Everyone knows Smokey and the Bandit is the best car movie ever. This is an indisputable fact. Unfortunately, two sequels were made. While Smokey and the Bandit II wasn’t too bad, Smokey and the Bandit III was pretty awful. Burt only appeared in a cameo, and Sally was nowhere to be found. While Jerry, Jackie, Mike, Paul and Pat were the stars this time, Trigger changed quite a bit. The completely new version of the famous Bandit Trans Am just didn’t take off like the previous Triggers. The lower notoriety leaves us with a bargain option to use for this year’s Bandit Run. This 1982 Pontiac Trans Am, complete with the rare Recaro seat package, is being sold on eBay with a buy it now price of $5000. Fortunately, you can also submit an offer as well.
I remember as a kid looking forward to the third installment of Smokey and the Bandit. I loved the previous movies as only a kid could, and the Bandit was my idol. Given that the Trans Am got a complete redesign that year, I remember wondering if the Bandit would be driving the new version of the car. Imagine my shock when I discovered that Cletus was imitating the Bandit! To add to the strain, the new Trans Am just didn’t have that muscle car presence that the second generation cars had. The movie was a disappointment, but I guess it was time to move on anyway.
Despite my disappointment in Hollywood’s sacrilegious antics, I did love the new Trans Am. My aunt bought one of the first Trans Ams out there, and it was equipped with a four speed too! I loved that car, even though I usually had to pile into the little back seat and endure the punishingly hard suspension. Later in life, I learned that there were a number of quality control problems with these cars that didn’t exactly endear them to their owners. GM quality was pretty lousy back then, but the styling department was obviously getting customers in the door.
The car pictured here, while not in the best of shape, is a fairly rare model from 1982. The Recaro Trans Am S/E (or RPO Y84) was an upmarket version that boasted Recaro brand bucket seats and a black and gold paint job in the style of earlier Bandit cars. This is also reported to be the option package on the car from Smokey III. Costing up to 25% more than the standard Trans Am, this package also came with turbine style wheels with body color painted disc caps.
The wheels on this Trans Am have been replaced with later model wheels that don’t look as good as the originals. Another questionable change is the replacement of the often troublesome Crossfire Fuel Injected 305 cubic inch V-8 with a carbureted 350 cubic inch engine. The seller tells us that the original engine is available, so the car can be restored to its former troublesome fuel injected glory. My thoughts are that a high horsepower LS swap backed by a 6 speed manual would be a better choice.
The seller tells us that the car is equipped with a crude dual exhaust system, and that it runs and drives. It also appears that it was in long term storage. This fact does a lot to explain why the body is in such good shape. The interior, however, will need some work. It would also be interesting to know if it came with the WS6 option. This option was a package that included 15 inch wheels, four wheel disc brakes, a heavy duty suspension, quicker steering, and a limited slip differential. Given that it is a Trans Am that already has the Recaro package, the chances that the WS6 is there are pretty good and worth investigating.
Overall, these early third generation Trans Ams are becoming pretty rare. Rare enough for early models to start building some value. While I’d like to find one with these black and gold Recaro package cars to put in my garage, this one will need a lot of restoration work and expensive parts to make it presentable and authentic. Even though the condition leaves a lot to be desired, when was the last time you saw one? Rarity and the historical collectability of Trans Ams dictates that interestingly optioned cars will be worth a fair amount to collectors. It may be the right car at the right price sooner or later.
Hate to disagree, but Bullit was the best car movie.
Corvette Summer was the best car movie.
lmao!!… you’re kidding, right?
Aston Martin DB5 and Lotus Bond cars undisputed best movie cars ever ..
That certainly is disputed.
What do you think beats them?
Of course the Bullitt Mustang. I don’t think I have to mention the original Bandit car. Today they are still making cars to commemorate that car.
I will think of others and come back.
The James Bond cars are popular with a small group of car lovers. They are not anything anybody could ever have.
I don’t see the value here.
The interior needs lots of work. The paint doesn’t look that good.
The engine, who knows where it is from.
Are those seats worth thousands of dollars over what one is worth without them?
“Best car movie ever”? Not even close. Bullitt, Gumball Rally, Vanishing Point, Dirty Mary and Crazy Larry, LeMans, Grand Prix, all ahead of the Bandit. Easy.
One of The best movie cars has to be stallones merc in cobra,and i like david spades car in tommy boy before the deer.For me though the coolest car is kid rocks car in Joe dirt love that silver interior.
Best Movie Car nominees: Thunderbird from Thelma & Louise; Alfa from the Graduate; Thunderbird from American Graffiti; Aston DB5 from the Bond movies; Austin Healey from Father of the Bride; in fact, any car from any movie where you remember the car but not much about the movie.
BTW – Gumball Rally really sucked as a movie, except for the scene with Adrienne Barbeau getting pulled over in the Countach.
Not Gumball Rally. You’re thinking of Cannonball Run, which was a crappy movie, but better known than the superior Gumball Rally.
Bullet, the original Eleanor from Gone in Sixty Seconds.
Herbie the love bug.
I can think of several more as others have.
As far as movie cars go, I’ll take the ’68 bada$$ Camaro from Aloha Bobby and Rose for the win. Actually love all the American muscle from the other movies mentioned above.
We are crossing between; best movie car, and best car movie. Not necessarily the same thing. I like Vanishing Point for both the movie and the car. Lets not forget The Italian Job,original version.
“I likes ’em big!!!”
“French Connection” and “To Live and Die in L.A. car chases
American Graffiti! Pick one.
Corvette ZR1 vs Camaro ZL1 through a corn field in The Last Stand is a fun watch.
I have to admit, I liked that one, but I think the Corvette would have destroyed the Camaro in real life
Kent Dorfmans brother’s car became the “death mobile ” in animal house…Think it was a 63 ford …worth a mention lol…
1966 Lincoln Continental
Y’all forgot KITT.
Knight Rider was a tv serries not a movie.
Hard Driver with Jeff Bridges had a pretty nasty blue fastback Mustang in it, love all the above car movies but my favorite movie car would be the ’55 Chevy in Two Lane black top and American graffiti. Either primer grey or stealthy black, I’d be happy.
How about Hollywood knights.
That yellow blown 57 up against
That cobra awesome race mainly
With that oil vapor coming
Off the roof and down the trunk every time
T.Danza shifted.thought that was pretty cool!
If that car was a horse, you’d have to shoot it.
I see better and cheaper ones in Houston Craigslist
While I enjoyed the 1st SatB, it’s why I became a truck driver, and never saw the other 2, but without question, the best car movie was American Graffiti. While the car chase movies were fun, most of it was pretty far fetched and rarely happens, but American Graffiti was pretty much how I remember the early 60’s. Hotrods, drag racing on Airport Rd., or guys with nerdy cars that just wanted to hang out. Where were you in ’62?
Fast forward 15 years , old guys with money will be longing for their high school cars of the 80s , Mecum and Barret Jackson will be auctioning Trans Ams , Camaros , Corvettes off for crazy money ,
Values of 80s cars are a joke , I feel like the last person on earth who loves these cars , the c4 corvette is so far advanced over the c3 it’s ridiculous , yet values aren’t there yet , the 82-84 Z28 and sister car trans am were also revolutionary in styling and handling and are a blast to drive , they will never be big blocks with 4 speeds , yet are a tremendous value for regular folk who don’t have 50-100k for a museum piece to be stored in a garage as an investment, buy em , drive em , have fun with em
IMO the Trans Ams because nice looking cars by the mid 80’s.
I meant “became.”
Great underrated movie from 1980 The Hunter with Steve Mqueen where he drives Classic 50s cars , his aquaintances drive East LA low riders , but the best scenes are when he goes out of town and his rental car is a 79 Trans Am , he beats the p*** our if it , and brings it back on a flatbed in pieces , worth a look
“DADDY”…….I HAVE TO PEE….!!
The best line in the first movie…..LOL…
Ok you guys, I appreciate all of your answers and now realize that I have seen all of those movies. (did not know that i was such a car/movie nerd!) And I like them all. But besides the movie the 7-Ups saving my life, my favorite is still the original Italian Job. See Glenn you are not alone. (I found a DVD not long ago that had actually some footage that I had not seen before!) If you have not seen the original Italian Job with Micheal Cain. Then you owe it to yourself to find it. Do not be afraid to invest in a copy for yourself. As it is a Classic Car person flic to add to any collection. It has more “seat time” than any movie that I can think of.
And the Lincoln from Animal house was cool but not really the heart of the movie.
(You F”’ed up! You trusted us! Is the best line in that movie!)
John Frankenheimer’s “Ronin” w/ Robert DeNiro, Jean Reno & Natascha McElhone; not one, but TWO chases through narrow European streets! (Alledgedly made w/ NO CGI) :-)
Now we talking .. and I have owned both cars .. still think Aston and Lotus pips then though but great call.
Another car chase scene I remember fondly was from a foreign movie called Shaker Run. Had a so so trans am stunt car being chased by some hit man who steals a full race Capri and chases after the stunt car up a windy mountain road. The sound of that Capri alone made the movie worth watching.
I was 10 when I first saw the Dodge M4S Interceptor and I have been hooked ever since! Typical 80’s movie but it had some great car scenes.
Sorry but there’s only one right answer here: The V8 Interceptor, Pursuit Special, modded 1973 Ford Falcon XB GT coupe in the original “Road Warrior”.
The ’70 GTO Judge in “Two Lane Blacktop”
I’m hiding in the corner over here thinking “Flying Delorean”…
No one likes the orange Camaro in “Eat My Dust”?
ADRIAN B was in CANNONBALL RUN…
BANDIT 3 AINT ALL BAD…
THE CAR WOUND UP IN KNIGHTRIDER FOR A 15 MIN SHOOT.