Burt Reynolds and the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am are two American icons that have been inextricably linked since the ’70s. The late actor famously drove the muscle car in the sleeper hit Smokey and the Bandit, before he added one to his own collection. Now, that very Trans Am is heading to auction.
The car in question is a pristine 1977 Trans Am Special Edition that sports a striking black-and-gold finish. The promotional vehicle was gifted to Reynolds as a thank you for his top-notch turn in the famed 1977 flick. To be clear, this is not the Pontiac that appeared on screen, but it’s certainly a star in its own right. It’s also the only ‘77 Trans Am that Reynolds ever owned. The retro gem will go under the gavel without reserve at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale auction this coming Saturday.
For the unversed, Smokey and the Bandit follows two bootleggers, Bo “Bandit” Darville (Burt Reynolds) and Cledus “Snowman” Snow (Jerry Reed), who are trying to illegally transport 400 cases of Coors from Texarkana to Atlanta. After a relatively modest release, it went on to make $126.7 million to become the second-highest-grossing movie of ‘77.
Under the hood, the black beast is equipped with a 6.6-liter V-8 mated to an M40 three-speed automatic transmission. Rated at 185 hp and 320 ft lbs of torque, it delivers just the right amount of oomph for a bandit. The car was also optioned with a twin-hatch T-roof, black leather interior and the all-important A/C.
The legendary leading man reportedly only drove the vintage four-wheeler on rare occasions, before he eventually sold it in 2014. The second owner meticulously restored the car to its former glory, all the while preserving the hand-painted “Bandit” lettering atop each door and the scuff marks left by a certain bandit’s cowboy boots on the driver’s sill plate.
That’s not the only sign of Reynolds. The actor also autographed the glovebox and there is an engraved dedication plate on the driver’s door. The car also comes with a signed copy of Burt Reynolds’ autobiography, a 1970s-style Trans Am jacket and a “Bandit” cowboy, as well as a copy of the film that started it all.
Check out more photos below:
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