[muscle_collector]

"I am also the very last person to understand the frenzied(?) bidding on 77-79 SE TA's... sure they're cool, but I'd rather a single headlight car any day of the week... the older the better. "

I hear guys saying it all the time and just don't understand why they don't get it. they all want what they couldn't have when they were young and now have the means to buy it will pay whatever it takes to get it. I remember old guys who were into the model a's saying the same thing about the 50's chevys and the 50's chevy guys saying the same thing about the late 60's early 70's muscle guys. it would be hard to find a car with more hype than a bandit ta

[77 Canamman]

Don't get it why others don't get it either. If it weren't for Smokey, I probably would have never got into Pontiacs. I've owned over 30 Pontiacs, and still own 3-one being a black and gold 1977.

[unruhjonny]

Maybe you have to be old enough to have watched SatB in the theatre;
I was born that year, but I only watched SatB for the first time in high school - we rented it from the local video rental place after I read about it in the first issued of PHR that I bought...
Around that time the consumers guide book came out, and I POURED over it...

To me, it always has been about the single headlight cars...

[johnta1]

What does SatB mean?

[71GP76TA]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

Maybe you have to be old enough to have watched SatB in the theatre;
I was born that year, but I only watched SatB for the first time in high school - we rented it from the local video rental place after I read about it in the first issued of PHR that I bought...
Around that time the consumers guide book came out, and I POURED over it...

To me, it always has been about the single headlight cars...

I saw Smokey and the Bandit in theaters when I was 9. I was in love with that car. I had every black and gold Hot Wheel Trans Am made.

In 1981 my parents bought a brand new charcoal grey '81 Trans Am. I thought I was the coolest kid in junior high. When I got little older (mid teens) I discovered round headlight cars. I thought they were way cooler as they were unusual and better looking.

Out of all the Firebirds and Trans Ams I've had only 1 black one.. a '76 400 automatic non SE. I liked the car but got sick of the "Burt" comments.. If I was to buy a square headlight car today.. it'd be any color but black.. even though I like black cars (my new GMC Sierra is black).. I don't like hearing the stupid comments.. I guess you could say the movie kinda ruined it for me and black Trans Ams.

I wouldn't pay big money for a square headlight car. When I was younger they were dirt cheap.... I've never paid more that $800 for one.... You can't even buy a stripped out wadded up shell for that now.

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by johnta1

What does SatB mean?

sorry;

SatB = Smokey and the Bandit

[71GP76TA]

If the subject car is worth 70k... my blue #'s fully doc'd 4 speed must be worth 85k..

[muscle_collector]

Originally Posted by 71GP76TA

If the subject car is worth 70k... my blue #'s fully doc'd 4 speed must be worth 85k..

not saying your 70 isn't worth it, but I will guarantee you there are way way more people who want a bandit ta than a 70 ta.

[wovenweb]

I've been loking for a 70-2 for a couple years now. When I first started looking there were lots of cars listed as available between 40-50k by dealers. I'm willing to live with an automatic, polar/cameo car so was definitely looking at the lower end of that range. I've looked at a couple private party vehicles and been to a half dozen auctions looking to buy. I've been outbid on 3 cars(2 were one increment higher than mine, the other went for 10k higher than my final bid). Now all of the dealer pricing I'mseeing is mid 50s and up. I guess I should have been a more aggressive bidder 1 1/2 years ago.

[71GP76TA]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

not saying your 70 isn't worth it, but I will guarantee you there are way way more people who want a bandit ta than a 70 ta.

I know.. The Bandit cars are more recognizable to the average person.

BTW.. In reality my '70 is probably worth around 50k.

[Transamric]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

not saying your 70 isn't worth it, but I will guarantee you there are way way more people who want a bandit ta than a 70 ta.

This is an 'apples to oranges' type of comparison. If you're calling all black and gold Special Editions "Bandit" TA's, then you've got a production run from '76 to '81. 6 years. While there was only one run of '70 TA's. So yes, more people trying to find a far more common and available platform.

[muscle_collector]

im just saying that there are way more people who want just some sort of a s.e trans am than a 70 ta. my favorite car ever are my 70-72 trans ams. but I also know that back before smokey and the bandit came out you were ridiculed by most people for having a trans am. the gto guys for the most part hated them. the chevy guys made fun of them for being fake race cars. I could go on and on.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Finding the "right" 70 TA at the right justifiable price on the open market has always been tough.
It was tough even back in the mid 80's ,,, in my area.

Internet , eBay and Hemmings bring more candidates now.
More candidates just equals more half-ass cars you have to sort through.

I wouldn't enjoy being a serious buyer for a 70 TA these days.
The good cars are few and far between as far as being offered publicly.

[bird72]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

im just saying that there are way more people who want just some sort of a s.e trans am than a 70 ta. my favorite car ever are my 70-72 trans ams. but I also know that back before smokey and the bandit came out you were ridiculed by most people for having a trans am. the gto guys for the most part hated them. the chevy guys made fun of them for being fake race cars. I could go on and on.

Good points. even car magazines sometimes mocked them. ("bolt-on, add-on, stickers. etc)

I remember when GTO's were absolute king and Firebirds some kind of lil bro thing. I do not remember early TA's being street hero's in the day either. Street racers didn't use them as a platform.

And now they are king. Except it is the Bandit ones, haha. And I sold a fully optioned WS6, W72, 4 speed, black on red for chump change in 95 because they weren't rare or selling for much.