Pontiac Firebird’s New Successor Most Gearheads Don’t Know About
Few automotive brands have left a void quite like Pontiac. More than a decade after the last car rolled off the line, enthusiasts are still mourning what was lost — and, increasingly, celebrating what a small Florida shop has quietly brought back. If you haven’t heard of Trans Am Depot, you’re about to have a very good day.
Pontiac had gone out in a blaze of glory, with its fastest car ever, the G8 GXP, being sold in showrooms pretty much until the end, but this wasn’t enough to save the brand. Pontiac was shutting its doors, ending decades at the forefront of American muscle cars. The last car to roll off the production line was a G6, and with that, the company shut down, leaving memories of its glory days as little more than a crackly image on an old VHS tape.
As any gearhead knows, Pontiac is a legend in the world of American muscle — it is even credited with kicking the whole segment off in the ’60s with the venerable GTO. The brand’s sad demise saw the end of a long line of Firebirds and Trans Ams — although those had already ended in the early 2000s — a model that had delivered a healthy dose of V8 power, eye-catching looks, and affordability to the average American car fan. After 2010, the chances of these models returning seemed like nothing but a dream. But the story didn’t end there. The Screaming Chicken would rise again with a new Trans Am — and nobody saw it coming.
The Trans Am Depot Created A Modern Successor To A Classic Muscle Car
The car in the YouTube video, with black paint and gold trim, looks instantly familiar. Then there is a close-up of a pair of cowboy boots walking past a very ’70s-looking gold Snowflake alloy wheel. Finally, we see Burt Reynolds himself leaning into a T-Top cabin. At first glance, this could be a classic Smokey and the Bandit era Pontiac Trans Am, but it’s just too new. It could only mean one thing: the Bandit is back with a brand-new version of the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am that starred in the hit movie. Dreams do indeed come true.
A Florida Company Is Coming To The Rescue Of Pontiac Fans
These new versions of classic Trans Ams have been lovingly created over the past decade by Trans Am Depot, a restorer and restomod specialist based in Tallahassee, Florida. The cars are remarkable recreations of the much-loved originals, pairing new technology at their core with classic retro styling. The vehicles also use contemporary 3-D CAD design to bring back the glory days of American muscle. For fans of Trans Ams, the company’s creations are a compelling glimpse of what Pontiacs would look like if the brand were still in business today.
Trans Am Depot Takes Modern Cars And Creates Reborn Legends
The story goes that GM offered the Trans Am name and Pontiac logo to Trans Am Depot. The specialist company decided it was time to revive the Trans Am for the modern era, giving fans of the iconic muscle car a new version that matched the legendary looks with contemporary mechanicals. Starting with new Camaros, Trans Am Depot extensively reworks the cars, applying a classic design language, the Screaming Chicken hood decal, and even new versions of the fan-favorite Snowflake wheels. Trans Am Depot has produced a long line of special new Trans Ams, as well as other modern interpretations of classic Pontiacs.
The Bandit Edition Trans Am Got The Blessing Of Burt Reynolds Himself
Arguably the most highly collectible modern-platform Trans Am conversion the company ever built is the Bandit Edition, which was limited to just 77 cars — presumably to tie in with the year the original Smokey and the Bandit movie hit theaters. Each car in the Bandit series was autographed by Burt Reynolds, and buyers could choose from three performance packages, including a 7.4-liter LSX Stage V option rated at 840 horsepower.
The cars feature painted Bandit graphics and iconic T-tops, with Burt Reynolds’ signature on the dash. As if that weren’t enough, owners received Bandit gloves, a leather-bound Bandit booklet, and a Bandit Edition Stetson hat — so they could at least look the part of a bootlegger on weekends.
A Closer Look At The Other Trans Am Depot Cars
There are plenty of cool special editions in the Trans Am Depot lineup. Another notable model is the Super Duty Edition, which was limited to only 50 units and built as a tribute to the legendary ’73 and ’74 Trans Am Super Duty. This car rides on the sixth-gen GM Alpha platform, and each 7.4-liter streetable race engine produces more than 1,000 horsepower — custom-designed and built by legendary NASCAR engine builder Joey Arrington of North Carolina.
Trans Am Depot also built a Hurst Edition in collaboration with Hurst Performance. It featured different performance packages, including a 2.3-liter supercharger, headers, and an upgraded fuel system delivering a final output of 675 horsepower. Just one of these cars also received the Bandit treatment and was signed by Burt Reynolds. In case you’re wondering, the original Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am sold for nearly half a million dollars at auction.
The Latest Offerings From Trans Am Depot Are Mind-Blowing
Among Trans Am Depot’s current offerings is a 50th Anniversary Trans Am Edition, limited to eight convertibles and eight hardtops. These cars carry the same retro styling touches as the rest of the lineup, with optional engine packages ranging from 450 horsepower to more than 1,000. They also feature thoroughly modern carbon fiber body panels, upgraded braking and suspension systems, and functional Ram Air. Another model, the Outlaw Edition, channels the spirit of the ’70 through ’79 Trans Am with a retro seat package, traditional Snowflake wheels, the trademark shaker hood, optional glass T-tops, and the painted Screaming Chicken logo.
Trans Am Depot Doesn’t Stop At The Trans Am
Delve deeper into Trans Am Depot’s catalog and you’ll find other familiar nameplates given a modern twist. The Hurst Judge GTO was limited to just seven cars, including one built with a 770-horsepower supercharged LS7. The attention to detail is extraordinary — from the classic GTO front end with hide-away headlamps to the period-correct interior with the traditional coffin badge on the front seats. Even the original Judge hood-tach has been converted to a supercharger boost gauge. These cars ride on Rally II-style aluminum wheels and wear the original-style painted Judge stripes.
Trans Am Depot also creates restomods for owners of classic muscle cars in need of a present-day reboot. Customers can spec frame-up restorations, as well as a high-performance LS7 package with a 4L85 Supermatic four-speed transmission for classic rides.
Source: Transamdepot.com
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