WHEN I WAS A KID.... T.V WAS ALIVE WITH CARS! WEEK 2, Knight rider.
Pontiac Firebird TrANS-AM
Since Rowena and I started doing Rowena's Supercars I've been thinking about the lack of cars on our T.V screens. When I (Rowena's Dad) was a kid we had 'Magnum', A-Team Van, The Fall Guy Pick Up, Hardcastle & MCcormick (I'll remind you about that in weeks to come), The Dukes of Hazzard, Starsky and Hutch, Miami Vice...... the list goes on. I think this is one of the reasons why kids these days aren't interested in cars as much as we were!
The one I want to talk about this week is Knight Rider, a shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist.
Michael Knight, a young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless in a world of criminals who operate above the law." With his PONTIAC FIREBIRD TRANS-AM or as we knew it K.I.T.T!
To take you back watch the intro for the show, still now this gives me shivers of excitment everytime I watch it; taking me back to the early 80's to a early Saturday evening on ITV. CLICK THE LINK www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNyXYPhnUIs
K.I.T.T looked cool, he spoke and had very funny sense of humour. But the most amazing thing was that he could self drive and do amazing stunts, with his ultra powerful turbo boost! Not forgetting he was self-aware and nearly indestructible!
'Hold on Buddy'!!
K.I.T.T was PONTIAC FIREBIRD TRANS-AM, the producers took the first 3 to come off the production line, in 1982. Each one had a different purpose, two where used for stunts and one was kitted out for close camera work. This one was customized to a cost US $100,000 (equivalent to about $250,000 in todays). They played around with the Nose, dash and other interior of the car was designed by the design consultant Michael Scheffe.
The steering wheel was and still is legendary .
David Hasselhoff really made the car shine... let me tell you a secret! The voice of KITT was not added until after filming of episodes!!! The voice was not coming from the car it's self!!! During filming David acted with a girl that would sit in the back and read from the script; then during editing the voice of KITT 'William Daniels' was added. David Hasselhoff didn't get to meet KITT (William Daniels) until after the first series had been aired on T.V They met at an awards event. Words went something like this 'KITT' 'YES MICHEAL' 'WE HAVE A HUGE HIT' YES WE DO DON'T WE MICHEAL'!
William Daniels voice of KITT
Knight rider was an amazing show and forever it will be in my heart! I even found a KITT on a trip to America, it was a bit beat up and not loved. But I still had love for this legend of my childhood.
Next week 'Magnum' and his Ferrari!
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Comments (4)
"It thinks, my car thinks?"
"We like to think of it, as our car......Now, in order to motivate it forward-"
"I recognise the more rudimentary controls such as the accelerator, Devon. I do know how to drive..."
Classic.
Hmmm... The "KITT", you found, looks suspiciously NOT like a Pontiac Firebird, but more like a Chevrolet Camaro... Correct me, if I'm wrong on that! ;-)
Thanks Mark and Gary for the great comments....... Mark....... lol! I'm lost for words!!
One of my favourite shows ever and like yourself, a childhood obsession.