1977 PONTIAC TRANS AM - Car Of The Week #14 6/16/16

[Admiral2]

1977 PONTIAC TRANS AM

"Now, looka here...this is Sheriff Buford T. Justice, and I am officially puttin' out an APB on the Bandit and that Trans Am o' his. If you see him, you may use whatever force necessary to stop him. He is up to no good. He will con you and insult you and make you look stupid. Do not let him get the upper hand."




SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

the 1977 smash hit movie about big rigs, hot rods and beer smuggling. It stars Burt Reynolds as the Bandit, a trucker who accepts a contract to transport beer across state lines. He must do this under the watchful eyes of Sheriff Buford Justice, a highway patrol officer played by the legendary Jackie Gleason.




"I saw that, you sombitch! You did that on purpose!"

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[J.T.B.]

"Meh" for the overstyling, screaming chicken and T-roof. Jim Rockford's copper Esprit, now there was a Firebird that meant buisness.

 

[RandyS]

My dad had one of those around the time of that movie. It never ran right. He poured thousands of dollars into it to make it "look good" but he could never seem to get it to run. It was constantly "in the shop". I rode in it three times.

Because of this I can't decide weither to vote "rubbish" because of dad's car, or "awesome" simply because I prefer older things to current stuff.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

"Meh" for the overstyling, screaming chicken and T-roof. Jim Rockford's copper Esprit, now there was a Firebird that meant buisness.

I always used the term "fire chicken decal"

Still, one of the last good looking American cars for a long time, and if you managed to get the V8 (yeah, even a late 70's V8), a pretty fast car too.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

I owned a 1980 version of this, the V-8 with Turbo. It had the turbo indicator lights in the bump on the hood. It also had the wrong rear bumper, probably was in a small accident and owner replaced it but with wrong year.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I owned a 1980 version of this, the V-8 with Turbo. It had the turbo indicator lights in the bump on the hood. It also had the wrong rear bumper, probably was in a small accident and owner replaced it but with wrong year.

Or maybe with a Camaro bumper? Those cars were identical except the front and rear bumpers, the rims and the badging.

 

[publiusr]

Knight Rider I liked. The 77 I loved.

That half-and half 79? UGH!!!

 

[Push The Button]

Eastbound and down....

 

[The Old Mixer]

Y'know, I think I liked Snowman's semi better....

 

[BillJ]

Meh.

Gen 1 and early-Gen 2 Firebirds looked and ran better.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Meh.

Gen 1 and early-Gen 2 Firebirds looked and ran better.

The same is true of a lot of cars. Think what a pile of crap the Mustang II was. At least the Camaro/Firebird still had some style and a little bit of power left.

 

[BillJ]

Mustang II.

 

[urbandefault]

Loved that car's looks, hated that you couldn't see over the hood. A buddy had a '74 Formula in those days, and it felt like I was riding in a submarine.

 

[Duncan MacLeod]

I had a '79 Firebird. It only had two problems. The carpet in the back had been cut too short, and as a RWD car it had lousy traction in the snow. It was a good car, just not the best car for New England.

 

[publiusr]

Loved that car's looks, hated that you couldn't see over the hood. A buddy had a '74 Formula in those days, and it felt like I was riding in a submarine.

Yeah--but if you are in deer country--you'll like a long hood.

I think of the LTD II as a muscle car of sorts
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/1977_Ford_LTD_II.jpg

Just the thing to shove Scions and smart-for-two cars out of the way.

 

[urbandefault]

Yeah--but if you are in deer country--you'll like a long hood.

I think of the LTD II as a muscle car of sorts
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/1977_Ford_LTD_II.jpg

Just the thing to shove Scions and smart-for-two cars out of the way.

Ha.

My first car was a 73 Gran Torino, and a few years later I had a 78 Thunderbird. Long hoods.

But in deer country, nothing is better than an old Ford pickup. I speak from experience.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Long hoods.

Like 70's era Monte Carlo or Olds Toronado/Cadillac Eldorado.

 

[urbandefault]

Like 70's era Monte Carlo or Olds Toronado/Cadillac Eldorado.

OMG!

When I was in high school I worked at an Olds dealership. One of the owner's buds had a 77 Toronado that I had to drive back and forth from his house and the service department. That was a 20 mile adventure, every freaking time.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

The Toronado and Eldorado also had massive trunks. I really wanted a 77 Toronado after I saw one. I never got one.

Those were, surprisingly, front wheel drive cars.

 

[scotpens]

I always used the term "fire chicken decal"

Still, one of the last good looking American cars for a long time, and if you managed to get the V8 (yeah, even a late 70's V8), a pretty fast car too.

The second-generation Firebird and Camaro were beautiful cars when they debuted in 1970. But that hideous cowcatcher front (dictated by Federal bumper requirements) and bolted-on ducktail ruined the car's original clean, sleek lines.

And I hated those stupid redneck action movies.