If you’ve followed www.PontiacV8.com for any length of time, you’ve likely recognized my enjoyment in delving deep into Pontiac topics. I find great pleasure in the relentless pursuit of discovering new information and/or Pontiac-related documents and then sharing it with you in my blog posts.
McQ staring John Wayne was the first big screen movie to include a second-generation Trans Am. New information on the cars used during filming has recently been uncovered. One still exists today.
A recent example of newfound information is on McQ’s Brewster Green ‘73 Trans Am. The McQ movie cars have intrigued me for decades. I’ve spent countless hours reviewing the movie on a frame-by-frame basis hoping to understand how many car were used during filming. The new information suggests that Pontiac provided John Wayne’s Batjac production company with four identically-equipped Trans Ams—two of which are documented with VINs. While some questions remain unanswered, we know much more about these cars than ever before.
The ‘73 Trans Am used in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot was Clint Eastwood’s personal vehicle. It was specifically altered by the production crew for filming. The car still exists today and I’m hoping to feature it in a future blog. Might you know its past or current owner(s)?
So, what about the other 1970s movies in which second-generation Trans Ams prominently appeared? It’s well known that the Cameo White ‘73 Trans Am in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot was Clint Eastwood’s personal vehicle at the time. He later purchased a new ‘77 Special Edition Trans Am. I hope to someday speak with whomever owns (or owned) either of Clint’s Trans Ams for a future www.PontiacV8.com blog post. Please contact me directly if you have any details about them.
During the summer of 1977, Clint Eastwood purchased this black-and-gold Special Edition Trans Am. Did he trade his ‘73 Trans Am for this one? Although it doesn’t appear that it ever appeared on screen, does it still exist today?
Speaking of Special Edition Trans Ams, there’s no denying that Smokey and The Bandit is extremely popular with second-gen Firebird fans. As it played out, Bandit’s black-and-gold beauty proved as much a star as Burt Reynolds and Jackie Gleason. While I had the opportunity to interview Hal Needam about the making of the movie for High Performance Pontiac magazine—and he shared many interesting details with me—very little concrete information has come forth about the actual Trans Ams used during filming. It’s something that has always nagged me.
Smokey and The Bandit is likely the most popular movie to feature a second-gen Trans Am. It’s unclear just how many Trans Ams Pontiac supplied for filming and how each was equipped. This photo lends insight on what was needed to film “driving” scenes with dialog. Want to see images like this and more? Visit Bo Durban’s BanOne.net website.
Every so often I come across a fellow hobbyist who shares a similar passion for researching a specific topic within the Pontiac hobby. Bo Durban, whom I recently met, is one such person. He and I were discussing Special Edition Trans Ams and during our conversation I quickly realized that Bo is the go-to source for information on the Smokey and The Bandit Trans Ams!
Based on the production schedule, the Trans Ams that Pontiac supplied for Smokey and The Bandit were likely 1976 models fitted with 1977-specific components (nose, hood, Shaker, and cast-aluminum Snowflake wheels). This photo demonstrates the modifications and/or damage the cars received during the filming process. Do any of the movie cars exist today? One report states they were immediately crushed upon reclamation by Pontiac.
Like my approach with McQ, Bo has taken a scientific approach to Smokey and The Bandit. Not only does he have an impressive collection of behind-the-scenes photos, he has also uncovered an astounding number of minute vehicle details, which lends insight into how many Trans Ams were used during filming, how each was equipped, and which ones appear in specific scenes.
The May 27, 1977 issue of North New Jersey’s The Herald News featured this article with Hal Needham. In it, Needham notes having 9 Pontiacs for the movie, but doesn’t specify how many of each model (Bandit’s Trans Am vs Smokey’s LeMans and other patrol cars). He also spoke of challenges maintaining the cars’ appearance and running condition for each day of shooting.
Bo created the BanOne.net website to share his information with fellow hobbyists. I spent a few hours viewing its images and reading his commentary. His passion resonates clearly. I’m simply amazed and impressed with how much Bo has uncovered about Smokey and The Bandit and the Trans Ams within. I admire his effort and accuracy! And I’m certain you will, too! Click here to see it for yourself!