is this the car from smokey and the bandit?

Question

Accepted Answer

**Short answer: Not quite, but really close!**

This 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Y84 Special Edition is the *spiritual successor* to the car from *Smokey and the Bandit*, but it's not the exact same year/spec that appeared in the film.

**Here's what the movie car actually was:**
- **1977 Pontiac Trans Am Y82** Special Edition (not the Y84 code, which came in 1979)
- **400ci Pontiac V8** (sometimes called "T/A 6.6") — the movie famously had to dub in more aggressive engine sounds since the actual 400's tone wasn't "intimidating enough" for Hollywood!
- The production actually used 1976 models repainted and fitted with 1977 front ends

**And here's what you've got:**
- **1979 model year** — same era, but Pontiac's final year for this body style before the big 1982 redesign
- **Y84** Special Edition code — this replaced the Y82 for 1979-1981
- **403ci Oldsmobile V8** — still powerful, but Pontiac's own 400 was no longer available
- Updated front and rear fascias compared to the '77

**The verdict?** This is essentially the **last evolution of the "Smokey and the Bandit" car** — same iconic black-with-gold Special Edition package, same unmistakable attitude, and a car that collectors absolutely treasure as the final installment of that legendary run. If you want the *exact* movie spec, you'd need a 1977 Y82 with the Pontiac 400, but this Y84 — with its black interior, black paint, and T-tops — is absolutely what Pontiac Trans Am dreams are made of.

Want me to help you find some 1977 Y82 Special Editions for comparison?

Lot 26059: 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans AM Special Edition

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Lot 26059: 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans AM Special Edition

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