Burt Reynolds’ 1977 ‘Bandit’ Pontiac Trans Am sells for $450,000

Burt Reynolds has done what they said can’t be done: His 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, like the one from “Smokey and the Bandit,� sold for $450,000 over the weekend in Las Vegas.

That’s well above the $80,000 it was predicted to fetch and, adjusted for inflation, 60% more than the prize Cledus and Bandit were gunning for as reward for running 400 cases of Coors east of the Mississippi to Texarkana.

(That was $72,500 in 1977 dollars, in the form of a Kenworth big rig. Seriously, stream the movie already. Great car chase. Catchy tunes.)

That’s not a shabby take for a ride that, according to Autoblog, wasn’t even in the film. Reynolds’ black muscle car with gold firebird detailing was used as a promotional car before it was signed over to the actor, the site said.

The entire auction of the “Boogie Nights� star’s memorabilia brought in about $2.5 million, according to Fox411, over a two-day period. Online bidding had started more than a week ahead of time, and the car was at $70,000 by Dec. 2, so topping the predicted price was actually extremely likely.

“I am simply selling some of my memorabilia that I have enjoyed for so many years but do not have use nor room for them anymore,� the Oscar nominee told “Entertainment Tonight� on Dec. 2. In other words, don’t presume that the 650-item auction was motivated by the financial woes he’s faced in recent years.

“Quite frankly,� he said, “I am sick of so many pictures of myself in my own home.�

Planning for the sale began almost two years ago, according to Martin Nolan, executive director at Julien’s Auctions of Beverly Hills, which handled the event.

Follow Christie D’Zurilla on Twitter @theCDZ and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs.