The INSANE 200mph Firebird That Shocked The World

[@rarecars3336]

Let's try something: if you heard of this car before this video, like this comment. If you didn't know about it till now then leave a comment here 👍

[@BigTimeRushFan2112]

I knew about this car back in the mid 80's. I got my drivers license in 1985. Never saw one ever in person. Ever.

[@hopewilliams6705]

LoL talk about a win win

[@davereiland9921]

Never heard of it til now.

[@JR-ho5qm]

Never herd of this thing before, and I’m suprised I haven’t. Honestly I bet they are a good investment. I could see them going up in value

[@Arc.Of.Ares.P1]

.

[@taelorwatson9822]

I guess GM didn't know about Knight industries

[@55cleon]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Apparently Not, My Fellow Gen X Friend 🤷🏿‍♂️😆😆😆😆!

[@thebigpicture2032]

They probably would have sold a lot more if they had.

[@Ghostrider-71]

KITT was a total bad ass. Even with the yoke steering wheel.

[@RecycledSoul]

Literally my dream car when I was like 6. So... You can't make this stuff up: There's a cop in my home town that loved Nightrider so much he put hased a replica with the Bada** scanner light on the nose, the crazy black wheels(which I still love)and the interior just like the show. That's crazy enough. The KICKER... I KID YOU NOT... HE CHANGED HIS LAST NAME TO KNIGHT. I'm still not sure how I feel about that in a police officer😂. The car was super cool. The name change makes it weird😐

[@szponiasty]

Yep. Tojan had no chance with Knight 2000 xD

[@nucleargrizzly1776]

It's boggling how Banks made a streetable 800 hp twin turbo, *CARBERATED, NON-INTERCOOLED,* 350 on *PUMP GAS.* Other than he's Gale F'n Banks.

[@Toxic2T]

Because 1, hes a genius, 2, he isn't lazy like the rest of engine builders.

[@johnnybraccia452]

@nucleargrizzly1776 I think "streetable" needs heavy quotes around it. Probably running hella rich to prevent detonation.

[@nucleargrizzly1776]

@@johnnybraccia452 I remember tests from the day. On the streets it ran like a small block. Like a modern fuel injected intercooled example.

[@powertothesheeple5422]

The quality level of parts in that engine to make that power remotely reliable likely put the cost higher than the cost of the rest of the entire car. This was the era of group B and 1500 hp F1 cars with 1.5L 4-bangers. Those power levels were acheivable, just cost a TON to get there.

[@donnybarley-y3t]

Banks also made a big block 82 Trans Am for a guy with over a 1000 hp and ac and street manners . He’s Gale Banks

[@Mr-Clark]

Bull, KITT hit over 325 mph in one of the episodes.

[@stephenhood2948]

And had a power ash tray and power lug nuts.

[@1nvisible1]

*I remember that. I'm surprised it's not in the record books and more YTers don't write about it.*

[@laserbeam1620]

Exactly!!

[@jorgedacosta8957]

So didn't my skateboard you pudding head

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

[@SamDeanismyname]

Ok. So i own 2 of these. A white Targa (The Miami) and a black hardtop (knightmare). There were 133 made from 86-91. The digital cluster was an option. Both of mine are analog. They turn heads for sure. You have mine in your video even because how few there are and how quickly people have to bust out their cameras when they see one. There’s a small community of owners. My guess is that 65 or so are still in any sort of acceptable condition. Some were sold overseas though. Lemme know if you have any other questions. I did a lot of research and plan on making a small documentary about them. Thanks for reminding people that they exist! Cheers!

[@ASDasdSDsadASD-nc7lf]

I am glad you got to own the finest example of the peak of American engineering/managerial alcoholism that embodied the 1980's car manufacturers. Only the Corvette was designed by anyone that earned their degree but it too was managed by teams of people that threw the last dregs of the American car industry away.

[@AndieBlack13]

As a former owner of a first year 82 Trans-Am, I read an account of this Gale Banks creation taking to a public road attempting this 200 MPH goal...all was well & good as they approached this target....until it was time to end the experiment. The account was from the driver, as he backed out the throttle & applied the brakes, the car bled off the 200 MPH down to about 125 & the brakes overheated and went away, but still leaving him at 125 MPH & approaching public "traffic"...he recalled carefully driving along the shoulder well above 100 MPH trying to bleed off speed as the brakes were woefully inadequate & still non-functional.

[@ashkrikorian5753]

100 mph on a shoulder? Jesus

[@AndieBlack13]

@@ashkrikorian5753 As an individual who has personally experienced "brake fade"...It happened while negotiating a "snaking road", up down brake turn, over & over...until there are zero brakes for you, yeah, it's spooky. While Gale Banks & company got the engine/drive-train right, they forgot to upgrade the braking system...

[@Itsthatoneguy371]

Had some brake fade at 140 in a Camaro. I just bought it and the car lot said it was in really good shape. That was my first experience with a “typical used car salesman”, the others I knew through my grandfather and they were always honest. I think that was one of the scariest things I had experienced. Took it the next day and found out I had left front breaks. No pads on the right, and the rear disc were worn through to the cooling vains and they looked like giant throwing stars. The rear calipers’ pistons look like drink coasters. The tech told me “when you die, understand you were on borrowed time, and you give St. Peter and God a big hug”

[@ASDasdSDsadASD-nc7lf]

Glad to hear you describe the finest example of the peak of American engineering/managerial alcoholism that embodied the 1980's car manufacturers. Only the Corvette was designed by anyone that earned their degree but it too was managed by teams of people that threw the last dregs of the American car industry away.

[@Itsthatoneguy371]

I had an ‘82 Firebird with a 151ci 4 cylinder, auto, as a first car. Later on in the ‘00’s had a ‘89 iroc, 350ci auto with T-tops (which translates to slightly twisted body and a leaking roof) The best thing about those cars was it felt like you were sitting in an extension of your body. They handled great for the time and they were so low, it felt like you were flying around town on a go-cart.

[@eryk3146]

The f40 never officially hit 200mph. That’s what Ferrari claimed but nobody was able to do it in independent testing. RUF was the first to do it legitimately

[@rarecars3336]

Now that is an interesting fun fact that I didn't know - so both this car and the F40 had their "unofficial" top speed testing. I've heard ferrari doing some very suspect stuff with press cars to fudge numbers.

[@Zzus321]

Your Correct 👍

[@Roddy_Zeh]

And RUF went above and beyond, scoring 211 mph. 👌🏻🗿

[@TheCrazyMoparDude68]

RUF isn’t a car manufacturer, they are a tuning company.

[@Zzus321]

@@TheCrazyMoparDude68 Ruf has its own VIN numbers it's considered a manufacturer.

[@MrJoeGarner]

I'm 61, and have never heard of this car. Been a car guy all my life!

[@deagt3388]

Liked 'Smokey & Bandit' Pontiac Trans-Am the best since I was a kid. ;-)

[@joshgessinger4509]

Beautiful car I always wanted one still do lol!!

[@MichaelMBarnes-f7b]

That car would never see 200 lol.

[@thewiseguy3529]

I had a trapper keeper with this car on it. 5th grade I think.

[@michaelb.42112]

YES !!!!!!!!!! I love that. Ahhhh, the 80's.

[@andysteele4056]

This cracked me up🤣🤣🤣

[@freedomlovingamerican5496]

Good times, oh how i miss the 80s.

[@phantomphotography7392]

I bring my Alf Trapper Keeper into important business meetings to let the CEO know that I mean business.

[@toka100]

The sufficiently straight road in Nebraska is still used today for speed runs. Not sure if it is the exact same road but every year there is a high speed challenge about an hour from my house. See all the big ones there. Ferrari, Lamborghini. McLaren. Then of course the vetts and fords It is part of the sand hills open. Which is a weeklong road rally with a 55mile course and a 12 mile course. The high speed contest is the last day.

[@nunyabidniz2868]

So we should search for "Sand Hills Open" if we're looking for more info so we can attend & spectate?

[@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman]

I had the 1984 Car & Driver mag with this car on the front & a great article telling about it! The next year I went out & bought a new black/gold Bandit II Edition Trans Am that I drove all the way up to 1998 with 375,000 miles on it before I sold it! Never had any issues other than routine stuff like a starter, battery, radiator, brakes etc! Also had a new '88 Fiero GT V6 that was just a little go kart! The "Toe Jam" was a mind blowing car for the time & I wished that they had kept making them a few more years ✌💖☮

[@chrisdomenichello1711]

So that car was actually C&Ds own project car. The people that make these videos need to do some fact checking for sure. I don’t think you were getting any Tojan that was a 200 mile per hour car without tearing it all apart after buying it

[@TheAcceleratorMagazine]

Had a Fiero with a small block Chevy V-8. Was supposed to have Northstar but when I got there it wasn't as advertised. Shocker. Did have lowered Eibach suspension and other improvements. It would have been a monster with the Northstar. Traded it in on a 40x60x13 garage we were having built. Good move. rick in Tennessee

[@ASDasdSDsadASD-nc7lf]

That is not routine stuff, that is horribly designed parts from end to end. I am glad you got to own the finest example of the peak of American engineering/managerial alcoholism that embodied the 1980's car manufacturers. Only the Corvette was designed by anyone that earned their degree but it too was managed by teams of people that threw the last dregs of the American car industry away.

[@BradleyBellwether-oy2qi]

WS6 is cool, but I see them everywhere. I didn't even know The Tojan existed until now, and several of my family members worked for Fisher Body #1 in Flint MI that eventually became a factory that tooled dies for Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Cadillac. I grew up drooling over the "75 years of GM" book that had all manner of GM based cars in it and I never saw this car once. Not even at any of the over 100 car shows I've been to. I would definitely take a Tojan over a WS6. I'd put one of the gen 3 upgrade suspension kits on it, and put 2 giant turbos in it, like it was meant to have.

[@spooley]

89 Trans Am Indy 500 pace car with it's Buick GNX derived 3.8 turbo would be fine for me. Hard top, leather seats s.v.p.

[@nucleargrizzly1776]

I love mine.

[@michaelmooney6701]

Right on

[@nunyabidniz2868]

Hell, I'd happily settle for the GNX itself... 😁

[@spooley]

@@nunyabidniz2868 Definitely!

[@nucleargrizzly1776]

@@nunyabidniz2868 Unfortunately the GNX is now priced out of reach for the driving enthusiast. Collectors and speculators only.

[@nobatteriesincluded3968]

If Pontiac would’ve stuck to the way they named of the rest of their cars like Trans am Grand am this would’ve been called the toe-jam 😢

[@jontimmins1130]

I’d take the Tojan. It would have Night Rider sweeping lights in that gap under the hood. Thanks for bringing this car up. Did not know about it before.

[@Reno420alex]

Gale is 100% the most knowledgeable person on this planet when it comes to forced induction systems. Im willing to bet that isnt all.. hes an absolute genius

[@marcanthony6038]

I missed this one. A lot of my info as a teenager came from motortrend, car and driver, etc...

[@andrewdunbar828]

Toe Jam is quite the sexy name for a performance car.

[@PhillipNigro-nq3qy]

I'd take one with the wing

[@chuckschillingvideos]

Nothing like declaring how shitty your taste is to the world, I suppose.

[@Winghay.Y13]

Japanese: We got the most powerful turner car in the 90s!! American: Hold my beer...

[@Joshua_N-A]

Mid Night Club: "This is an official race. You lose this race, you're out of the club. Got it?"

[@jamesmancuso3666]

The "Toe Jam" was an amazing achievement!

[@BradleyBellwether-oy2qi]

I kept thinking that every time he said it. Then, once in the CC, it actually typed "tojam". 😂

[@bryanclayton7008]

Every toe jam i ever got was more painful than amazing

[@runnininthe80s84]

I was looking for this comment 🤣

[@hopewilliams6705]

Okay you really got me on this one and im kinda surprised! This is why I subscribed!

[@Riskmangler]

This isn't the only one: Banks built a 200 mph Trans Ama that retained the stock look and thumped anything around. It was turbo charged with 700+ horsepower. In fact, it was on the cover of the June issue of Car & Driver.

[@MachineintheMonkey]

I wish I had Gale Bank’s number back in the 80s when I was chasing more horsepower!

[@ASDasdSDsadASD-nc7lf]

LOL, back in the 70's there were literally thousands of people making high hundred horsepower small blocks, a dozen in every suburb.

[@MachineintheMonkey]

Not here in Australia champ, especially hair dried small blocks

[@MachineintheMonkey]

@ not in Australia champ, especially hair dried small blocks

[@landonrice8360]

AMERICAN MUSCLE BABY🇺🇸🦅

[@rarecars3336]

Yessssir!

[@xmo552]

@@rarecars3336 next do the Sledgehammer Corvette

[@strang1124]

MAN, at 6:22 you show COTA my home track, Bergstrom International Airport & the east Austin road & highway map. Thank for repping my city :)

[@cee128d]

I'm 99.9% certain Knudsen is pronounced Ka noot sen. It's Danish for Kanoot's son. That's the most common way I've heard it pronounced, with the other leaving the K silent as in Noot Son, but that is much less common.

[@scottw5253]

umm ACKCHYUALLY... (thanks Poindexter)

[@garthhancock3373]

No one likes a wiseass.

[@dwightdhansen]

You are 100% correct. I went to High School with the kids of the family that built those cars. They were from Atlantic, IA. Their High School mascot is the Trojans. That name was trademarked so they dropped the R and called them Tojan.

[@plmn93]

Yes you are correct. This is a fairly common name where I grew up in central Minnesota. But this is what happens when lazy KZbinrs don't do their due diligence.

[@vinster8884]

I saw one of these at the dealership back in the day. I was about 16. Couldn't get enough of it. Wished I could have bought it.

[@guillermosanchezll]

Need help you have one call ..... And they call Mr. Turbo Banks !! 😅 Nice 👍

[@rarecars3336]

They definitely called the right guy lol!

[@samuelskinner8132]

I actually saw 2 Tojans next to each other at a carshow in Zimmerman MN, MN plates: Tojan (Red w/red spokes) & EKM 437(maroon w/ gold Tojan on the skirts & silver&gold accented rims)

[@joshgessinger4509]

GM gen 3 camaros and firebirds have always been a great chassis for building a very fast hot rod. Another amazing car was the 89 callaway turbo vet blew everything away.

[@Lawrence-i9e]

I had a 1986 White Tojan with the big tail fin. It seemed pretty fast. Ran straight pipe with an after market exhaust. It was pretty fast. I dont lnow about 200mph , but never tried to get it up that fast. Drove from washington to Tx in it

[@ajmiami9990]

I went to high school in NJ in early 90s I had a 1991 5.7 Z28 in 1993, there was a guy in the next town over that had 1 of these. It was Black and gold with the Lamborghini looking Wing. I still have pics somewhere. Cool car

[@allenlindsey1175]

To this day that body style is still one of the most aerodynamic car design EVER

[@Slowgroovin]

Sort of like the one off Callaway Sledgehammer Corvette vs the tamer production Callaway C4s.

[@toddjensen692]

I had never heard of this. Thank you.

[@kevinerbs2778]

F40 did not actually make to 200mph ever, they verified it speed at only 189Mph max by calculating the distances & time traveled. It was always short of 200mph.

[@johnjackson3800]

I never knew this car existed.

[@mb4lunch]

58 year old car guy here.... I never knew!

[@berettagt88]

Never heard of it! Thanks for sharing.

[@bobthebuilder201]

Thank you for this video

[@TheTacticalApe]

I wish they made more of these cars, would be pretty sick to see

[@andrescer]

great video! i miss the 1980s!

[@jonadams2441]

I have never heard of these but I love it

[@aaronscalise7682]

Love how rural nebraska is right down the road from the Austin airport and the COTA track. LOL

[@RecycledSoul]

That black one is 🔥💯. Why have I never heard of this car!?!? It's awesome(for the 80's)

[@BogattheMoon]

Definitely strange. I graduated in '88 and thought I knew them all. Never seen nor heard of it lol

[@christophecamus3295]

Interesting video thanks

[@veracitysleeps]

Someone should buy one and put the twin turbo prototype engine in it!!!

[@thebigpicture2032]

Gale Banks did that the year before. He went over 250 mph in a stock bodied Trans Am

[@KevinJames-yg9eu]

Uh, sounds like it's technically NOT the first production car to hit 200mph if the production version didn't have even half the horsepower of the prototype that hit 200mph. 🤨

[@PhoenixRCCrawler]

That would be a tough choice . The WS6 was a dream car for me as a young man.

[@Joshua_N-A]

Price tag wise how's it compared to the Corvette?

[@chrapladm]

A friend of mine had one of these cars many years ago. Funny to see a youtube video on it now.

[@midnightspecial2990]

It's just like the Firebird that the Kugel family built to go 300 mph at Bonneville in '97. That car also had Banks twin turbo small block. That would make a good video re-telling.

[@strang1124]

At 3:35 you show a Merkur XR4TI SCCA race car with its Foxbody Mustang cousin in the background. I own an 85 Xr4ti.

[@geniferteal4178]

Toejam? It could be a reference to mashing the gas pedal.😊

[@snappers_antique_firearms]

I miss Pontiac 😭

[@Dex99SS]

I somehow never knew about this... things pretty incredible... for the time, and in general. Even the neutered version, just a really special thing for sure.

[@BogattheMoon]

I remember buying a Motor Trend in '84 or '85 that featured the Banks twin turbo on the cover in traditional Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am body work outside of additional ground effects stating "200+ mph" on the cover. T/A's didn't receive the Iron head 5.7 until '88 I believe in the T/A GTA and other trim levels later.

[@d.e.b.b5788]

I definitely need a car that will do 200 mph down my block, especially at 3 a.m..... with open pipes. People love to hear the sound of a nice, big engine.

[@w.scottjones4677]

I owned a 1984 Recaro edition with T-Tops. Black with gold trim, loved that car. Had the 5.0 factory engine. It was weak so I built a .30 over 350, which technically made it 355ci. It would literally go so fast the T-Tops would whistle at a high pitch. Doubt it would do 200mph but 150 was no problem.

[@renaissanceman7145]

I graduated high-school in 1984 and this is the first I've ever of the Pontiac Tojan. Today is September 30th, 2024.

[@dameonharmon4352]

Never heard of this car until now. I've been a gearhead my whole life. Readind all the car mags way before I was old enough to get my license.

[@shelbysrvtech]

I'm glad I found this video. I know where one of these cars is. I never knew what it was. And now I do.

[@cabilgibbs]

Coooool!!! Thanks!!!

[@thebionicbassplayer]

I love it! I believe this car was featured in a movie, Collision Course?

[@andy242headhunter]

It doesn't matter how fast it is as it is truly hugly compared to the Ferrari which is a thing of beauty. Most American cars nowadays are butt ugly where European cars are stylish, BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Aston Martin etc etc. Another thing is that no decent driver wants an automatic transmission, changing gears around a twisty road is an amazing feeling. Give me a Ferrari anyday over any USA built cars no matter how fast they are in a straight line, just check out the footage of the F40 murdering those corners. The most impressive car of the eighties is the McLaren F1 that proved itself over 200mph continuously around a track, it too was a demon in the corners.

[@jasonolszanicky4035]

Laughs in Callaway Sledgehammer...

[@vladpootin5973]

There was a Banks Trans Am available around the same time, I believe even a bit earlier than 1984, that could also break the 200mph mark. That is not to take anything away from this totally brokers Pontiac, a vehicle as 80s American as it possibly can be. Awesome and RAD ! 🦅🇺🇸👍🏻

[@bobbyallison-j6q]

Oh the black one is so gorgeous.

[@Alchemy2.0]

This car was ahead of its time & would have been a contender in the Midnight club

[@johnybuzz833]

Really nice car !!

[@davidhansen6788]

I can't believe I've never heard of these cars 🤯🤯🤯

[@ronjones977]

Pretty wild car never heard of it before

[@FWDSUXARSE]

I learned about these a couple of years ago. Thought it was pretty cool.

[@rickintexas1584]

I never knew this car existed. In 1987 I bought an 86 Trans Am with the 245hp motor. It was a great car back then, but pale by modern performance car standards.

[@the_car_guy5915]

Ah yes, the Pontiac Toe Jam. Wonderful.

[@johnkelly7748]

I knew about these cars back in the day. I owned a few gta's and my 88 gta would do 181mph which was nuts so can imagine what slightly over 200 felt like.

[@TheAcceleratorMagazine]

The new and improved "Toe Jam"....

[@williamkillingsworth2619]

Banks went over 280MPH in a Trans Am he built on the salt flats. Shame GM didn't have the balls to release it.

[@kypexYBA]

Yup

[@peterfable]

I bet that TA had its frameless side windows sealed by taping them shut, because no-way those things would seal when driving fast even at stock high speeds. That car wasn't built well enough to sell to the public if it drove much faster.

[@artscott5510]

Would take this . Like the look

[@StephenMacmaster-sy8eo]

The Corvette sledgehammer was the fastest street legal vehicle allowed on the road in the United States in the early 80s. It had a top speed of 245 mph and it was not street legal until they did some mechanical work to it. There were only 24 of them ever made and sold throughout the world there are only three in existence that are still drivable today

[@jeremyhunter5954]

couple fun facts. the Tojan was never a production car, it was a coach built car. a lesser known fact is that knudsen also had a chevy camaro variant called the Cavalerro

[@chrisjovan664]

Never been a firebird fan and I am a Ferrari fan but not gonna lie that firebird is a much more gorgeous car.

[@robertstembridgejr7532]

1988 Sledgehammer: When Callaway Built a 255-mph C4 Corvette, the World Took Notice! Fastest car in the 80's!

[@J.H.HOLLIDAY]

Pontiac Firebird TOE JAM

[@LordHolley]

Take the tojan, and then reach out to Banks and see if he'd build up one of those motors for you again....

[@kinomiraru]

It's funny that the super version of the Firebird looked much uglier than the original. The back was made heavy and clumsy, the design of the nose was also much uglier than the original. I even went to look at a photo of my 88 Transam to see once again how good it is.

[@quacksackerthegreatstarfir6996]

I thought the Chrysler wing cars were the first production cars to break the 200mph mark....

[@CaptainSeamus]

At least a couple of them did... without as much tweaking as an F40 would have taken to actually get there...

[@sadwingsraging3044]

Yep. The Winged Warriors could and did break 200.

[@hank1556]

Not even close. The heavily modified NASCAR stock cars could touch 200. But the factory ones could do 120 or so depending on gearing

[@sadwingsraging3044]

@@hank1556 Pffftthhahahaha! 120,,, you know nothing.

[@hank1556]

@sadwingsraging3044 okay genius. So you're telling me in 1969/1970, Chrysler came out with a car that had (realistically) maybe 400 horsepower that could go 200 miles per hour? Yeah not a chance.

[@Joshua_N-A]

The 80s should be forced induction era for cars IMO. Tested on a highway in Nebraska sounds like a Mid Night Club member activity.

[@223dmr7]

Would have been a cool kitt car for night rider

[@l337pwnage]

Just a note. Tuners were able to get that chassis up to nearly 300 mph (not the car in the video, one with that chassis) and keep it on the ground (barely).

[@clintkeene1146]

Wow a Trojan. But Pontiac did it twice. The Trojan and the 91/92 Firehawk.

[@thebigpicture2032]

There were a couple others as well - Mecham and a Bandit II

[@clintkeene1146]

@@thebigpicture2032 yes sir. 83 Mechum is my dream and the my ultimate dream is a 91/92 Firehawk Hardtop.

[@diysecuritygear9594]

Omaha. Tojan. Dad wanted to buy one. I called it toejam.

[@anthonylowman9518]

Never heard of the Tohan til this video

[@dustinfowler7868]

800hp in 1984 American car is truly a big accomplishment, imagine if they'd let this beast hit the market, too bad😢

[@howardmckenna]

It's K.I.T.T. in pursuit mode!

[@claudiofagundes9502]

Omg i would love one of these

[@HAWGGY85]

I first saw it in duPont Registry magazine from June 1988. But I didn't know what it is based on until the 2010s.

[@buildingracingvideos4714]

Hell no! I've gotten a 3rd gen f body up to 115mph, and it was teterrifying. They get too much air under them and get really unstable over 100mph