The T-topped black-and-gold Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit is a superstar movie car from the disco era. However, true aficionados of the nameplate know that Burt Reynolds’ contraband runner was just for show. His 1977 model’s 6.6-liter V-8 produced only 200 horsepower.
Still worse, that output with the optional W72 handling package boosted performance by 20 horses. So a standard “Bandit package” Trans Am made just 180 horsepower, the same as a Pontiac Vibe GT.
Performance enthusiasts prefer the early ’Birds from the first part of the GM F-body production run. Unlike the Smokey car, the following movie and television cars were the real thing:
- Chuck Norris’ red ’73 from An Eye for an Eye
- James Garner’s sleeper Esprit from The Rockford Files
- John Wayne’s green machine from McQ
And there’s this gleaming blue-over-white 1970 Firebird Trans-Am for sale on eBay.
The 1970 Trans Am Is the Best Looking Firebird
Most muscle cars of the era took on boxy, two-door sedan body styles. But the second-generation Firebird—and the Camaro, its platform twin—adopted sleek, fastback styling that split the difference between Chevelle and Corvette. General Motors debuted the new look in the 1970s, establishing the General’s performance-oriented design direction for the next decade.
These early models barely pre-date federal mandates requiring safer bumpers and greater fuel efficiency. By the mid-1970s, designers no longer had the freedom to produce such a clean and mean visage. And by the time of the 1973 oil embargo, GM could no longer get away with thirsty big-block engines.
The Bandit’s Trans-Am popularized black and gold, but blue over Polar White—like the finish on the car for sale—was the second-gen Firebird Trans-Am’s original signature color. Also, models from 1970 to 1972 featured a small, subtle firebird graphic—not the giant full-hood flaming chicken from later models. As a result, it’s arguably the best-looking Firebird of the generation.
Original Looks but With Tweaks
The 1970 Trans Am for sale looks the part, but the seller notes many non-original parts. The whopping 7.5-liter, 455-cubic-inch V-8 engine wasn’t introduced until 1971. So this 1970 6.6-liter V-8 was overbored .040 and mated with a 650cfm Holley carb and performance cams. It should yield more than the stock 335 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. Its factory Muncie four-speed manual was replaced with a stouter and more liveable Tremec five-speed, although the original gearbox is included in the sale.
It could be the lighting in the eBay listing’s photos, but it appears like the blue interior isn’t original. The aftermarket upholstery looks duller than the first-year’s azure. The 15-inch PMD wheels are a good substitution for the original Trans-Am five-spokes, but purists may balk. The owner likely chose them to accommodate the disc brake conversion.
The seller also states that the car received a bare-metal restoration and repaint a few years ago. The odometer reads 55,000 miles, but the actual distance traveled is unknown.
Collectors have paid around $55,000 for all-original examples in this trademark color scheme. This fine example is offered for $75,000.
You can decide if the upgrades are worth the extra scratch or whether the modifications detract from the originality. Pontiac made fewer than 3,200 Firebird Trans-Ams in 1970, so it’s not easy to find an example so clean after more than a half-century on the road.
