Reynolds actively pushed for her casting after Universal initially resisted, claiming Field was not attractive enough. The movies are rated PG with a run time of 282 minutes and released to video by Universal Studios. Of course, nobody else cared if it was in the trunk of the car when heading back home. These Furys, as well as some of the LeMans units, have hood scoops. The LeMans police car did nothing for me because there was a colonnade LeMans sedan in the garage at home. Anyone with insight is encouraged to share their knowledge on this. One of those things that will make my kids think Im crazy some day. These were the cans with the two circular push buttons on top instead of pull tabs. East bound and down, loaded up and truckin The sound came from a 1955 Chevrolet Custom, the same car that was used in Two-Lane Blacktop and American Graffiti, films launched in 1971 and 1973, respectively. Yet when I think of a 70s T/A, thats the one I and Im sure millions of other folks think of. However, in more recent years, the original version has been shown (on ITV, a commercial channel), usually with the stronger language edited out, often quite awkwardly. Burt Reynolds plays truck driver Bo Bandit Darville. Anyway, on the trip east, we stopped at a grocery in Topeka, Kansas and bought 16-18 cases of Coors, all that we had room for in the car. I still couldnt resist lighting up the Pontiacs tires while executing my T-turns. a custom mandrel bent dual exhaust, and the Mondello bottom end plate to stabilize the windowed mains. The dubbed version isnt as bad as the Remastered Blu-ray. I think more of Smokey and the Bandit II and the awful part 3 were filmed largely in Florida, I dont know if I-75 construction was started by 1976-77, at least the section down to Miami part, when they filmed. I started cruising through EBay and the next thing I knew I won the auction for a clean 400/4 speed/T-Top 78 Trans Am. In a rare public appearance, Burt Reynolds revealed how many cars they wrecked making Smokey and All I know is, at the time, if you lived in the east, Coors was some really special beer not unlike microbrews are now. Due to his financial difficulties in 2014, Reynolds put his vast collection of artwork and memorabilia up for auction, including the Trans Am. Your email address will not be published. It was something regarding distribution limits. There definitely was a halo cast around the 2nd gen F-body from its appearance in the movie, which I believe even did extend to the Camaro, which was probably the cheapest way to at least get some of the Bandit vibe, where there other factors too, probably, the 70s, disco, cocaine, mustaches and probably a bunch others.many thought that these car would be the last hurrah for anything performance oriented. 2-Smokey and the Bandit II-Pretty bad, still has some funny campy crap, the Dom DeLuise Italian Dr. bit is ok, Gleason is still pretty funny, the Turbo T/A is pretty weak, but still cool to see. and used hard. I think Stroker Ace is after Smokey and the Bandit, though there was Hooper, which was about a stuntman, it also had Sally Field, it was from 1978 or so. The second film was a modest box office success, earning $66.1 million against a $17 million budget. [15] All four of the cars were badly damaged during production,[16] one of which was all but destroyed during the jump over the dismantled Mulberry bridge. Several other groups, such as the U.S. rock band Tonic and U.K.-based country cover band We Be Ploughin' have also covered it. Smokey and the Bandit was one of the most iconic movies of the 1970s. Reynolds and Needham owned the Skoal Bandit team at the time, so getting these other drivers to appear probably would not taken much more than a six pack of beer and a hug from co-star Loni Anderson . I imagine that they borrowed some of the character from Sheriff JW Pepper from the 1973 and 1974 James Bond movies, Live and Let Die and The Man with the Golden Gun. Other than Jackie Gleason upstaging every other cast member, the perceived star of the show is this 1977 Pontiac Trans Am. The Trans Am was a high-performance package for the Firebird, Pontiac's take on the Chevrolet Camaro. Great fun! Burt Reynolds' 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Sold for $240,000. Round and dumpy, just like the Colonnade LeMans! Although 1977 models also featured 6.6-liter engines, they were rated at only 200 horses. However, as our heroes were successful in delivering their truckload of Coors, the writers effectively poised themselves for a sequel. In 1991, it was arranged for orchestra by Crafton Beck and recorded by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra for their album Down on the Farm. The muscle car market reached a peak in the late 1960s, as the car was becoming larger, more powerful, and more aggressive by looks. Because sales were so high, Pontiac decided to delay the third-generation model. By the film's ending, the final surviving Trans Am and LeMans were both barely running and the other cars had become parts donors to keep them running. thebandit77transam 2009-04-14 14:04. andre1969 wrote Pontiac supplied 5 brand-new cars for "Smokey and the Bandit". Many people believed beforehand that the film was not right for . In 2006, a DVD re-release was issued of Smokey and the Bandit featuring a digitally remastered audio track with 5.1 Dolby-compatible surround sound. [8] Niver provided much of the western attire worn in the film, as well as the custom-made sheriff's uniforms (waist size 64") that Gleason wore throughout the film. [4] Just two days before production was to begin, Universal sent a "hatchet man" to Atlanta to inform Needham that the budget was being trimmed by $1 million. A guy we knew drove his half-ton pickup from western WA to his reserve 2-week stint in his home state in California. Smokey and the Bandit was the second highest-grossing domestic film of 1977 in the United States. Jackie Gleasons Buford T. Justice character is a supposedly an amalgamation of a few characters, including the real Buford T. Justicethere is obviously the Dodge safety sheriff from the 1970s ads, Burt Reynolds father was chief of police of Jupiter Florida, and a friend of his fathers, a Florida Highway Patrol officer was actually the REAL Buford T. Justice. . Coors wasnt pasteurized. I'm afraid I was responsible for a good few of those. In response, Needham told Reed that he liked the song so much that if Reed changed even a word or a note, Needham would "choke him". Naturally, it fetched the highest price with a . It was destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit II and in a flashback scene in Part 3. [11] The movie was primarily filmed in Georgia, in the cities of McDonough, Jonesboro, and Lithonia. Likely this isnt any rare engine venting package, but I could be wrong. That is why there are not any left. Most reports of his death still didnt have that right! Chevy almost did the same with its counterpart, the Camaro. Reynolds was the top box office draw from 1975 to 1982, then his movies really started to go downhill. It had the Modello cam kit, ported 69(I think) heads with upsized valves, headers, aftermarket intake, 3.21 gears (Up from 2.41 stock!) Want proof? Weve got a long way to go and a short time to get there How many police cars were wrecked in Smokey and the Bandit? In its place was the nonsensical scum bum. The voice over actor? [12] The area around Helen, Georgia, was used for some locations. A diablo sammich from my understanding is a like a Sloppy Joe but with taco seasoning added in for spice. Actor Henry Corden, who voiced Fred Flintstone after original performer Alan Reed died the same year the film was released, was used to replace a considerable amount of Sheriff Justice's dialogue. Reed would eventually play the Bandit in Smokey and the Bandit Part 3, in which Reynolds only appeared in a cameo near the end. Even when the 2nd gen was already coasting on fumes, and defanged, and after the reasonably shitty Smokey and the Bandit sequel, Pontiac managed to pump out 107,000 Trans Ams in 1980 and 70,000 for the 2nd gen Trans Ams swan song in 1981. The 403 Olds T/A was a dog, stock, but with some easily obtained parts, could be turned into a very nice low 13 second tire melter. There was a true concern (for some minuscule reason) about it going east of the Mississippi River. Trigger had a big impact on my taste in cars with the Trans Ams of the late 70s being my favorite. At the drive-in of all places. Burt Reynolds recently revealed the ridiculous number of Pontiac Trans Ams they went through filming 1977s Smokey and the Bandit. Sales almost doubled in two years, which is a very big deal given that the Trans Ams 1978 facelift was rather minor save for the front fascia. . J.J. & The Dixie Dance Kings was a milder one that had (I think) a 56 Buick Century . This is obvious, because there is no fuel tank on the underside of the trailer to power the refrigeration unit, and the unit is never heard running. Here are 20 facts about the Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit. The 1977 Firebird Trans Am once owned by Burt Reynolds was sold at auction Saturday for $495,000 at a sale held by Barrett-Jackson. Behind Sheriff Justices Pontiac, there is a nice looking 1965 or 1966 Ford Mustang fastback and a Toyota pickup. I recall a big smokey burnout right after they left Snowmans house that looked 455-worthy and also after Bandit picked up Fields he left two strips after nailing second (right before the tire thieves crossed the road), which makes me think there was also a 4 speed car used. Some differences included the use of a supercharged 454-CID (7.4-liter) Chevrolet-sourced engine that put out 840 HP, and four round headlights, which appeared on the 196769 Firebirds/Trans Ams only; the actual 197781 models had rectangular headlights. For this purpose, they overdubbed dialogue deemed offensive, which was common practice. Pontiac should have made a radio that played that song automatically simply by pushing a button, or maybe made it the horn sound. [37], The first run in 2007 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the movie, The Bandit Run was the brainchild of Dave Hall, owner of Restore A Muscle Car. I actually remember the construction of that segment of I-75, as it stopped around Tampa prior to that time. He has no less than four movies listed as coming out, and they run the gamut from romantic drama to family comedy to horror mystery to action thriller. Arguably the most iconic Pontiac Firebird in history. I always think scumbum because when I watched it as a kid in the early 90s, it was usually on TBS. Your email address will not be published. Sally Field and Burt Reynolds began a relationship after meeting on set. how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2. Reynolds replied: We went through 12. [40] Major portions of the audio background have been modified with different engine sounds or tire squeals from the original film. Duarte or maybe ir was Arcadia , it was white with a red & blue pinstripe , we dropped $400 (an ungodly sum back then) on a re paint and pin striping but could _not_ sell that wretched POC , it took us two years IIRC . The advertisements lampoon the film and feature a Pontiac Trans Am and a cover version of the song East Bound and Down. It cornered amazingly well for such a large car, but the posi rear end emitted ominous sounds so I passed on it (I was in college and didnt have any place to do major repairs). Of course, it's difficult to asses whether these small decals did something to change buyer perception about the Trans Am, but it's an interesting part of the Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am's history. And the 400 Pontiac or 403 Olds versions could be made to run well. Starring Bob Hope, that comedic star of the screen, and the lovely Jane Russell boy what a pair! I never forgot that one. Gator , Stroker Ace , lots of them . Soon as I get home, first thing Im gonna do is punch yo mamma in da mouth!. Burt Reynolds is originally a Georgia boy. Justice. When Im driving the Bandit Trans Am while playing one of my many Forza Motorsport games I always put that song on. Before Gleason was cast in the film, Richard Boone was originally considered for the role of Buford T. 1975 PLYMOUTH FURY HIGHWAY PATROL "SMOKEY & THE BANDIT" 1/18 BY . When it was over, I cried and cried and cried because I didnt want it to end. Required fields are marked *. The redesign was originally planned for 1980, but 1978 and 1979 became record years for GM's division, so the new model was pushed back. Two cars were reportedly badly damaged in early stunts in the film, while a third car was completely destroyed during the famous bridge jump scene. The change was somewhat strange as most automakers were using cubic-inch numerals to advertise engines. The film's theme song, "East Bound and Down", was written virtually overnight by Reed. Smokey & The Bandit was the first of three movies in that franchise. Ive always wanted some sort of de-commission/ex unmarked cop car, something from the 70s preferably. S&TB was filmed primarily off Route 400 in Georgia. The site's consensus states: "Not much in the head but plenty beneath the hood, Smokey and the Bandit is infectious fun with plenty of car wrecks to keep your eyes glued". Burt Reynolds may be 79, but he shows no signs of slowing down. I remember borrowing my brothers red 1976 T/A to take a girl to the theater to see Smokey and the Bandit. The scene where Sheriff Justice's car has the door knocked off by a passing . I had a 78 Trigger lookalike for a while in the mid 90s, until a wrist pin went out, ended up selling it to one of my brothers buddys uncles. Im east bound, just watch ol Bandit run.. The $%&#* Germans got nuthin to do with it!, Such a great movie I grew up in the 80s, so it was comforting to watch this, Blues Brothers, or Animal House once a week on TBS/TNT. I was to be paid a salary plus own 7% of the profits. Dont let his grumpiness fool you though; hes more than excited to provide the latest news and reviews on the most interesting cars in the industry. Not a bad deal, but on the fourth year, no new car. The story replaced the Coors beer with Mobil 1 products. The production team wrecked three for the four cars it received from Pontiac. While it's sad that the other two cars were destroyed . Hal Needham did pass away as someone earlier said. As deals were made for the actors and producers, the studio wanted to renegotiate my deal. Id like to hear from Mr. Needham why so many of those police cars had what look like shaker hood scoops. Reynolds and Field began dating during the filming.[13]. Three Kenworth W900A short-frame semi trucks, driven by Reed, were each equipped with 38-inch sleepers. [27] In his review in the Chicago Tribune, Gene Siskel gave the film two stars and complained that the film failed to tell the audience when the clock started on the beer run, thus reducing suspense. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1975 Plymouth Fury Police Pursuit Arkansas State Police "Smokey and The Bandit" at the best online prices at eBay! 1979 was equally successful for the brand, joining 1978 to create Pontiac's best sales years ever. [22] It premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, where it performed badly. A segment of the CMT program Reel Eats used a sloppy joe-style recipe consisting of seasoned ground beef, corn, and sour cream. Luckily, both cars survived, and the Trans Am became famous only five years later. There was still a market for bras in the 1970s. I will confess that by the time this movie was out, I was a Mopar guy. I think thats another line theyve edited out for the television version. His personaround, dumpy, and clipping wordsreminds one of another fictional southern sheriff. The secrets behind the cars and stunts in 'The Italian Job'. A 1975 Pontiac Grand Prix with a Buick Electra behind it. They retained the white steering wheels until 72 or so , just the thing to preveny burned fingers in the Desert sun . That said, an uncomplimentary accent does exist. And theres beer in Texarkana.. She is a runaway bride, sitting on the side of the road in her 1973 Chevrolet Impala coupe.
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