Universal Studios KITT for sale
Trevor Blair
1983 PONTIAC TRANS AM KNIGHT RIDER, V-8, BLACK, "SOLD ON BILL OF SALE" K.I.T.T. -- KNIGHT RIDER CAR IS FROM THE UNIVERSAL STUDIOS TELEVISION SHOW. THE CAR HAS A COMPLETE DASHBOARD THAT IS LIGHTED AND THE FRONT RED SWEEPING LIGHT. THIS IS AN ACTUAL CAR FROM THE TELEVISION SERIES AND COMES WITH A CALIFORNIA TITLE IN UNIVERSAL STUDIOS NAME. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN HIGHLY MODIFIED AND IS NOT A STREET LEGAL VEHICLE. THIS CAR COMES WITH DOCUMENTATION AS TO ITS UNIVERSAL STUDIOS OWNERSHIP.
Here is the website. http://www.kruseinternational.com/auctions/AUBSPR99/7.htm.
Do you think it's really authentic? Guess we'll see. Later.........
Lrd Knight
real.
Wade Fuller
if there selling a car that has a "fake" title from universal Pictures.
That my friend, you just can't fake!
Thomas Schubert
answer here. There are no,.. I repeat, NO actual cars used in the
series. Besides,.. ALL of the 'KITT's were 1982 models,.. and the studio
only had so many. They were all destroyed under contract after the
series ended.
Who is selling it? If it IS in fact universal,.. maybe they thought
it would be a good way to get some money,.. but it is not an actual
car,.. and they can say whatever the want, but it does not change the
fact.
Jhodo Kastt, (Thomas)
EXO:(Boards and technologies)
Knight Construction Industries
visit KCI online at:
(site under renovation)
Thomas Schubert
Scott Free
the series, but how can any of us know FOR SURE. None of us worked for
Universal at the time, and even if a bunch of TA's were destroyed it doesn't
mean one couldn't have slipped thru. Kruse International is a legit
organization, if someone has duped them with a fake KITT, someone's bound to
catch some heat. On a side note I live in Indiana, and hopefully I will be
able to make it to the auction and check this KITT out, one of their last
auctions had a ton of cars on display for potential buyers to see, hopefully
this auction will be the same.
**** Posted from RemarQ - http://www.remarq.com - Discussions Start Here (tm) ****
Paul Sher Jr.
It's me again, I have been researching this for about two weeks now since
Warren Seidler was gracious enough to send me page 2386 of the Kruse Inc.
Auto Auction catalog (I have it scanned so anyone who wants to post it, like
the Black Scorpion 4000, please email me) with a full page shot of David
sitting on the car up for auction (actually, this photo is a publicity photo
that most of us probably have that they just used for the auction).
Wade is right... no way in the world that Universal would get away with
selling a "fake" (nice way of putting it Wade). Problem is... What if
Universal doesn't know its a replica?
Allow me to explain... George and Jay came on the scene only for the last
season, and only to build the Super Pursuit car (George) and the convertible
(Jay) and after the show they built tons of commissioned replicas or "fakes"
(if you must Wade) at Universal's request.
Before Jay and George, the cars were produced "in house" by Universal staff
"Jay refers to the original builder as "some kid, pretty talented ... can't
remember his name... have it written around here somewhere". This guy might
have made his own replica or "fake" (if a One-hundred dollar bill is printed
at the U.S. Mint... is the second one, made from the original mold by the
same guy really a "fake"?) and kept it for himself. We all know that George
and Jay still have KITTs that they kept for themselves. And at times they
are called to display these on behalf of the studio. Some of these cars are
pretty bad. George's car on display in TN has a wooden stick holding up the
dash to keep it from collapsing on to the center console. You can see the
wood where the black paint has chipped off. And no lower KITT console, just
the factory window switches. Jay never took the Firebirds off of his roof
pillars.
It is more likely that the car up for auction was one of these cars that was
sold to the studio at some point in time that no one likely remembers and
was stored on the lot for years. Universal owns this car and has every right
(and the smart business sense) to claim that it is one of their Knightrider
cars.
Was it ever used on the original show? (Maybe... were you there?) Is it
theirs now (you bet) Can they claim it was used? (absolutely... prove that
it wasn't).
Anyway... I am still checking this one out. No one I have talked to knows
where it came from originally (or can't remember), they just know that they
saw it sitting in the studios warehouse when the Knightrider 2000 and 2010
cars went up for auction. The only way to know for sure is to talk to the
original builder, if I can find his name, and compare notes on the auction
car with his own recollection. Don't bother with Universal, even if the car
turned out to be an 1986, as far as there concerned, it was used on the show
from the very first day of shooting, and was the only car ever used, and
would you like us to send you a credit application so that you can bid on
the car, etc., etc., etc.,
Will let you all know what I find out. And no I'm not bidding on the car.
The "fakes" are always better made.
Paul Sher Jr.
Code One Custom Auto
TV and Movie Cars
www.codeoneauto.com
Thomas Schubert wrote in message
<14027-37...@newsd-104.iap.bryant.webtv.net>...
Tall Pod
Jhodo...@webtv.net (Thomas Schubert) writes:
>Besides,.. ALL of the 'KITT's were 1982 models,.. and the studio
>only had so many.
Could you please state you source.
Lrd Knight
>answer here. There are no,.. I repeat, NO actual cars used in the
>series. Besides,.. ALL of the 'KITT's were 1982 models,.. and the studio
>only had so many. They were all destroyed under contract after the
>series ended.
> Who is selling it? If it IS in fact universal,.. maybe they thought
>it would be a good way to get some money,.. but it is not an actual
>car,.. and they can say whatever the want, but it does not change the
>fact.
It could be one of the cars that they had on display at Universal.
EX812
However that dosent mean that it was an actuall one used in the show. It could
be one of several built by Jay Ohrdberg for display in Universal Studios.We
wont know for sure until we see actuall pics of the entire car and then you
will be able to tell who built it. Oh and to asnwer Thomas's ealier posts not
all of the KITTs were 82's, they progressed with each season. The evidence of
this is in the 3rd and 4th season you can see the Split down the back seat
which was not available on the 82 only the later models.
Thomas Schubert
someone else might want to read this too,....
Ok paul,.. here's how it is as far as I know,...
Universal was looking for a new prottype car to use for KnightRider,..
Pontiac was shipping a shitload of new, prototype cars to be unvieled
and sold. (1982 trans ams). The train derailed,.. damaging everysingle
car, (along with the rest of the train,..) Pontiac was out alot of
cash,.. so they made a deal with uniersal,.. got boocoo cash (i made
that word up) for the wrecked cars,.. and universal got the car they
wanted,.. never before seen by the public eye.
As the cars were orignaly promoted as Pontiac's,.. pontiac felt
resposible for the cars,.. which as KITT were very hazardous for driving
and definatly illegal.
Afterwards,.. pontiac got tired of people asking for KITT replica
cars,.. so they asked universal to totally remove the ntiac name,.. but
the original contract was still there. After the partial 5th season(?)
when the show was cancelled,.. as stated in the contract, all of the
cars (20 left I think?) were lined up and destroyed with a wrecking
ball. (this can be confirmed by Terry Tweedle who somehow knows the guy
that did it,.... ask him about it)
As soon as the dust cleared,.. pontiac now not liable for some kid
getting a car and impaling himself on the steering wheel and getting his
eyes shocked out by the dash, all of the pieces were picked up,.. and
new cars were assembled for show and profit. many of which (very poor
replicas anyway) are still around. And lets be real,.. anyone can say
anything about any car they want,.. especially universal about KITT,....
So,.. there is how it floats in my cerebral cortex, from the info.I
have found. Noone has to accept this as fact,.. but there is the truth
as I see it for now. :)
richard clauser
you guys ever thought that maybe the car that is up for the auction,
really is, in fact, an original? It is entirely possible that the car in
question, is one that was either on the display for the tour, or the
stand-by one that was stored after being refurbished. As I'm sure you
all know, the studio did keep the display cars around well after the
other cars were commissioned to be crushed. Without having actually seen
a photo of the car, I can't say wether or not it is an original. Most of
you are aware that I used to work for Jay while he was still located in
Barris's shop. I have seen and sat in many of the cars that were used
for shooting. The car that is being auctioned, is more than likely, one
of the display cars. That would explain the car being registered to the
studios. Also, another point I would like to make, is that one of the
display cars was a 1983. It did not necessarilly have to be a 1982. One
of the display cars had the wrong seats in it as well as the wrong color
carpeting. I'm willing to bet, that this is the car that is being
auctioned.
That's it for now, Terry
KNT2000's
--
Stephen Laskowski
"KNT2000's Customs"
Orlando, Florida 32828
knt...@bellsouth.net
See us at: " http://members.xoom.com/knt2000/main.html "
Or FAQ's Page " http://members.xoom.com/knt2000/faq.html "
KNT2000's
to only have "true" origianl cars that he has made displayed there. I
skpoke with the owner and he said that the Super Pursuit car is coming.
If you try to speak to Universals, they don't even know what "Knight
Rider" is anymore. All the people that seemed to have something to do
with Knight Rider, no longer work there.
Thomas Schubert
one or twocars might have acually survived the demolishion,.. and I do
believe that a few could have been later model TA's,.. even though both
views go against the contract as I know it,.. but I dont pretend to know
evrything,.. so could be. I doubt it,.. but could very well be. :)
Kevin Knight
show as a prop vehicle. Any KITT produced by anyone commissioned by
Universal I feel is a reproduced "Original".
The Kruse Intl. car is advertising as a K.I.T.T. actually used in the
series. ALL prop Cars were destroyed. One remains. The one David
Hassellhoff gave to a museum in England. Every other one is a reproduced
original. I have spoken with Kruse Intl. and asked them about the car
and after being read the press release (that I had allready read 20
times in Hemmings) I said no I need more info as to the legitimacy of
the vehicle. She said "I don't understand." I said, I have reason to
believe that this vehicle is a FAKE!
"HOLD ON I'M PATCHING YOU TO MR. KRUSES' ASSISTANT!"
I spoke with Becky and she said "I will look into this matter
immediately" and since then they will not return or accept my calls.
Hmm. Something smells and it's not oil on the manifold.
Bueller? Bueller?
Kevin Knight
Lrd Knight
can't simply ignore the person there.
Jason W Ramsay
Lrd Knight wrote:
> Hmm, someone should go to the auction and bring it up, publicaly, there. They
> can't simply ignore the person there.
===========
Kinda soundss like what they did to Mad Max's car here in australia.
After the films big hit around the world, the producers destroyed the car,
which ended up in a junk yard, but some kid bought it dirt cheap and did it up
exatly
like in the movies, maybe thats what theve done to KITT?
Why do they have to destroy them?
Jason W Ramsay
Australian Knight Rider Fan
Jason W Ramsay
Thomas Schubert wrote:
--------
Weahther it is a genuine or not, if i had the money id buy it!!!
Jason W Ramsay
Aussie KITT fan!
Paul Sher Jr.
>Why do they have to destroy them?
>
>Jason W Ramsay
>Australian Knight Rider Fan
>
>
Hi Jason,
There are several reasons that the cars get destroyed. Two main ones really
and several lesser reasons.
Storage...
The cars get too damn expensive to keep if you aren't going to do anything
with them later. Cameos are too far and few between and the more
recognizable the car... the less of a chance that you are going to use it
for anything but autoshows.
The studios have made all the money off the vehicle that they intended to by
the time the project is over. Only the original designers make money off
showing the cars. You have to pay a large pile of cash to the studios for
the rights to show the car publicly and you hope to make it back with a good
season of touring with the car. The closer to the end of the project, the
more expensive the license. The further from it, the less chance a large
show will pay you to bring it. Mostly, you are paid by an areas local
association of automobile dealerships who are hoping that if you come to see
KITT or Dante, you will be so psyched up, you will put a down payment on a
new Trans Am or Expedition. I have worked both sides of the autoshows,
attraction cars and sales, for 10 years and it's always the same, When you
are with a dealer, everyone wants to know where the Batmobile is, and when
you are with an attraction car, everyone wants to know where they can buy a
Batmobile. If the dealership association has nothing to offer the public
that comes close to a particular moviecar, they don't need it. The most
popular cars at present are...
The James Bond BMW's (subsequently Ron's Lotus Sub car gets association work
here in the east)
The Viper Defender (although that car gets less visible as street Vipers get
more outrageous)
The Days of Thunder Cole Trickle race car (stock car racing will always be
popular)
The Harley from T2 (It's really easy to transport and set up in places other
than big autoshows)
The Batmobile (Always draws a crowd of all ages no matter which car you
have)
Once a car has done it's time on the show circuit and no one will pay big
money to see it, they go to a warehouse to sit until someone comes up with a
use for them (possibly a sequel or cameo) or makes the decision to scrap
them. The reason that most of them don't go up for public auction is...
Liability and bad press...
Almost every moviecar is put together with duct tape and bubblegum. No
getting around it. Showcars are a bit better constructed but under the
panels is still something glued on that the presenter is hoping won't fall
off by the end of the show. A lot of the cars have horrible engines, no
brakes, no steering to speak of and floors made of plywood. They were
designed for one purpose only... to look good on film, period. I have seen a
lot of fans reaction to a private tour of their most favorite moviecar and
it's usually the same thing... excitement followed by shock.
These cars were never ever meant to be driven on the street. The Batmissle
from Batman Returns doesn't even open, the canopy is a molded part of the
vehicle. The wheels don't turn and it has a huge d-ring in the front that
was used to pull it behind a camera truck. The cable was digitally removed
from the print. I just got my pictures of the original Knight 4000 a few
days ago and there is no dash in the car. It was made with a fibreglass
cover over the Stealth dash and no gauges at all.
The legality of trying to get any one of these cars road legal is a task
that few people in the public will undertake. We just went through the
purchase of a moviecar that a private collector bought from a studio for his
son to drive and he took it to a local garage to have it made street legal.
This was a rolling, drivable car, with a working engine and the estimate was
several thousand dollars for the job. The owner was in shock and sold us the
car.
Keep in mind that these cars were constructed to capture your heart and
imagination. Not for safety. In an accident, KITT's steering wheel will
either snap off or go through your chest (depending on the quality of the
part) The dashboard and upper console is likely to scramble the brains of
your passenger in a front end, left side collision. If you were to flip a
Keaton, Kilmer, or worse a Clooney Batmobile, you're not getting out until
someone brings a crane. One of the stuntmen in Megaforce flipped a
Megadestroyer and was trapped inside. The stuntmen refused to go back to
work until additional escape hatches were cut in the vehicles and fire
control systems were installed. This leads me to the second part of the
liability...
Bad Press...
If you crash your Trans Am into a shopping mall, you will make the local
papers. If you crash the Batmobile into a shopping mall, network news all
over the country will headline BATMAN DESTROYS SHOPPING MALL !!!. Everyone
will see it, people will scream about how a studio could let an unsafe car
into the hands of the public and anyone and everyone in the vicinity of the
accident will get a lawyer and sue for everything ranging from property
damage and mental anguish, to their child's permanent messed up mental
state that Batman would ever do such a thing.
The studios don't need the aggravation. So they crush the cars or cut them
up to make other cars. The idea is to keep them out of public hands. Why do
you think the prices for these cars is so high?
Do you really believe it costs us 2 million dollars to make a Batmobile?
:)
Scott Free
Paul's right, I'm sure all of us tv/movie car fans have heard the stories
of these cars looking great on screen, but in reality they are put together
with wire, tape, and spit. The great thing about owning a actual tv/movie
car would be the fact it was the real deal, not for everyday driving. Even
if it would be a street legal car, would you want it out on the street every
day? I don't think so, the daily wear and tear would not be the thing for
it. I drive my KITT every day, I have no alternate car, but I also don't
have a 2000 dollar or more paint job on it. Don't get me wrong, I have a
great paint job, but not one for a outrageous sum, I was going to drive it,
not just show it. Now the best thing about getting ahold of one of these 2
KITT's that Kruse has,(as long as they have actual Universal KITT parts) is
that if someone knows how to make the molds, you could pull the KITT parts
off and reproduce accurate parts.
sto...@frazmtn.com
>
> Paul's right, I'm sure all of us tv/movie car fans have heard the stories
> of these cars looking great on screen, but in reality they are put together
> with wire, tape, and spit.
An' ain't that the truth? :) Yeah, unfortunately that's usually so.
It's more fun to just imagine them whole, like in the movie or show,
though. I only really know of one TV car that isn't "fake", and that's
just because I've seen it driving around here! For those who care,
that's General Lee, and not the jumping stunt cars, which were junked
for safety's sake, but one of the camera cars. And don't yell at me for
mentioning the General all the time; it's just that I only know two TV
cars well enough to talk about them and compare, and that's the General
Lee and Kitt.
Kitt'n
Pyre[Rock]
>
> I am sorry to be a spoil-sport,... but I am afraid that we all know the
> answer here. There are no,.. I repeat, NO actual cars used in the
> series. Besides,.. ALL of the 'KITT's were 1982 models,..
Erm...No they weren't. They used all models that had been produced so far
up until cancelation. You can tell by looking at the back seat.
--
Pyre[Rock] - the...@rica.net http://home.rica.net/dcarson/therock/
TF Fancode: G++++ FR FW- M #150 D++ ADA N++ W++ B+++ OQP MUSH-- BC CN+++
"This place stinks of evil... and gym socks!"
-Haohmaru, Samurai Shodown IV
Locnar
of KITT turbo boosting in front of the camera. if you pause your VCR you can
see that the car is an 84/85, because it has ground effects on it. also if
you have a really good still pause, you can accually see that they didn't
paint the gold ground effects very good, and you can see it bleeding through
the black paint. making it look dark brown.
In article <3738A465...@rica.net>, "Pyre[Rock]" <the...@rica.net>
wrote:
VIPAdapTek
84 / 85 TA's had different ground effects / panels... the 85's had bigger
ground effects, notice the front fenders, the air duct on the side is smaller
than an 84's....
Rafael
KnightDriver
boosting scenes were making use of the large camaro Z-28 model that
was available back in 1984. It was modified with KITT's nose and
rear wing but all the ground effects were left on the model. It
still even has the spot where the Z-28 emblem was located on the
front fender behind the front wheel. This model was used in a good
variety of scenes. Next time you watch some of the episodes stop and
take a look. A prime example: In KITT vs KARR, where they collide in
air. Look carefully. If you have a one frame capable VCR, watch it in
slow motion. BOTH cars are modified camaro models. You can also see
KITT fall to the ground in the explosion. Not to be nit picky though.
Brian (KNIGHTDRIVER)
RyanS107
from this auction place. Its right along I-69. Its huge and they have a huge
neon sign out front. I wouldnt mind going and seeing how much the car goes for
and jsut seeing the car up close if I only knew the specific date and time the
car was going to be auctioned off. If anyone knows, please E-mail me thanks!!
Ryan!
Kitt 1980
KnightDriver
converted into KITT for some turbo boosting scenes and other effects
such as KITT sinking in mud or some other trap.
richard clauser
model. I have one of those! That is exactly what I have started to do
with it. I even put real cloth for ther interior. I made a stock
dashbpoard cover, and center console cover from black velvet. I plan to
use fiber optics for the dashboard electronics. I am building a scanner
circuit for it with real lights.
AmCxMaTT
it to me? Or is there one on the net? Thanks!
-=MaTT=-
http://drive.to/mattz
richard clauser
I got it from someone on this group. I think I have discarded it by now.
I did print it though. I don't remember who sent it to me. You could ask
the group for it.