Where Is The Original Smokey And The Bandit Trans Am

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Dec 24, 2015, 06:30pm EST |

Last Surviving 'Smokey & The Bandit' Pontiac Trans Am Up For Auction

Josh Max

I'm a New Yorker who grew up next to a garage & made a pest of myself

First things first - the 1977 Pontiac Trans Ams you saw in 1977's "Smokey and the Bandit" have gone to the great junkyard in the sky.

There were four working Trans Ams on the production and none survived the brutal punishment delivered by stunt men who sent the cars flying through the air, crashing into stuff and other carriage-destroying, frame-bending, body- pulverizing activities. Director Hal Needham said one of the Trans Ams was "completely destroyed" during the famous bridge jump scene.

There was, however, one "promotion" car that traveled hither and thither to plug the movie, which had an initial budget of $1,000,000 and ended up grossing $126,737,428, bested only by "Star Wars."

This 1977 Pontiac Trans Am "promo car" from "Smokey and the Bandit" is up for auction in January.... [+] Photo: Courtesy Barrett-Jackson

The current (anonymous) owner of this promo car bought it from Reynolds for $450,000 last year and found the engine hadn't been started since 1985. He also found, inside, the following:

*A certificate from Universal Studios listing the VIN of the car

*A plaque from General Motors showing the car was used to promote the movie

*Universal Studios maps showing scene locations, original studio press kits, an original script of the film and a title stating "Universal Studios Promo" (a subsequent title shows Burt Reynolds Institute for Film & Theatre.)

Interior. Photo courtesy Barrett-Jackson

The car features its original drive train and the engine, originally a 400ci TA 6.6 coupled with 3-speed Turbo-Hydramatic transmission. It's been rebuilt using a "rotisserie restoration" by McLaughlin Museum, and the rest of it's been equipped identically to the original movie specs including a Special Editionfeaturing the distinctive black and gold paint, removable T-tops, custom trim, deluxe interior, air conditioning, remote trunk lid release, power windows, power locks and an AM/FM radio with stereo 8-track player.

Finally, Reynolds himself signed the documentation.

It's going on the block in January. Ballpark price? $1,000,000, loaded up and truckin'.

Photo courtesy Barrett-Jackson

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Josh Max