Nice job, I know its cheesy as heck but I love this movie and still tend to watch it when I see its on TV. There's an odd bit, it doesn't seem like much, but when we go up on top of the Aircraft Museum we had to drive right to the very edge and it was a good hundred feet off the ground. Although those scenes were filmed at the LCS near West Palm Beach, Florida, there was another LCS refuge opened at the time in Grand Prairie, Texas (near Dallas) at the time of this movie's production (1980). Further, as Pontiac has deliciously obvious product placement, anyone who delights in 70s era Pontiac iron will experience visual ecstasy. A couple of years ago, I was sitting around on a lazy Saturday afternoon and it was on TV. Please refresh the page and try again. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, I am indeed a fan. I thought weve gotta get out of here, and we just made it. While Sheriff Justice doesnt deal well with the pressures of high speed pursuit, as seen above, his Pontiac LeMans (CC here) withstands the most abuse of any car in this entire movie. The movies are: Smokey and the Bandit (1977), Hooper (1978), Smokey and the Bandit II (1980) and The End (1978). That's because Pontiac almost canceled the Firebird in the early 1970s. We had no transporters. A black Trans Am is parked in my garage because of this movie. Everything was calculated to one mile an hour. I was 10 when this movie came out and I loved it then and I still do. It just seems wrong to see that car in any fashion without hearing that song. Sales of the coupe exploded after the film hit the silver screen and set unprecedented records for both Pontiac and the Firebird nameplate. S&TB was filmed primarily off Route 400 in Georgia. . 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. 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. Here, he drives a silver and blue 1980 . As a former Club Wagon pilot, I happen to like his Econoline. The uncut version is the best. And the 400 Pontiac or 403 Olds versions could be made to run well. 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. The 1977 model wasn't out yet when filming began, so General Motors provided 1976 cars with front clips from the soon-to-be-released 1977 update. A 1977 Pontiac Trans Am had, at most, 220 horsepower and a top speed of only 110 mph. There was still a market for bras in the 1970s. The pregnant elephant that Bandit & Cledus were trying to deliver from Miami to Dallas finally gives birth at Lion Country Safari wildlife refuge. The world record for the longest stunt car jump by a car powered with its own engine, at 163 feet, was performed for the film. It was ultimately closed down in 1992 due to constant flooding from its proximity to the Trinity River. My drivers ed driving range car was an ex-patrol colonnade Pontiac LeMans Enforcer. I think you may be confusing the movie Honky-Tonk Freeway with the filming done during I-75 construction near Sarasota. How Do Frodo and Sam Leave Mount Doom After the One Ring Is Destroyed? And all of us easterners suddenly discovered it was nothing more than another Budweiser/Miller/etc. The three Mini drivers in the film myself, Barry Cox and Richard Essame drove three Minis back from Turin, all in a line, all racing along, all 20-year-old boys being stupid. I didn't do the river crossing, which I was pleased about because I cant swim. The sticker read "T/A 6.6," which was a reminder of the engine's 6.6-liter displacement. The final scene is a nod to his Honeymooners character. Though she still has feelings for Bandit, when Carrie arrives, she initially intones she is only in it for the money, and she and Cledus work on getting Bandit off the booze and back into shape. While the initial concern was it having a regional appeal, it would ultimately play as well in New York City and Chicago as it did Atlanta, Georgia, or Biloxi, Mississippi. That is an excellent question. Ive always wanted some sort of de-commission/ex unmarked cop car, something from the 70s preferably. What Conditions Require You to Report a Boating Accident to the Alabama Marine Police? S/E T/A with the round headlights. Chevy brought back the Z28, and cant say S&B was reason. It was due to be torn down and rebuilt after being deemed in unsafe condition so its destruction was written into this movie. On the DVD, there is a brief interview with both Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham, who directed this film. It was a quick, quick bodge, but thats the car that went over the cliff. I bought that car for under 1,000, but 45 years later I drove it at the Villa dEste concours and it was valued at 700,000. Two of the most high-octane films of 2015, Mad Max: Fury Road and Furious 7, each burned through hundreds ( Furious 7 alone. Then, when we got back to London it was Saturday afternoon, but we didnt have to get the cars to the studio until Monday morning. It airs on cable tv all the time. Launched on the big screen in 1977, Smokey and the Bandit revolves around two bootleggers as they attempt to illegally transport 400 cases of Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta. Always loved this movie growing up. I was a junior high school age kid when this film came out. With Reynolds agreement to do the movie, and his insistence upon casting Gleason as Sheriff Justice, the movie became a larger venture. https://getjerry.com/insights/fun-facts-smokey-bandit-trans, https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0081529/trivia/?ref_=tt_trv_trv, https://www.leithcars.com/blogs/1421/events/a-classic-pontiac-trans-am-worth-six-figures-classic-car-values-skyrocket/, https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending/burt-reynolds-smokey-bandit-firebird-trans-am-sells-nearly-500k/4AG3ZHXMQJHMDO47HIFBEZ4JMU/, https://www.motorious.com/articles/features-3/heres-6-6-facts-about-smokey-bandit/, https://www.fox43.com/article/entertainment/arts/theatre/center-stage/iconic-scene-from-smokey-and-the-bandit-is-re-enacted-by-stunt-driver-in-carlisle/521-f27a443d-baeb-4b15-a944-afb6c9e7debf, https://www.hotcars.com/smokey-and-the-bandit-trans-am/, https://horsepowermemories.com/2018/07/17/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-smokey-and-the-bandit/, https://www.hotcars.com/this-truck-from-smokey-and-the-bandit-was-the-perfect-costar/, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086325/trivia/, https://www.guideautoweb.com/en/articles/64294/, https://www.truckersnews.com/trucks/article/15059342/california-truck-driver-climbs-aboard-movie-star-bandit-rig, https://blacktailnyc.com/when-could-you-buy-coors-beer-east-of-the-mississippi/, https://www.boston25news.com/news/trending/burt-reynolds-smokey-bandit-firebird-trans-am-sells-nearly-500k/4AG3ZHXMQJHMDO47HIFBEZ4JMU/. We stopped in that same Safeway later on the way back home from southern Cal, and they had a huge display of cases of Coors out on the floor near the checkstands. You know, the ones that are the gang and then us the drivers. http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_301466-Ford-LTD-II-1977.html. Behind Sheriff Justices Pontiac, there is a nice looking 1965 or 1966 Ford Mustang fastback and a Toyota pickup. What Are Desktop Computers Attached to a Network in a Business Setting Called Quizlet? A strike at General Motors in 1972 limited the production of the Trans Am to less than 1,300 units that year, and Pontiac almost canceled the nameplate. In addition to the four Trans Ams, Needham also received two Pontiac LeMans models to serve as patrol cars in the movie. That was a nightmare. The 'Smokey and the Bandit' Trans Am was a 1976 model, and three were destroyed. The movie is responsible for something, by 1979 Pontiac was selling 100,000 plus Trans Ams, not the whole Firebird line, JUST Trans Ams, Pontiac sold more T/As in 1979 than any of the cheaper Firebirds combined, Smokey and the Bandit had to have a hand in that. Reynolds replied: We went through 12. During this time, the Firebird also surpassed sales figures of the Chevrolet Camaro. That was pretty scary. I know, Ive owned a 75 for 23 years. The roundup sequence in the desert shows many new Pontiac Le Mans sedans decorated as police cars being destroyed. I prefer Buford T. Justices 1980 Pontiac Bonneville and his 1983 Pontiac Bonneville, When it comes to where the Trans Ams are, Pontiac gave the production team four Trans Ams. Producer Hal Needham intended Smokey and the Bandit to be one of the best product placement films of all time. Movies like Mad Max: Fury Road and Furious 7 may ruin a lot of cars, but they were far from the first. Reynolds wanted Sally to express her feelings about the breakup on film because he wanted to know how she really felt about him. A CC for a 1973 Grand Ville convertible can be found here. The Pontiac Trans Am seems like a natural choice for Smokey and the Bandit, but the car was only a few inches close to not being used in the movie. They destroyed over 350 cars during the filming of Fast and Furious 9. Reynolds is seen only in a small cameo in Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983). After the movie came out, Firebird sales increased even more, but the Trans Am was now the most popular one. I still regret selling mine almost 30 years ago. How much will a Bitcoin be worth in 2030? He is hired by Big Enos Burdette and his son Little Enos to transport a truck load of Coors beer from Texarkana, Texas, back to Georgia in 28 hours. She is a runaway bride, sitting on the side of the road in her 1973 Chevrolet Impala coupe. The film was followed by another sequel three years later, Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983), in which Reynolds only made a brief cameo appearance, and Sally Field did not appear. And theres beer in Texarkana.. How many Trans Ams were wrecked during the filming of Smokey and the Bandit? If you somehow managed to miss Smokey and the Bandit in the years between the films 1977 release and now, you should rectify that situation immediately (to be fair, it was released two days after Star Wars, so its understandable if it slipped through the cracks). Torque numbers were a lot higher at around 320 ft/lbs. American Brands: AMC, Jeep and All Others, Tractors, Lawn Mowers, Off-Road Equipment, CC Cinema: The Cars of Smokey & The Bandit What We Have Here Is a Total Lack of Respect for the Law, CC TV Outtake: This Used Car Commercial Didnt Make It On The Air, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cODPt3T0cHE, Vintage R&T Road Test: 1959 Studebaker Lark Six Slower Than The 1939 Champion, COAL: 1995 Saturn SW2 My Brief Fling With The Enemy. 3-Smokey and the Bandit 3-A crime against humanity, not even LSD can make it watchable since you spend the whole night fighting imaginary flying cobras with Jackie Gleasons head on them. Your email address will not be published. Smokey and the Bandit II is a 1980 American action comedy film directed by Hal Needham, and starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Jackie Gleason and Dom DeLuise. Here's everything you should know about one of the most iconic movie cars ever. The roller coaster destroyed in the movie is the old "Greyhound" coaster that was located at the Lakewood Fairgrounds in Atlanta, Georgia. As of 2021, Sally Field (Frog) and Paul Williams (Little Enos) are the only surviving cast members of the main cast. It was practiced and worked at first, then hed modify things if it wasnt quite right. Cledus is ecstatic, but Bandit begins to miss Carrie. Nobody's got one, especially a silver one for 8am the next morning. What was your favourite stunt to be involved in? Despite the hiccups, the movie still promoted the 1977 model so well. Although he's into just about any type of vehicle, Ciprian is not your typical car enthusiast. Nothing annoys him more than car electronics, and he just hates it when performance cars lack a third pedal. Nintendo; PS4; Xbox; PS5; Stadia; Gaming. Chevy almost did the same with its counterpart, the Camaro. The unrestored car reportedly showed up on eBay back in 2015, but no one wanted to buy it. So, for years one, two, and three, he got a shiny new Pontiac. The movie featured a number of American country and western music stars who acted in the movie as well as sung. Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Smokey and the Bandit 2: Original Soundtrack was released on vinyl, cassette tape and 8-track tape by MCA Records in 1980. Entering Louisiana, Doc says that Charlotte is almost in labor and needs to be off her feet. Every day there was a story, my worst memory would be with the Aston Martin though. Rockford Files also featured Firebird, and was on since 1974, and Fs sold well despite gas crunch I and inflation. Jesus, did you just call Carmine a car novice? With a big hood and a ton of power under the hood, the truck is inspired by a twin turbocharged Cummins< /b> hauled, with the occasional truck hauling a 3408 Cat instead. According to the organizers of the event, its a stunt never done before in the region. Id like to hear from Mr. Needham why so many of those police cars had what look like shaker hood scoops. I was a little disappointed, but they gave me the part in the movie instead because I was already under contract. And how did you as stunt drivers get on with the big-name actors that you were working alongside? How do I change the anode rod in my Whirlpool water heater? Always a favorite. With that in mind, Ill go with what Ive heard from my Georgia friends, to wit Sheriff Justices diablo sandwich is the Macon version, which is made with fried eggs and red hots. You might think that seeing their cars routinely destroyed on movie screens across the country would give the manufacturer pause, but that is not the case at all. That was the end of that. Needham stated that by the end of production, there really wasnt much left of any of the three. Ive since read on the internet that it wasnt illegal so much as a practical thing with it being shipped in refrigerated trucks. Even with the hiccup, the film still advertised the 1977 model so well. Blimey. Smokey & The Bandit is the greatest movie of the 20th Century! All I know is, at the time, if you lived in the east, Coors was some really special beer not unlike microbrews are now. The Trans Am was already pretty popular in the mid-1970s, with sales hitting 68,745 units in 1977. He paid $550,000 for it, likely a record for any Pontiac Firebird. I still couldnt resist lighting up the Pontiacs tires while executing my T-turns. How many cars were wrecked filming Smokey and the Bandit? This is one of the plot lines in Smokey and the Bandit Part 3. " Where is Armando from 90 Day Fianc from? 24,672 votes and 335 comments so far on Reddit. Reportedly, when this movie was first released, Burt Reynolds was planning to star in Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983). That girl from the McCoys video probably looks like Paula Deen now. But then I was sitting in the Swiss customs going through with my passport and I could see this Citroen coming with all the lights flashing and all of that. Gleason was a genius, but this was not one of his better outings I prefer the Hustler and Gigot. When Bandit removes a splinter from Charlotte's foot, she takes a liking to him. Burt Reynolds plays Bandit, who drives this powerhouse while dodging the cops, while Snowman, played by Jerry Reed, is not only an actor but also a country music star, a Kenworth W- 900 A a really powerful semitrailer. A Phoenix car agency declined to deliver the vehicles when it was made aware that they did not include air conditioning. In the TV series The Dukes of Hazzard, a Basset Hound called Flash served as a companion to Sheriff Rosco P. Originally I was taken on as a stunt coordinator in addition to supplying all the cars, but while I was running around finding them, they found Rmy Julienne. 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Require you to Report a Boating Accident to the organizers of the engine 's 6.6-liter displacement was sitting around a... Bride, sitting on the DVD, there is a brief interview with both Burt and. End of production, there really wasnt much left of any of the coupe exploded after one! Like Paula Deen now TB was filmed primarily off Route 400 in Georgia that! Whirlpool water heater a runaway bride, sitting on the side of the three wanted... Was still a market for bras in the desert shows many new Pontiac Le Mans sedans as. Lack a third pedal construction near Sarasota Mans sedans decorated as police cars being destroyed much of. A Business Setting Called Quizlet got one, two, and we just made it `` T/A 6.6 ''! The 1977 model so well from how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2 's foot, she takes a liking to him of Future Inc.

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