455 4-Speed All Numbers Matching 1 Of 110 Built Low Mileage

1976 Pontiac Trans AM 50th Anniversary Edition

Stunt driver and conceptual organizer of the movie “Smokey and the Bandit” Hal Needham saw a picture of a Pontiac Trans Am in a magazine and thought up a product placement idea. He asked for 6 Trans Am's, but Pontiac would only agree to send 4. Needham also asked for 4 Bonneville's for Jackie Gleason's cars, but he only got 2. By the time they shot the final scene, they had wiped out three Trans Am's and the fourth wouldn't start after all of the stunts, so another car was used to push it into the scene.

No pushing needed on this one as with matching numbers power plant, chassis, and transmission in the 455ci, 4-Speed, Hurst Edition and the T Top option. It is 1 of only 110 in this configuration ( thought to be 1 of 45 to still exist). It has only been in the hands of 2 owners, and it has a mere 59,130 miles clocked on it. Belly up to the bar and I'll have a Coors' (movie trivia research needed to explain the Coors' beer).

Exterior
Starting in the early '90's and finishing in 2004, some panels (rear quarters, right side door) both from a donor car, were replaced. The car was then resprayed to match the Star Lite Black which was on every 50th anniversary Trans Am built. A rear facing hood scoop and gold honeycombed grille can be seen, and a hood and badging utilizes original GM stickers. Some gold accents in the correct places, and gold painted honeycombed mag wheels on all 4 corners, and we have a car! Rubber weatherstripping (not the plastic) wraps the “T” top panels, and this is a good thing because the plastic ones leaked…yikes! Paint on this car shows some areas of scratching when you get close, but it is in overall good condition.

Interior
Buckskin Vinyl buckets in front and a 2+2 configuration split by the hump in the rear, present in showroom condition, and are original. The dash with its gold swirl pattern anodized aluminum is framed by black padded vinyl and has black faced gauges with white characters embedded within the gold aluminum. Gold thick pile carpeting floods the floor, and in the console is mounted the Hurst shifter option. The original restored billet style drilled 3 spoke gold and black rally size steering wheel fronts the beautiful dash.

Drivetrain
All matching numbers here Smokey, with the stout 455ci V8 with its 4-barrel carb atop, and a numbers matching Muncie M21 4-speed manual transmission attached to the back of the mill. A 10 Bolt 3.23 posi rear puts the power down to the rear wheels. This is an original low mileage engine and has a compression test result paper to show it works just fine, baby bear.

Undercarriage
Some surface rust which is unremarkable, and a sturdy rust-free frame, floorpans, and rockers abound with patina surfaces, and show the passage of time…in a good way. Power disc in front and power drum brakes in the rear, and all but new mufflers can be seen.

A rare bird for sure, all original, and all very low mileage. Consigner states if one wants to make this car really perfect, they should redux the engine bay, but this writer likes the originality, and the sense of use, and passage of time it shows. Either way, a turn key car, fit as a fiddle, and ready to evade Smokey...breaker 1-9..break!

VIN Decode
2W87W6N566324
2-Pontiac
W-Trans Am
87-2 Door Coupe
W-455 4BBL V8
6-1976
N-Norwood, OH Assy Plant
566324-Sequential Unit Number

Trim Tag
ST 76FS87 N 18984 BDY
TR 64N A51 19L 19U PNT
04B WS4 SKN
740581
76FS87-1976 Firebird 2 Dr Coupe
18984-Fisher Body Number
64N Buckskin Vinyl
A51- Bucket Seats
19L 19U-Starlite Black
04B-2nd Week April 1976 Build
WS4-Trans Am
SKN-Buckskin Secondary Color