I just wanted to say that your site is a great way for Bandit enthusiasts to get together and marvel at one of the most popular movie cars in our culture and also to keep tabs on where all the SE’s are now.  I have sent in my owner info on my SE to you a few days ago and along with it contained in this email the rest of the proof that is needed to become a member of your club.  In the meantime, please look over my bio and if you have any questions or comments please feel free to email me back.

Thanks and keep up the good work for all of us!

Jamie Lee

Thanks for all of your efforts.

Chris Dunnett

First let me thank Chris Dunett for his generous contribution towards the Bandit Trans Am Club. We've had some great support from members and businesses alike and I for one am grateful.  I also wish to say welcome to all the new members here. I saw the homepage and it was quite a list! Next, the Speed Demon column was saved and with luck you'll get to read it this week. I hope you enjoy it.

Pat

Dear George,

 I am glad to see that you keep us informed about the email change.  I appreciate your Bandit Trans Am Club website so please keep it going.  I have updated a few pictures of my car and appreciate the website so much.  You truly are a class act for giving the Trans Am owners, like myself, a place to shine.

 Sincerely,  Michael Tyler, 1976 Bandit Owner in Willoughby, Ohio

 P.S. Will you make the Dayton T/A Nationals this year?  I do look forward to meeting you some day.

Hi there,

Having checked out your great site, I was wondering - as you are such big fans of the car and the movie - if you could help us out.  We’re producing a TV special for British TV looking at the top 30 cars in movies.  The ‘Smokey and The Bandit’ 76/77 Trans Am SE is one of the chosen few & we’re really keen to locate:

(a) Where the original cars from the movie are (I think one was recently stolen and sold off for parts in CHARLESTON, S.C.)?

(b) Really good replicas – preferably in LA or California at least, as we’re planning to film there in March-ish.

(c) Any great/quirky stories surrounding the car(s) or the film that you think might be worth checking out

 Many thanks in advance & I really look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes, Mark Cohen
Producer, Channel X / BWPL Television, London, UK

www.Fbodywarehouse.com

April 2005 Newsletter

Page 4. Website Review
Each month we choose a website that is involved in the F-body community.

The April website review this month is

www.BanditTransAmClub.com

This website is hosted by: George Holt. The site is dedicated to the 76-81 Trans Am S/E owner. The members are all Special Edition Bandit Trans Am owners. The site has grown some and is continuing to grow each month. Some features you’ll find at www.BanditTransAmClub.com are as follows…

Message Board - While most members use the well known Yahoo message area, this is still a great set up and I am sure in time will become a highly used message area for the 76-81 Trans Am S/E owner.  Homepage Updates - The homepage has a section where George keeps the group up to date on club news. It is one of the small touches that keep folks coming back to the site! It is nice to see a site where the webmaster takes the time to update it, and not leave it to gather dust as so many others often do!
Member’s Pages - This area is one of the best designed members areas I have seen. It allows each member a page dedicated to the member. It has a friendly format and layout. TONS of pictures for the S/E Bandit owner to browse through!
Gallery Area - More pictures of S/E Trans Ams then even old Burt would know what to do with! Nice format once again and easy to navigate.  Trivia - A unique spin on a classic car can you pass the test? Also some “movie mistakes” etc a fun area to browse over some coffee!  Other sections-There are some other cool areas on the site also some GREAT sound cuts, and even “Eastbound and Down”  We think this is an up and coming site which will find it’s niche with the Second “Gen.” Bandit owner who wants to find a common meeting ground with other owners George is a great guy, and has a very good website for folks to check out.

While www.BanditTransAmClub.com is not the biggest TA site on the web, it is one deserving of recognition and one we feel TA owners should check out.

Website review score 8 out of 10.  A good quality site worth checking out!

I had to share this with the group. I am so excited, I can barely type. 

A few weeks ago I sent one of my Smokey and Bandit truck sets to Jerry Reed as a retirement present. Pictures of it are posted in my gallery. I received a personal, signed letter from him today.  It will be framed along with the envelope.  " Hello Tyler,  I certainly want to thank you for the beautiful models of the bandit car and truck.  The care for detail and quality of work is outstanding!  It seems like you didn't miss anything. They will occupy a prominent place in my home, displayed in my trophy case.  I read your letter; and I must say you sound like the, or at least one of the most ardent "Smokey and the Bandit" fans I have ever heard from.  Again, thank you from me and my whole family- especially my granddaughter; who proudly placed the Snowman figure on the running board of that truck, smiled at me and said, "Right there is where papa goes".  Best wishes, Jerry Reed"

Thank you George for your help and also the members of this club who have helped me in so many ways. . . East bound and down  Tyler 77 TA SE

Thank you so much everyone for your help on the speaker grill.  I have the flat black style.  My 77 SE had just one on the drivers side.  I did a major no no and cut the other hole for a speaker.  I will now have two speakers: the way it should have been.  I know I will get a slap on the wrist at the next car show, but who cares.  I have the car to drive and have fun. If we get too caught up in the judges opinion we can loose sight of what the muscle cars are really all about.

 Jeff,  you are my savior.  I only need one.   Let me know how much and where to send the money.

 By the way group.  YOU GUYS (and gals) ROCK.  It is so wonderful to be part of a group where we pool our resources, knowledge and parts.  Everyone here has made my restoration and owner experience even better.

Sorry so sappy.

Keep Truckin,

Chuck Stovall Jr.
1977 SE 400 4-Speed w/ Hurst Hatches

I have to share this with everyone...I received a phone call on Wednesday night from an elderly lady.  Her husband had just passed away and they had been members of this club previously when it was run by a different group. Crawford? may have been the name she gave me.  This lady has decided to keep her 77 Bandit because her sons  drive it on occasion and it had been their pride and joy.  She and her husband had taken the car to many car shows and it was an experience and stage in their lives that they had truly enjoyed. (She is 67 years old) She contacted me because she had been surfing the internet looking for someone who might have some information that could lead her in the right direction regarding her problem. She came upon this site and because my phone number was there thanks to George who put out my information regarding my Dash Bezel Restoration Service for these great cars, and being a fellow Hoosier she called me (she is located close to Chicago, in the northwest part of Indiana).  Her problem was that she wanted to license this car and being close to Gary, Indiana there are some strict emissions restrictions in the area.  The car did not pass the test due to an exhaust leak.  I told her I would research some options for her.  It has been my experience in dealing with all of us who share this common interest in this great car that people are always willing to help out and offer up information.  Like myself, she works at a high school here in Indiana so I can contact her.   I got the impression that she is totally in the dark regarding maintenance, etc. on the car.  I also think she is afraid of "Being raked over the coals" so to speak because somebody might see that here is an opportunity to rip off somebody because of their lack of knowledge.  What I was going to do is research 1st: the emission standards, 2nd;  price out some exhaust systems for the 77 edition that all of our restoration suppliers have, and 3rd, try and locate or identify a mechanic in that region of the state that somebody knows that would help her out.  I am in the opposite corner of the state by Cincinnati or I would drive up and take care of it myself.  It just struck me in our 20 minute conversation how this particular car can have such an impact of importance to people.  Most would just sell it off (she says it is in mint condition aside from the exhaust), but she wants to keep it up and running due to the memory of her husband.  (She also needs the chrome exhaust tips.  My question to the group is this:  How much would you consider a fair price for the exhaust system on these things including installation?  Should she just go to Midas or Car X?  What or Where do you recommend for the exhaust tips?  I told her I would research all of this for her and get back with her.  *My first impression was "Why don't your sons take care of it for you?"  But she wants to do it all herself.....and she doesn't feel
her sons know anything about the car, nor care to I guess.  I have met several great and interesting people through my ownership and interest in these cars, this one "took the cake" so to speak!  Any recommendations or direction would be appreciated!

Randy Combs

Hi, I came across your web site of great images of the SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT car and think you may be able to help me. I'm working on a repackaging of the film for DVD and looking for photography of the BANDIT car. Would you be open to that, able to provide me with hi res shots and give me a reasonable cost for usage?

My phone number appears below - please call or email yours so we can discuss.

Need to know asap - your quick response is greatly appreciated.

Regards,
--
Michael Dean
Creative Director
P.O.V Entertainment Design
mdean@poventdesign.com
818.506.3866
http://www.povdesign.net/

( And here is what happened )

George Holt from the Bandit Trans Am Club sent me an email because he got a request from a production company looking for a stock photo of a 1977 Special Edition Trans Am to use on the cover. The guy sent him examples of the car that they wanted to use and it was MY 1978 Trans Am (the only Non-Special Edition Trans Am of the Club). So, George sent the guy over to me to discuss the photos to use for the cover of the new DVD release. I sent him a 5 or 6 photos of the cars that we have either had, sold, or restored and they picked one of my cars that I had restored to use on the cover. Well, on May 30th, Universal is releasing a new Special Edition DVD release of Smokey and the Bandit to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of it's release. You can reserve your copy on Amazon.com here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EQHXOG/002-7207453-6255239?v=glance&n=130

So it is nice knowing that one of the cars that I restored will be in millions of households all over the world. Here is a copy of the cover of the new DVD:

( Way to go Brett, to bad there isn't a plug for your company on the cover.  But at least you got one here! )

For more on this story, Trans Am Country has a forum that's talking about it.

Click Here