1977 Pontiac Firebird
Second generation · Long-running '70½–'81 F-body 1970–1981
The long, swoopy second-generation F-body — the iconic Firebird era. Home of the screaming-chicken hood decal and the black-and-gold 1977 'Bandit' Trans Am that made the car a pop-culture icon.
Photo: “Pontiac Firebird 350” by Ermell / Wikimedia Commons , licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
The 1977 model year
Overview
The 1977 model year is the most famous in Firebird history: the black-and-gold Trans Am Special Edition (the 'Y82' package) starred in the film Smokey and the Bandit, sending Trans Am sales soaring. The second-generation F-body, with its 'screaming chicken' hood decal, became one of the defining American cars of the late 1970s.
Specifications
- Body styles
- Coupe
- Production
- 68,744 Trans Am units (across all 1977 Trans Am trims)
Year over year
What changed
- The black-and-gold Special Edition Trans Am gained fame via Smokey and the Bandit.
- Demand for the Trans Am surged on the back of the film.
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- Malaise-era smog-controlled V8s; matching-numbers drivetrain and authentic Special Edition trim drive collector value.
Worth knowing
Notable
- The 'Bandit' Trans Am is the single most iconic Firebird.
- Trans Am sales would peak two years later, in 1979, at 117,108 units.
Famous variants this year
Sources
Other Second generation years
Explore the Long-running '70½–'81 F-body generation → All Second generation · Long-running '70½–'81 F-body years →