The last week of May 1977 was a big week for young movie-goers. Both Star Wars and Smokey and the Bandit were released in theaters almost on the same day. I don’t remember which one I stood in line to see first, but chances are it was the Burt Reynolds flick. It would go on to make the Pontiac Trans Am more famous than it already was. This weather worn ’77 Pontiac looks a lot like the one that ran diversion for a truckload of illegal beer in the film. Located on the back of a trailer in Tama, Iowa, this T/A is missing its engine and transmission and has seen its fair share of bad luck. It’s available here on eBay where bidders have raised the ante to $3,638.
Thanks to the popularity of the Bandit movie, Trans Am sales went through the roof. From 46,700 copies sold in 1976, they delivered 68,700 units in 1977, 93,300 in 1978, and peaked at 117,000 in 1979. We suspect this forgotten Pontiac once had a 6.6-liter V8 under the hood which delivered 185 horses and 325 325 lb.-ft of torque. Or the optional “T/A 6.6” engine that made an extra 25 hp. Given the condition of the vehicle seen here, we assume the body gave out before the engine, so it was removed at some point along with the automatic transmission which was standard fare.
The seller’s Trans Am is the SE edition of which just 3,760 were made with a Hurst shifter and T-Tops, according to the seller. This is said to be a PHS-documented auto that doesn’t look too bad from a distance. But once we get closer, you begin to see the issues with the body, specifically corrosion. And once you open the doors and look inside, the situation gets more depressing. It’s a mess and there are some pretty substantial holes in the floors, said to have been caused by leaking roof panels.
Does the rarity of this car prompt you to want to undertake an expensive restoration? One that will not involve it ever being a numbers-matching machine? But once you got finished, you could put on a fancy hat like Burt Reynolds and see if you can make the same historic run with bootleg beer – without attracting the attention of Sheriff Justice.
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