Just now seeing this video! My Grandfather & my Dad built one from 1999 -2001 they invested over 70k back then. But the car was taken down to nothing but a shell & brought back to Kitt. I obtained the car in 2018 from my dad & your right people love it! My dad showed the car from 2003 until 2011 & won more than 60+ trophies & awards with the car. After sitting in a garage for 5 years I spent 4k & brought it back to life & just got back from my 1st show with it in Daytona beach Florida & brought home a 4 foot best of show trophy & most sophisticated car award in the show. When I get to the point in life I'm done traveling to shows like my dad did I hope my son will keep Kitt alive!
Love it!! Here is a guy that isn't trying to hide anything, only help others in their quest for a KITT replica. A lot of people don't like to talk about money, or how much they spend on things, this guy just lays it out for you. The world would be a better place if there were more people like you...no games, no ego, just straight to the point and pure facts. Is it a lot of money to spend, sure...but it was his passion and dream, and he is fortunate enough to be able to follow that dream. Kinda gives me hope in life...thanks for sharing, and being a genuine person.
Thanks so much! Thats the reason!! I searched and asked this question for years before building a replica. NO ONE would answer my question. So I just had to guess what I thought it would cost. Let's just say I guessed wrong. Hope this can help at least one person looking to build a replica
Guys I have been in the KR hobby since 2002 seen about 50 KITT cars in my life NO JOKE. IMO, Chris made one the BEST MOST SCREEN ACCURATE KITT cars in history !!!
Its so cool that you followed your dream to build a replica of KITT like you mentioned that it takes time patience and lots of money to build it from what you described you car is a show stealer 👍👍
Sir, your car is amazing. Totally top notch. Thanks for posting this. Back in 2003 a guy in my neighborhood was selling a 1982 t/a 305 auto with exterior conversion inside tan interior with pmd seats for $2000. I imeadetly went to get the money at my bank. When I got back he just sold it.I built a general lee instead. I had about 12500 total in the car. That's buying it and putting it together. I drove the heck out of that car. Averaged around 5k a year with it. What y ou said about taking your car to shows and seeing peoples reactions is worth the effort, you are so right. I made a lot of people's lives better even just for a brief moment and it really made me feel great helping out. John schneider himself told me that my car was in the same condition as the cars they used in the show, which was a bit beat up. He told me never change that and I never did. Unfortunately a few years ago my car was stolen. I miss it so much. I'm not sure if I will ever find another one like it. I'd love to have a kitt. But I have to be able to drive it. I don't think I could put as much in one as you did and not be able to drive it .thank you for informing the people. Very beautiful car you have!
87 and up Firebirds with 350 TPI are the best cars for replicas. Hard to find them in t-tops tho. Anyone can say they can build a Kitt cheaper, but it wont be as nice. So dont worry if some people think they can build one with $5000 bucks. I make all my own fiberglass parts and I can not even do one for that, Im in the $15-20,000 range just for the outside done on my replica and I have not even got into the inside yet and I do all my own work. Sky is the limit on how much you want to pay to build your own. How accurate and how functional is up to you. Cool video man, peace.
It is an expensive hobby, building a nice replica. I have a mostly exterior replica and it's fantastic. I'm always on the fence about building a full dashboard as I really love the original dashboard now and it's better to drive in the summer as the vents are not covered by the KITT dash. Anyways, I still love the KITT dashboard and have started buying dashboard electronic parts. ;-)
Hey I'm from Youngstown ohio, and I'm working on my knight rider car. Yours look fabulous!!! Great job!!! Been a fan of knight rider since day 1,,I'm building k.a.r.r.!!
MussDugesehenhaben hey what’s goin on a lot has happened these past couple years for work and moving ect. Unfortunately I haven’t finished my project Yet. Lol. Still a working process though I haven’t gave Up on it. Thank you for asking.
Dude, that is the most impressive project I've even seen. If I had my 2012 Camaro SS in a car show and you showed up with that, I'd leave. Good work, sir.
Thanks for this explanation. Saw a similar car at a car show (NY car show) and wondered how much went into it - this is pretty clear on what it took for the episode you based it on.
Thanks for doing these videos. It is really cool to see the hard work you have put in. It is inspiring me in restoring mine (slowly but surely). While I don’t have a budget to turn my 83 into a KITT, I have taken the cue from you to do my research and do work I am proud of.
I've always liked hollywood cars especially KITT. The way I see it you can't put a price tag on a dream. You gotta do something while your here. It might as well be something fun. Kudos on a really nice build.
1969L78Nova, while I can appreciate you having the vehicle knowledge that you possess, as well as all your certifications to be a tech. I find it distasteful of you to come on here and berate Chris when all he was doing was sharing his experience with us. I see no need for you to be hateful with your comments. If you don't agree with something that he has said, there is a more tasteful way to express your disagreement. Chris did NOT in any way deserve to have you attack him the way you did. I'm sure that you will refuse to apologize to him for your rude comments, but if you would be so kind as to NOT attack him anymore, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, God bless, and I hope that you have a very happy Thanksgiving.
Always amazes me how offended people can get about other people spending their own money. Without doubt having all the skills helps no end, and would save $1000s, but those skills usually come over a long period of time with plenty of costly f*ck ups... saying that you do also get to work on many cool projects as you go which most would envy, but not everyone can or wants to go down the do it yourself route plus the whole “how much does a replica cost” question is always a controversial subject plenty see $50K as being done over or more money than sense, but there’s plenty that equally get frustrated with solid 3rd gens turned into half arsed replicas that barely work. Chris your all in approach has paid off, your car for me is up there in the top 3 in the world and the prices you’re stating are not crazy if you are targeting a top of the pile replica! Keep up the good work 👍🏼
You should see how offended people get when it comes to spending SOMEONE ELSE'S money. Example: customizing ANY popular old car in any specification other than bone stock. You'd be surprised at how many people will troll someone building a one-off based on a popular old model.
Best response to a purist troll came from Bob Mosely aka Videobob complaining about his Delorean time machine conversions. these cars aren't worth much because they really aren't very remarkable cars on the collector car market. Stock, a Delorean is worth probably $30k to $50K tops in top condition. Bob's Back to the Future time machine conversions easily triple the value of the car, while being about that much to convert as well. Video Bob famously challenged the purists by saying: "Want to stop me? Easy. Just buy every last one of the 9,000 Deloreans ever built, lock them up in a warehouse so I can't convert any more of them." Loved it.
I'm colecting some money for buddy Also in maibey making best kitt if I could get white one I would even sleep in it .Also it takes one year or one summer or less .
Your replica car was/is incredible. I'd take it over any of the cars that were actually on the show. It's the car that got me into Firebirds, and why I ended up buying a black '94 in '98. I wish I had the money to say, "I'll pay what it's worth to you to build me one." If I win the lottery, can I call you about it? Haha, jk. No, come to think of it, I'm not, I would try to contact you. The job you did was amazing.
Continued... it was a 1985 Firebird. I first did the exterior, hood, KITT bumper, scanner, rims/caps, then the interior...PMD seats, correct shift knob, 82 console, but when it came time for the dash?, I didn't quite get to all of the electronics. lol I got as far as the gull wing steering wheel, slapped the TV dash over the stock gauges & stopped at that. Why? Simple, i ran out of money. lol I soo wanted that full electronics dash, switch pods, overhead console, everything but didn't have the $ to do so. :( Either way, I had fun with KITT until the engine went bad. General Lee is fun to drive too but KITT is more fun plus he's smaller in size! '69 Chargers are huge cars!! With KITT, you get to run the scanner light. :) GL doesn't have one. lol
001GenLee man I think thats awesome that you were able to build both cars! That was my goal as well but kitt has soaked up every bit of time, energy, and most of all.....CASH that I have.....as I am sure you know....lol. I would love to see a picture of them. Here in cincinnati finding a charger that isn't a total pile of rust is difficult at best! Was it challenging for you to find one that was in fair condition to start?
Yeah, the 69 Charger my dad found in '03 was a drivable, running car. It had a rare power windows feature in it whereas most Chargers on the original tv show had the manual crank windows. It was a brown color at first with the black vinyl top & the Charger emblems on the sail panels. If I had my time to go back over, I'd left it as found & eBayed it , then bought an already done up General Lee. But that's history now.
If it makes you feel any better, a DeLorean Time Machine replica is $45,000. + for the time machine conversion ALONE, not including the cost of a DeLorean car and all it takes to make it run right. Your car does look AMAZING!
Sarah Michelle is the conversion price from Bob's prop shop? I'm thinking about going into serious debt getting a Delores and getting Bob to convert it.
Jason Duke 360 No, not Bob. Please, please, IF you are TRULY serious about doing this, the man to see is Bruce Coulombe of Coulombe Enterprises in Florida. Bruce is not only a superb human being, he will work with you and your budget to give you exactly what you want. Not only is Bruce an electronic engineer, (Bob is not an engineer) but a former NASA engineer. Watch the below video and see for yourself. And, if you contact him, maybe mention that Sarah sent you with highest recommendation. Bruce WILL take excellent care of you. Here’s the video, Jason. Let me know if you pull the trigger so I can be properly ENVIOUS! 😃🙋🏻 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-nP4yB0OWkDg.html Coulombe Enterprises web site: www.deloreantimemachines.com/
I'm surprised you didn't contact Joe Walser, whose team restored the screen-used DeLorean for the trilogy's 30th anniversary. He could probably lead you in the best direction.
Folks as a 3rd gen restorer/dismantler and proud owner of a 3/4th season KITT replica. I have to say the average money invested in these car's would make a VERY NICE down payment on a house !!!. PLEASE PLEASE !! Make sure your wife/family is 100% on board for a $$$ "Toy" like this. If you have a GF and she doesn't approve, Then it's time for a new girlfriend :) Remember you are building your dream car for YOU and NOT anyone else !! Do the car how you want to do it!! The public reaction of the scanner and KITT talking made it all worth it to me !!!
I paid 200 dollars for my trans am. Same an empty shell. Had a few small rust spots. Had to pay somebody to weld a new T Top roof in place because the kid that was scrapping the car cut the T Top out. Here in Pennsylvania I know where there are many Trans Ams for parts.
Nice! I always wanted one of these since I was a kid and seen the show in 1982 at age 8 lol. Is that street legal? Are you allowed to drive with the scanner on in the day or night? I would then not as it would be a destruction, but heck the whole car is a distraction lol. I think here in PA it is not legal not sure though. I don't why not though as it is not much different than headlights. How much would it take for you to make one just like this one or close for them $100,000 or more? Lol. I still see some on eBay for less than $10,000 stock, and locally I seen a few and a white one recently but not all that many stock ones even. At least I got my 1:18 Hot Toys Elite one for now lol.
A lot less, but they had several cars for filming (around 20 in total) - five of the original cars are still in existence, but they're nowhere near as nice as most replicas - back then people were watching Knight Rider on small low definition TVs so you couldn't see all the defects!
Out of interest, do you see yourself retrofitting it with self drive and AI now that the technology is pretty much here? I see in the near future, the possibility of making a KITT that actually does MOST of what the car in the show could do (boost jumping and SPM aside lol). Heck, you could even communicate with it, and ask it to pick you up, using a smart watch. I hate the self drive concept, unless it's in a KITT, and then the idea is the best thing ever :)
Yes, it is very expensive, but you can save a lot of money and still have a top show quality car: standard brakes and shocks are fine for a show car if you're not driving it anyway. Upholstery and all the inside panels: if you know a good upholstery guy that shares the passion you can get a really good deal and get it a LOT cheaper than you paid. Same for the speakers, don't need to spend $ 600 on outside speakers. Flooring: a new set of ACC carpets with mass backing is perfect. And then it also depends on how much time you wanna give yourself to complete it - if you spread the costs of time it doesn't 'hurt' as much :-) Anyway, just my 2 cents as well. Your car rocks!
Thanks. I agree, The reason I went with 600 speakers is because I do a lot of big shows and sound quality is very important to me ( and the events) I'll be doing a video shortly just on these speakers. You can hear them about a mile away crystal clear. they are pretty great
If had the money to put up for a knight Rider AKA KITT My choice will have to be video bob since he knows what he's doing he has the experience . .. and has done many of them
You did great on this build congrats on the car you also got lucky with how you bought it being in Ohio like mine they are hard to come by that great in shape but you did over pay on the shell I’d only pay maybe 3k at most but you did great with the build
This guy went out of his head to build this kitt!! 20k would been much better to build it but then again look at his home he didnt know where else to throw the money away.
what is a '' NOS '' meen? have you tried to find out where the back glass was made at? plus seems to me that you done an excellent job on tutorial and slight BIO on the makers that do an exquisite job in '' re- manufacturing '' the 82 style interior...eventho most of the stuff that was done to the car '' interior and exterior '' in the T.V. series was modified... so kudos to the humans that helped you get your K.I.T.T. ! awsome vlog !!! oh p.p.s. mad Respect 2 thumbs up !!
Wow! And I thought i sunk major $ into doing a General Lee ( 19k ). I sold my Lee in 2010...y? I missed my KITT replica. My dad helped me with building the General but after driving it a few times, i told him I missed KITT. Would I have another Lee? No, been there done that. I first had a KITT n the early 2000's. Engine went bad & had to part him out in '05. :(
The 89 Formula Firebird had the same cowl hood as the 82 Trans Am ...non-functional but the same hood. Also, the 89 Formula generally came with the Throttle Body Injection which was junk. A Tuned Port Injection 350 would be MUCH better for KITT.
Hello chris. I have been building mine from an 85 with the 305 tpi.....wow I wish I would chose a better motor. Thank you for taking the time to make these informative videos!! Where exactly in ohio are you? I am in cincinnati. Hope to hear from you and thanks again for everything!!!
Thanks for the video one question, would you either build one for someone else if they had the budget or, help someone else build one ie go to wherever their car was and hands on help? just curious, again, awesome Car, Amazing videos...
I totally understand when something takes over a major part of your life like that but, hell yeh a KARR would be the coolest just to have them both lol
I just saw your video and I know its kind of an old video and Im not sure how long it would take you to respond if you will even respond at all but I have a question. How much would you say it would be to build a drive-able kitt car? Meaning, taking the car and building it to look exactly like kitt on the outside but only modernizing the inside with a fuel injector engine instead of a carburetor.
Where did you get the "turbine" from? Just wanted to know. Some replica manufacturers include a 10 second clip of the turbine sound with start up and shut down sound with their scanners. KRW for example, and I believe there's a company in Germany that makes that scanner as well.
Hi there Chris can I ask I’m currently looking at a 1984 Pontiac Firebird all original with T top is there any major body panels parts or interior parts that have to be changed before the car to be turned into a knight rider car thanks for any help
I'm working on a replica right now and I can't find those plastic parts for the back i have blue ones but they are in horrible condition and aren't worth just spraying so does anyone know where i can get new ones?
id do a 89 firebird formula. This way you don't have to worry about taking the lower ground effects off. Rust can sometimes hide under those and you'll never know until you take them off. Remember you'll need to replace the fenders with 82-84 fenders as well as the back bumper. If it's a formula, it should already have the hood. The next thing you'd need to find are the PMD seats ( 82 only) and a 82-84 center console. Have fun! it's a pain to find all the right parts but its sorta fun at the same time haha
Yeah but how much have you made from the car, at shows, winning awards, youtube revenue relating to the car videos, loaning the car to news and tv etc.?
