I have always loved these cars, I had a 78 trans am when I was 16 and unfortunately wrapped it around a telephone pole 2 days after getting my license writing the car off and by the condition of the car the fact that I wasn't killed still amazes me. After all this time I just turned 49 and finally kind of came back full circle and fulfilled my dream and bought myself a Camaro which is the closest I could come seeing as the trans am is no longer around. Thanks for this video brought back memories and whoever wins that car is a lucky person. Keep up the good work. You are my favorite automotive you tuber!
When I was a kid, this was my first experience in a muscle car. My older brother had one, but he bored out the engine and put a lot of work and upgrades into it and it was a monster!!! I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the Trans Am because of that and even still today watching this video I love the body and the style of this vehicle, thank you for the review. Just a great classic car!
The Bandit 2 T/A Was a 1980-81. The birds head was facing the other direction and had a wider flame in addition to Turbo Trans Am being the rear decal which was only on the 80-81 T/A
It's an Oldsmobile 403, 185 horsepower with an automatic transmission. The hot car in '79 had a Pontiac 400, 220 horsepower with a 4 speed manual. I've owned many Firebirds and Trans Ams.
I owned a 1981 Turbo Trans Am when I was 19 and I still think about that car. Not very powerful or fast with all the smog stuff choking it but it was such a great cruising car. I took the T-Tops every chance I got. Thank you Joe for the review. You took me back to my early driving days 😊
@RaitisRides MAN I REMEMBER BACK IN THE EARLY 80S WHEN MY NEIGHBOR PULLED UP IN FRONT OF MY MOM'S HOUSE IN A 1979 BLACK AND GOLD TRANS AM AND AT 10 YEARS OLD LOL I WAS IN LOVE OF THE CAR AND I DEFINITELY PLAN ON BUYING A 79 BLACK AND GOLD TA TO MY CAR COLLECTION.
@@RaitisRidesLOL AS MUCH AS I LOVE THE TRANS AM LOL I RACED MY BUDDIES 79 TA AGAINST MY 92 ANIVERSREY CAMERO Z28 AND I WON OF COURSE AND MY 92 Z28 THAT I STILL HAVE TODAY AND IT WAS RATED 235HP AND 300TQ AND BACK IN 92 THAT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A FAST CAR LOL BUT I WILL HAVE A 79 TA IN THE FUTURE.
What you said at 15:15 is one of the most accurate things I have heard, what a wholesome man really, you deserve more subscribers and more exposure my man
I owned a 79 trans am special edition and it was a beautiful car in those days. I got a lot of compliments on my car. It was my first brand new car and I loved it.
My favorite review so far from you. I could see you just taking in the moment enjoying the drive and living out just about every childhood dream of the modern car fan.
Ahh yes. This was my dream car living in Scottsdale AZ in 1985. My first car was a 1976 firebird formula. Cost $1300. Smoked oil like an sob but she looked beautiful in that bright red paint job!
Wow just watching this brought back a lot of memories. Long story short I'd like to share, I remember my dad bringing home his 1979 Pontiac Firebird Formula in Nocturne Blue. He went to San Francisco one day to see a family member and he was cruising on the highway and low and behold he decides to race against a cop, of course the officer didn't realize what my dad was up to until he floored the pedal and flew by the cop and they never was able to catch up to him as he was long gone lol Don't try this at home folks.
Back in 1987 at around 3am my buddy and I are driving the streets of Boston in a 1987 HO Trans Am (total sickness, especially back then) coincidently we run into a friend of ours who's driving his 1979 Trans Am, gold with the black Firebird decals (looked sick). We start racing on the McGrath Highway in the rain. We hit a slick spot and slam into the guardrails in some twisty bits totaling that beautiful, brand new, dealer demo car.. Fortunately the trip to the hospital was a short one:) Awesome review, I absolutely love that car!
Agreed. One of the most unique and desirable cars ever made regardless of make and model. Kudos to you for not calling the Firebird decal "screaming chicken"
Its soooo badass. Love the honeycomb wheels. The gold striping. The firebird on the hood. Its gorgeous. In my opinion this is the most iconic car ever. It would be my sunday driver not a daily driver.
Raiti's Rides ; At the end of the day isn’t that what keeping and restoring cars is all about? When I get into my 1986 Mustang GT I am 23 years old again. I was not legal to drink when I bought that car. My Mustang is a time machine. If that car could talk, oh the stories she would tell. I have owned that car for way more than half of my life! That’s crazy. 34 years...Where did the time go.
Love Firebirds. My first favorite car. My father had two 79's, and a 15th anniversary 84 trans am growing up. Now I own a 2001 Pontiac Firebird with a Supercharged 3800 series III supercharged V6.
@@RaitisRides thanks haha. Think of my bird as a modern day gnx with a Supercharger instead of a turbo. Just as much torque, if not more, but a little bit less hp
@Leroy Brown hey thanks man, it's going to get even louder when I install my speed Engineering true dual exhaust lol. Make that boosted 3800 really scream
My bother back in 1987 had a 1977 Firebird ( blue ) with the 350 OLDS with 350 Trans. Only option i remember was power windows. That car was super dependable and we had loads of fun in it. I've forever been a super fan of the Firebirds.
My family had that car when I was a teen but it was all gold, had a metallic flaky look to the paint, so it was always glistening. I really miss that car. Driving it to high school was fun in the 90's
You know Joe. I have to hand it to GM. That is quite an engineering feat! 185hp out of a huge 400CI V8! Like how is that even possible! You don’t even need a turbo these days to get that kind of HP out of a four banger. Just the same, I love Trans Am’s of this era. They are so flamboyant! The dash was made out that prism-like reflective kind of material. How much would that Bird cost to replace if you were restoring one of these? Can you even get them anymore? Talk about the end of an era. You will never see a car like this ever built again. And I agree with you big time Joe. I miss Pontiac. I think if they were around today Pontiac would be building some pretty interesting cars. CARS, do we all remember what those were?
The 185hp was the olds 403 , the 400 pontiac was factory rated at 220hp NHRA said no it was making 260-280 hp. And that is net hp so well over 300 gross hp.
Right up there with the Aston Martin DB5 from a number of James Bond movies. I had a black 2002 Pontiac Firehawk which I personally felt was an expression of that Bandit personality. I had as many youngsters identify it as the Batmobile (it had that vibe) and a few that said Smokey and the Bandit as soon as I'd parked the thing. Their enthusiasm, for either identification, was gratifying. One little fellow, his mother pushing him in a shopping cart, even had on his Batman pajamas. I told him that _those_ were cool.
I actually owned a 1980 turbo trans am fully loaded when I was eighteen years old. The reason why the steering feels tight on those cars is because they have a direct power steering. Loved the car and regret ever selling it. I tweaked the horsepower by installing a shift kit in the transmission, took off all the pollution garbage and catylict converter. Went from three drive belts to one. I also put some air shocks at the back just to lift the back end a couple inches. Made it look more aggressive.
JJ ~ my neighborhood friend's mom bought one EXACTLY THE SAME EDITION - she used to drive us to go roller skating & my friend would ask his mom to crack the stereo, T-TOPS off we'd roll up at age 13 & every chick's jaw dropped, guys were jealous & the babes were like - oh yeah. we walked out of the car in slow motion to the music acting like rock stars. those were the days . great cars make great memories - tony
I bought my 1979 Trans Am new. It had the same Olds 403 in it. I pulled that out and installed a 1970 D-port 455HO in it. The car is black but was not a Y84 Special Edition, so it has the smaller sail panel birds, no pinstriping, black grilles, red Pontiac nose logo, and silver engine-turned dash. I did pay the extra $95 for the hood bird. No T-tops because I wanted a stiffer platform. It’s got the full Herb Adams VSE suspension, and 12” front rotors to go with the rear disc brakes.
There were two 6.6 Liter V-8 engines optioned on the Bandit Edition Firebird Trans Am in 1979. The 401 cubic inch 6.6 Liter V-8 was equipped by Pontiac; the 403 cubic inch 6.6 Liter V-8 was equipped by Oldsmobile
I took a 79 301 Firebird and a wrecked 78 Trans Am and built a bastard..Took a 78 Formula hood and opened the scoops. Looked badass with the T/A fenders and the Ram air hood. Totally swapped the T/A's performance package to the 79..Kicked the 301 to the curb and sourced a 68 428/TH400 from an wrecked ambulance ..6X #4 91cc Heads, Edelbrock Performer RPM, 800 Quadrajet, Lunati 280 cam and long tube headers..I mis that car...I hope the young man who bought it enjoys it as much as I did
@@TheFlawedThunderer agreed...... one would think he should do research before posting the info.i know people make mistakes....... however, make sure the info is correct if it’s going to be stated as a fact...... have a great day
The 2 movies smokey and the bandit first one was a 1976 model with a later nosecone ..... This Pontiac firebird trans am was not in the first movie .... The second movie had a 1980 Pontiac firebird trans 4.9 turbo trans am......
This guy needs to watch the the first movie smokey and the bandit....saying this was in the first movie smokey and the bandit....the second movie had the same style body but the engine was a 4.9 turbo am ...... Oh t/a stand's for trans America
The Trans ams used in The Smokey and the Bandit movies were a 1977 Trans am, a 1980 Turbo Trans am & a 1983 Trans am. They were never called Bandit Editions. They were the WS6 packages of the T/A's that came with better handling.
David if you're gonna try and correct folks get your shit together. The WS6 was a handling package. The Special Edition or unofficially "Bandit Edition" factory code was Y82 in 1977-78 and Y84 in 1979-81. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle! You're welcome.
Fantastic review. Ban ONE is one of my all time favorite movies. I had a 78 Firebird in the late 80's with an engine I bought from a junkyard in Virginia. It wasn't a TA but I loved it. I eventually bought a brand new '96 TA. This video makes me proud to be an American. May Mr. Reynolds RIP. 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸
This one your showing was a 79 model, which was the one featured in the Smokey and the Bandit sequel, The original was the 77 model, which I special ordered later that same yr while the movie rage was fresh from its months earlier release . The one I ordered was exactly as the Bandit, except I went for the white leather buckets, 4 speed manual w/ every option available, 6800 bucks. Being in the Navy and living aboard the USSDaniel Boone, half the yr, or the barracks when not at sea, car notes were easy sneaky. Those were the days!!, Today, I’m 61, Drive a Charger R/T, and still ride a big Harley, ...While growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional, Don’t let the old man in.
My first car when I hit driving age (which cost 800 bucks) was a Gold 1979 Firebird. At that price it was not in the best condition but I don't think it ever left me stranded. Wish I still had it today.
Man I’m 16 and I used to watch Smokey and the bandit and the was the first car I ever fell in love with because it was so awesome to watch the bandit smoke Smokey
Had this 1979 Trans-Am black/gold with T-top back in High School. The same 185 HP 403 Oldsmobile engine which is for CA ONLY. Rest of the country had the 220 HP(?) 400 Pontiac engine. Installed two Recaro seats with the Spectrum upholstery and “fish net” head rest. Added a 40 Channels CB radio with a huge removable antenna on the trunk. Did not get the WS-6 handing package which is also missing on this car. One can tell by looking at the rims, they are missing the extra one inch lip with the wider wheels. Car was stolen 4 years later in New Jersey, never recovered 😭
The hidden fuel door on this car was terrific. You would NOT tell someone where it was when the went to fill the tank and it was funny! But of course, this hidden fuel door has to come in 2ND place to the iconic 57 Chevy where the fuel door was on the left fin. Great Burt Reynold's car! I loved that guy!!! RIP Burt...
Had a 81 for years 301 4 bl non turbo red on red black silver birds was a good car not a fast car but a eye catcher and cruise to beach was wonderful Will be getting another one soon as I can lol
James Garner didn't like the 79 restyle either, so he kept the 78 as the last car until the series ended. A bit of history if you are not aware; the Firebird used in the series, was actually a Formula, dressed down to look like an Esprit. This was done because the stunts required the extra horsepower and handling that the Formula provided. Also, the Sierra Gold color used on the show cars was not a Pontiac factory color. In order to maintain continuity between seasons, the cars were painted this special color to maintain consistency.
In 1978 I had a 1978 gold limited edition same engine and transmission. I bought it for about $6,600. I like the shape of the 76,77,78 the best. It had the gold velour interior or suede or whatever you call it. Oh and the famous radial tuned suspension..lol
I bought a 1979 T/A back in 1988 for $3000 it was black t-tops , no bird on the hood or pin stripe beige valore interior and louvers on the back window man I loved that car and the reason I bought it was the movie Smokey and the Bandit it was a great car until I spun out on a wet road and hit a tree and blew the motor driving it home overheated , I wish I had another especially one that looks like this one
This car does remind people of the disco 🕺 era. Joe would’ve been an excellent Tony Manero. I’m afraid if I show up anywhere with this car people would think’ “now that is an excellent fit”. Sorry to hear about good ole Burt. Some of his movies were very entertaining. Sally Field must’ve been heartbroken. Back in ‘79 I was stationed at Howard AFB. This car would’ve fit in perfect down in Panama. Cool review Joe!!!
I was back in high school when this car was being sold new. Wanted one, but my parents weren't rich. I don't believe that Pontiac ever made a Bandit Edition in 1979, it was simply a black and gold Trans Am. This is a nice car, however, it is missing some key options that would make it much more sought after. It does not have the power seat, power door lock, power window, and CB radio options. Breaker, breaker. Bandit you out there?
When I was in high school in the early 80's you could buy Trans Ams for $1,000 to $2,000 dollars, a package car like that'd be a bit more, power was down in that era but any high school kid could deal with that. If that TA 6.6 decal on the scoop is correct it should have the 400 Pontiac engine and not the 403 Oldsmobile engine that you said is in it, the one's with 403 engines had decals on the scoop that says 6.6 Litre.
@@dukecraig2402 You could not buy a Trans Am for $1,000 to $2,000 unless it was a totaled wreck. I had an 81 black and gold Special Edition with the WS6 option fully loaded and special ordered with every option except the turbo and the list was around $12,450 on the window sticker and a fully loaded Z28 at the time was around $7,500 and a Corvette was around $16,258 new. Buying a Trans Am in any year for $2,000 would mean that the car was a total wreck and probably not legal to drive considering the condition it would have to be in.
OK, something is not right with this particular car, I had a 1979 Trans Am I ordered from the factory so I know it very well. My car had the T/A 6.6 engine in it, which is the 400 cubic inch Pontiac motor, the other option was the 403 cubic inch Oldsmobile motor which, although slightly larger, (Ok, just 3 cubic inches larger), it had considerably less horsepower. The T/A 6.6 was rated at 220 hp, the Olds motor only had about 180 or 185. You could tell which engine the car had just by looking at it, the Pontiac motor had T/A 6.6 on the shaker, the Olds motor just had 6.6 Litre on it. Now here's the problem, this car has T/A 6.6 on it's shaker, it also has an automatic transmission, but in 1979 the Pontiac motor, the T/A 6.6, was only available with a manual. All automatics had the 403 Oldsmobile motor and all had 6.6 Litre on the shaker. So that's why it looks like someone did some decal switching or swapped a manual for an auto on the car in the video, which is highly unlikely. Fyi, there were only 10,000 T/A 6.6 engines available in 1979, 7,500 were reserved for the silver edition anniversary cars, so there were only 2,500 available for anyone who wanted that motor and not a silver anniversary car. I order ordered mine in white with a black interior, all the options except I didn't get the screaming chicken decal, plus I peeled off the rest of the stickers, it looked very clean. I also had the WS6 handling package which had the same wheels as the car in the video but 1 inch wider tires, so the wheels were set in 1 inch, which I thought looked much better. Thinking back, my car, a T/A 6.6, manual, (of course), non-anniversary, no decal, loaded car including T-tops was actually quite rare. I did have a lot of fun with it. The only mods I did was to cut out the blocked section of the shaker, it was blocked from the factory, got rid of the catalytic converter and put in dual exhaust with an H-pipe and some minor carb work. I still remember the time I ran at the local drag strip, 14.77 at 96 mph, I went through the traps in 3rd gear at 5,000 rpm. That was a pretty fast car for the era, I would easily outrun the same era Corvettes, even the L82s, Camaros and Mustangs and could surprise some of the older cars. I even beat a 308 Ferrari, they were very pretty but not that fast. One car that blew me away was 911 turbo, I knew he would, but I just wanted to see him run. As they say, those were the days...
I almost bought one in 1978 but got turned off with the workmanship however I still thought about buying one every once in a while. It was the best handling American made car at the time. By the way there were two engines offered in the 1979; TA400 a true Pontiac 400 ci with 220 hp and the TA6.6 an Oldsmobile 403.
Just found out your channel and i have to say you're the best car reviewer on youtube , man your enthusiasim and positivity is amazing , I've been going through your videos and they're all very detailed and entertaining . Keep it up man you're gonna be big!! PS: already love the ZONKS AND TWINKIES 😂😂
Used to lock the 4 way disc brakes up on mine at 60MPH going one way putting X marks in the road about 6 lines long and end up facing the other way manually shift to low gear slam the pedal to the floor a second before the end of the power slide and watch the smoke from the tires roll over the front of the car and even somehow come into the car through the speakers ..I dont care about what you heard about power !!! This thing was a go kart when you want to do however many donuts or figure8's you wanted !! The handling and performance is off the rails of the 79 TA ...Best 3000 pound GoKart ever made that can never be bested
@@RaitisRides and so very true.. The law in this little rural area could never catch me doing all my crazy stunts(10 years worth).Hasn't been X marks in the road since I parked it The only ticket I ever got with that car was expired inspection...
@@RaitisRides no disrespect intended, but I just used to be a real Pontiac enthous,, my last trans am was an 80 year model turbo black and gold with gold tentend T-tops it was just as good looking as that 79 ,, I carport garage kept it up around until 2003 and it had around 55,000 on the clock, I hardly ever drove it anymore and a young guy came along and seen it, and he had to have it, so I finally sold it to him and bought a brand new 03 Z06 Corvette for about what I got from the 80 model black and gold, t- top ,, and I have missed it, but that's how it goes.. miles of smiles...
I would say more people today are more familiar with Burt Reynolds and the Bandit more than the Bullitt. Personally I would still take the Bullitt, but the Bandit would probably be my 2nd or 3rc choice.
Pretty darn sure the TA 6.6 was the Pontiac 400. The Olds 403 was specified as 6.6 litre on the shaker hood scoop. I've got 4 Firebirds. An original 1976 455 four speed TA, 1978 Formula 350, 1981 Turbo TA, and a 1981 four speed Esprit.
I have the same car. Repainted in the 80s. It says 6.6/T.A. on the shaker instead of 6.6 Litre. Someone always notices. I just think back then nobody really paid attention, or they weren't available. Back then I don't think people thought these cars would be considered real classics because they weren't considered real muscle cars. And be pulling the prices they are today.
have had several of these trans ams. not as nice as this one, but always fun to drive. cheap to get back in the day, wish i held on to them along with my OG star wars figures. lol
Oh man! You've taking me back in time brother 🤩 my mother had a 1985 5.7L trans am. These vehicles are super rare and is such a rewarding experience driving them. Thanks for the video 😁👍
I love that this car still has the factory radio. So many of these have a hacked up dash for a CD player. I hate that this car has the T/A 6.6 sticker on the shaker. It’s in the wrong place too.
Got out of my bed!i remember theres a car like this in my neighbor owning this one when i was 4 yrs old...😅😅☝️☝️ i’ll gonna ask may aunt about this. That design in the hood👍🏼👍🏼
I ALMOST bought a gorgeous 1979 10th Anniversary Trans Am in Silver while in college in NYC. #ScreaminChicken #Pontiac400CI. #ShakerHood #T_Tops My first vinyl album ever spun... The Smokey and the Bandit Soundtrack. Don't forget The Great One Jackie Gleason!!!! How Sweat It Is!!
“What We're Dealing With Here, Is A Complete Lack Of Respect For The Law.”
The only appropriate time one should be concerned about 0-60 times with a car like that.
Blair Brown 😂
“I’m gonna bbq your ass in molasses”
"Simple ole fashion communism, happens every time"
"The God damn Germans got notin to do with it"
I recently saw one of these at a car museum, they look even better in person!
You are so very right about that Christopher!
This was THE CAR to have back in the days where ladies would chase after guys with the "bad boy" image. 😁👌🏽
You are so very right!
Yep. Now they just chase guys with money..lol
@@RaitisRides Pontiac should've sold this car with its own Black Leather Jacket and Rayban Wayfarer Sunglasses as a accessory. 😅
@@TheAdnanmajor They missed out on a jackpot with that!
@@hugostiglitz8465 LOL
I have always loved these cars, I had a 78 trans am when I was 16 and unfortunately wrapped it around a telephone pole 2 days after getting my license writing the car off and by the condition of the car the fact that I wasn't killed still amazes me. After all this time I just turned 49 and finally kind of came back full circle and fulfilled my dream and bought myself a Camaro which is the closest I could come seeing as the trans am is no longer around. Thanks for this video brought back memories and whoever wins that car is a lucky person. Keep up the good work. You are my favorite automotive you tuber!
That is so very awesome Carlos! Thanks for your great support! I am so glad that I can share my car passion with yoiu!
It’s not called a Bandit edition. It’s. Y84
I rank this car as one of the top 5 cars in automotive history.
The old cars have such soul....metal parts on the inside...very little plastic. If only the new cars had such soul :)
Keep the videos coming !
Loved it. Being 56, I remember seeing these selling new back in the day.
I am so glad that I could share it with you!
77 or 78, not 79 are Burt Reynolds cars.
When I was a kid, this was my first experience in a muscle car. My older brother had one, but he bored out the engine and put a lot of work and upgrades into it and it was a monster!!! I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the Trans Am because of that and even still today watching this video I love the body and the style of this vehicle, thank you for the review. Just a great classic car!
The Bandit 2 T/A Was a 1980-81. The birds head was facing the other direction and had a wider flame in addition to Turbo Trans Am being the rear decal which was only on the 80-81 T/A
It's an Oldsmobile 403, 185 horsepower with an automatic transmission. The hot car in '79 had a Pontiac 400, 220 horsepower with a 4 speed manual. I've owned many Firebirds and Trans Ams.
I owned a 1981 Turbo Trans Am when I was 19 and I still think about that car. Not very powerful or fast with all the smog stuff choking it but it was such a great cruising car. I took the T-Tops every chance I got. Thank you Joe for the review. You took me back to my early driving days 😊
Very cool man!
i think it was a law back in 1981 if you owned a trans am that you had to blast billy squiers song the stroke at least once a day while driving it lol
@RaitisRides MAN I REMEMBER BACK IN THE EARLY 80S WHEN MY NEIGHBOR PULLED UP IN FRONT OF MY MOM'S HOUSE IN A 1979 BLACK AND GOLD TRANS AM AND AT 10 YEARS OLD LOL I WAS IN LOVE OF THE CAR AND I DEFINITELY PLAN ON BUYING A 79 BLACK AND GOLD TA TO MY CAR COLLECTION.
@@RaitisRidesLOL AS MUCH AS I LOVE THE TRANS AM LOL I RACED MY BUDDIES 79 TA AGAINST MY 92 ANIVERSREY CAMERO Z28 AND I WON OF COURSE AND MY 92 Z28 THAT I STILL HAVE TODAY AND IT WAS RATED 235HP AND 300TQ AND BACK IN 92 THAT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A FAST CAR LOL BUT I WILL HAVE A 79 TA IN THE FUTURE.
Thanks for bringing me back to being 18 years old again. Great times
The good old days for sure!
What you said at 15:15 is one of the most accurate things I have heard, what a wholesome man really, you deserve more subscribers and more exposure my man
Thanks my friend! That really means a lot!
I owned a 79 trans am special edition and it was a beautiful car in those days. I got a lot of compliments on my car. It was my first brand new car and I loved it.
Joe. You grand slammed with this one. Best Hot wheels car too.
My favorite review so far from you. I could see you just taking in the moment enjoying the drive and living out just about every childhood dream of the modern car fan.
Ahh yes. This was my dream car living in Scottsdale AZ in 1985. My first car was a 1976 firebird formula. Cost $1300. Smoked oil like an sob but she looked beautiful in that bright red paint job!
My friend had a brown 79 Trans-Am, they were definitely under rated in horsepower for insurance reasons.
The Bandit edition was a 77-78 model with a totally different front and rear end.
Wow just watching this brought back a lot of memories. Long story short I'd like to share, I remember my dad bringing home his 1979 Pontiac Firebird Formula in Nocturne Blue. He went to San Francisco one day to see a family member and he was cruising on the highway and low and behold he decides to race against a cop, of course the officer didn't realize what my dad was up to until he floored the pedal and flew by the cop and they never was able to catch up to him as he was long gone lol Don't try this at home folks.
still the "king of automotive bad-assery",hands down!
Trans Am needs to come back! Love the 2002 trans am ram air with t tops! Beautiful
Back in 1987 at around 3am my buddy and I are driving the streets of Boston in a 1987 HO Trans Am (total sickness, especially back then) coincidently we run into a friend of ours who's driving his 1979 Trans Am, gold with the black Firebird decals (looked sick). We start racing on the McGrath Highway in the rain. We hit a slick spot and slam into the guardrails in some twisty bits totaling that beautiful, brand new, dealer demo car.. Fortunately the trip to the hospital was a short one:) Awesome review, I absolutely love that car!
Agreed. One of the most unique and desirable cars ever made regardless of make and model. Kudos to you for not calling the Firebird decal "screaming chicken"
Its soooo badass. Love the honeycomb wheels. The gold striping. The firebird on the hood. Its gorgeous. In my opinion this is the most iconic car ever. It would be my sunday driver not a daily driver.
Thanks for letting me share this one with you!
Absolutely love this car. These are the cars my uncle's used to drive when I was a kid.
That is so very cool Rick! Great memories for sure!
A friend of mine had a’78 gold Trans Am. We had a lot of fun in that car. Thanks for sharing it Joe! Brought back good memories. 👍🏻👍🏻🇺🇸
That is so awesome Larry! It always great to take a ride down memory lane.
Raiti's Rides ; At the end of the day isn’t that what keeping and restoring cars is all about? When I get into my 1986 Mustang GT I am 23 years old again. I was not legal to drink when I bought that car. My Mustang is a time machine. If that car could talk, oh the stories she would tell. I have owned that car for way more than half of my life! That’s crazy. 34 years...Where did the time go.
Love Firebirds. My first favorite car. My father had two 79's, and a 15th anniversary 84 trans am growing up. Now I own a 2001 Pontiac Firebird with a Supercharged 3800 series III supercharged V6.
Oh wow that is so really awesome!
@@RaitisRides thanks haha. Think of my bird as a modern day gnx with a Supercharger instead of a turbo. Just as much torque, if not more, but a little bit less hp
@Leroy Brown hey thanks man, it's going to get even louder when I install my speed Engineering true dual exhaust lol. Make that boosted 3800 really scream
My bother back in 1987 had a 1977 Firebird ( blue ) with the 350 OLDS with 350 Trans. Only option i remember was power windows. That car was super dependable and we had loads of fun in it. I've forever been a super fan of the Firebirds.
i just bought an 81 turbo trans in mint condition, cant wait to get it on the road
Awesome Brain! Congrats man!
My family had that car when I was a teen but it was all gold, had a metallic flaky look to the paint, so it was always glistening. I really miss that car. Driving it to high school was fun in the 90's
You know Joe. I have to hand it to GM. That is quite an engineering feat! 185hp out of a huge 400CI V8! Like how is that even possible! You don’t even need a turbo these days to get that kind of HP out of a four banger. Just the same, I love Trans Am’s of this era. They are so flamboyant! The dash was made out that prism-like reflective kind of material. How much would that Bird cost to replace if you were restoring one of these? Can you even get them anymore? Talk about the end of an era. You will never see a car like this ever built again. And I agree with you big time Joe. I miss Pontiac. I think if they were around today Pontiac would be building some pretty interesting cars. CARS, do we all remember what those were?
The 185hp was the olds 403 , the 400 pontiac was factory rated at 220hp NHRA said no it was making 260-280 hp. And that is net hp so well over 300 gross hp.
Right up there with the Aston Martin DB5 from a number of James Bond movies. I had a black 2002 Pontiac Firehawk which I personally felt was an expression of that Bandit personality. I had as many youngsters identify it as the Batmobile (it had that vibe) and a few that said Smokey and the Bandit as soon as I'd parked the thing. Their enthusiasm, for either identification, was gratifying. One little fellow, his mother pushing him in a shopping cart, even had on his Batman pajamas. I told him that _those_ were cool.
Yes they are absolutely beautiful!!!
I actually owned a 1980 turbo trans am fully loaded when I was eighteen years old. The reason why the steering feels tight on those cars is because they have a direct power steering. Loved the car and regret ever selling it. I tweaked the horsepower by installing a shift kit in the transmission, took off all the pollution garbage and catylict converter. Went from three drive belts to one. I also put some air shocks at the back just to lift the back end a couple inches. Made it look more aggressive.
JJ ~ my neighborhood friend's mom bought one EXACTLY THE SAME EDITION - she used to drive us to go roller skating & my friend would ask his mom to crack the stereo, T-TOPS off we'd roll up at age 13 & every chick's jaw dropped, guys were jealous & the babes were like - oh yeah. we walked out of the car in slow motion to the music acting like rock stars. those were the days . great cars make great memories - tony
I bought my 1979 Trans Am new. It had the same Olds 403 in it. I pulled that out and installed a 1970 D-port 455HO in it. The car is black but was not a Y84 Special Edition, so it has the smaller sail panel birds, no pinstriping, black grilles, red Pontiac nose logo, and silver engine-turned dash. I did pay the extra $95 for the hood bird. No T-tops because I wanted a stiffer platform. It’s got the full Herb Adams VSE suspension, and 12” front rotors to go with the rear disc brakes.
Beautiful car. My uncle had one. He passed but, left it to his kids . Needs some restoration but, seeing how Beautiful it could look again is great.
Thanks Ricky for letting me share it with you. I am so sorry to hear about your Uncle.
There were two 6.6 Liter V-8 engines optioned on the Bandit Edition Firebird Trans Am in 1979. The 401 cubic inch 6.6 Liter V-8 was equipped by Pontiac; the 403 cubic inch 6.6 Liter V-8 was equipped by Oldsmobile
The TA used in the original movie was a ‘76 model with a 77 front and rear end
Yep. And if you watch the movie closely, you can see a few shots with the 76 honeycomb wheels instead of the 77 snowflakes!
Did not know that!
I took a 79 301 Firebird and a wrecked 78 Trans Am and built a bastard..Took a 78 Formula hood and opened the scoops. Looked badass with the T/A fenders and the Ram air hood. Totally swapped the T/A's performance package to the 79..Kicked the 301 to the curb and sourced a 68 428/TH400 from an wrecked ambulance ..6X #4 91cc Heads, Edelbrock Performer RPM, 800 Quadrajet, Lunati 280 cam and long tube headers..I mis that car...I hope the young man who bought it enjoys it as much as I did
Thanks for sharing that Bill!
One of my favorite cars! If I was rich, i would get one!
Good Lord!! My dream car as a kid. Excellent, excellent video.
The 77' is from the first one, the 80' is from the second one......now the 79' is from the film Rocky 2......
Thank you for explaining this, bothered me that he kept saying the 79 was THE car
@@TheFlawedThunderer agreed...... one would think he should do research before posting the info.i know people make mistakes....... however, make sure the info is correct if it’s going to be stated as a fact...... have a great day
Exactly! Now people gonna think the Bandit trans am is the 79...
The 2 movies smokey and the bandit first one was a 1976 model with a later nosecone ..... This Pontiac firebird trans am was not in the first movie .... The second movie had a 1980 Pontiac firebird trans 4.9 turbo trans am......
This guy needs to watch the the first movie smokey and the bandit....saying this was in the first movie smokey and the bandit....the second movie had the same style body but the engine was a 4.9 turbo am ...... Oh t/a stand's for trans America
The Trans ams used in The Smokey and the Bandit movies were a 1977 Trans am, a 1980 Turbo Trans am & a 1983 Trans am. They were never called Bandit Editions. They were the WS6 packages of the T/A's that came with better handling.
David if you're gonna try and correct folks get your shit together. The WS6 was a handling package. The Special Edition or unofficially "Bandit Edition" factory code was Y82 in 1977-78 and Y84 in 1979-81. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle! You're welcome.
@@r.shanethompson7933 Troll
I would love to get my hands on one of these beauties!
Trust me I know how you feel!
Love the older muscle car reviews...this, the Mach 1, etc. 🤘🏻🤘🏻
That is awesome Ryan! I have more to come!
Fantastic review. Ban ONE is one of my all time favorite movies. I had a 78 Firebird in the late 80's with an engine I bought from a junkyard in Virginia. It wasn't a TA but I loved it. I eventually bought a brand new '96 TA. This video makes me proud to be an American. May Mr. Reynolds RIP. 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸
This car is an American Treasure. Thanks Joe - You are AWESOME 💪🏻
Thanks for saying that! I am so glad that I could share this treasure with you!
@@RaitisRides Just entered contest ✔
@@thinkabout602 Fingers crossed my friend!
I have to say, you just did a great walk around video! Really good info and delivery and a beautiful example of a iconic car.
I've never seen one of these run before, but this was my dad's first car and it is *b e a u t i f u l*
Had a 1980 T/A with 301 cubic inch turbo, black with T tops! The perfect ft Lauderdale strip A1A cruiser!
This one your showing was a 79 model, which was the one featured in the Smokey and the Bandit sequel, The original was the 77 model, which I special ordered later that same yr while the movie rage was fresh from its months earlier release . The one I ordered was exactly as the Bandit, except I went for the white leather buckets, 4 speed manual w/ every option available, 6800 bucks. Being in the Navy and living aboard the USSDaniel Boone, half the yr, or the barracks when not at sea, car notes were easy sneaky. Those were the days!!, Today, I’m 61, Drive a Charger R/T, and still ride a big Harley, ...While growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional, Don’t let the old man in.
Woooo still one of my favorite movie's of all time 1977 Rip Burt
My first car when I hit driving age (which cost 800 bucks) was a Gold 1979 Firebird. At that price it was not in the best condition but I don't think it ever left me stranded. Wish I still had it today.
Man I’m 16 and I used to watch Smokey and the bandit and the was the first car I ever fell in love with because it was so awesome to watch the bandit smoke Smokey
Had this 1979 Trans-Am black/gold with T-top back in High School. The same 185 HP 403 Oldsmobile engine which is for CA ONLY. Rest of the country had the 220 HP(?) 400 Pontiac engine. Installed two Recaro seats with the Spectrum upholstery and “fish net” head rest. Added a 40 Channels CB radio with a huge removable antenna on the trunk. Did not get the WS-6 handing package which is also missing on this car. One can tell by looking at the rims, they are missing the extra one inch lip with the wider wheels. Car was stolen 4 years later in New Jersey, never recovered 😭
The hidden fuel door on this car was terrific. You would NOT tell someone where it was when the went to fill the tank and it was funny! But of course, this hidden fuel door has to come in 2ND place to the iconic 57 Chevy where the fuel door was on the left fin. Great Burt Reynold's car! I loved that guy!!! RIP Burt...
Man this brings back some memories!
I'm suddenly craving a diablo sandwich and a Dr. Pepper.
Are you in a God damn hurry? LOL
"Nice ass!"
Much obliged...
Who you chasing? Is someone chasing you?
@@Draconfury1
"No one chasin' me boy..."
Had a 81 for years 301 4 bl non turbo red on red black silver birds was a good car not a fast car but a eye catcher and cruise to beach was wonderful Will be getting another one soon as I can lol
My first car was a gold 1979 Firebird Esprit "Rockford Edition". I always preferred the '78 front clip though.
That is so very cool!
James Garner didn't like the 79 restyle either, so he kept the 78 as the last car until the series ended. A bit of history if you are not aware; the Firebird used in the series, was actually a Formula, dressed down to look like an Esprit. This was done because the stunts required the extra horsepower and handling that the Formula provided. Also, the Sierra Gold color used on the show cars was not a Pontiac factory color. In order to maintain continuity between seasons, the cars were painted this special color to maintain consistency.
I'm planning on getting one of these beauties in the near future. I've wanted one since I was a kid.💪
That is so awesome!
In 1978 I had a 1978 gold limited edition same engine and transmission. I bought it for about $6,600. I like the shape of the 76,77,78 the best. It had the gold velour interior or suede or whatever you call it. Oh and the famous radial tuned suspension..lol
One of my favorite Timeless classics.Had a Royal blue 87 Firebird.Real nice ride.
I had an 85 firebird!
@@RaitisRides niceeee
YES! you shared with us my first favorite muscle car
I am so glad that you liked this one.
I bought a 1979 T/A back in 1988 for $3000 it was black t-tops , no bird on the hood or pin stripe beige valore interior and louvers on the back window man I loved that car and the reason I bought it was the movie Smokey and the Bandit it was a great car until I spun out on a wet road and hit a tree and blew the motor driving it home overheated , I wish I had another especially one that looks like this one
Who could possibly gives this a thumbs down? Booooooooo iconic stuff here my friends. Classic
I know right! There are always the haters out there no matter what.
As a young man, I wanted a" Screaming Chicken" Trans Am so bad I'd give up my front seat in hell! Lol Thanks for the trip back in time!👍😎🇺🇸
I am so glad that I could share it with you!
That was a good one
Damn, I'm Old! I was only 23 in '79, engaged, but still single, and what an Icon, of the late 70's era!
The good old days!
@@RaitisRides "Absolutely"! Along side the Camaro Z-28, and the long narrow, "Mako Shark", styled Corvettes!! 😂
This car does remind people of the disco 🕺 era. Joe would’ve been an excellent Tony Manero. I’m afraid if I show up anywhere with this car people would think’ “now that is an excellent fit”. Sorry to hear about good ole Burt. Some of his movies were very entertaining. Sally Field must’ve been heartbroken. Back in ‘79 I was stationed at Howard AFB. This car would’ve fit in perfect down in Panama. Cool review Joe!!!
I was back in high school when this car was being sold new. Wanted one, but my parents weren't rich. I don't believe that Pontiac ever made a Bandit Edition in 1979, it was simply a black and gold Trans Am. This is a nice car, however, it is missing some key options that would make it much more sought after. It does not have the power seat, power door lock, power window, and CB radio options. Breaker, breaker. Bandit you out there?
Thanks for sharing that great story!
Agreed. The radio was a bit plain, I was shouting at the screen "They had nicer radios for a car like that!" lol
When I was in high school in the early 80's you could buy Trans Ams for $1,000 to $2,000 dollars, a package car like that'd be a bit more, power was down in that era but any high school kid could deal with that.
If that TA 6.6 decal on the scoop is correct it should have the 400 Pontiac engine and not the 403 Oldsmobile engine that you said is in it, the one's with 403 engines had decals on the scoop that says 6.6 Litre.
@@dukecraig2402 You could not buy a Trans Am for $1,000 to $2,000 unless it was a totaled wreck. I had an 81 black and gold Special Edition with the WS6 option fully loaded and special ordered with every option except the turbo and the list was around $12,450 on the window sticker and a fully loaded Z28 at the time was around $7,500 and a Corvette was around $16,258 new. Buying a Trans Am in any year for $2,000 would mean that the car was a total wreck and probably not legal to drive considering the condition it would have to be in.
@@PhilLaird
I wasn't talking about buying a new one, I was talking about a high school kid buying a 5 or 6 year old car in 1982 or 83.
1992 Firebird Firehawk and the 2002 WS6 are the best. I miss that more aero look these cars had for so long before Transformers
OK, something is not right with this particular car, I had a 1979 Trans Am I ordered from the factory so I know it very well. My car had the T/A 6.6 engine in it, which is the 400 cubic inch Pontiac motor, the other option was the 403 cubic inch Oldsmobile motor which, although slightly larger, (Ok, just 3 cubic inches larger), it had considerably less horsepower. The T/A 6.6 was rated at 220 hp, the Olds motor only had about 180 or 185. You could tell which engine the car had just by looking at it, the Pontiac motor had T/A 6.6 on the shaker, the Olds motor just had 6.6 Litre on it. Now here's the problem, this car has T/A 6.6 on it's shaker, it also has an automatic transmission, but in 1979 the Pontiac motor, the T/A 6.6, was only available with a manual. All automatics had the 403 Oldsmobile motor and all had 6.6 Litre on the shaker. So that's why it looks like someone did some decal switching or swapped a manual for an auto on the car in the video, which is highly unlikely.
Fyi, there were only 10,000 T/A 6.6 engines available in 1979, 7,500 were reserved for the silver edition anniversary cars, so there were only 2,500 available for anyone who wanted that motor and not a silver anniversary car. I order ordered mine in white with a black interior, all the options except I didn't get the screaming chicken decal, plus I peeled off the rest of the stickers, it looked very clean. I also had the WS6 handling package which had the same wheels as the car in the video but 1 inch wider tires, so the wheels were set in 1 inch, which I thought looked much better. Thinking back, my car, a T/A 6.6, manual, (of course), non-anniversary, no decal, loaded car including T-tops was actually quite rare. I did have a lot of fun with it. The only mods I did was to cut out the blocked section of the shaker, it was blocked from the factory, got rid of the catalytic converter and put in dual exhaust with an H-pipe and some minor carb work. I still remember the time I ran at the local drag strip, 14.77 at 96 mph, I went through the traps in 3rd gear at 5,000 rpm. That was a pretty fast car for the era, I would easily outrun the same era Corvettes, even the L82s, Camaros and Mustangs and could surprise some of the older cars. I even beat a 308 Ferrari, they were very pretty but not that fast. One car that blew me away was 911 turbo, I knew he would, but I just wanted to see him run. As they say, those were the days...
Smokey and the Bandit came out in 1977. I was in high school my neighbor had a Trans Am just like the Bandit
I almost bought one in 1978 but got turned off with the workmanship however I still thought about buying one every once in a while. It was the best handling American made car at the time. By the way there were two engines offered in the 1979; TA400 a true Pontiac 400 ci with 220 hp and the TA6.6 an Oldsmobile 403.
Thanks for sharing that great info Tommy!
The Ford Mustang in Bullitt has got to take the most iconic movie car for me, but this Firebird is pretty epic.
I think we need to do a survey!
So many good car movies during the 70s. Thunderbird and Lightfoot, Dirty Mary Crazy Lary, Vanishing Point, Two-Lane Blacktop, American Graffiti etc.
Just found out your channel and i have to say you're the best car reviewer on youtube , man your enthusiasim and positivity is amazing , I've been going through your videos and they're all very detailed and entertaining . Keep it up man you're gonna be big!!
PS: already love the ZONKS AND TWINKIES 😂😂
Thanks Simon for finding us! I really appreciate your kind words and being part of the Raiti's Rides family!
Next iconic car you need to review Joe is the General Lee!
My first car right there !!!! Navy and Gold
Very cool!
I always wanted one & still my dream car!!!
I am so glad that you like this one.
I bought a new 76 thunder chicken just like this and a 79 similar to what is showing here.
I didn’t have Burt’s signature though.
my dad owns one in 79 i have pictures end camero to i like this very much bravo joe you the best in the world man big ciao
I am so glad that you like this one. Your dad is really cool!
@@RaitisRides my dad is architect in san diego still today joe ciao man
This car is a thing of beauty. Don't mind me, I'm gonna take this thing into a time machine to the past and pick up all the ladies!
I like the way that you think.
And Sally Field was a total babe back in the day!
Used to lock the 4 way disc brakes up on mine at 60MPH going one way putting X marks in the road about 6 lines long and end up facing the other way manually shift to low gear slam the pedal to the floor a second before the end of the power slide and watch the smoke from the tires roll over the front of the car and even somehow come into the car through the speakers ..I dont care about what you heard about power !!! This thing was a go kart when you want to do however many donuts or figure8's you wanted !! The handling and performance is off the rails of the 79 TA ...Best 3000 pound GoKart ever made that can never be bested
That is so very awesome!
@@RaitisRides and so very true.. The law in this little rural area could never catch me doing all my crazy stunts(10 years worth).Hasn't been X marks in the road since I parked it The only ticket I ever got with that car was expired inspection...
The most iconic would probably be the Steve Mcqueen Bullit Mustang.
It would be interesting to do a survey!
@@RaitisRides no disrespect intended, but I just used to be a real Pontiac enthous,, my last trans am was an 80 year model turbo black and gold with gold tentend T-tops it was just as good looking as that 79 ,, I carport garage kept it up around until 2003 and it had around 55,000 on the clock, I hardly ever drove it anymore and a young guy came along and seen it, and he had to have it, so I finally sold it to him and bought a brand new 03 Z06 Corvette for about what I got from the 80 model black and gold, t- top ,, and I have missed it, but that's how it goes.. miles of smiles...
i dont know any of these icons i was born in the 80s. i guess for me it would be the fast and furious icons lol
I would say more people today are more familiar with Burt Reynolds and the Bandit more than the Bullitt. Personally I would still take the Bullitt, but the Bandit would probably be my 2nd or 3rc choice.
Most iconic cars are the General Lee and KITT
Pretty darn sure the TA 6.6 was the Pontiac 400. The Olds 403 was specified as 6.6 litre on the shaker hood scoop. I've got 4 Firebirds. An original 1976 455 four speed TA, 1978 Formula 350, 1981 Turbo TA, and a 1981 four speed Esprit.
I noticed that , too. Unless it was mislabelled after a repaint, that’s the Pontiac engine, not the Olds.
I have the same car. Repainted in the 80s. It says 6.6/T.A. on the shaker instead of 6.6 Litre. Someone always notices. I just think back then nobody really paid attention, or they weren't available. Back then I don't think people thought these cars would be considered real classics because they weren't considered real muscle cars. And be pulling the prices they are today.
have had several of these trans ams. not as nice as this one, but always fun to drive. cheap to get back in the day, wish i held on to them along with my OG star wars figures. lol
Very cool man!
Oh man! You've taking me back in time brother 🤩 my mother had a 1985 5.7L trans am. These vehicles are super rare and is such a rewarding experience driving them. Thanks for the video 😁👍
How rare? I seen one the other day.
It was a bandit edition too!
Thanks for sharing i have a 79 that is Nocturn blue and just love the car.
The call out on the shaker is incorrect for that Olds 403 engine. The T/A 6.6 call out was only used for the Pontiac 400.
This is favorite TA ever.
I love that this car still has the factory radio. So many of these have a hacked up dash for a CD player. I hate that this car has the T/A 6.6 sticker on the shaker. It’s in the wrong place too.
the most character of a car ever.
I totally agree with you!
Awesome ride, Joe. I really enjoyed going retro with this one. ✌
I am so glad that I could share this one with you! It was really special.
You really took me back with this one. I was just a couple years too young to get one, but I had pictures on my wall.
Got out of my bed!i remember theres a car like this in my neighbor owning this one when i was 4 yrs old...😅😅☝️☝️ i’ll gonna ask may aunt about this. That design in the hood👍🏼👍🏼
I ALMOST bought a gorgeous 1979 10th Anniversary Trans Am in Silver while in college in NYC. #ScreaminChicken #Pontiac400CI. #ShakerHood #T_Tops
My first vinyl album ever spun... The Smokey and the Bandit Soundtrack. Don't forget The Great One Jackie Gleason!!!! How Sweat It Is!!
My favorite tv car is the General Lee. Such a cool car. This Trans Am is also badass though.
Such a fun video to watch, brought back lots of wonderful memories of my youth