I have two pictures of this K.I.T.T, taken in the same parking spot, at literally the same angle. I took the pictures in mid to late '87, the date on the back of the pictures is 11/87 which I believe is the date the film was developed.

@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

We would love to see those photos! Knightriderhistorians@gmail.com

What you guys are doing is so important. Famous movie and TV cars should be preserved.

@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

That KITT is probably sitting in someone's garage/barn somewhere. It's hard to believe it would've survived that long without somebody eventually trying to rescue it. Even in 1988 a lot of people would have given anything to own one of those cars.

Wow, so cool to finally learn which KITT car it was I saw on the tram tour back in 1986, and even better to know that it was the main stunt car!

To the Knight Rider Historians, Wow! The infamous Train Derailment alias Train Wreck must be a very iconic moment for Knight Rider since The Final Verdict. This car should earn a gold medal for longing till the whole series. Thankyoujoe!

Hello, I'm Peter from Germany. I have a picture from this car made 1987 or 1988. A friend of my dad visit the Studios at this time and make this picture for me because he know I'm a big fan of the car. When I watch the video I see directly it's the same parking lot because can see the buildings and golf cars in background. Excuse my bad English, but it was amazing for me to see I have this picture and it is was one oft the true Knight rider cars. Thanks for all this very nice informations and videos. Go on like this Best regards from Germany Peter

@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Can you email us a scan of the photo? Thanks! Knightriderhistorians@gmail.com

@peterschuller7835

2 жыл бұрын

I will send it to you

I really need to dig out my old Betamax and VHS tapes one day. I was at the lot in 1988 and vaguely remember being confused as a kid to see two KITTs, one at the usual attraction and another during the tram tour. Also remember seeing all the BTTF DeLoreans hanging out together and that got me even more confused lol.

I see Columbo's car there, maybe you can get him on the case? Probably just finding evidence of hundreds of repairs to the car would prove it was the real one. I guess the key question would be to find out if the car still had a clean title at the end of the series. It would have been a well worn but only five year old used car in 1987, with a title someone could have registered it and got some use out of it, without one it's likely the only buyer would be a salvage yard.

Oh wow!!! I remember seeing this kitt car in 87 on that parking lot. I was 12 years old and thought how cool it looked and wished I could jump off the tram and sit in it. I would have been there all day waving at the passing trams! 👋😀

What I'm curious about is if an employee there at the studio purchased it. With the contacts at the studio I'm wondering what the procedures or options were with studio owned vehicles when they weren't needed anymore? Employee purchase, auction, ect. Secondly, since it's known that it was moved often and likely driven at times could it have been used as a "yard" vehicle to run around the property of Universal Studios due to the property size for some time before being disposed of.

Would be so cool if you did manage to locate it someday. It's shocking to think (in 2022) that those screen-used K.I.T.T.'s from the show were left neglected after the show ended and then destined to be scrapped.... oh my! Didn't they realise how important they were? 😧

Definitely used more because of it being a hard top for structural strength. I'm sure the t-top cars were not ideal for heavy stunt driving. There's an early episode in which Kitt turbo boosts over a car or truck or something but they show enough of the landing that you can see the driver side t-top shatters on the landing I can't remember the exact episode but I'm sure Jack Gil wasn't having that again lol. Knight Rider Historians thanks for keeping one man's dream alive love your videos

@seanoreilly8747

Жыл бұрын

I'll have to keep an eye out for that next time I go through season one. And makes sense - the roll cage acrylic window jump car had the t-tops removed and a steel plate welded in

@johnmoss8230

Жыл бұрын

@@seanoreilly8747 it might be season 2 I'm not entirely sure but I'm gunna have to go see what episode otherwise it'll drive me nuts lol

@Samuel-gc6js

6 ай бұрын

​@@johnmoss8230 Did you ever find out the episode?

@johnmoss8230

6 ай бұрын

@@Samuel-gc6js I haven't but I'm about to watch the series again and I'll be looking for it and I'll get back to you

You never cease to amaze me with the behind the scenes details you know! If the vin is listed in the paperwork you have, maybe that will help locate it. You could do a carfax and autocheck report and narrow down where it might be. then possibly reach out to the dmv in the last known state it was in. Good luck!!

Its amazing just how much that car was used,definitely needed a new fender after Hasselhoff dropped the poor front end in your clip from The Rotten Apples..lol...maybe it was used so much, as due to it being a hardtop, the cars whole frame would be stiffer as apposed to the t tops which would give the frame of the car more flex..just an idea...hope this one can be found,great video Joe...

I like the little cameo by Columbo's Peugeot 403 Convertible

It's amazing every time I think I've learned the fate of all cars, there is still more to learn. Really enjoyed this one and I would love to think it is out there sitting in a barn somewhere.

Makes me wonder if someone quietly drove it home one day and no-one noticed.

I can tell ya that the interiors of the 3rd gens were not really heavily painted. When I took the interior out of mine Most of the parts behind the rear seats, the lower support beam under the B-Pillars, and the interior of the trunk/rear quarters were left bare. I think that's what you're seeing in the interior pic where you comment that the car may have been white.

At minute 5:53 When he turns down that and embankment, He totally jacked up the passenger side fender.

wow love your videos. it makes me feel like a kid again. thank you so much for your hard work and time into making these gems. wishing you gentlemen the best.

Awesome work! Love these deep-dives into the different KITTs of the show. Keep ‘em comin’👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

It's possible that this car still exists, who knows.It would be interesting to find out what happened to it.Thanks for another unique interesting video Joe.

And we have now a new mystery. A new Knight Rider Episode with two or more parts. A true "Lost Knight".

Thanks your doing a wonderful job, I enjoy every episode, keep up the good work!

@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, will do!

Thanks!

@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

I do look forward to videos with an such detailed information regarding this great show and that wonderful car!👍

Ever had David hasslehoff on your channel when super pursuit mode they went a little too far were they car's now

Continuing to enjoy the "where's Waldo" type videos... love the mystery! Bring it on! 😁

Certainly would be great if the hardest working KITT car could be found :) Good thing I didn't know as a 6th grade schoolboy at the time the cruel fate of these KITT cars, it would've been heart breaking!

your passion for this is just amazing to watch

@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Awesome Work Joe, Thanks 👍👍😀 Greetings from Helsinki, Finland 🇫🇮🇺🇸🇫🇮🇺🇸🇫🇮🇺🇸

Sometime in the 80s I remember a KITT being a Knotts Berry Farm

I hope you can find this second hard top KITT and get it for your collection !!!!

Such a great video! Even with suspense and mystery like the original series...

Hey in one picture there was the Colombo car Peter Falk drove?

Wow that WOULD be awesome if that car was still be out there. Love it love the videos.

Cool fingers crossed hoping you can locate it!

I dont know for sure if it's the same car. But I did see a KITT car at a Hollywood car museum in Las Vagas in about 2015. I lost the pictures i took with my phone. But it was a stunt car for sure. The interior was set up for stunt work. Heavy role cage. Fiber glass shell dash. Hard top not t top. It's the best I have. I'm sorry it's not more substantial with photos to back it up.

@blablablablablablablabla748

2 жыл бұрын

You might be right about that............ If you look at the website gallery for that museum there is a picture of 'pursuit' kitt, But there is a picture of other cars with a hardtop kitt in the background......

That car is stored in a warehouse waiting for him to meet his brothers. It must not be abandoned because of the inconvenience they had with it to separate it from the others that were going to be demolished. I think it must have some former Universal employee or it was sold to a private individual.

Great video thanks

Interesting did not realize there was a missing original kitt from the show. I wonder if the owner of the knight 4000 that has been fully restored has it. He claims to have one. .

Thanks! Everytime I hear about these beautiful cars being destroyed I tear up

@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

You and me both!

i recon that maybe in storage in someone's lockup, waiting to be fixed etc. shame you cannot run the plates on it just to see if it was registered on the road afterwards etc. Like they do over here in the uk, you punch in the plate, and it gives you if its taxed, or off the road, or no longer on the system.

i sat inside a knight rider car one of the Original ones from the show aat a stunt show i went to one time but no dashboard it was beautifull though even had the scanner

Joe I saw a guy on your Facebook page saying that he spoke to a guy who has this car I just wonder if it is true thank you for sharing your wonderful videos

great information about it

Joe hopefully you will one day succeed in finding the hardtop stunt car it would be very epic if you did 👍👍

Let’s hope it still survives. I wouldn’t put it past universal to scrap it, as in the case with the Jaws Orca, but if your car could survive the pee seats, this one can survive being misplaced for a bit.

I just got a season 1/2 nose today , but I think I still wanna cut away sections for the amber turn signals.

I sure hope you all are able to find the stunt k.i.t.t. car too add to the knight rider rigs you currently have.

Wow could it be in someone's barn not touched for years 🤠 I believe it's somewhere definitely. That car seems so prestigiou😅s because it's not known it's whereabouts.

In 1986 or 1987 I went to Universal studios and on the tram ride a KITT was an official part of the stuff it passed by. IIRC near a helicopter used in Apocalypse Now. The tram driver specifically pointed it out as KITT from Knight Rider. As to the year, 86 or 87, the only piece remaining of the old Battlestar Galactica stuff was a Cylon in a "tank" at the entrance to the building that the BSG show had been in, and the Earthquake show wasn't yet open.

Outher wonderful video 🙂

Hope you find this car joe, it must be out there somewhere waiting for you guys to find it and do a video saying long lost kitt found😊

Cool and I did enjoy it

My god ! A 6th car ? We are definitely going to search it !

Hey Knight Rider Historians, I am new to the channel and I would love to start hunting Knight Rider information. Do you have any tips on how to start finding Knight rider props and information. Thanks!!!

That would be the KITT I would want to own

What you dont know is this is actually KARR. He sat there long enough to actually charge his Alpha Circuits and then escaped.

We went on a school field trip to universal studios in spring of 1988, and while they still had the tour car that you could sit in and talk to KITT, I cannot recall seeing any cars in the back lot, as we did do the tram ride and I was looking for other cars. They did have a bunch of junked up Magnum PI cars, and I think some jeeps and stuff from the A Team. I was glad that I got to sit in KITT. I asked him about his MBS, and he gave me some silly answer which I think I just laughed at. The actor sounded nothing like William Daniels, which is why I think I was annoyed. But it was still fun.

@UnknownRaiderGuy

2 жыл бұрын

I remember sitting in KITT around the time too. What’s funny was my father asked KITT how fast can he go KITT responded by saying I can go up to 1,200 MPH 😂

@Haywoodjablomie100

2 жыл бұрын

KITT was in Australia in 1988 at world expo in Brisbane, the show went from April until October. I dont know if the car was there for the entire show, but i also sat in it. And yes same thing in Australia, they guy sounded nothing like the real KITT.

Thank you Joe I find this Hard top stunt car is realy Importend . I hope find this car Pierre Knight

Whats weird is when Hasselhoff destroys the front end 5:50 it appears that the fender is buckled but for some reason pops back into place!

@RetroBrit

2 жыл бұрын

I thought that odd in Knight Rider too. It turns out that the front fender was moulded from rubber!

Danke!

@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Well GMC General from Smokey and the Bandit 2 is still around 😊

Still hard to know they destroyed most of knight rider AKA KITT'S KITT always felt like he was family in our eyes..

@dalehovland3283

2 жыл бұрын

The train derailment cars are considered junk by manufacturer in a case like that. Can not be sold to public. Could be used for movie purposes with stipulations they be destroyed at end of filming . That is sad.

On 5:50 you can clearly see that Hasselhoff turned to early downhill causing the damage on the right front. His face also doesn't look that he felt comfortable at that scene. If he had turned about 1m or 1 1/2 meters later it would have turned out better for the car and also for him!

Another great video, Joe! Something I'd like to see you address. Why did Dukes of Hazzard, which Jack Gill also worked on, go through so many more cars than Knight Rider? I've seen many interviews where they talk about destroying an average of one Charger per episode and going through about 300 during the show's run. Yet almost always, as you say, Knight Rider seemed to be able to patch their stunt cars up and keep using them. Why such a difference? Thanks!

@plasterchief9582

2 жыл бұрын

I think it's because those 1969 dodge chargers where 10+ years old by the time they started making the Dukes of Hazzard, so they where cheaper to replace , while Knight rider used brand new Trans ams, meaning they where more expensive to replace

@CR7659

2 жыл бұрын

There was a guy who did a video series on the Dukes and he used some of the same cues KRH uses to ID cars from episode to episode. He seemed to think they went through a lot less cars than the 300 reported. I watched a few and you could follow a car from episode to episode, used for various stunts.

@AL-ud2is

2 жыл бұрын

@@CR7659 Are they on youtube? waiting/hoping that someone will start up a dukes of hazzard historians channel, I like night rider but always preferred the dukes of hazzard

@CR7659

2 жыл бұрын

@@AL-ud2is Yes but don't ask me their name. It was at least a year ago I looked at it

@MarkVerstappen93

2 жыл бұрын

@@AL-ud2is looks up the ‘Kibbe and Friends show’. Its a podcast instead of video but I’m pretty sure its what you’re looking for.

Wow I hope it's still out there

Dont know if you guys will see this but im from the UK there used to be a museum here called "cars of the stars" it closed in 2011 all cars where shipped to the US, Florida i believe, one of those cars is KITT, i have sat in that car but no idea if it was an original or a copy, just thought id give you guys a heads up, you probably already aware of this car, anyway great channel, im another Knightrider fan from way back, im 53 now so i was in my teens when Knightrider aired, one question do you guys have any info on KARR? loved the car as much as KITT

@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Yes! The convertible KITT they had is screen used. The t-top car is one of the 6 officially licensed tour cars. As for KARR, check out our past videos...we did one specifically on him!

interesting video

I've seen one of the kit cars at Cruise auction Park in Auburn Indiana pretty cool and I have a picture of me standing by it so I don't know which car it is that you have of that one

Hi Joe Do you have some picture insight the Hard Top Stunt car ? Pierre Knight

Nice Joe. My black 82 T/A is available if you want to make a clone of the Hard Top stunt car until you find the original. 8^) Steve

Is this the car we get a really good closeup of the fake t-top strips in Knight's of the fast lane while michael is using the chemical analyzer to analyze the paint chip at the accident site?

@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Yep it sure is!

@kylereese4822

2 жыл бұрын

@@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial Did ya spot Columbo`s car ???

@vijayantgovender2045

2 жыл бұрын

@@kylereese4822 yes I saw as well

I know it's off topic but did I see Lt Columbo's car at 8:45?

8:45 - 8:50 Is that the car driven by Lt. Columbo? Was there just one or more than one, if so, does anyone know anything of the history of Peter Falk driving it and what happened after.

I wonder if it was put back to stock and sold?

I have photo graph of kitt car probably a replica if replica it was spot on even had spot on voice too from tv serious

Back in the early 90s there was a show on MTV (don't rem show) but the guy had a HT kitt (could tell it didn't have all the ttop trim). Older gentleman but the show was about a singer maybe,it wasn't cribs it was something else. I don't remember if the older gentleman was a collector. It wasn't Barris or anyone like that.

Fascinating that. Would love for the car to be unearthed...Bit like KARR on the beach in KITT V KARR can you imagine ha. Still can't believe all those cars got crushed. Surely someone could have struck a deal with Pontiac to agree to have them sold but not to be used for general driving.... has to be the biggest mistake in history those cars being wrecked

Did anyone else have an Ad pop up when they said “right after these messages”?

@CR7659

2 жыл бұрын

Well that is time for the commercial break

There is a possibility that someone on the production crew knew that KITT would have value & put one of the cars away from where anyone would see it. Come on, you're telling me that the car was locked, parked there for months & then after some considerable time, it just left the lot & NO one saw who took it? That car has to be in someone's barn or covered somewhere. You guys will find it. Not worried at all.

8:48 Columbo's Peugeot 403

(In my Jon Lovitz voice) Yeaaah, I got this car, and I'll sell it to you for a really good price. 😉 How's $200,000 sound? Yeah, that's the ticket lol Ok seriously, that's really weird how it was cared for and then vanished without any info. I'm thinking that somebody loved that car and is hiding it away somewhere, or they passed away and it's sitting in a garage somewhere. I hope you find it eventually. That would truly be a great one to have. ❤

It probably became someone’s daily driver back then

Unfortunately, didn’t see KITT, but I did see the “Back to the Future” Delorian on the back of a flatbed truck, covered with a black tarp. The tram was passing by the famous courthouse square lot. The gate was only partially cracked open where you could see in. But that appeared to be accidental and not an official part of the tour. The tour guide was tight lipped about it. I don’t even think that a sequel had been announced yet, so the tourists on the tram were quite abuzz seeing it, as this was clearly an active set. Well, guess what, a few months later, we had “Back to the Future, Part II.” Just imagine if that had been today, an accidental viewing like that would have been all over the internet in seconds. In those days, very few people even had cell phones. Anyway, a completely unhelpful story, but this made me think of it.

@MoonjumperReviews

2 жыл бұрын

@@Joesmusclecargarage Spelling was never my strong suit.

Joe any update about this lost car??

I also assume this hardtop stuntcar didn't come with the stock engine, but with a more powerful one since it was used for some pretty neat burnouts and such. Perhaps that's why someone wanted to keep it around : ) Also, do we know for sure the season 4 insert car was destroyed?? That's the car on the bottom row in the middle at 0:12 right? I believe it looked like a normal black and gold Trans Am on the outside, and since it was only used in season 4 (when the production started buying cars again, such as your stuntcar) it might not have been a trainwreck car. So maybe it was saved and simply went back onto public roads as a normal T/A?

Definitely something you've already thought of, but it'd be interesting to see if you could find the VIN for this car and run it. It either did or didn't change hands when it disappeared, and if it did there'll be a record, then it's probably still in private hands somewhere and if it didn't then it's probably met its fate somewhere gruesome in a California junkyard. Given how long Universal seem to have kept things around in other videos you've posted, I'd wager it probably still exists. If it was crushed/re-purposed that'd probably stick out in a former employees mind, especially if it was being maintained.

I really hope this car gets found and gets a good owner or already has a good owner

3:01 Okay so THAT Robert Foster is a different Robert Foster from the actor, who was on Breaking bad and did fastlane back in the day, as I always wondered that with him. also I might have an idea of why the car was kept around and why at 7:53, when the rockford files ended James Garner kept the soundcar, the car with all the equipment in it for a year after the show ended and used it as his personal ride just incase the show was to come back, maybe this car fufilled the same purpose in the same sense with the stunts? as the show was still popular when it got canceled, its just the writing went, and they decided to pull it while it was still ahead like maybe the stunt co oridnator who was still around and working there kept it around just incase the show was to come back, as who else would have access to the keys and be using it, as theirs gotta be a short list of people who would keep it, hell, maybe ASK robert foster himself, maybe HE BOUGHT it with his own money and got reembersed and then when the show ended they were like okay man, we dont need the car anymore, if you want it back its yours, hence why it stuck around. the other thing would be, who was the primary mechanic for the show, as sometimes those guys got to keep the cars when they were due to be replaced or retired as payment for their work, and who knows the car best but the guy who patched it back together all those times like your best bet is gonna be to find out who had the title to it when it got brought onto the show, and given the nature of the show and its rough beginings it might have been a person and not universal themselves who was still working on the lot back then. and also its a strange way to park the car, its not actually using a parking space, and then columbos really really sad Pegueot 403 Replaces it, like prop department, how close was that to the prop deparment, maybe someone there knows what happened to it as it was supposed to be used as a prop, I mean you found all those old desks and things of that nature, maybe they have a car section? like run it by numbers, what is it near to, who would be the most likely to know it and use it and why while the others were vandalized and taken apart it wasnt over there with them, like someone knew it wasnt a car to be junked and moved it accordingly. question is who, the head of the transportation deparment would know.

@Sonnycam24

2 жыл бұрын

The actor you are thinking of is Robert Forster, with an “r” in the middle, not Foster.

Sure would be neat to find the workhorse of the fleet. It would deserve a nice retirement. I'm guessing the two car Ford haulers/trailers are long scrapped?

Wasn't there another hard top KITT car that was bashed up in Knight Of The Juggernaut? Can you do a video on that car?

@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Yep there was…we will cover that car in our episode commentary coming up soon!

@markraimo1283

2 жыл бұрын

@@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial ok. Looking forward to it.

I not only saw Colombos gray convertible, I know what kind a car it is but I can never remember it, but I saw another iconic 80's show car in these still pics that I can't believe not one person is pointing out, figured stunt life would have spotted it,but the general lee as plain as day,same color paint same wheels just doesn't have its numbers and flag, the general still my favorite, then bandits t/a (trigger) then kitt the fall guy truck, hardcastle and McCormick s the coyote. The late 70s and 80s had some of the coolest cars

@theorganguy

2 жыл бұрын

a Peugeot 403

I´ll keep my fingers crossed that at least you will get some info. Even if you will not make another video of that car in case the owner does not want to be "published" in order to avoid beoming a "visiting object" for enthusiasts then at least it would be known that the car is still "alive".

I'd like to find the long lost yellow Rabbit!

@pdennis93

2 жыл бұрын

I actually saw an advertisement on FB the other day with a yellow rabbit parked in front of a garage door and thought of that car.

Is there a know reason why this car was used so much? Don’t know really if it applies to T-top cars (or is even just my car), but I have a little MX-5 and with the hardtop on it drives/handles a lot better/nicer then with it removed.

@houseofno

2 жыл бұрын

My theory is due to structural rigidity, the non T-top hardtop cars were structurally stronger and more resistant to damage from crashes and stunts. The stronger structure allows one car to be used more often vs. having to replace the car after a crash. There is also the safety factor of not having T-tops becoming dangerous projectiles after an impact.

@piotrmalewski8178

2 жыл бұрын

@@houseofno I'd add to that the 3rd gen F-body platform looks really week when you look underneath. European RWD cars usually have stringers going from front to rear. In F body platform it looks like only the doorsteps and the roof hold the car together. The most basic body for F-bodies is to add subframes that connect front and rear stringers, which forms a from to rear stringer European RWD cars usually have.

@Theratron

2 жыл бұрын

My theory is that it also had a stronger engine installed by the production team. That would make it ideal for heavy burnout scenes and such. Most of the times when there were hard pull ups, slides or reverse 180's, it was this car. And they would have installed that engine in the car that had the stronger structural rigidity (a hardtop). All speculation though, not backed up by facts 😅

6:42 9:08 that season 4 front nose 😭

@karr203

2 жыл бұрын

lol

Joe were you able to determine the fate of this car since this video has been made?

@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial

Ай бұрын

Not as of yet

@tolgakaranlik

Ай бұрын

@@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial if you can not find it, I am sure no one else can. But I believe that there can be no mysteries related with KR that you can't solve! Keep up the good work

it says you have 2 original kit cars do you have any vids of them i cannot find them🤦🏻

@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Yes there's a video on this channel of the one car