Topic: Smokey & the Bandit movie technical question

[RainMan]

Back then I heard they used like 7 cars , then asked pontiac for another and they refused .

[hada76]

here he says 3...and talks about the mods for jump

http://www.highperformancepontiac.com/features/hppp_0712_smokey_and_the_bandit_interview/special_edition.html

[solargold]

That is a nice article in HPP but I did hear from an eye witness while on the 2009 Bandit Run while in Georgia that a kid broke a leg when hit by the out of control Trans Am. Another myth?

[hada76]

you mean on the bball field?  prob. would have heard about that  (lawsuit)

[solargold]

you mean on the bball field?  prob. would have heard about that  (lawsuit)

there was a settlement is what we were told. Lawsuits were not so rampant back then. I had heard it before but was the first time someone claiming to be there said it happened.

[Ricky G]

Just started watching the movie tonight again. When bandit is setting at the Texas sighn waiting for Snowman that car has gold honeycombs on it. Some of the views show non gold snowflakes. others show the regular S.E snowflakes. (which I thought were gold inserts.)

[kilrod]

ok, new twist!!   I know Hal needham stated in an interview that there were 3 ta's in the movie. He also stated that in the bonus features of making smokey and the bandit on a recent release. he also referred to the two lemans sheriffs cars as bonnevilles..............Now, I was just watching Hollywoods hottest car chases, on the speed channel. Hal was talking about the jump sequence and said, "we only had five trans ams and i knew that was the end of that one"        OK, maybe Hal is doing his part to keep the official count of T/As a mystery or it could be that he is 79 yrs old and is starting to slip.      I did find out that the scene at the gas station/wreck on the corner, was the only scene filmed in california. watch for the palmtree in the scene.  Got that bit of info from wikepedia

[solargold]

I started another thread with this pic but if you haven't seen it, here is proof of a 76, notice the door pull strap, it does not have the chrome end tips, the 77 was the only year to do so. This isn't photoshopped, it is a camera pic of the TV screen while the movie is paused.  I don't know if they were all 76's but certain at least one was. Speaking of photoshop, Rainman you should P.S. a real scene in the movie with a 76 front cap, LOL

[lawbreaker2]

Ok I can't hide it anymore. I have the org. 76 black and gold trans am used in the movie. It has been sitting in my barn for many years. I was told not.to say anything but I can't hide it no more. Hell u got.to believe me I mean the car dose look like its jumped a bridge and drove thru the woods and hit a bunch of mailboxes.  LOL

[lawbreaker2]

Yes I notice the door pulls to in the movie see on my car they are pull out and broken too. More poor im have.the 76 car.

[Bayou_Flyer]

"Lawbreaker, please remain seated until a Smokey & the Bandit reeducation officer can assist you to your new location!"

[lawbreaker2]

LOL

[real80bandit]

dvd says 3 trans ams used in movie (im assuming 1 76 and 2 77s)but if anyone can search for muscle car review mag from early 90s theres a interview in there from HAL where he says they were they had 1 403 car and had to keep putting that shaker on the camera cars so no none would notice the difference in the decals ta 6.6  and tha one of the cars was a 400 4spd car and they dropped a built 455 in it for the bridge jump,i use to have this mag in storage but ive yet to recover it but a issue cant be that hard to find it was a 1992 issue with 25th anniversery of smokey and the bandit on the front.i think weve all known or atleast i have that a 76 was used in it.

[kilrod]

The problem with swapping 403 shakers with 400 shakers is that they won't swap. Until now, I was a die hard believer in the 3 car use but , now i am doubting it. Think about it, 1 car was pretty much demolished in the bridge jump. The car that jumped onto the ball field ended up running into the CEMENT BLOCK dugout. That wasn't planned so, they built a wooden dugout and filmed the car busting through. (per Hal Needham interview). You know that scene didn't do the car any good bodywise. Also read in another interview that the mailbox scene actually did a lot of damage to the car. The scenes where they jumped around between lanes through the median while being chased by the georgia hwy patrol damaged the car pretty good also. You can see the bent up front end easily. And we don't know what sequences the movie was filmed in. Also, just think, If they smooth ruined at least two cars and saved one for close ups and what not, then the only option would have been for the studio to buy a couple cars off a lot somewhere. Since the movie was filmed in the summer of 76, that means any cars that didn't come from Pontiac would have to be 76's. This is turning into the Smokey and the Bandit Mystery, and I'm afraid if I watch the movie anymore, my wife is going to create a mystery as to what happened to my dvd!!!

[RainMan]

Kilrod you make a very good point IMO  . Seems kinda unlikely that there were only 3 cars used as you say .

I'm assuming that's you in your avatar . We sure have some cool people here on this site, seem to cover every occupation from military to CEOs  . Not that CEOs are cool or anything lol