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by Bo Durban and Nikolas Worden - September 1, 2023

On DAY 3 of the Filming Schedule scenes 64 through 66 were filmed which consists of Bandit putting the Trans Am into a four-wheel drift before turning down a dirt road. Followed by the Arkansas Highway Patrol.

Scene 64

The Stunt

Trans Am #2 is driven by Alan Gibbs with Janet Brady doubling for Sally Field. There appears to be a couple of modifications done to the car; there is a skid plate below the engine and the way the rear brakes lock up there must be some type of rear brake controller installed. This car also has a Uniroyal tire installed on the front right wheel. All other wheels have Goodyear tires installed.

Skid Plate

I calculated that the Trans Am is traveling appox. 80 MPH when the rear brakes are locked up. Based on the existing skid marks on the road they seem to be using the 3rd take of this stunt.

Scene 64

This is one of the sequences where we see the patrol car toggle between a Plymouth Fury and a Pontiac LeMans in the film. For today they are using the Plymouth. For all subsequent filming days for this car, they use the Pontiac. I suspect that after this scene was filmed the patrol car was painted silver to be used as one of Branford's Desha County Arkansas patrol cars.

Plymouth Fury patrol car

Filming Location

The scenes were filmed on Highway 54 at Simpson Road just south of Jonesboro, GA. Today the dirt road has been moved slightly and is now paved. Highway 54 has recently been widened to 4 lanes.

Google Street View

Google aerial view - 2022

Aerial photo - 1978

The Script

Here is an excerpt from the final screenplay for scenes 64 through 66. It is interesting that it has the line "fasten your seat belts" when I noticed that Burt and Sally never had their seat belts installed for the whole movie. In an earlier copy of the screenplay it calls for Carrie (aka Kate) to install her seatbelt. That part was ommited from the Final Screenplay.

First Draft Screenplay

Final Screenplay

Research by Bo Durban and Nikolas Worden


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