I bought a brand new 1976 Pontiac Trans Am in December '75. Actually, I had ordered it in October. 400, 4-spd and 4-barrel carb. Posi-Trac, AC, optional interior, 8-track player, the whole works. Sterling Silver with Firethorn Red interior and NO SCREAMING CHICKEN on the hood. I put 60,000 miles on it in two years playing in a hot regional act. Darn thing got wrecked out from under me one Monday morning at 5:30 am coming home from a Sunday night gig in the next state. This was right about the time the original 'Smokey and the Bandit' came out and I still miss that car to this day. Funny - I actually dreamed about it night before last. You see, I love cars and watch all those restoring/overhauling shows. In my dream I found my car in somebody's barn, still wrecked, and I had it fixed up. Even if that were possible, it wouldn't be feasible for me, but whenever a chance comes up to enter a raffle for a 'Bandit' car, I enter it.
Burt Reynolds was a cool customer and nobody else will ever have his combination of talent, humor and down-to-earth 'badassness'.