Who here has replicas

[Skyknight]

You guys have some good looking replicas. Skyknight- what company did you buy your front nose from?

I bought my nose from Knight Passions out of the Netherlands. It is a 1st season nose that take the turnsignal light blackouts. However, I liked the look of the turnsignal lights with the modified nose so much, that I left the blackouts off for now. Eventually in order to complete my conversion I'll need to install them. That will be one of the finishing touches though.

Also there is one other detail in these replicas that I haven't seen anyone acknowledge so far: the "hole" or circular indent in the middle of the steering wheel, seen on KITT in seasons 1 & 2, and seen on KARR. Does anyone know what company sells the gullwing wheel with that feature?

Well let me point you in the right direction there Lost Knight. Contact Rob Louisell of Louisell Enterprises http://www.roblouisell.com/ PH: (989) 330 3551 Rob also posts regularly on the Foundation http://www.knightfoundation.net and the Registries http://www.knightregistries.com boards as the "Customizer."
He makes original parts straight from the original molds, and yes he does make such a steering wheel!

Hope this helps!

Nilton

[Lost Knight]

Cool, thanks a lot. Your nose looks good as is even without the covers...actually it reminds me of how K.I.T.T. looked in "Knight Of the Phoenix" with the turn signal lights showing. When you eventually get the turn signal blackouts, there are transparent ones which you may be interested in to keep that look and protect those indents.

[Army_F_Body]

Well Becky, since you mentioned a 92 hardtop here's mine:







I plan on leaving it a hardtop. It started out as a season 1 KARR but is now a season 2 KITT.

Wore myself out this summer working on the bloody thing to get the exterior done ('cept for paint). Taking a break on it now to collect my senses (and oh, yeah...I'm totally broke at the moment because my "free" education has taken all my money till next month...go Army ).

I have been secretly tweaking it a little. It's hard to stay out of the game. The oldtimers were right ! I can still do the stuff that don't cost money, so I've fitted the blackout covers on the front, anal-retentively aligned the hood and head light covers, and last night, or early this morning I installed a modified stock T/A overhead console that I acquired from my good friend James (eatemup on the other replica boards). Since it's a hardtop I can't justify spending money on an overhead that would take a lot of money and modification to make work. I'd rather put that towards a lower console or gull wing. The overhead has been modified with switches that controll the second set of fog lights and scanner.

Hard to believe this was once a 92. Proof it can be done if you work hard enough at it. Aside from the T-tops I have made every effort to make this thing look like an 82. The nose can from Rob Louisell, and is a piece I would highly recomend. Last thing I did when I had cash was have the wheels powder coated, which I highly recomend if you can swing the price.

For the future I will be consentrating on the interior. First chance I get the seats are heading down to Passadena to be recovered in tan vinyl (I like Skynight's so much I thought I'd do the same). I will be ordering a KnightDriver center console and a gull wing from ADIAT. Money permiting I will be getting the switch pods from Rob, who will also be supplying the dash much later on. Oh, yeah...I guess I'll need some new replica plates from Mark Puette. Gotta trade in my "KARR" ones for a "KNIGHT" one.

Since I changed it to KITT the project has taken on a newer positive spin. I guess KARR is just too evil. I'm looking forward to getting back into the game early next year.

[TurbomanKnight]

Alright Army! Your finally back! Great Job with your conversion. Quick queston- Do you have the 14in Turbo Cast rims?

[Army_F_Body]

"Naw, naw...thems 20s.

Awright, they 14s....but I keep 'em clean."

Anyone ever seen "Next Friday?" Anyway, I honestly didn't know they're were dfferent sizes for the turbo cast. I saw them on a parked 83 and hounded the poor owner till he agreed to trade rims! After seeing what a set of 15s run these day, I think I'll keep 'em (especially with the investment of powder coating and ADIAT replica 14" hubcaps).

Thanks Turboman! It takes a lot more energy to build one of these things than I thought.

[TurbomanKnight]

"Naw, naw...thems 20s.

Awright, they 14s....but I keep 'em clean."

I bet you keep them clean. YO!, Kitt with them 20's would suck. It would take forever for him to accelerate.[/quote]

[Knight Girl]

Ok, I'm jeolous now. LOL I'm impressed with your cars. I guess I'm just a wanna be now but I'm not giving up.



I do have a Herbie, if that counts. LOL I know this is a Knight Rider site but anyone interested in seeing a pic of my little Herbie? I need somene to host it for me though.






Becky

[Dave Knight]

Knight Girl just go to http://www.photobucket.com sign up for a free account and then upload a picture there and when its done it shows a thumbnail of the pic followed by 3 URL links you can copy and paste one is the standard URL like the one you would type in the address bar and one will have the

[Army_F_Body]

Ok, I'm jeolous now. LOL I'm impressed with your cars. I guess I'm just a wanna be now but I'm not giving up.



I do have a Herbie, if that counts. LOL I know this is a Knight Rider site but anyone interested in seeing a pic of my little Herbie? I need somene to host it for me though.






Becky

Never give up. If I could travel back in time to tell the 5th grade version of myself (that's when KR hit syndication out of an LA channel in the late 80s and the age I decided I would own a KITT one day) that I have the car I do now, I wouldn't believe myself.

As far as Herbie I would love to see it. In fact it is on topic because wasn't Herbie or a similar beetle featured on a few episodes?

Some day I want to tackle a full exterior KIFT replica. However, the logistics and money involved in a project of that scale are stagering. Someday, however.

[Knight Girl]

wow, that 92 is awesome!!! I guess I won't give up because I never thought I would get a Herbie and one day I did.

Here are some pics.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lovebuggi ... .dir=/5509





Becky

[Knight Girl]

I would like to add I love Kitt as much as I like herbie and collect both types of toys. The reason I got a Herbie first is because it is easier and less expensive to make(still cost me over $6,500) I think it would be neat to own both tv/movie cars. Also both new movies are coming out about each car which is neat. Herbie:Fully Loaded is coming out in August 2005





Becky

[Army_F_Body]

Is Herbie going to be a new bug or the classic one.

I know the same debate has been ragged here before over the new KITT, so I won't even go into that

I just saw a listing for the new Herbie just recently.

[Deferranfan1]

I wish that I could get one. But don't have enough money. I want to know how much people who have one, how much it cost?

[Knight Girl]

It will be a classic bug and he will be racing in Nascar













Becky

[HondaSiR]

Nice pics you have there Becky, it look as if your Herbie is in immaculate condition! And you also have the coveralls to match Herbie's racing stripes, very very cool!

Some day you will probably have your own KITT replica. I can't wait to see what you will be wearing then. Probably dark blue jeans with matching black leather jacket and boots?

[Skyknight]

Yo Army! Nice to see you agian. How's things shaking? I hope all is well with you. Dude, so I hear you're gonna recover your seats...

For the future I will be consentrating on the interior. First chance I get the seats are heading down to Passadena to be recovered in tan vinyl (I like Skynight's so much I thought I'd do the same).

Do it man. If they do good work then I'm sure you won't be disappointed. It's a great concept IMHO. It may not be "authentic" but it sure brings KITT into the 21st century..... The seats look great! The pics don't do it any justice.

Anyways, I'm excited to hear more about your project! It's fascinating how you've turned a '92 into an '82! Please don't be a stranger. Don't hesitate to drop by our place and say hi to your friends there!

Good luck on your project!

Nilton

[FuzzieDice]

Great Herbie Pics! Takes me back in time. Racing in NASCAR? Cool. He might win because all the other drivers will do a double take and run off the track.

[Army_F_Body]

I wish that I could get one. But don't have enough money. I want to know how much people who have one, how much it cost?

Well I've got roughly $12,530 invested in mine. $8,000 of that was the purchase price of the vehicle (it was only 4 years old when I got it) so I guess roughly $4,530 in conversion stuff. Keep in mind most of that was setting the trim level back 10 years, changing the color from white to black and re-doing the interior. $830 was of it was just in Knight stuff (nose and license plate).

I've still got the seats, rear blackouts, dash with electronics, center console, switch pods and gull wing to go. Oh, yeah and paint . I'd say I've got another 4-5 thousand to go before it's "complete" (is it ever really complete? I know I'll be stating at the hard top for a few years before they eat at me enough to have a conversion done, so factor in another $3,000 for that and $600 to replace my home made overhead for a Louisell one, a new headliner...gosh this stuff adds up!)

Hope that gives you a rough estimate. Keep in mind also that I did all my own wiring and body work. Most people will have body shops do that kind of stuff. Me, I have no money so this project is literally on a shoestring budget.

Hey, Becky, my Uncle runs a Beetle repair shop in Bakersfield, CA. He's pretty well known in VW circles here in so-cal, so if you ever need help with Herbie I've got a great point of contact for you. He used to have an emmaculate 67 Beetle till it got totaled. He now drives my Grandfather's 95 Z-28 Camaro (and doesn't know about KITT yet. I think I'll have him outclassed here soon...to bad his LT5 350 V-8 would dust me in a heartbeet ).

Thanks, Nilton. I will. I had forgotten that we all start these projects to have fun. See y'all round.

[knightendo]

guys, ur cars are amazing! and knightgirl love herbie and the overalls too brill pictures!

i've had a pretty rough year and now that things are finally back ontrack and life is goooooood i've finally decided to do the one thing for myself i've always wanted to, so i've opened the savings account... well, the name i've given it is "The KITT Account" (rolls off the tongue lol!). i know it's the very very very earliest stages for me but reading all ur stories is very inspiring and has given me great hope that i will be able to achieve my life-long (so far lol) dream. have never seen or heard of any Trans-Ams over here in Northern Ireland, never mind a Knight replica, so depending on how things go it may be a first ;D i know it'll cost a lost in shipping alone but hey if KITT isn't worth it, nothing is, yeh?

quick question army (i think it was), you mentioned about powder covering (or something, can't find the post on this reply screen). what is that?

[Knight Girl]

The coveralls were made as a halloween costume. That pic was last Halloween and I also go to shows so I put the outfit and helment on the driver's side.



I saw a replica go for $3,5000 yesterday on e-bay.I would say that was a smoking deal but it is the wrong timing.




Becky

[Army_F_Body]

quick question army (i think it was), you mentioned about powder covering (or something, can't find the post on this reply screen). what is that?

It's where they clean off your rims, mine had so much brake dust that sandblasting alone wouldn't work so they had to be acid dipped. After that they dip the wheels in some kind of solution to give it a negative charge (or positive can never remeber). After that a metal dust of opposite charge is sprayed all over the wheel. The two bond electromagnetically and the whole thing is baked in an oven.

It's essetially like painting the wheel, but is way more permanent. the outer coat becomes literally part of the wheel. It makes the wheel shinny and smooth like modern wheels. Makes keeping 'em clean a snap. As those with these cars know, these are not the best suited wheels to use with disc brake equiped cars. You can get the dust in any color you want. I got a color called chrome which is literally identical to the original aluminum color of the rim.

I've been promissing pics for the longest time. I'll try and quit being lazy and get some up. I got an old pair of turbo-finned rims on the car now. The turbo casts are in the guest room waiting for me to get enough cash to get new tires for 'em.

[HondaSiR]

I saw a replica go for $3,5000 yesterday on e-bay.I would say that was a smoking deal but it is the wrong timing.

Was it a complete replica? If so, I don't think anybody would let it go for a mere US$3,500. The reserve price was probably not met.

[Knight Girl]

I looked back on my watch list and it went for $3,500. It had the Knight Rider exterior,tan seats, had the dashboard,upper and lower console. It only lacked the electronics and monitors but had the templates. It only lacked the t-tops but came with a kit to make the car a t-top car.









Becky

[Army_F_Body]

That's pretty low.

However, consider that some people start with all the high speed flashy, shinny conversion stuff.

Mechanically, the cars are usually wrecks, or at the least average for what they are and their age (which is not very good some 20 years later). I guess you could say I'm seven years into my conversion, and 6 of those were preoccupied with mechanical issues. I figured whats the point on spending money on a vehicle that's crap.

[kitt-x]

Army..

Since your's is a '92, the previous owner must have beat it pretty bad if you had to spend 6 years fixing mechanical problems.
I was fortunate that the previous owner of my '92 took very good car of it and the car needed little mechanical work other than upgrades.