Okay, so it’s not exactly the same, but it sure looks a lot like the one that Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason) drove and The Bandit (Burt Reynolds) helped to destroy in Smokey And The Bandit II. In our defense, though, it IS the same model and similar color, it has the same fender skirts, and it has the same hubcaps…oh, and it’s for sale here on craigslist in NJ.
We recently featured a blue one for sale in Portland, written by our own Bill Owens. He and Tom Appel over at The Daily Drive did great write-ups on the general background of these cars, so we don’t have to re-hash it. While that one is nice, THIS one is nicer – oh, and this one has about 1/6th the amount of miles as that one. Check that interior – plush carpet and pillow-top velour!
11 years after the Oil Crisis, this car was part of the new, downsized generation of the General’s land yachts from the 1970s. On the same platform as the Caprice, mechanical-repair parts are readily available.
The seller is a little shy with details, but the odometer picture shows a mere 37,000 miles…and based on the pictures, we believe it could be true. These could be had with a V6 or V8, and a three- or four-speed automatic transmission. The EPA estimated fuel economy for both around 18 miles per gallon, which is better than many vehicles made in the nearly 30 years since then.
So, what do you think? Would you make this into a tribute car? Maybe swap drivetrain components and make a crazy sleeper? Perhaps it’s the kind of car you want to take on a long road trip adventure with, say, a loved one or a few friends?
Union Beach is superstorm Sandy country, flood damage is a very high probability. In fact, if you look at the pictures, the houses across the street have been constructed to avoid flood damage.
I believe the Smokey and The Bandit smokey vehicle was a Pontiac Lemans. There was not a police package (or very few were made), but that is what they used.
You are correct for the first movie but in Smokey and the Bandit II a car very similar to this one was used.
It least it has a roof.
1980 Bonneville in Smokey and the Bandit II.
you failed to mention this is a canadian pontiac so its all chev under the body work! so its a different car all together compared to a US pontiac! maybe different to go to local cruise night with tho!
Actually, this is a post-Canadian Parisienne.
In 1983 there was no RWD Bonneville or Catalina (116″ wb) – the Bonneville was a FWD car, 108.1″ wb. But Canada still had the full-size Parisienne, and American Pontiac dealers were wondering why Canada had a full-size Pontiac and they did not.
So, for 1984 US Pontiac dealers got the Parisienne, with a 231-cid V6 or 305-cid V8. The Fairfax plant in Kansas began building Parisiennes for 1984 and the last Canadian-built Parisienne rolled off the line in Oshawa in August, 1984. The Parisienne was dropped in the U.S. at the end the 1986 model year.
Parisiennes were built at Fairfax through 1987, and 1988 production was moved to the Lakewood, Georgia where the last Parisienne was built in December, 1987. The 1987 and 1988 models were sold only in Canada.
Sleeper!!!!https://bangshift.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMG_20160913_204123_zpstpg641qi-685×363.jpg This one has a 608 hp 502 and runs 12.20’s with working ac and cruise and has 17000 miles on it.
“The EPA estimated fuel economy for both around 18 miles per gallon, which is better than many vehicles made in the nearly 30 years since then.”
My 2004 GMC Sierra 2500HD Duramax Diesel gets 21.5 MPG on the freeway.
My grandfather had a 1985 Caprice (same basic cars as this) with the 4.3 6 cylinder engine (not the 3.8 as someone stated earlier) & at the same time I had a Parisienne with the 307 Olds 8 cylinder engine (not the 305 stated before) & my 8 cylinder engine got better gas mileage than Grampas 6 cylinder one. His engine had to work harder to get that tank rolling. Neither one was a speed demon but due to hearing his 6 cylinder one felt quicker off the line. Just had to plant the gas to the floor. The 8 cylinder one would just bog down & creep away, but WAY better at passing on the freeway.
Grampas Caprice was an odd car. Previously mentioned 6 cylinder, no cruise, am radio, at least it had air. But the outside was decked out with 2 tone paint, wire caps, looked very fancy. The car version of pretending you are something you actually aren’t lol.