Hey there, film lovers! If you're a fan of Burt Reynolds, you're about to hear something pretty special. The legendary actor passed away earlier this month, reportedly from a heart attack. But guess what? You can still feel his presence in a really cool way—by getting behind the wheel of one of his famous cars from some of his greatest movies! It's like a tribute to the man who brought so much charm and excitement to the silver screen.
Here's the scoop: On September 29, at the renowned Barrett-Jackson auction held at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, replicas of the vehicles from some of Burt's iconic films will be showcased. Now, you might wonder why they're replicas. Well, according to Burt's buddy and business partner, Gene Kennedy of Bandit Movie Cars Florida, "Universal Studios wouldn't allow the sale of cars that may have had some frame damage from the stunts performed." In other words, the original cars used in the movies were decommissioned due to liability concerns. But don't worry—these replicas are every bit as exciting!
A Lifelong Love Affair with Cars
Let's take a moment to appreciate Burt's lifelong passion for cars. Even before his acting career took off, Burt had a thing for automobiles. As he shared with the Barrett-Jackson auction prior to his passing, "We had a family car, a Buick, that was probably the first car I drove. And let me tell you, I wrecked it later. But once I signed onto Riverboat and inked my contract with Universal, I bought a 1957 T-Bird. It was love at first sight!" This love affair with cars was a constant in his life, and it's no surprise that he wanted to share it with the world.
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What’s on the Block?
So, what can you expect to see at this auction? For starters, there's the 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from Hopper, a car that became synonymous with Burt's larger-than-life persona. Then there's the 1984 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, which served as the promotional car for the USFL Tampa Bay Bandits team. If you're a fan of Cannonball Run, you'll be thrilled to know that a recreation of the 1987 Chevrolet R30 Pickup from that movie will also be up for grabs. And of course, we can't forget the legendary 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit. These aren't just cars—they're pieces of history, signed by Burt himself and still registered in his name. As Gene Kennedy said, "They're history pieces of time from the '70s, and we want to keep them that way."
