The effect of Smokey and the Bandit on the pop culture landscape went far beyond what could have been imagined back in 1977. After 30 years, multiple sequels, a made-for-TV spinoff, and the retirement of Pontiac, even non-movie car fans still associate the character "Bandit" with black & gold second generation Firebirds. In 2005, customizer Jesse James had achieved fame on the Discovery Channel's Monster Garage and was asked by the Coors brewing company (makers of the contraband featured in the first film) to build a special tribute car as the grand prize in a contest they were running. The result was the "Coors Bandit," a 1980 Firebird featuring combination scissor doors, a racing interior, West Coast Chopper 3-piece wheels, and a 700 horsepower engine with ProCharger induction. The contest was promoted through a series of limited edition 6-packs and a 1/24 scale replica of the car sold exclusively at Wal*Mart.
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