What is it about cars that capture the heart of modern man, and woman, kind?  Think about it.  Ever since Henry Ford came out with his car and the modern assembly line, society has had a love affair with the automobile.  Guys love them for a variety of reasons and some girls have been known to judge guys by the kind of car they drive. 

Whether the car is a hot rod, a low rod, a luxury car or a hybrid, the world loves their cars and judges other people by the cars they drive.

In the past year, two icons of American production and ingenuity, Chrysler and General Motors, filed for bankruptcy, resulting in the layoffs of tens of thousands of employees and the closure of thousands of loyal dealerships.  It has also meant the selling off or elimination of brands.

One of the brands being phased out is GM’s Pontiac division.  This personally breaks my heart. It’s heartbreaking not because I’ve ever owned a Pontiac, because I haven’t. It’s saddens me because, as a teen back in the ‘70’s, I always wanted to own one – really, really bad!  

And not just any Pontiac.  No, Siree!  I wanted a 1976 Trans Am – the black “Bandit” with the black and gold firebird decal on the hood.  I loved that car but just never got around to buying one. 

Part of the appeal of the Trans Am to me was, of course, the perceived sex appeal tied to them as a result of the movie, Smokey and the Bandit.  But it was more than that.  There was something dark and uber-cool about that black beauty.  I honestly didn’t care if a girl saw me in one or not, I just fantasized about driving one.  It was just an absolutely beautiful car and everything about it screamed “FUN!”.

I spent many an hour dreaming of driving my own black Trans Am, with the t-tops off and the stereo cranked up, blasting my favorite tunes.  The scenarios in my dreams varied from the Arizona deserts to the hills of Tennessee and the miles of interstate taking me there.

It’s those fond memories that came to mind when I read the news about Pontiac.  With that news came the sickening feeling that one feels when they hear that a dear friend only has a short time to live. 

There is lots of debate as to who’s to blame and the quality and validity of the restructured U.S. auto industry.  While I do have my opinions, those will be saved for another time and another forum. I will say that, regardless of who’s right and who’s wrong, it does always boil down to being about money.  And, while it’s sad to see the changes we’ve seen, I do wish the restructured and legacy auto builders much success.

My beloved dream car will, no doubt, survive in classic car circles, owned by the lucky ones who pursued their dream of Trans Am ownership. In fact, in writing this piece, I snooped around to see what a ’76 or ’77 Trans Am goes for these days.  Wanna guess how much?

They can be found for as high as $45,000!

I guess I’ll continue to dream.