Lot Ended
Description
Smokey and the Bandit tribute car with removable Targa top; 5.0 V8
power; fabulous exhaust note; new wheels and tyres; in daily use and driven 90
miles to the sale; 10-4 good buddy, yee-ha!
When Ford
released the wildly successful Mustang in 1964, General Motors jumped on the
‘pony car’ bandwagon by launching its own high-performance hot shots, the
Chevrolet Camaro and the Pontiac Firebird which shared the same platform. In
1969 a range-topping Trans Am version of the Firebird was introduced with a
special Ram Air engine and performance handling package.
The second generation Firebird came out in 1970, Pontiac shoehorning
the massive 455ci big block into the Trans Am resulting in one of the most
sought-after performance cars of the era. In 1973 the Trans Am became available
with the iconic Firebird ‘Screaming Chicken’ graphic on the bonnet, now forever
associated with the black-and-gold Trans Am famously driven by Burt Reynolds in
‘Smokey and the Bandit’.
Built in 1979,
this Trans Am left the factory with a 445ci (7.5-litre) V8 under the bonnet but
this has since been replaced by a slightly more sensible 5.0 unit (which
virtually doubles the fuel economy) mated to Turbo Hydramatic 3-speed automatic
transmission.
Fitted with the optional T-bar
Targa roof with removable panels for open-air motoring, it has the correct Trans
Am shaker bonnet and milled aluminium dash with additional gauges. It also has
the Radial Tuned Suspension package for a more comfortable ride and better
handling. Anoraks will note that it has been retro-fitted with a 1978 front end
which is more aggressive than the aero-optimised front of the 1979 models and
matches that on the 1977 Bandit car.
Imported to
the UK in 2021, it was acquired by our vendor in November 2023 who immediately
set about turning it into a ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ tribute car. This
included applying a new set of gold decals and fitting a new set of 15” Gold
Snowflake alloys, as on the Bandit’s car, shod with a new set of Cooper Cobra
tyres. The interior was also retrimmed and twin side-exit exhausts plus a
CB radio aerial on the roof complete the tribute look.
He also
went right through the car to make it a reliable daily driver, as detailed in
invoices and notes on file. This included a full suspension overhaul with new
rear leaf springs, new shock absorbers all round and new bushes as required. The
brakes were also overhauled with new master cylinder, servo, rebuilt calipers
and new brake lines. Other goodies include a new fuel pump and water pump, new
headlights, new Targa roof seals, new ignition parts, full service with all
fluids changed including transmission oil and filter. A battery cut-off switch
has been discreetly fitted inside the front left wheelarch to stop anyone
nicking it (see photos).
In more or less daily
use ever since, it had another engine oil and filter change in June last year
and has an MOT until June 2026 with just two minor advisories. Supplied with
some useful spares in the boot, it also has a dash cam, an owner's manual,
a guide to the Pioneer CD/radio and a nice private plate (OBD 292) which is
transferable.
Driven over 90 miles to the sale on a baking hot day,
it has been starting instantly and running beautifully as we have moved it
around on site, with healthy 60psi oil pressure and a wonderfully woofly exhaust
note. We started and stopped the engine multiple times while taking the photos
and it never once complained – try doing that with a Jensen Interceptor!
Burt Reynolds loved his Bandit Trans Am
so much that he bought one for himself, finally selling it at auction in 2014
when it made a whopping $450k. Given that this car looks exactly the same, it
seems an absolute bargain at the modest guide price suggested.
Brace
yourself for some attention though - the vendor tells us that
it attracts so much comment and so many selfie-takers that it can get
rather annoying at times! It has also been featured on YouTube and you can see a
short clip of that video if you copy and paste this link into your
browser:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JAKBn8blV1U
But to see what this car
is really all about, check out Burt Reynolds having fun in the actual
Bandit car:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBWGEYC206Q
10-4 good buddies!
PS: If you are wondering what the
channels/tubing along the sills are for, they are multi-colour LED strip lights
which illuminate the underside of the car for show use. We are also told
that the engine has A5 heads which are better than
standard.
Consigned by James Dennison –
07970 309907 – [email protected]