Barn untouched for 34 years hides a filthy secret, revealing a Pontiac made famous in an American classic
Published on Nov 30, 2025 at 1:37 AM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Nov 27, 2025 at 7:18 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
A barn that has been untouched for 34 years has recently revealed a 1978 Pontiac Trans Am muscle car, made famous by a classic American film.
The Trans Am was the car driven by Burt Reynolds’ character Bandit, and it has spawned various replicas.
WD Detailing recently found one that had sat in a barn for over 34 years, with the barn itself not being opened in all of that time.
This particular Pontiac had seen better days, so the detailing team wanted to surprise the owner by giving it a new lease on life.
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Why this barn find was so special
In terms of real barn finds, they don’t get much better than this.
Not only has the car been left for such a long period of time, but the barn itself has sat untouched for just as long.
The barn owner said the car used to belong to his dad.
He had traded his Ford pickup truck for the big screen star that was the Pontiac Trans Am.
It was driven until the early 1990s and then parked up, left to collect dust in the barn.
The car was pulled out of the barn, it clearly needed a good clean.
How did the Pontiac muscle car look after its detailing?
Even just a basic wash with a pressure washer made this Pontiac look so much better.
Only using water and no soap ensured the paintwork wasn’t damaged.
The dirt looked to have protected the muscle car and its paint.
Underneath all the dirt was the famous Firebird on the hood.
Down the side, Trans Am stickers were revealed for the first time in many years.
The interior was a nightmare to clean, given all the dirt and animal droppings that had collected inside.
But the WD Detailing team did an incredible job of cleaning it and making it look fresh again.
The Pontiac Trans Am, which was made famous by Smokey and the Bandit, also had a full polish, and there was something very satisfying about watching it gain a little shine.
It clearly needs some extra work to bring it to a factory-fresh standard.
However, the results of this detailing are still incredible.
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
