The late 60s and the late 70s were the golden era for muscle cars in the US as well as for iconic sports cars from the Land Of The Rising Sun. And we gotta admit that Pontiac did give us some cars to remember for a lifetime as well. Enthusiasts nowadays will swear by the GTO and the Firebird anytime while the latter has been practically made immortal by extensive television appearances as well.
The Firebird Trans Am is prominently recognized for getting featured as KIIT in the series Knight Rider, an intelligent and AI-powered self-driven car. But the 77 Trans Am has its name etched into the plaque of immortality after getting featured in the popular 1977 film, Smokey and The Bandit. In the movie, the car was driven by none other than Burt Reynolds. Later, he was given an exact replica of the original car featured in the film which he owned till his demise.
What is the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am?
Before jumping right into the Trans Am, let’s have a brief look into the Pontiac Firebird. The Firebird was introduced back in 1967 as a Pony car meant to rival the legendary Mustang which was launched just a year earlier, in 1966. The Firebird also shared its platform with the Camaro initially. The car was available in a two-door body style only but had coupe and convertible versions. The car was in production for quite a long time from 1967 till 2002.
Coming to the Trans Am, it was a special package for the regular version of the car and was introduced from the second-generation model. The package included some tasteful enhancements such as styling upgrades, a spoiler, a scooped-out hood, and increased power output from the motor. The 1977 Trans Am was in production for a single year only i.e. from 1977 to 1978.
What Powers The 1977 Trans Am?
Muscle cars and pony cars from the late 60s through the late 70s were known for their big and muscular engines. And the 1977 Trans Am also got one. While the previous model of the car had a humongous 7.5L V8 and it was offered from 1971 to 1976. From ‘77 onward, the motor was downsized to 6.6L. The 1977 Trans AM received the legendary Oldsmobile Rocket 6.6L V8. The motor was used in other Oldsmobile as well as General Motors vehicles and was discontinued in 1981.
Under the hood of the 1977 Trans Am, the motor made 200 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque. The motor received a four-barrel Rochester carburetor with a Ram air intake that remained popped out of the hood and for which the Trans Am’s hood has a cutout. It is also the most differentiating point of the car when compared to the regular Firebirds. In a straight, the car was able to complete the 0-60 mph sprint within 9.3 seconds and complete the quarter-mile distance within 16.4 seconds, some great numbers for a car of its time.
How Did The Car Become Famous?
The 1977 Trans Am was immortalized after getting featured in the 1977 movie, “Smokey and The Bandit”. There, the car was driven extensively by the main protagonist of the film, Burt Reynolds. And due to his excellent portrayal of the character, he was given an exact replica of the car used in the movie as well. As a prized possession, Reynolds had it in his possession till the day he left for his heavenly abode. Reynold’s car had the same technical specs as the normal 1977 Trans Am.
However, the black exterior paint with that golden decal on the hood and the golden exterior trims made it unique among the rest. The car’s classy and a few intricate design details on the outside still make it a drool-worthy car. After Burt’s demise, his car was restored to its original condition but some of the original bits were left untouched. The car was auctioned by Barrett-Jackson auction back in January this year and it fetched a whopping $495,000!
