead of the Trans Am's actually exhaust noise? It took four evenings to see almost all of the movie in bits and pieces. Hes fodder enough for his own article at some point. And the 400 Pontiac or 403 Olds versions could be made to run well. Always a favorite. The original film had correct sounds that were usually recorded live as the action took place. I think you may be confusing the movie Honky-Tonk Freeway with the filming done during I-75 construction near Sarasota. Smokey and the Bandit II is a 1980 American action comedy film directed by Hal Needham, and starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, . Gleason has a treasure trove of hilarious lines and it was this movie that started my love affair of cars back in the early 1980s. I recall reading somewhere that the Trans Am that did the bridge jump had a tweaked Chevy 350 in it with a stick, and of course that it was WO after the jump. This gives rise to various continuity errors with Justice's patrol car, which during some chase sequences is shown with a black rear fender, which then reverts to the car's bronze color again in later scenes. I had a 78 Trigger lookalike for a while in the mid 90s, until a wrist pin went out, ended up selling it to one of my brothers buddys uncles. From living there for my first two decades, I noticed the accent didnt get going good until around Sikeston (not Saxton as it would seem) and it progressed as you went deeper into the Bootheel. Got Greyhound cutout decals on the rear side windows. The movie is responsible for something, by 1979 Pontiac was selling 100,000 plus Trans Ams, not the whole Firebird line, JUST Trans Ams, Pontiac sold more T/As in 1979 than any of the cheaper Firebirds combined, Smokey and the Bandit had to have a hand in that. Except for Gleason, the original actors mostly redubbed their lines for the television version. This was the lull between Gas Crisis I and II, 1976-78, and Boomers were wanting stylish cars. East bound and down, loaded up and truckin The soundtrack album was released in 1977 on vinyl, cassette, and 8-track through MCA Records. Oh, and a hooker girlfriend that looked like Annie Potts. I know, Ive owned a 75 for 23 years. Sales jumped even higher in 1979 when Pontiac moved 117,108 Trans Ams. The side vents give it away. Director Hal Needham convinced Pontiac to feature the Pontiac Trans Am in the movie. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1980 ERTL SMOKEY & THE BANDIT PONTIAC FIREBIRD DIECAST CAR police car set at the best online prices at eBay! I have to admit, thats a pretty fantastic story, and as a major movie star, Im sure Burt Reynolds was able to figure out another way to acquire a means of transportation. Most reports of his death still didnt have that right! And back then what I wanted most of all was a highly customized Vette with exposed headlights. Reynolds and Field began dating during the filming.[13]. Ive also looked at a Fox based LTD cop car and an early 1991 whale Caprice 9C1 detective model, burgundy on burgundy cloth. Burt Reynolds as the Bandit can always count on the truckers on the other end of his C.B. Depends upon what he converted it from. This small modification was made to remind viewers of Trans Am models from 1969, which had in excess of 300 horsepower.