Missing Pieces of American Iconography: The Firebird Trans-Am and Dom Deluise

The news of Pontiac’s demise has had an impact on many people around the world; from those who collect the classics, to those that were in love with the Pontiac Vibe. For me, the part that I will miss most is the iconic symbolism of the Trans-Am. Started in 1969 the Trans-Am began life as a performance option package officially named the “Trans Am Performance and Appearance Package.” This package morphed into the ‘70s Firebird Trans-Ams that were featured in movies like Hooper and Smokey and the Bandit. Then in the ‘80s the Trans-Am lived on as the crime-fighting car on Knight Rider. The Trans-Am was the car every teenager would give his or her right arm to take out on a Friday night.

So it truly is a changing world; we have lost a great comedian and actor, Dom Delusie, remembered for his roles in Smokey and the Bandit and the Cannonball Run movies and we have lost a piece of automotive history that used to be synonymous with “cool.” Not all is lost though; we may never get another official production Trans-Am, but the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger (as long as it can hold on) and Ford Mustang GT live on to fill the gap. The Ford Shelby GT500 swept the role of the new KITT in the revived Knight Rider series. So who knows, maybe the Trans-Am won’t be missed by the next generation of teenagers, but for me it is an end of an era.

So for all you Trans-Am lovers—leave us a comment and tell us your favorite Trans-Am memory.

 

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