Phat Trans Ams

[e12Euro]

Those Smokey & The Bandit late 70s Trans Ams were cool looking. I didn't like the downsized 1982/83 car they used in the third film as much, but I guess it was ok.

http://www.78ta.com/international.htm

http://my.execpc.com/~steveb/transam/rehorn/page1.html


East bound & down!!

 

[Tom]

I always had a soft spot for those cars. Any idea how much the Turbo was pumping out?

 

[frolf]

i saw a REALLY REALLY cute girl in a fairly new white trans am the other day

 

[flashinthepan]

i saw a REALLY REALLY cute girl in a fairly new white trans am the other day

That may be the 1 scenario in which I look at a Trans-Am.

 

[theBMWenthusiast]

thats nice!

 

[e12Euro]

Here are the movie posters of the Bandit films from those days,

http://www.sd455.com/moviesmokeybandit.htm

Road & Track tested a 220 bhp W72 Trans Am in 1978 and got 0-60 in 6.5, the BMW 633 CSi of the time did about 8.2 seconds and so did the V12 Jag XJS. But the Trans Am cost under $10,000 [80?] , but the other two cost over 20K.

I think they played with the HP ratings in those times so as not to show up the Corvette whose optional L82 5.7 at the time was pretty anemic.

The turbo 4.9 made 210 bhp & 4,000 rpm , 345 lbs/ft & 2000 rpm, but it was automatic only. I should add for youngsters that all cars in those years had 91 octane unleaded as the best gas, and 91 in those days was lower in quality than 91 today because they have changed the octane ratings.

A sizeable portion of Firebird / Trans Am owners are female. Nice.

 

[R3LzX]

Any one remember the 1974 with four on the flor and i believe a 455 engine?

nice car

 

[e12Euro]

There was a Super Duty SD 455 offered on Formulas & Trans Ams in 1973/74, there was also a normal 455 but the special SD 455 allowed an automatic Trans Am to do the 1/4 mile in 13.5 seconds (Hot Rod magazine). It was also possible to get the SD 455 engine with 4 on the floor. This was a 91 octane unleaded smog engine, one of the most powerful US V8s around at the time (early to mid 70s). 0 - 60 was 5.4 seconds for an automatic 1973 car tested by Car & Driver. It was a fast car at a time when there weren't many fast cars around. The 1974 SD 455 cars were slow sellers because of the first fuel crisis in 73/74, but they are valuable collector cars today. A 1974 car was even used in the real life 1975 Cannonball Run organised by Brock Yates.