This is a modified 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that was personally owned by Burt Reynolds, the man who made the Trans Am a legend after he drove one in the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit.
Reynolds is said to have bought this car in the late 1970s, right around the time the movie was filmed, and owned it right the way through until 2010 when he gifted it to his groundskeeper. The car now has a modified 5.7 liter V8 fitted, along with a 6-speed manual transmission, and a raft of other upgrades.
Fast Facts – A Burt Reynolds-Owned 1978 Trans Am
- This 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am was owned by Burt Reynolds for over 30 years after his role in “Smokey and the Bandit” made the Trans Am an icon. Reynolds gifted the car to his groundskeeper in 2010, and it has since received extensive modifications and upgrades.
- “Smokey and the Bandit” featured a 1977 Trans Am in a starring role alongside Reynolds, Sally Field, and Jackie Gleason. The film’s success boosted Trans Am sales significantly, cementing its status as a pop culture icon and a symbol of American muscle cars in the late 1970s.
- Under the current owner, this Trans Am was upgraded with a 5.7 liter V8 featuring a Comp Cams camshaft, CVF Racing serpentine system, and Fi-Tech fuel injection, along with a Tremec 6-speed manual transmission, Wilwood disc brakes, and a Heidts four-link rear suspension.
- The car is now for sale on Bring a Trailer from Indiana, equipped with additional updates like a Hurst shifter, Dakota Digital gauges, air conditioning, and an aftermarket exhaust system. It comes with an Indiana title and is available for bidding.
Smokey and the Bandit
There are times when a certain car appears in a film and becomes a major character all on its own, think of examples like the James Bond DB7, the Gone in 60 Seconds Eleanor, and the Highland Green Mustang from Bullitt. Perhaps one of the the best examples is the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am from the legendary Burt Reynolds caper film, Smokey and the Bandit.
Above Video: This is the official theatrical trailer for “Smokey and the Bandit.” The film would go on to be the second highest grossing film of 1977 after “Star Wars,” taking in $127 million against a $4.3 million budget.
In Smokey and the Bandit the car plays and absolutely crucial role, right alongside the stars of the film, Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, and Jackie Gleason.
The plot follows “Bandit” (Reynolds), a charismatic truck driver, as he takes on a dare to haul 400 cases of illegal Coors beer from Texarkana, Texas, to Atlanta, Georgia, within 28 hours.
Bandit teams up with his friend Cledus “Snowman” Snow (Reed), who drives the truck, while he drives a black Pontiac Trans Am to divert police attention. Along the way, Bandit picks up a runaway bride named Carrie (Field), which sparks a cross-country chase led by the relentless Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Gleason).
The film is full of car chases, wry humor, and southern charm. It would become a surprise box office smash hit, bringing in the second highest box-office returns for 1977 after a little-known science fiction film called Star Wars which debuted in the same year.
The car is now fitted with an upgraded 5.7 liter small block V8, featuring a Comp Cams camshaft and valve springs, a CVF Racing serpentine system, and a Fi-Tech fuel injection system.
Both Reynolds and Field were already well-known actors by the time they appeared in Smokey, so the film’s true breakout star was the Trans Am. Sales of the distinctive American car would skyrocket after the film’s debut, jumping from 46,700+ in 1976 to 68,745 in 1977, 93,341 in 1978, and an astonishing 117,108 in 1979.
The 1978 Pontiac Trans Am Shown Here
The car you see here is a 1978 Pontiac Trans Am that belonged to Smokey and the Bandit lead actor Burt Reynolds for over 30 years, from the late 1970s right the way through to 2010. Reynolds is said to have gifted this car to his groundskeeper, a sign that he must have held him in high regard.
The groundskeeper would later sell the car to a family member, and in 2021 it was bought by the current owner (now seller). In the current owner’s possession the car was significantly upgraded, a new 5.7 liter V8 was fitted, this engine has been upgraded with Comp Cams camshaft and valve springs, a CVF Racing serpentine system, and a Fi-Tech fuel injection system.
The upgrades weren’t just limited to what’s under the hood, the car also received Wilwood disc brakes on all four corners, as well as adjustable coilovers, a Heidts four-link setup in the rear. Power is sent back through a Tremec 6-speed manual transmission and a rear end with a 3.73:1 gear set.
The interior looks largely original, save for the Hurst shifter and the discreet new Dakota Digital instrumentation system.
Additional updates to add to the long list above include the fitment of a Hurst shifter, air conditioning, Dakota Digital instrumentation, and an aftermarket exhaust system with an X-pipe and quad outlets.
The car is now being offered on Bring a Trailer out of Churubusco, Indiana with an Indiana title. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer + Universal Pictures
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Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
