My 30-year affection for the screaming chicken

Of all the things I might plausibly own at some point, I think this is far and away the most redneck possession I would use and enjoy:

(See lots more photos of this beautiful car here.)

I assume there are plenty of performance parts available for this engine.  The EPA had “fast” cars of this era strangled nearly to death, and despite appearances (and Needham-enhanced cinema), they weren’t terribly formidable off the showroom floor.

You know, I really have a slight objective preference for gold on this car.  But if I ever had one, it’d have to match the Bandit’s, right?  Actually I’d probably change the old Georgia flag front tag out for an Alabama one, and I wouldn’t have “Bandit” stenciled on the door, but otherwise I’d have it visually identical to the movie car.

I’m sure Pontiac’s imminent demise has generated another uptick or two in these cars’ values, and with college educations and retirements to fund, I seriously doubt one of these is on the horizon.  (Actually, with money in hand and the trigger ready to pull, it’d probably be tough to switch me off a Corvette, besides.)

But it’s still fun to dream.

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