I was just watching...

That one was pretty decent. 400 cu in with about 220hp, good for those days. Smokey and the Bandit II featured a Trans Am with a POS 305 that need a ton of nitrous to even begin to perform. Junk.

The real ones don't run like the one in the movie. I think they all had the 403 in them

I remember reading about how they really had to modify the frame (naturally) on several cars before the whole movie was filmed. Also, like every emission choked car of the era, it wasn't so hot of a car. Somewhere during the late '70s-early 80s, they had a turboed TransAm and several performance magazines tested it. I recall one test where they ran it in the quarter mile. I don't recall the ET times, but it got smoked by a stock six cyl, 258 ci AMC Gremlin. If you buy this car and keep it stock, buy it for the decals that will turn heads from high-schoolers, not for the performance.

Not quite true. Trans Ams could be had with the Olds 403ci with an automatic and a Pontiac 400ci with the 4 speed, and possibly a Pontiac

350ci though I'm none too sure about the 77' model.

...Ron

--

68'RS Camaro 88'Formula 00'GT Mustang

Ah, it's all subjective.... butI class that design in with the steroid editions like the '73 Mach.. and they straightened it out well in 82.

If you think the best human bodies are on the cover of 'Pumping Iron' mags, then all's well....

Dont like 68 model vette's either.. Liked the 80's version; but that's just geezer me.

;)

Either way they ranged from 180 to 200 horse power. Like I said the real ones do not run like the one in the movie.

"Backyard Mechanic" wrote

Except that in '82 they started dropping in that POS boat anchor 305. I owned an '83 Z-28 t-top and it was a complete SLUG, that is until I dumped in a SBC 400 out of a '78 Caprice wagon. Then it became a freakin' stump puller with boatloads of torque.

But like many engines that were around for a number of years it was and is quite easy to make them breathe, for less than it would cost me for a short block GM LS1 or Ford Modular motor today.

Of course the newer engines are a more advanced and efficiently designed compared to old tech carbureted engines.

...Ron

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68'RS Camaro 88'Formula 00'GT Mustang

Are you sure you dont mean 'pud puller'?

I remember about that time HOT ROD magazine did a shootout of the 302 mustang and the 305 Camaro. At the time, HOT ROD was very pro Chevy and Chevy could do no wrong. I think the Mustang beat the Camaro again and again and again, even after putting very little money into the Mustang, but the Camaro they dumped a lot of upgrades into. (That part is a little fuzzy) What I do definately remember is that after the Mustang whipped the Camaro in about every test, including the 1/4 mile, the Camaro blew it's motor. Of course, after all this, HOT ROD recommended that the Camaro was the car to own. After being that biased, I let my subscription to them lapse and have never renewed.

Then it is definitely time for you to go rent Bullit and Gone in 60 Seconds, watch them in one evening and get your head straight!!!!! LOL : 0 )

Not once it was rebuilt. I actually broke a motor mount with it. I think I got about 8mpg. ;)

LOL!!! I know... but that car sounded sooo kewl! And just went like hell! I haven't seen that movie in years and I just LMAO!!! Gotta say, Burt Reynolds was once pretty cool, and Sally Fields was pretty hot. Good movie!

Brad

Try 180-200 horsepower depending on engine and trans.

"BradandBrooks" wrote: Smoky and the Bandit... I want a 1977 Trans Am now... LOL! I wanted one, too, but went with the '79 Z/28 instead which had that 175hp 350cu V8 with AT. Indicated top speed was

123mph.

My old '66 Ford Econoline Van (HD shortbed panel version) was more powerful as it had 289cu V8 dropped on Z'ed crossmember, Crane fireball cam, shaved heads, high c/r pistons, Mallory dual point dist and hotbox, 650cfm Holley with vacuum secondaries, Cobra headers, and weighted 3280-lbs.

-=G