I had a new 78 BLACK trans am when I went to see this movie back in the day. When I came out of the theatre, a bunch of people were gathered around my car. Mine had the 400 c.i. pontiac engine vs. the dog Olds 403 and it had the WS6 package and a 4 speed. GREAT car too. Had it 10 years super reliable one of our best vehicles ever never should have sold it.
That's excellent. I never heard of the movie until now, but I like that all the stunts were real. I bet Hooper boosted Trans Am sales just like Smokey and the Bandit.
Shows like The Rockford Files regularly had stunts and once Smokey & the Bandit came out, it caused a big surge in performance car interest and also car chases in TV. The Dukes of Hazzard soon followed with massive stunts and soon afterward a slew of big action / car chase shows were broadcast into our living rooms every week until 1986 when they all were cancelled (except the A-team which hung on until 1987). Back in the late 70s and early 80s people loved American performance cars and TV will never be the same again. Trans Am, Z28, Corvette, Mustang were among the cars most kids dreamed of, and if they worked hard, could be afforded.
@@digitalmagicAR James Garner actually drove a lot of the less riskier stunts in the Rockford Files, including his famous J turn shots. He also drove in the movie Grand Prix, after filming completed he got into racing.
@@captlazer5509 Thanks yes I know Garner did some stunt driving as did Hasselhoff and Schneider. Whenever the actor did driving they made sure to shoot it so we could tell it was them. Seeing the actor sometimes driving helped the illusion that they did the driving the rest of the time. Good storytelling
@@digitalmagicAR a difference from the Hoff was Garner was a race car driver and did a lot of the physical stunt work to the point he was wrecked by the last season of the Rockford files. Not my storytelling, this is according to interviews from James Garner and those who worked on the TV show.
A couple more to consider doing videos on are Magnum P.I.’s Ferrari, the vehicles from Simon & Simon (Power Wagon, ‘57 Chevy convertible and Camaro), and the Camaro from “Better off dead”. Just food for thought. 😉👍🏻
Great movie. Can you please look at the not so famous but very interesting Chevy pickup that was mounted backwards on its chassis that Hooper was going backwards (forwards chassis wise) being chased by the police in? Great videos you have, I watch them all!
This was the first movie I went to see in the cinema with my Dad as a kid in the UK, I'm surprised its not repeated as like the Bandit and Cannonball movies are here, it's a great film with amazing stunts.
Back in those days the Trans Am seemed pretty fast, because everything else was so slow. I think it was right around this time that Car and Driver did an article on the fastest cars you could buy at the time. They had to top 110 mph to make the cut. (Twice the 55 limit) I believe there were only 5 and one was a Dodge Little Red Truck.
@@culcune it depends on who you ask if it was the Lil red Express or the 78-79 W72 Formula/TransAms. Most of the car mags tested the 301 powered Firebirds and 403 cars with 2.41 gears, which ran 15s and slower. When they tested the 400 cars with 4 speeds, they granny shifted them like they were out for a Sunday drive, with more than a full second between shifts. The W72 was capable of very low 14s to mid 13s, depending on how many options were on the car. Fully loaded with everything they were high 14s. In 1987 I bought my first Firebird, a 10th Anniversary TA, 403 auto with 2.73 gears. The previous owner put headers and dual exhaust on it, but otherwise it was completely stock. It ran 14.70 with the heavy wheels those came on them. Those wheels slowed the car by over a second in the quarter mile on my other Firebirds. Unsprung weight makes a big difference, especially with less than 300hp. The mopar guys claim the red express, Pontiac guys claim the W72, hard to say really unless we find one of each in stock form and find out.
@@culcune I'm sure that was part of it, but they were definitely looking at top speed. One of the vehicles that made the cut was a Thunderbird with a 400 V8 and it needed a tailwind to break 110 mph. Think a Corvette won at 120 or so. They were all US cars.
Darn, that was really cool! I saw that movie at the theater many years ago and remember being impressed by the car stunts. Burt really did have an affection for those Trans Am's, didn't he. Great research as usual! 😎
Fun fact: (for me, anyway) The car that slid into the 1/4 panel of the Firebird in the Damnation Alley scene was a white '63 Mercury Comet 4 dr sedan with a 260 V8 engine. I drove the exact same car back in high school.
Jan Michael Vincent was in fact in a pretty good action movie titled “Damnation Alley” with George Peppard that probably had the wildest vehicle in any movie the “Landmaster” which had a rotating fuselage and had (12) 4 foot tall by 41” wide Firestone high flotation Ag tires designed for the front of trucks used for fertilizing Rice fields. Those were the same ones used on the Bigfoot truck before it went to the 66” rear Ag tires used on the same aforementioned fertilizer truck. The above movie was supposed have far more special effects but the studio diverted much of its budget to finishing “Star Wars” it was making at the same time. Attn. webmaster You ought to make a Video of 10 facts about the “Landmaster”, it cost $350,000 to build back in 1976!!
Thank you, I learned again from your videos. I had always assumed the car jumping the bridge was empty as a stunt driver likely wouldn’t survive. ~ Chuck
Glad to hear you enjoy them. Yeah, I actually always thought it was just a model, but it was indeed a real stunt. Thinking about it more, I guess since the car flew so straight/smooth and didn't directly crash into anything; it would make sense that it was doable with the right safety equipment for the driver. 😉
@@CarStarz42 Makes the scene even more enjoyable for me now, knowing that it actually happened. Still blows my mind that someone would strap himself in and do it!
Glad you got to speak to Buddy Joe about the smokestack stunt, when I mentioned to him about a decade ago that the film had some sort of glitch for a few frames and politely asked for more info about how it was done he called me several nasty names and his friends took great delight in telling me I knew nothing at all about anything. Pity, because until then he was one of my cinema heroes. A lot of BS flies around about Hal Needham movies and four decades later it’s very hard to get to the truth.
I had a '78 TA, red in color with a California 'friendly' 403. I owned it for about a year. One day, got blown away by a '85 or '86 Mustang GT, and in about a year's time, upgraded my TA to an '86 Capri GS with the 5.0 and 5 speed transmission. Best performance upgrade!
I have a 79 WS6 Formula, it was originally a 301 with a 4 speed. In 1996 I put a mild 455 in it, which broke the ST10 4 speed, so I put a Th400 in. It was running 11.40s@120mph with a 3.42 gear. The only Mustangs that came close to running with it were the ones I built for guys, and they had superchargers. I still have that Firebird, it has a 400 block stroked to 461ci making around 550hp, and its a lot lighter than it was in the 90s. Mid tens are easy with it, and I have around $8k in the entire car. Right now I have a 505ci Pontiac in a 68 LeMans, because its not worth as much as my GTOs are, and its getting a supercharger. Should be good for mid 8s when I get it all sorted out.
These were facts I didn’t know! You think you knew all the stuff about these movies, but I guess that is why we need your channel! Keep up the great work!
I really enjoy these fun videos. I know you strive to deliver the facts, and it looks to me that the T/A was modified with a chrome plated steel (aftermarket) wheel, rather than a polished alloy wheel, as stated. Thank you.
Damnation Alley may also be a reference to Jan-Michael Vincent who co-starred in Hooper and starred in the film adaptation of the novel Damnation Alley🤔
Great episode! Sad that these museums rarely make it past the first generation. Dick's Garage in Texas was a great example of that.. Really appreciate the work you put into these glimpses at amazing cars..
They advertised this movie and Burt Reynolds’s would be there filming and want anyone and all to show up at this bridge. Of course all the local women of Jefferson, Walker and Winston counties were happy to show up…
could we get a buford t justice video? or maybe a longer video about all 3 of his cars? maybe first the 1977 lemans, then the 1980 bonneville and then the 1982 bonneville, just an idea! love this content!
Hmm, interesting idea indeed. I'll add that to my list to look into when doing a second sweep through my list eventually to catch secondary cars. Thanks
I went to that movie as a kid with my folks. No CGI back in those days! Pontiac sold lots of cars in those days. I have 78 Firebird I owned it for 35 years. These cars where not built to last 10 years in normal use yet to survive a 20mph crash lol Always will be an ego Icon car.
My favorite part is the scene right before the jump when Ski hesitates and Hooper turns off the walkie-talkie and gives him the pep talk. Ski-"My life is worth more than a piece of film." Hooper-"I'll tell ya exactly what your life is worth, your life is worth $50,000 dollars that's the price you put on it when got behind this wheel!" "We're goin' huh?" "WE'RE GOIN' YEAH we're goin'!" "Crazy." "I'M GONNA HIT IT! "WOOOOOOOO!!!!" "WOOOOHA!!!!" Burt Reynolds delivery in this scene was Oscar worthy.
I had a 78 trans am with sticker delete in 1983. I always thought the eagle sticker was over the top and looked ridiculous. I loved that car! I suspect the 185 horsepower listing was underrated as it would roast the rear tires happily without struggle! It was the car I learned just how expensive tires were. Lol! I also got 3 tickets in one year in this car. I wound up selling it in 1989. I regretted it, especially when I saw it around town being driven by its new owner. It's funny how we can become attached to certain cars 😊
The car has been sold for around 40 grand! I live here in Hiawassee Ga and the museum has been sadly closed. I did a video on the Hooper TA at the museum before it sold. Thanks
Wow, only $40K? Really? Man whoever snatched that up sure got a deal! Sad hear it closed, if it did; they really need to update their website then as they still appear to be very open from that information. Thanks
Thanks for all the work you do in these videos, the editing is really well done. I especially like the picture of the Hooper car at the car show surrounded by all those beautiful brand-new Firebirds and Trans Ams!
The Olds engines were junked. Despite being 403 cid, they were based off of the small block. It also had webbed main bearing caps. It definitely could not withstand any sustained rpm’s.
Loved This Movie Also,Please Do A Video About Burt Reynolds In White Lighting 1973 .I Had A 71 Ford Like His ,My First Car,Back When I Was A Know It All Young Fella. Thanks,Enjoy Your Videos.
Dated a 21 year old gal when I was 17 in the mid 90's that had a blue 78 with the bird on the hood & the 403. I use to drop her off at her job & cruise it around Rogers county & Tulsa. I sure miss that "car"!
It’s cool it had a 403. It’s cool that the engine did not blow up like all the Pontiac 400s that were blown up making Smoky and the Bandit. I’m an Olds guy.
The superimposing was done to slow the Trans Am down after it passed the falling smokestack so it would still be in the frame when the smokestack actually hit the ground. You can see this by looking at the speed difference of the real and superimposed images. The superimposed image vehicle is noticeably slower. The real image car would have left the frame by impact time.
Side fact, the drag car used for the jump was a at the time banned tubronique unit, turbonique was a direct drive turbine that had no throttle, just like hydrogen peroxide rockets of the time, bothered were outlawed by the nhra around this time,
@@johnchurch4705 I remember that Jim Bob built his car from spare parts, and later on in a reunion show he turned into a custom roadster. I think John boys car was sold by WB along with the family truck, which was later restored(truck).
Separate. This sight needs to look into the Dreadnaught from the Jason Statham movie "Death Race". This should be in the top ten if not top five Movie Semis.
The car are good and the hero and almost villain vehicles are a Gen Five Mustang and a Dodge truck respectively. Some more Semis are the Road Warrior's, (Second movie.) Tanker truck and Both trucks from the Highway Men. @@CarStarz42
@@KawasakiRamey If you mean you're wanting to like watch them all at once; All channels have a "Play All" option on the video page if that's what you are after. Hope that helps👍
Ahhh... gm what they did to pontiac was unbelievably shady (b.t.w: they were horrible at not keeping some of brands in shape as oldsmoblie, hummer and saturn all but recently hummer came back as ev brand where shut down also international ones too like holden and opel got sold to stellantis) this brand was love because of cars they made had names likes bonneville, gran prix,gto, firebird, trans am and the fiero are cool cars just like t/a's that burt drove on screen so yes it hurts us fans 😢😢 alot my friend anyway thanks for the video on 78 t/a and have good night bye now.
Yeah, I was quite dismayed when they dissolved Pontiac and toward the end they got really lazy with it and were essentially just rebadging Holden vehicles, but still were awesome cars! I loved my 2006 LS2 powered GTO, which was pretty much just a Holden Monaro, but man that thing would go like stink and handled badass too! Looks were pretty bland, but that didn't matter at all when you were behind that wheel with a 6-speed manual in a car that could nearly break 180MPH! 😁👍
@CarStarz42 well thanks my friend it was a sad day to see pontiac go away 😢 anyway you said own 06 gto may i tell of tv movie that starts new and old gto.
@@milfordh.mercado2787 Lol, yeah that TV movie was a full blown Pontiac commercial for sure. I did love watching it when I had my GTO though and it did have a fair amount of decent and recognizable actors on it too actually and of course some really bad ones too, lol 😁
