SATB Facts Video

[tajoe]

Maybe this has already been posted, but if others (like me) haven't seen it, here's a look. Enjoy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWeQkDlosss

[roadking77]

Interesting. And timely, It was on TV last night

[rkellerjr]

Cool video.

[kentucky yeti]

I had forgotten about a lot of that.  Thanks for posting 

[Jack]

What Mike said.

[70_71_78]

I wonder if there is a list of filming locations. I would enjoy making that a vacation tour, there might be other scenery and local places of interest along the way!

[Jack]

I remember seeing such a video on YouTube that compared the places/scene from back then to today. I can't find it now but it did show the locations of the major/iconic shots.

[72projectbird]

Here's a fact I like giving people on my 77.

It's called a "Special Edition", not a "SATB" edition. I realize most who call it that aren't really car guys, but even at large shows and cruises I get the same bs. If I get asked if it's a "real SATB car" more than a few times in one sitting, I just start telling them it was the actual car used in the movie. 

[5th T/A]

Thanks for sharing, lots of great personal memories!

I remember going to the 1976 Chicago Auto show and seeing a custom paint black TA with gold accents. People were going nuts over this car! I am almost positive this paint scheme "SE" was not an available option in 1976.

After SATB came out, I can also remember going to my local Pontiac dealer and they had something like an 8mm projector in a box with a screen running a constant loop on the SATB movie. These were fantastic times for Pontiac and their dealers.

[Wallington]

As soon as guys mention Bandit this or that I tune out. I mean, it was a fun movie as a 6 yr old, unwatchable in any form since. But it was enough to decide I liked the car.

[roadking77]

The black with gold striping was introduced in 1976 as a special edition car. IT was called the L.E. (limited edition) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Pontiac, I think they made around 3,000. Pontiac started as a lower priced companion car for the Oakland brand. A lot of manufacturers were doing the same thing at the time period. Ironically Pontiac outlasted Oakland which stopped making cars around 1931. The black and gold paint scheme was based off of the race cars of the John Player Specials. John Player was an English tobacco co.

[hakitup]

I thought I read the first one was a 73 for the head of Pontiac, here is a picture of a 74

Tom H

[72projectbird]

I thought I read the first one was a 73 for the head of Pontiac, here is a picture of a 74

Tom H

The first was a 73 that was painted pearl white with blue graphics and pin stripes. That car kept evolving every year, being repainted black with gold, and changing the tail panel and even the back window in 75. That car definitely has a cool history.

[5th T/A]

I thought I read the first one was a 73 for the head of Pontiac, here is a picture of a 74

Tom H

The first was a 73 that was painted pearl white with blue graphics and pin stripes. That car kept evolving every year, being repainted black with gold, and changing the tail panel and even the back window in 75. That car definitely has a cool history.

It was a long time ago, I am 69 years old and lucky to remember what I had for lunch yesterday. Thanks for setting me straight. At least I was right about it being a Trans Am at the Chicago auto show.

[76455sd]

I thought I read the first one was a 73 for the head of Pontiac, here is a picture of a 74

Tom H

My understanding after years of seeing online posts (dating back to the start of TAC and the predessor I believe Steve buttitas TAForum, is that the 73 black and gold striped SD-455 was based on the Johnny player car and displayed at the 74 Chicago Auto show.  This car led to development of the 1976 limited edition TA (and Grand Prix) to be in black with gold striping to commemorate Pontiacs 50th anniversary.  These cars are known as LEs because the production was limited to 2500 units.  They were all supposed to have t-tops installed after GM production by hurst.  Leakage problems interrupted production so a good number of LE cars were delivered with no t-tops.  The car was well-received so GM made the color/graphics scheme available as a special edition option in 1977.  Some of these 77 SE cars (or very early pre-production cars) were provided to Hal Needam for filming of SATB.  There was no limit to production.  Because of the success of the movie Pontiac sold a bunch of SE cars in 77 and in following years.  GM never called them “Bandit Editions” but the name was propagated among car people.

If I’m wrong on any of this please correct me.  The horse has left the corral so it’s now impossible to try to explain this history to a lot of people.