A 1978 Pontiac Trans Am linked to Smokey and the Bandit history has been uncovered after spending more than three decades sealed inside a collapsing Midwestern barn. The car, retrieved by WD Detailing with help from LegitStreetCars’ Alex, had been hidden since the early 1990s, buried beneath hay, animal debris and years of disuse. The building had not been opened in 34 years, and the Trans Am showed every indication of that long hibernation.
According to the original owner’s son, the car entered the family in the 1980s after being traded for a Ford pickup. It saw a few years of use before being sidelined for more practical transportation needs. From there, time and storage conditions took over. When the doors were finally pulled open, the team was met with a layer of dust thick enough to obscure the car’s famous gold hood graphic. The interior was equally grim, housing rot, decades of dust and a large mouse nest.
Despite its condition, signs of the Trans Am’s Smokey and the Bandit roots remained intact. Early-style hood graphics, T-tops and the original shaker hood survived the decades. Under the hood sat a Pontiac 400 V8, though it was unclear whether the car carried the standard 180-horsepower L78 or the higher-output W72 rated at 220 horsepower. The drivetrain had not turned over since before the internet era, yet the underbody showed surprising strength. Rust was present on the outer panels and parts of the floor, but the frame and remaining factory coating appeared solid enough to justify a revival.
WD Detailing began by removing years of debris, washing the exterior and clearing hay from every crevice. The cleaning process revealed a finish that retained its authenticity rather than showroom gloss, marked by a patina that highlighted both the car’s age and its roots in late-1970s pop culture. The interior, once a biohazard, was disinfected and restored to a usable state.
With snowflake wheels installed and the worst contamination addressed, the Trans Am transitioned from forgotten relic to viable survivor. Instead of keeping the car, Alex passed it on to a builder who specializes in second-generation Trans Am restorations. Given its provenance and condition, the car is expected to receive either a full restoration or a faithful patina-preserved build rather than being stripped for parts.
For a vehicle left untouched since the early Clinton years, the rediscovered Trans Am stands as a rare tribute to one of the most memorable movie cars ever created.
