K.I.T.T. From Knight Rider Season 3/4

knighthawk · Jul 6, 2012

Hi All,

Here is a quick build and status report on my 1983 Pontiac Firebird conversion into K.I.T.T.

Donor Car.

Originally purchase for £645 from ebay, with a number plate worth over £1000.

With apparently rebuilt Chevy 305 5L V8 small block.

My first task was to get it road worthy.

Had no brakes, missing brake lines and distribution valve. All brakes refurbished or replaced.

Next New Exhaust.

Carburetor overhaul and then new one.

With Engine now Running I dealt with the exterior body work, and without a garage it wasn't easy.

I stripped the everything back to metal and re-primed the whole car.

This was done from 500ml Simoniz Cans as I couldn't afford a proper spray, cost roughly about £300, black gloss and primer.

Part 2 Coming.

Moviefreak · Jul 6, 2012

You sprayed that in your driveway :confused
With spray cans :confused If so..... That is Fantastic !!!

SofaKing01 · Jul 6, 2012

Spray cans???? Holy schnike! Amazing!

Moviefreak · Jul 6, 2012

If it was spray cans... First road trip and a few pebbles and it will chipped up really bad.

knighthawk · Jul 6, 2012

Part 2.

All Fibreglass parts where purchased from KIRAD in plymouth, these include.

Dash, Nose, T-Liner, Ground Effects and Lower/Upper Consoles.

Gullwing was purchased from the KnightRiderShop.

Interior, which included the following.

1) Carpet.
2) Dash.
3) Consoles.
4) Steering Wheel (Gullwing).
5) Door Cards.
6) Roof Lining.
7) T-Liner. (I have a new T-Top roof to be welded on.)

Carpet.

This usually costs around $450 for a new molded carpet for the Firebird, of which I didn't have, so my local Carpet supplier had something virtually exactly the same colour so I purchased the roll for £75, and fitted myself.

With this I carpeted the Boot, Floors, Roof lining and T-Liner.

Part 3 Coming.

knighthawk · Jul 6, 2012

Hi Yes,

was with spray cans, but was very well prepped and sanded and flatted at various stages.

Have been out in him a lot and not lost an paint yet, luckily.

Its not great I admit, but on a budget of practically nothing its all I could do.

Mike

Supa troop · Jul 6, 2012

This is one of those build threads that you you have to do a double take on ..............

Now il let you into a little secret ive seen this baby up close wait until you see the inside and whay Knighthawk has done to that, i cannot wait to see this car again at the UK RPF Prop Party, show stealer in the making :cool

knighthawk · Jul 6, 2012

Prt 3. Interior Continued.

Dash.

Again prepped and sprayed from 500ml tins, black satin this time.

All the openings had to be cut out as it was a solid front apart from the monitor.

Upper Console.

Part 4 Coming.

knighthawk · Jul 6, 2012

Part 4, Lower Console and Hubs.

The lower console holds some electronics and the bowling ball hub caps are replicas of the aluminium originals.

Lower Console.

Bowling Ball Hubs.

These where prepped and again sprayed with Gloss Black.

I then Fibreglassed bespoke brackets on the back to pick 3 of the wheel nuts so there was no chance of the coming off. at £250 a set you don't want to be losing them.

Part 5 Coming.

RickGreerUK · Jul 6, 2012

No no no no no no no no no. This is not fair, you can't just take an old run down model and be clever/skillful enough to bring it back to the awesome level you have. I won't have it.

Great job. Give it to me please

BrotherWilliam · Jul 6, 2012

Stunning work. And all the more so for having done this in your driveway rather than in an actual garage.

Awesome!!

thumbsup:thumbsup

knighthawk · Jul 6, 2012

Part 5, Gullwing and door panels(Cards).

Gullwing is a solid resin steering wheel with imprinted emblem, need sanding and prepping before painting with satin black.

Door panels just needed a good refferb and the upper plastic trim re-attaching.

GullWing.

Door Panels.

Part 6 Coming.

knighthawk · Jul 6, 2012

Part 6, Electronics and gadgets, the exiting bit.

All electronics are designed by myself.

1) Scanner for the front.
2) upper Console and Lower Console.
3) Dash Board (Currently Work in Progress while I am on holiday.)
4) Voice Box.
5) KITTs PC.
6) Voice Recognition.

Scanner.

This is currently controlled by one of 3 ways, Radio controlled, Switch input control, Users choice and via Android App, all software and apps are written by myself.

Below is a video of the scanner in operation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSTuf2_ZzGA

Pictures of the build below.

The controller consist mainly of 3 MicroControllers which are programmed to run the red scanner and also 3 MP3 players for various sounds, ranging from, the Scanner whoosh to the turbine sound and voices.

This is then coupled to a choice of driver depending whether you want LED lamps or the original Halogen.

Scanner in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOzMWnI-tAc

part 7 coming.

sterling archer · Jul 6, 2012

I don't know what else to say but Awwwwwssssoooomme!!!

knighthawk · Jul 6, 2012

Thank you everybody,

I am currently 3 years in and still quite a bit to do.

Mike

Ozymandius · Jul 6, 2012

knighthawk said:
...
Its not great I admit, but on a budget of practically nothing its all I could do...

Do not sell yourself short. That is impressive work under any circumstances. That you did it yourself on a budget is nothing short of amazing.

Bravo, sir. Bravo. :thumbsup

knighthawk · Jul 6, 2012

Part 7, Electronics Continued.

I toyed with a Smoke Screen and Oil dispensor, (And Why Not), worked ok but was a bit windy on the day of testing.

Used a small smoke machine from ebay, and used a rehashed WindSheild washing motor and pipes for the oil(Coloured Water).

Video from Youtube.

Oil Slick - Smoke Screen for KITT - YouTube

Grappling Hook.

This I made from 5 peices of Copper pipe and a shrader valve, and water valve. Using a tyre pump to pressurize the system.

The voices are my Brother and I testing.

Youtube Below.

Grappling Hook system for KITT - YouTube

Lol

Part 8 Coming

knighthawk · Jul 6, 2012

Part 8,

Dash.

This is currently a temporary build as the dash electronics are still in development.

At the minute using a 7" electronic photo frame until I can afford an 8" monitor for the PC. This plays back anything from Movie Clips, music, sounds and photos.

I used Water Clear Resin with a coloured pigment for the inserts.

The overlays where made from Frosted Perspex from ebay, and black vinyl wrap from ebay.

This shows the Overlays, Voice Box coloured inserts and Monitor.

Part 9 Coming in the morning.

Mike

Cibernite · Jul 6, 2012

Freaken Awesome! I love the old Knight Rider.You're doing great.

Apollo · Jul 6, 2012

You're right it's not great.......it's FANTASTIC for the budget you are on!

Awesome Job Bro, and any Hollywood prop shop would love to have you work for them!

knighthawk said:
Its not great I admit, but on a budget of practically nothing its all I could do.

Mike

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