True. I remember all the Hot Rod articles about the movie cars of the period. Most of them had different engines fitted, catalysts removed, ring and pinion gears swapped - lots of work just to get decent tire-frying smoky burnouts.
The Turbo Trans-Am was a particular challenge in second "Smokey" film - I think it might've had a nitrous system in it. That one was owned by Jerry Reed for a while - it's in the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum.
“The Turbo Trans-Am was a particular challenge in second “Smokey” film”
The Turbo Trans Am was junk. From what I’ve heard, since it didn’t have a boost gauge you didn’t know you were on the boost until you heard the engine pinging.