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1978 Bandit trans Am

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  • #1

    1978 Bandit trans Am

    This is a fully documented real Special Edition Bandit TA; this is my second Bandit and the 6th TA I've owned. I've been into TAs since 1975 the first time i ever saw one - long before Smokey & The Bandit came out; and when I got my license the first car I ever bought was a TA; and I've had one ever since. This one is the first one nice enough for car shows; and that's what I've been doing with it for the past 9 years. It won 1st place in its class at its very first show; and I've lost track how many it has at this point. My car's been on tv many times and in the local papers; featured in 6 nationally sold muscle car calendars; used as a model in firebird parts catalogs; and was on the cover of the Dec. 2010 issue of Pontiac Registry Magazine.




    1978 Special Edition Bandit Trans Am
    Rolling billboard for Meguiars Gold Class Products
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: 1978 Bandit trans Am

    My car's engine is the W72 high performance 400 9 TA 6.6 ), .030 over with forged Eagle pistons; 9:25 compression with Ededlbrock Performer Power Package - carb, manifold & camshaft.
    Functional Ram Air hoodscoop with K&N filter.
    Ceramic coated headers with crossover & true dual exhaust.
    Trans cooler & shift kit.
    High performance WS6 suspension system with subframe connectors.
    My car also has the very rare 1978 option only for Special Editions - gold tinted t-roofs.
    1978 Special Edition Bandit Trans Am
    Rolling billboard for Meguiars Gold Class Products

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: 1978 Bandit trans Am

      What a cool looking car - congrats! You even look the part with the hat and moustache lol

      It looks to be in great condition - do you detail it yourself?
      Originally posted by Blueline
      I own a silver vehicle and a black vehicle owns me. The black one demands attention, washing, detailing, waxing and an occasional dinner out at a nice restaurant. The silver one demands nothing and it looks just fine. I think the black vehicle is taking advantage of me, and the silver car is more my style. We can go out for a drive without her makeup and she looks fine. If I want to take the black one out, it is three or four hours in the "bathroom" to get ready.

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      • #4
        Re: 1978 Bandit trans Am

        Yes I do. I describe my evolution from car care noob to my current proficiency at detailing in the introduction section; see topic "New Member From Massachusetts".
        Do you remember the Meguiars commercial that began with Barry saying " Do think spending all day detailing your car is fun? " - the first time I saw that I totally identified with this. That is me all the way.
        I also totally identify with that quote in your posts about " the black car owns me ".
        I literally have a detail shop in the trunk of my car for when I'm at cruises and car shows with every product I could possibly need to keep my car looking its absolute best inside and out. Most of the time all I have to do is wipe it down with GCQD before an event, then when I get there check the nose for buga and the lower quarters for road debris; then every half hour on the nose use my California Car Duster and interior duster. I also keep my eye out for when the judges at shows are closing in on my car to make sure it's ready for them.
        I always have to make sure I get to cruises and shows as early as possible. I found out real quick after I started going to events if I don't I have people following my car and crowding around it once it's parked; and make it a pain get its presentation done. I get there early so I can get a prime spot; do what needs to be done in peace; and be sitting in my chair before the throngs descend upon it.
        Whenever I pull my car out of the garage - every time! - there are honking horns and thumbs up; sometimes they even stop to check it out. Needless to say I take extreme security measures to protect my car. I even get cops giving my car thumbs up!
        I have a friend in one of my car clubs with an exact clone of my car ( a 78 TA originally silver turned into a Bandit tribute ) who said to me after witnessing the lengths I go to keep my car immaculate at a show " Rich, I can't keep up with you, you're like a machine!" Another buddy said to me " Rich, you're car is like a mirror! I could comb my hair in its reflection!"
        Even though I now have the DA Polisher, I prefer doing most of my work by hand. I will reserve the DA for defect correction with M101. For light swirls and/or light scratches it's UC with microfiber towels.
        My preferred method of operation is UWWA, clay bar as necessary, defect correction with UC or M101, UP, then GCLW.
        I keep my car covered when parked, and before I cover it I make sure it doesn't have any bugs on the nose.
        It spends most of its time parked so I only have to wash & wax it once a year; I check the weather every time I want to take it out to minimize the chances of it being caught in the rain. Becuase of this my car has only seen rain a grand total of 3 times; twice were torrential downpours. The other time was a 5 minute cloudburst while at a show; and the dj didn't warn everyone it was coming ( to prevent a mass exodus and abrupt end of the show ) but when it started he announced that the radar indicated it would be over in a few minutes, the sun would come back out; and there was no other rain in sight.
        I actually enjoyed and was quite pleased to witness the water beading up and rolling off my car. As soon as it was over it looked like the start of a kid's Easter egg hunt - everyone darting from the spectator tent to their vehicles - including me - to wipe them down before the sun reemerged.
        There is a slight downside to my attention to detail. My wife has complained at times I spend more time with my Bandit than her. When she starts getting annoyed she calls it " The Mistress ". When she gets upset she calls it " That Black Bi***"!
        What do I call my car? - "The Heap" - pun intended.
        I did finally prove to her she is inarguably more important to me than my Bandit. I found out one of our favorite musical artists from the 80s ( when we met ) - Billy Idol - was coming in concert and immediately got tickets for it. That night it dawned on me it was the same day as one of my favorite car shows of the whole season. Because of the distance I have to drive to this show from my house and the distance to where this concert is going to be it would be impossible to do both.
        When I heard about this concert I was like a horse with blinders on - all that was on my mind was how much fun we would have. I pointed this out to her so hopefully she will never give me any garbage about my car being more important to me than her ever again.
        Here's a closeup shot of the fender some jealous jerk scratched at one of the first shows and I spent the next 8 years trying to fix and meanwhile trying to position my car to keep it out of direct sunlight the entire length of events to hide it. That is until now thanks to almighty M101 & my DA Polisher. Hallelujah!
        1978 Special Edition Bandit Trans Am
        Rolling billboard for Meguiars Gold Class Products

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: 1978 Bandit trans Am

          Oops - wrong picture! Here's the shot.
          1978 Special Edition Bandit Trans Am
          Rolling billboard for Meguiars Gold Class Products

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: 1978 Bandit trans Am

            And here's a shot a friend took on the highway coming home from a huge All Pontiac show my car won 1st place in the Firebird / Trans Am - All Years class.
            1978 Special Edition Bandit Trans Am
            Rolling billboard for Meguiars Gold Class Products

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: 1978 Bandit trans Am

              Wow! Fantastic Trans Am!!!
              Love Smokey&The Bandit - one of my favorite movies beside Vanishing Point.

              Thanks for sharing these pics!

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: 1978 Bandit trans Am

                Wow... I love that car and it looks great!
                2012 Acura CBP TL SH-AWD Tech

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: 1978 Bandit trans Am

                  Thanks. Yeah smokey & The Bandit caused the sale of firebirds to explode when it came out. So much so Pontiac gave Burt Reynolds a Special Edition Bandit in 1978 and again in 79 as a thank you for being an unofficial spokesperson.
                  The credit for a 77 SE being in that movie actually goes to the director Hal Needham. The script originally called for a black & gold Mustang until he saw the August 76 issue of Motor Trend Magazine featuring a 77 SE on the cover ( which I have! )
                  Actually my favorite movie with a Ta was the next one Burt made - Hooper - with a red 78 with a rocket engine in the back seat. This TA looked just like my first one - a red 78 with t-roofs and black interior.
                  My favorite TA scene of all time was in this movie - when a cop tried to pull them over in this car. If you get a vchance to see this movie you'll see what I'm talking about.
                  1978 Special Edition Bandit Trans Am
                  Rolling billboard for Meguiars Gold Class Products

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: 1978 Bandit trans Am

                    Love it!

                    http://www.meticulous-detail.com/
                    "The Prep makes the Pop, not what's on Top"

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: 1978 Bandit trans Am

                      Thanks for sharing your awesome story. I can identify with most things you were saying about being fussy with your car etc.

                      My wife calls my car "The Mistress" too! lol
                      Originally posted by Blueline
                      I own a silver vehicle and a black vehicle owns me. The black one demands attention, washing, detailing, waxing and an occasional dinner out at a nice restaurant. The silver one demands nothing and it looks just fine. I think the black vehicle is taking advantage of me, and the silver car is more my style. We can go out for a drive without her makeup and she looks fine. If I want to take the black one out, it is three or four hours in the "bathroom" to get ready.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: 1978 Bandit trans Am

                        Wow Davey that is crazy! Us detailers are a different breed. Nothing beats having a gleaming detailed car.

                        1978 Special Edition Bandit Trans Am
                        Rolling billboard for Meguiars Gold Class Products

                        Comment

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