A Pontiac Trans Am previously owned by Burt Reynolds as a memento for his role in Smokey and the Bandit is being put up for auction.
This is not the ACTUAL 1977 Pontiac Trans Am that was featured in the action-comedy film Smokey and the Bandit. The movie had several different Trans Ams with a bunch of them winding up on the scrap heap by the end of filming. This particular car was actually delivered to Reynolds brand new as a memento of his time on the film. It was made to look exactly like the movie version Trans Am, but still be as pristine as a new car.
So in a way, this is actually better than the movie car since this was actually driven by Burt Reynolds himself as an everyday driver. Very briefly, at least. It only has 3,394 miles on the odometer.
Now it's going up for auction. The US Marshals seized this vehicle as part of a larger operation against Jeff and Paulette Carpoff, the founders of the now-defunct mobile solar company DC Solar. The company was part of an $800 million investment scheme that eventually toppled and resulted in both Carpoffs being arrested.
The final results of their trial are still yet to be determined, but their collection of 149 classic and luxury cars are to be auctioned off by the feds to pay back some of the fraud. In that collection, you can find a bunch of Hummers, some vintage classics, some expensive luxury sedans, and a single dirt bike. You can also find this '77 Trans Am, formerly owned by the late, great Burt Reynolds.
In the rear windows you'll find Bandit Run logos, and in the glove box is a signed autograph from Reynolds himself that reads simply: "Be Safe!"
According to Autoblog, the car has already garnered 59 bids with a price of over $55,000. An actual Trans Am used in Smokey and the Bandit sold for $550,000 back in 2016, so there’s no telling how high a price this Trans Am will fetch.
(via Autoblog, Apple Auctioneering)