Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am

[Trans Am Erik]

This has been a 6 year projectand a 32 year dream to own a Bandit Trans Am. I had a lot of help from friends, my Dad , and my Fiance Rachel and I wanted to share it with you.

[MoparWoman Jamie]

Sweet car man! I like it.

[highway]

Sweet!!!! I have always wanted one! if it wouldn't have been for my older brother talking my mom out of buying it for me, I would have had a 78 with 400 and 4 speed fpr my first car. I did have a 79 Firebird and 88 GTA, but found it was best big brother stepped in on the 78, as I thrashed both before I turned 21. Someday......

[moparmagiclives]

That's an awfully big mustache to fill man...

Awesome car. Are you going to invest in the big inch wheels that came for that a few years ago?

[Jeff Johnston]

AWESOME car ! In APril 1986 I bought a black 1978 T/A 4 speed and I loved that car ! Its one of the few I wish I had held onto. That's a beautiful car my friend ! Is that a 77 or a 78. I recently Built a model almost like that I left the pin stripes off because mine had the black and gold, but not the honeycomb, and not the pinstrpes or a T-top. Weird thing about my car was was it had Rally wheels with Gold Accents which I have never seen on a car since. Congratulations on fulfilling your dream ! I sold mine to get a 72 Corvette. The 2 cars I wish I still had

Now you;ll have to build the Revell kit. It almost just falls together. A little simplified, but a very nice kit. Only you'll have to get the Trans AM decals from Keith Marks

Edited August 14, 2012 by Jeff Johnston

[slusher]

Beautiful car, your a lucky man...

[crazyjim]

It looks so real.

[Trans Am Erik]

It looks so real.

lol

The car began life as a 1981 Turbo T/A. When I got it the floor pans were new, 355 crate engine, full length headers with dual Flows, Turbo 400 trans, 3:73 posi, 4 wheel disc brakes, and what was paint looked like grey primer. I'll post some build pics. Turning an 81 into a 77 SE is harder than it looks.

[Trans Am Erik]

The before pic

Right after I put the first 77 nose on it

The gold SE wheel. I still have to change the instrument panel to gold and change that B&M shifter. (Ihave a 79 bump shifter for it)

My Dad and I at the Downriver Cruise

Edited August 15, 2012 by Trans Am Erik

[Trans Am Erik]

Halloween 2007 and the stache is REAL!!

[Trans Am Erik]

The nose is easy, 14 bolts and 1 different bracket behind the emblem. The rear....................oooooo we had to change the WHOLE tail pan of the car to get the tail lights to bolt up so that had me looking fo not just tail lights but a rear pan, bumper, the ends of the rear spoiler were also different. Also the fuel tank but that comes later.

This is how you melt a trunk seal

[Trans Am Erik]

Fire in the bird

[eizzle]

Catching the car on fire your trying to mod... That brings back memories!

[Custom Hearse]

Nice. I sold my '77 T/A 2 years ago, and now I wish I still had it...

[zenrat]

Sweet as. I'm green with envy.

It looks so real.

My first thought was wow - that grass looks so real!

So, you gonna jump it?

[Tony T]

Nice!! Well done!

[Trans Am Erik]

Thanks for the compliments and stories guys. So, after we got the tail lights and bumper on we ran into another problem. The filler neck on the fuel tank was too long for the licence plate flip door to fit. I ended up getting a 77 fuel tank off a friend and it wasn't too hard to change.

I found an origional set of 77 snowflake wheels and restored them by hand.

Doing the panel fit and the body work, then off to paint

[Draggon]

Thanks for showing us your progress pics. Some nice work you're doing Erik.

[Ben]

Wow, nice work and great results!!!!!!

[Trans Am Erik]

So I got the decals from Phoenix Graphix, their "ultimate kit" where all the pinstripes are molded to shape rather than a roll of gold striping. I got refered to a place called Graphik Concepts for the install. It turns out that the owner, Joe Rupp worked for Hurst in the 70's putting the decals on the Trans Ams when they were new. Subsequently in late 1976 he put the graphics on the new 1977 Trans Am where the first 6 cars were bought by Universal Studios for use on their new movie Smokey and the Bandit. So, the guy that did the movie cars put the decals on my Trans Am!

[Trans Am Erik]

[57peppershaker]

Congrats on finishing your dream car Erik. A very nice car, great feeling isnt it. I waited 20 years before buying my 57 Chevy, & like you 6 to build it.

Tho looking at your build pics, mine had a lot more rust lol.

[Maindrian Pace]

Fantastic job on one of the best looking movie cars ever. Lots of work, and lots to be proud of.

-MJS

[Tony T]

Pretty cool that the same guy did your decals! Awesome!!

[Jeff Johnston]

Wow I would have never guessed looking at the first pics that this wasn't a 77. What a labor of love...gee don't ya think it may have been easier to have started with a 77 ? Just kidding of course. This is a beautiful car. I wish I still had mine.