Famous Rides: Smokey and the Bandit

Smokey and the Bandit was released on May 27, 1977. The film, starring Burt Reynolds, Jerry Reed, Sally Field, Jackie Gleeson, and more, follows two bootleggers—Bo “Bandit” Danville (Reynolds) and Cledus “Snowman” Snow (Reed)—attempting to illegally smuggle 400 cases of Coors beer from Texas to Georgia. 

Along the way, Bandit picks up Carrie (Field), a hitchhiker who’d just left her fiancé at the altar. Unbeknownst to Bandit, Carrie was set to marry the son of a local Sheriff, Buford T. Justice, causing him to give chase to the Trans Am carrying the woman who was supposed to be his future daughter-in-law. 

Unaware that Sheriff “Smokey” Justice is in pursuit of Carrie and not the boys for their illegal beer smuggling racket, Bandit runs, and Smokey gives chase, leading to an invigorating game of cat and mouse. 

While critically unpopular, the film experienced massive success upon its release, falling just shy of 1977’s Star Wars at the box office. Oddly enough, acclaimed filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock credited Smokey and the Bandit as one of his favorite movies, primarily due to the harsh juxtaposition between his thrillers and the goofy, comedic tone of the action flick. 

The Truck: Snowman’s 1974 Kenworth W900A

You can’t expect 400 cases of Coors to fit in the trunk of a Trans Am. Instead, Bandit’s right-hand man, Snowman, carried the five tonnes of beer in a custom-painted trailer pulled by his 1974 Kenworth W900A. 

Three separate Kenworths were used throughout filming, including one 1973 and two ‘74 models. While the two ‘74s were identical, the ‘73 was a 50th-anniversary edition, which featured gold emblems and accents. However, these details are hardly noticeable.  

The sleek, black Kenworth features several chrome accents, as well as the unmistakable trailer, hand-painted with a scene depicting a stagecoach robbery. 

The Car: Bandit’s 1977 Pontiac Trans Am Y82

While typically co-piloting the Kenworth alongside Snowman, Bandit opted to leave Cledus with the responsibility of driving the semi so that he could distract and outrun law enforcement in his 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, sporting the Y82 Special Edition package. This package, often referred to as the “Bandit Edition,” features a sleek black paint job with gold graphics and accents. Beneath the “screaming chicken” clad hood, a 400 cubic inch V8 pushed the Trans Am to well over 100 MPH in several scenes. 

According to the film’s director, Hal Needham, the car became not only a set piece but a fellow character. The car’s role as a crucial plot device is part of what sets the movie apart from other auto-infused flicks. Instead of an actor piloting a vehicle, scenes between Reynolds and the Trans Am serve as interactions between two lead actors—part of what has made the black and gold Trans Am so legendary, even today. 

Build Your Own Smokey and the Bandit-Inspired Truck

While we’d love to provide readers with a build guide of the Trans Am, this is RealTruck, after all—not RealCar. Instead, follow along as we outline the key features of Snowman’s Kenworth in the hopes that a Smokey and the Bandit fan may be in the process of building a tribute truck. 

Platform

Though some iterations of the Kenworth W900 have been in production since 1961 (yes, Kenworth still produces a W900 truck over six decades later), the screen-used semi is known as the Kenworth W900A, produced from 1961 to 1982. Narrowing the platform even further are the narrow hood and wide hood models—Snowman’s truck is the latter, which was produced from 1965 to 1982. 

The screen-used trucks are a combination of 1973 and 74 models. While any “wide hood” model can be retrofitted to match the aesthetics of Snowman’s truck, we’d recommend searching for an early–mid-seventies model year for accuracy. 

Body

The body of Snowman’s truck is relatively stock, featuring chrome bumpers, a chrome grille, and other lustrous accents. The black paint job receives slick gold graphics that perfectly complement the Y82 Trans Am. You’ll likely need to have the truck repainted or vinyl-wrapped to replicate the aesthetics. 

Wheels and Tires

There’s nothing better than a set of 10-hole Alcoa wheels, which is precisely what the Kenworth rolls down the road on. These polished, forged aluminum wheels are a timeless addition to any semi. Their durability is also unmatched, as Alcoa wheels are known as some of the highest-quality to ever grace the heavy-duty truck market. These wheels were offered as a factory upgrade on Kenworth trucks. If your tribute truck didn’t come with them from the Kenworth factory, no problem. Alcoa still offers brand-new wheels from various distributors. 

Trailer

Perhaps one of the most instantly recognizable aspects of Snowman’s truck is its 40-foot enclosed trailer. Both sides of the trailer feature hand-painted murals by Texas artist David Freeman depicting a stagecoach robbery. While getting the Texas native to paint a clone of his famous mural might be a challenge, it’s nothing a high-end vinyl shop can’t handle!

Other Features

When piecing together your tribute truck, you’ll also need to consider aspects like air cleaners, mirrors, and grille covers, as slight differences like these existed across the three trucks used during the filming of Smokey and the Bandit. Fortunately, this allows for some flexibility, as various options can be considered screen-accurate. 

With these modifications performed to a 1973 to ‘74 Kenworth, you’ll be piloting a screen-accurate replica of Snowman’s truck in no time. All you’ll need is a ‘77 Trans AM and a buddy with a mustache to complete the tribute! 

As always, we offer all the parts and know-how to piece together this build and countless others at RealTruck. For additional information, check out the rest of our articles on RealSource™, and don't hesitate to contact the experts.