He gave Needham a preview of the song and, getting no reaction, offered to rewrite it. On top of Burt Reynold's top-notch acting, Smokey and the Bandit is also famous for the Pontiac Trans Am that the actor drove throughout the film. Buford, with Junior along, ignores his jurisdiction and doggedly chases Bandit all the way to Georgia to retrieve Carrie while various mishaps cause his cruiser to disintegrate on the way. thebandit77transam 2009-04-14 14:04. andre1969 wrote Pontiac supplied 5 brand-new cars for "Smokey and the Bandit". [22] It premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, where it performed badly. Smokey and the Bandit was the second highest-grossing domestic film of 1977 in the United States. As I did Steve McQueen and Paul Newman. I also own a 1:18 scale version of the Bandit Trans Am. I have since moved on from them, mainly because in stock form, they were not particularly great cars (though good enough for the times). Some of the more recent DVD releases of it redid all of the engine sounds and it sounds much more mellow than the original(not happy about that). While watching the movie (yes, I did have to diligently research this article), one shot seemed to indicate this may be a dummy scoop. how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2 how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2 (No Ratings Yet) . The Trans Am was already pretty popular in the mid-1970s, with sales hitting 68,745 units in 1977. Along the way they tussle with tough as nails Texas Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason), pick up a runaway bride nicknamed Frog (Sally Field), and have all kinds of awesome times on the highway. Arguably the most iconic Pontiac Firebird in history. Needham and assistant director David Hamburger spent 30 hours revising the shooting schedule.[4]. The T/A is just as quick as my present Challenger is, but the Challenger doesnt have anything close to the throttle response it had, and I miss it. Below is probably another DeKalb County cop car. The side vents give it away. As such, it took a lot of sweet talking by former stuntman Needham for Pontiac to cough up three Trans Ams and three LeManses. Reynolds and Field began dating during the filming.[13]. We also learn that every launched satellite will eventually fall back to Earth, such as this 1972 Plymouth Satellite (CC here). He claimed that the Bandit is never made aware of Frog's leaving Junior at the altar, which is why the Bandit continually asks why a Texas sheriff is chasing him. Id be surprised. It was the second highest-grossing film of the year, trailing only Star Wars: A New Hope, and it made Burt Reynolds into a certifiable superstar. The worldwide gross is estimated at over $300 million. [28] However, this is inaccurate; within seconds of Bandit picking her up, Frog tells him "there is a wedding in search of a bride" and goes on to explain her ill-advised romance with Junior, as the Bandit holds up the CB mic for the Snowman to hear. In its place was the nonsensical "scum bum." . Because sales were so high, Pontiac decided to delay the third-generation model. Regular film-goers might not pay much attention to the car's engine sound, but gearheads will quickly notice that something is off. Bill Justis is the first name on the credits for the soundtrack, as he composed and arranged original music throughout the film. I think thats another line theyve edited out for the television version. I fondly remember lots and lots of terrible B grade movies @ the drive in in the early to mid 1970s all featuring cars racing , smashing and so on . After the movie did well, Pontiac gave Burt a free Trans Am to drive for a few years. Luckily, both cars survived, and the Trans Am became famous only five years later. It took four evenings to see almost all of the movie in bits and pieces. The hood scoop on these cars says "6.6 LITRE", which, in 1977, would have denoted an Oldsmobile 403-equipped car or a non-W-72, 180 hp version of the 400 Pontiac engine. According to an interview with Susie McIver Ewing on The RetroZest Podcast, she was picked to play the role of Hot Pants Hilliard after the dailies footage (shot in the Atlanta area) of the original actress playing the role was inadvertently destroyed on its way from Atlanta to Los Angeles. [32], After the debut of the film, the Pontiac Trans Am became wildly popular, with sales almost doubling within two years of the film's release. The change was somewhat strange as most automakers were using cubic-inch numerals to advertise engines. Coors was legal in Missouri and illegal in Illinois. These new models were built off the same Camaro platform, came with the Pontiac arrowhead, flaming bird, and Bandit logos, and the instrument panels, center consoles, and hood scoops emulating their 1977 counterparts, and were signed by Reynolds. The decals were changed to 1977-style units, as evidenced by the engine size callouts on the hood scoop being in liters rather than cubic inches, as had been the case in 1976. In the movie . Sheriff Justices son, Junior. Ive always loved this movie. How many cars destroyed Blues Brothers 2000? The Trans Am was a high-performance package for the Firebird, Pontiac's take on the Chevrolet Camaro. I enjoyed the hell out of my 1976 Dart Pursuit. Sure Smokey helped, but was not the sole reason T/A and F body sales went up. Olds 88. I recall a big smokey burnout right after they left Snowmans house that looked 455-worthy and also after Bandit picked up Fields he left two strips after nailing second (right before the tire thieves crossed the road), which makes me think there was also a 4 speed car used. The area around Helen, Georgia, was used for some locations. The films are indeed classic and very funny to this day. The three original films introduced two generations of the Pontiac Trans Am and the Dodge Stealth in the television movies. They quickly escape in one of Big Enos's 13 Cadillacs as police flood the racetrack. It had not been used for some time and was repainted for the film. I have always loved this movie, watched it dozens and dozens of times on TV, video, DVD, laserdisc, almost any form of media. Actor Henry Corden, who voiced Fred Flintstone after original performer Alan Reed died the same year the film was released, was used to replace a considerable amount of Sheriff Justice's dialogue. Ive also looked at a Fox based LTD cop car and an early 1991 whale Caprice 9C1 detective model, burgundy on burgundy cloth. I have worked a long time to eradicate the one I had but it still crops up periodically from exposure, like you experienced. The film's editors, Walter Hannemann and Angelo Ross, were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing. One of our favorite movies. As a publicity stunt, the Trans Ams used in the movie had different decals on the hood scoop. I know that Trans Am that . The Trans Am used for said jump was equipped with a booster rocket, the same type that was used by Evel Knievel during his failed Snake River Canyon jump. Pontiac should have made a radio that played that song automatically simply by pushing a button, or maybe made it the horn sound. how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2. NY 10036. He has no less than four movies listed as coming out, and they run the gamut from romantic drama to family comedy to horror mystery to action thriller. Although 1977 models also featured 6.6-liter engines, they were rated at only 200 horses. The sound came from a 1955 Chevrolet Custom, the same car that was used in Two-Lane Blacktop and American Graffiti, films launched in 1971 and 1973, respectively. Here's everything you should know about one of the most iconic movie cars ever. When I was a kid I thought they were the same person. His father was also the inspiration for the word "sumbitch" used in the film, a variation of the phrase "son-of-a-bitch" that, according to Reynolds, he uttered quite often. Jane Russell hawked bras on television for full-figured gals like her, a line that evoked snickers among my high-school classmates. I was 10 when this movie came out and I loved it then and I still do. I was in the Air Force during this era, stationed in California. The whereabouts of the remaining Smokey and the Bandit car, the one that was used to promote the movie, remained a mystery for years. The advertisements lampoon the film and feature a Pontiac Trans Am and a cover version of the song East Bound and Down. The unrestored car reportedly showed up on eBay back in 2015, but no one wanted to buy it. Despite growing up next to Cape, most of relatives are from the Mid-South. As if GM owes them something. In response, Needham told Reed that he liked the song so much that if Reed changed even a word or a note, Needham would "choke him". 5. I dont know whose idea was to replace the wicked Two Lane Blacktop Chevy sourced engine sound effects with an authentic 200 horsepower muffled smogger 400, but that sumbitch is a scumbum!!! They destroyed all those cars in the films he said. These Furys, as well as some of the LeMans units, have hood scoops. That is why there are not any left. The $%&#* Germans got nuthin to do with it!, Such a great movie I grew up in the 80s, so it was comforting to watch this, Blues Brothers, or Animal House once a week on TBS/TNT. (it did taste a lot better than Bud as I recall). Its lack of additives and preservatives meant that Coors could spoil in one week without refrigeration, explaining the film's 28-hour deadline. The muscle car market reached a peak in the late 1960s, as the car was becoming larger, more powerful, and more aggressive by looks. Get ready to tear up the highway with the Bandit (Burt Reynolds), a fun-loving, fast-talking trucker who takes on his craziest haul yet - delivering 400 case. I agree, despite people saying you sound cute, it seems like they think Ellie Mae Clapett or Jethro Bodean. [4] Reynolds said in 2015 that he most enjoyed this film, and had the most fun making it, of his career.[26]. No, the T/A was selling fine before the movie, and the black/gold package dates to 1976, a full year before the movie was out in summer 77. A 1975 Pontiac Grand Prix with a Buick Electra behind it. Even when the 2nd gen was already coasting on fumes, and defanged, and after the reasonably shitty Smokey and the Bandit sequel, Pontiac managed to pump out 107,000 Trans Ams in 1980 and 70,000 for the 2nd gen Trans Ams swan song in 1981. Burt Reynolds' 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Sold for $240,000. These questions all need to be answered. It was his idea to have Junior alongside him throughout the film. A group of Trans Am owners and fans of the movie take part in an annual road trip from Texarkana to Jonesboro, recreating the route taken by the characters in the film. Funny that T/A isnt on the movie poster, considering it was the obvious star of the show. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 78% rating based on 32 reviews. Starring Bob Hope, that comedic star of the screen, and the lovely Jane Russell boy what a pair! I never forgot that one. While made to take advantage of the ongoing 1970s CB radio fad, the film added to the craze. You will receive a verification email shortly. Always a favorite. Burt Reynolds is originally a Georgia boy. Jackie Gleason ad libbed a lot of his lines too. The scene where Sheriff Justice's car has the door knocked off by a passing semi-truck was shot on Georgia State Route 75, 3 miles (4.8km) north of Helen. The scoops were added by the department because the engines ran so hot. I prefer Buford T. Justices 1980 Pontiac Bonneville and his 1983 Pontiac Bonneville in Smokey and The Bandit III. Except for Gleason, the original actors mostly redubbed their lines for the television version. The Kenworth even achieves a trifecta of sorts, as it gave the first dent to Sheriff Justices LeMans. In the original script, Carrie was called Kate while Big Enos and Little Enos were called Kyle and Dickey. How many police cars were wrecked in Smokey and the Bandit? In particular, the scene where Sheriff Justice unknowingly encounters the Bandit in the "choke and puke" (a roadside diner) was not in the original story but was rather Gleason's idea. I still think its more entertaining than Star Wars. Reed also penned and performed the song for the opening credits, entitled "The Legend", which tells of some of the Bandit's escapades before the events of the film, and the ballad "The Bandit", which is in several versions in the movie and on the soundtrack. I think Stroker Ace is after Smokey and the Bandit, though there was Hooper, which was about a stuntman, it also had Sally Field, it was from 1978 or so. radio to help him out. My favorite would have been an ex-WSP 1970 Plymouth they were all Fury IIIs, white on blue with factory air and 440s under the hood; but none ever turned up when I was buying. Several other groups, such as the U.S. rock band Tonic and U.K.-based country cover band We Be Ploughin' have also covered it. . Much of the surrounding scene comes from that immediate vicinity. and used hard. The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit is one of the most famous movie cars of all time. A Pontiac wagon from earlier in the decade. S&TB was filmed primarily off Route 400 in Georgia. But would the black and gold T/As be as desirable today without the movie? That parking lot was full of Trans Ams! Although he's into just about any type of vehicle, Ciprian is not your typical car enthusiast. When Smokey & The Bandit first aired on television in the early 1980s, the Gleason phrase "sum bitch"-a regional butchering of "son of a bitch"-had to be dubbed out. Set with his . That said, an uncomplimentary accent does exist. Jackie Gleasons Buford T. Justice character is a supposedly an amalgamation of a few characters, including the real Buford T. Justicethere is obviously the Dodge safety sheriff from the 1970s ads, Burt Reynolds father was chief of police of Jupiter Florida, and a friend of his fathers, a Florida Highway Patrol officer was actually the REAL Buford T. Justice. a custom mandrel bent dual exhaust, and the Mondello bottom end plate to stabilize the windowed mains. As a former Club Wagon pilot, I happen to like his Econoline. The 1977 model wasn't out yet when filming began, so General Motors provided 1976 cars with front clips from the soon-to-be-released 1977 update. While it's sad that the other two cars were destroyed . I have at least 4 really good car buddies that will from time to time love popping this movie in to watch. But the true standout of Smokey and the Bandit is the car driven by The Bandit, the iconic black and gold 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. I ended up buying a 1969 Cadillac ambulance a year later! When I was a kid, there was an old record from the 50s around the house that was a collection of radio and tv bloopers. One was a radio ad for a movie that went something like: . Director Hal Needham convinced Pontiac to feature the Pontiac Trans Am in the movie. Field enjoyed making the film, but remembers that virtually the entire project was improvised. The 1978 Trans Am is an exact duplicate of the "Smokey and the Bandit" movie car, finished in black and gold with a screaming chicken on the hood. Not everything was Pontiac, as evidenced by this 1973 Plymouth Satellite coupe (CC here). I loved the fact that Jackie Gleasons brown Lemans had a blue vinyl interior and it even had the luxury cushion steering wheel! It was destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit II and in a flashback scene in Part 3. A 1975 Pontiac Grand Ville, seen toward the end of the movie. The original film had correct sounds that were usually recorded live as the action took place. . If it wasnt for Smokey & the Bandit, the Dukes of Hazzard TV series would not exist. Mrs Jason wont let me sell the sumbitch. Over many viewings I noticed some scenes the car would skate around and take off like an animal while in others there were one-tire-fires and it would struggle to get going. I own all three films on a dvd called the Smokey and The Bandit Pursuit Pack. The story replaced the Coors beer with Mobil 1 products. Bandit attracts more police attention across Dixie as Snowman barrels on toward Atlanta with the contraband beer, but they are helped en route by many colorful characters via CB radio. "Buford T. Justice" was the name of a real Florida Highway Patrolman known to Reynolds' father, who was once Police Chief of Riviera Beach, Florida. Here's What We Know So Far, Jonathan Majors On Getting Jacked To Play Kang The Conqueror: Hes In The Avenger (Weight) Class, How 90 Day Fianc: The Other Way's Kris And Jeymi Might Have Already Spoiled Their Storyline, Why Creed IIIs Michael B. Jordan Avoided Saying Action Or Cut On The Set, Young Sheldon's Iain Armitage Reacting To Surprise Video From Survivor's Jeff Probst Is Like Sheldon Cooper Meeting Leonard Nimoy. A guy we knew drove his half-ton pickup from western WA to his reserve 2-week stint in his home state in California. Producers of Smokey and the Bandit wrecked 26 cars while filming the movie in 1977. I developed a pretty good bootheel accent during my time in New Madrid. Most reports of his death still didnt have that right! (Still). This is obvious, because there is no fuel tank on the underside of the trailer to power the refrigeration unit, and the unit is never heard running. Watching TV and Movies you would think that sales dropped to nil. While it is doubtful Pontiac sold very many LeMans police packages, if one views this show as realistic, it would seem nearly every county and highway patrol in five states purchased one of Pontiacs heavy duty offerings. Needham saw an advertisement for the soon-to-be-released 1977 Pontiac Trans Am and knew right away that would be the Bandit's car, or, as Needham referred to it, a character in the movie. For this purpose, they overdubbed dialogue deemed offensive, which was common practice. Yet when I think of a 70s T/A, thats the one I and Im sure millions of other folks think of. Probably the most famous TV edit of all time is I have had it with these monkey-fightin snakes on this Monday-to-Friday plane!. I actually remember the construction of that segment of I-75, as it stopped around Tampa prior to that time. In Smokey and the Bandit, there were eight 1977 Trans-Am cars and approximately the same number of police cars (but some said ten). When it is finally torn off along with the car's roof in the impact with the girder, the missing fender still reappears later on in the film. I never understood why dragging a truckload of beer from Colorado to Georgia was such a big deal. When Smokey and the Bandit first aired on American network television in the early 1980s, censors were faced with the challenge of toning down the raw language of the original film. They find local legend Bo "Bandit" Darville at a roadeo at Lakewood Fairgrounds and offer him US$80,000 (equivalent to $357,738 in 2021) to haul 400 cases of Coors from Texarkana (the closest place it could be legally sold at that time) to Atlanta in 28 hours. There was still a market for bras in the 1970s. The third film which had no involvement from either Hal Needham or Sally Field and contained only a short cameo appearance by Burt Reynolds revolved entirely around Jackie Gleason's character, was panned by critics, and was a box office bomb, earning only $7 million against a $9 million budget.[41][42][43]. The three movie cars were destroyed during various stunts, so the promo car is the only surviving Trans Am connected to this film. J.J. & The Dixie Dance Kings was a milder one that had (I think) a 56 Buick Century . At the time, Reynolds was the top box office star in the world. She is a runaway bride, sitting on the side of the road in her 1973 Chevrolet Impala coupe. This was the lull between Gas Crisis I and II, 1976-78, and Boomers were wanting stylish cars. I remember that it had a bunch of trim badges on the center of the dashboard. He contacted Pontiac and an agreement was made that four 1977 Trans Ams and two Pontiac LeMans four-door sedans would be provided for the movie. The man does get around. Smokey and the Bandit star Burt Reynolds passed away in 2018 . Frog not included. Im probably in the minority as usual, but I prefer the Black and Gold 50th Anne. Both sequels used another Trans Am, not a Cadillac Eldorado, as seen below. In its place was the nonsensical scum bum. The voice over actor? Please to note I didnt say _I_ didnt like them as I was in my 20s then (early 1970s) so I hustled my self and my Russian girlfriend right on down to the cinema every time Burt Reynolds had a new flick , I personally loved his movies even the chick flicks like The Man Who Loved Women , I just had to hear earfuls from everyone else about how awful he / those movies were.. We even bought one of those Pontiac Police Specials on auction from. His personaround, dumpy, and clipping wordsreminds one of another fictional southern sheriff. The rub? [17], In 1977, Coors was unavailable for sale east of Oklahoma. And the 400 Pontiac or 403 Olds versions could be made to run well. 3-Smokey and the Bandit 3-A crime against humanity, not even LSD can make it watchable since you spend the whole night fighting imaginary flying cobras with Jackie Gleasons head on them. "Smokey and the Bandit Pursuit Pack" is formatted as a box set that in presented in full color in widescreen. Every idiot with more money than brains wanted a Trans Am. According to director Hal Needham in the DVD documentary, Pontiac gave them three Trans-Ams and two LeMans (Sheriff Justice's patrol car) for the film. The pair arrive in Texarkana one hour early and load up the truck, but just as they head back, Carrie, a runaway bride, intercepts Bandit and jumps in his car, unwittingly making him an indirect target of Sheriff Buford T. Justice, a career Texas lawman whose witless son Junior was to have married Carrie. The redesign was originally planned for 1980, but 1978 and 1979 became record years for GM's division, so the new model was pushed back. Gleason probably wanted too much money to provide the dubbing, which is a shame because it ruins the TV version. Unfortunately he passed away a few months ago or that would have been a great question to ask. It was destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit II and in a flashback scene in Part 3. 12 A Total Of 3 Trans Ams Were Destroyed During Filming. MN12 Thunderbirds had the same appeal to me, for similar reasons. Your email address will not be published. For instance, the diesel engine start and run-up sequence in the opening sequence of the film were completely dubbed over with a new sound. So lets explore this car (and truck) heavy flick, all while giving those who have not seen it a glimpse into a movie whose complexity and intellect remains unparalleled within the history of cinema. Film critic Leonard Maltin gave the film a good rating (3 stars out of a possible 4) and characterized it as "about as subtle as The Three Stooges, but a classic compared to the sequels and countless rip-offs which followed". The original uncut sumbitch version. The scene where Sheriff Justice's car has the door knocked off by a passing . Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, The remaining Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am is currently owned by Florida car collector John Staluppi. Great fun! There was a true concern (for some minuscule reason) about it going east of the Mississippi River. Nice job, I know its cheesy as heck but I love this movie and still tend to watch it when I see its on TV. As a feature-length car chase, the car was as much of a star as Burt Reynolds, and the film gave birth to the cult of the Trans Am. Naturally, it fetched the highest price with a . The sticker read "T/A 6.6," which was a reminder of the engine's 6.6-liter displacement. And back then what I wanted most of all was a highly customized Vette with exposed headlights. The third-generation Firebird was introduced in 1982, a full two years later than planned. The scenes set in Texarkana were filmed in Jonesboro and the surrounding area and many of the chase scenes were filmed in the surrounding areas on Highway 54 between Fayetteville and Jonesboro for a majority of the driving scenes, Mundy's Mill Road, Main Street in Jonesboro, Georgia State Route 400, I-85 (Pleasant Hill exit) and in McDonough. Revisit this scene featuring "East Bound and. With the Smokey and the Bandit actor gone, and the impact the actor had on the Trans Am community, having one of the few connections to him destroyed is too much. Ive since read on the internet that it wasnt illegal so much as a practical thing with it being shipped in refrigerated trucks. It was the second-highest-grossing movie of 1977 after Star Wars. It opened in other Northern states at the end of July. Banzai! It had the Modello cam kit, ported 69(I think) heads with upsized valves, headers, aftermarket intake, 3.21 gears (Up from 2.41 stock!) At the time, it was illegal to transport Coors east of the Mississippi River and a series of other truckers had been apprehended for trying to accomplish this feat for the Burdettes. [36] Another proposal, based more closely on images from the film and the shooting location of the scene (at an Old Hickory House restaurant in Georgia), is pulled pork and hot sauce on a hamburger bun. The roundup sequence in the desert shows many new Pontiac Le Mans sedans decorated as police cars being destroyed. You might think that seeing their cars routinely destroyed on movie screens across the country would give the manufacturer pause, but that is not the case at all. Let me get the popcorn for this one. And then they made the biggest mistake of their lives and went to national distribution. However, the scene and the obscured expletive were played for comedy value and written as such, with the passing truck being the gag of the scene more than a way to avoid the censors. Two cars were reportedly badly damaged in early stunts in the film, while a third car was completely destroyed during the famous bridge jump scene. While the initial concern was it having a regional appeal, it would ultimately play as well in New York City and Chicago as it did Atlanta, Georgia, or Biloxi, Mississippi. Many of the film's original sounds were replaced. The 1977 features rectangular quad headlamps instead of only two round lights, a unique slanted and V-shaped nose, and a center-mounted hood scoop. The theatrical release has a few lines deleted, including an edit in which Sheriff Justice tells a state trooper to "fuck off" after the sheriff called his vehicle "a piece of crap". The movie had an even bigger impact on the Trans Am. Smokey & The Bandit was the first of three movies in that franchise. This small modification was made to remind viewers of Trans Am models from 1969, which had in excess of 300 horsepower. During their run, they are pursued by Texas county sheriff Buford T. Justice (Gleason). In addition to the four Trans Ams, Needham also received two Pontiac LeMans models to serve as patrol cars in the movie. Neither Buford nor any other lawmen know of Snowman's illegal manifest, while Bandit is likewise unaware that Buford is chasing him because of Carrie, whose jumpiness inspires Bandit to give her the CB handle "Frog". Oh, and a hooker girlfriend that looked like Annie Potts. According to Wikipedia, the second movie was able to get away with destroying an INSANE number of brand-new Pontiac LeMans police cars because Pontiac had them sitting around in the southwest region, having been sent to a rental fleet in Phoenix without a/c. His automotive adventure started reporting on various motorsport events as a sports writer before moving onto a full-time auto career with various sites, including This Week In Motors and Autoevolution. Mr. Reynolds elevated the dreck that he appeared in to a higher level, that is, enjoyable. 46,000 in 1976, 68,000 in 1977, 93,000 in 1978, 117,000 in 1979. [18] A 1974 Time magazine article explains that Coors was so coveted for its lack of stabilizers and preservatives, and Coors Banquet Beer had a brief renaissance. There was a problem. The second film was a modest box office success, earning $66.1 million against a $17 million budget. This reminds me of the classic introduction (actually written by Dick Cavett) said by Jack Paar on The Tonight Show: I was 3 years old when the original came out, and do not remember any of these details but, supposedly this was the first movie my parents ever took me to. After passing Buford's badly damaged cruiser on the roadside, Bandit gets on the CB and initially directs him to the Burdettes, but then respectfully gives his real locationright behind Buford, who continues his chase leaving Junior behind, and with more parts falling off his cruiser as he limps off after Bandit. and the Dixie Dance Kings, and Burts car was a 57 [56?] I still regret selling mine almost 30 years ago. HotCars covers all things automotive: the latest auto news and informative reviews on the car, pickup truck and motorcycle industries. I had a 78 Trigger lookalike for a while in the mid 90s, until a wrist pin went out, ended up selling it to one of my brothers buddys uncles. Gleason was given free rein to ad-lib dialogue and make suggestions. . Trigger had a big impact on my taste in cars with the Trans Ams of the late 70s being my favorite. Two of the most high-octane films of 2015, Mad Max: Fury Road and Furious 7, each burned through hundreds (Furious 7 alone destroyed a reported 230 cars), but theyre far from the first to do so.