Old KITT auction photos

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Old KITT auction photos

Post by Michael Pajaro » Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:10 am

I never gave a full report on the KITT auction earlier this summer. I know a lot of people were surprised that the "Nick & Jessica" KITT sold for $60,000, and people were even a little angry at the car and George Barris. I was never a fan of the car either, but after watching other cars being sold, I started to get an understanding of why KITT sold for that much. So although I will let the car speak for itself (ha!), I will defend the auction and Barris a little bit.

For starters, with every auction booklet was an addendum sheet that listed any changes in the auction from what appeared on the website. The changes were also announced before each auction. There were some complaints on the boards that there was a "bait and switch" happening because the online announcement showed a different car, but anybody who bid on the car would have known ahead of time what they were getting.

As a Knight Rider fan, I don't believe the car is worth $60,000. We have to stop thinking as KR fans, but as car collectors. It IS a unique Trans Am with George Barris' name on it. And to custom car collectors, that carries a lot of weight. The fact that the car will be used in a current movie with Adam Sandler added a lot of value. As an example: there was a car that appeared in the Dick Tracy movie. The bidding seemed to come to a stop, then Barris got on the mic to remind people that the car was not just in the movie, but that Madonna had driven it. (the car came with film photos as proof). I think that boosted the price by something like $7,000. So to these collectors, having a big star like Adam Sandler drive "their" car is a big deal.

One surprise at the auction: they had the second "Combo Car" from Team Knight Rider. I was taking pictures of it and some guy comes up to me and says "wow, that's a great-looking car!" I made a comment about how funny it is how slick it looked from the outside (what you see on camera), yet the interior was all exposed metal and duct tape. The guy said "yeah I know... I built it." Turns out he was the guy contracted by Barris to make the car. He went over the car with me, explaining a lot of the over-designed details they put into it. I admit I didn't understand a lot of it, but I did enjoy hearing him get excited about the car. he did tell a funny story about driving it around town and getting pulled over by a cop. He was worried that he'd get ticketed for it not being street-legal, but the cop just pulled him over to find out "what the heck is that?!"

As each car was pushed into the tent in front of the podium, they played the theme song from the show or movie it appeared in which was pretty cool. (They played the original KR theme for the TKR car.) The Auctioneer would give a description of each car, then Barris would add a few words. Then the bidding began. The cars went by very quickly; each one was probably up front for only 4-5 minutes and they went non-stop, back to back.

Other cars included 2 General Lee's, a Back to the Future DeLorean, The "Dragula" from the Munsters and many pure-custom vehicles.

A few photos:

Image
Image
Image

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Post by MIKEMAC » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:19 pm

that was a great story, got anymore pictures?
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Post by TurbomanKnight » Fri Aug 05, 2005 5:19 pm

I can't believe they sold thecar with the crappy spoiler on the nose, and a JC Whitney Scanner. :shock: Good thing, Don Colie supplied some Turbo Casts with some ADIAT Caps. 8)
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Post by FuzzieDice » Fri Aug 05, 2005 6:34 pm

Sorry, but I still can't see how anyone would put a rear-deck spoiler on the front nose of a car - and esp. when many know it's not really supposed to be there. I just find it too odd. I hope they at least remove that spoiler!

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Post by Lost Knight » Sat Aug 06, 2005 4:13 am

You know, every time I look at this car I just get the distinct impression that Barris lost his schematics of the original Super Pursuit Mode car. It's almost like he only remembered what the rear of the car looked like and forgot what he did with the rest.

Slapping a spoiler on there seems like a half-assed way of trying to re-create the old design. But since he technically did build this one, he can do the most half-assed job he wants and some rich guy with nothing better to spend his money on will pay him top-dollar for it. Just my opinion.

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Post by Army_F_Body » Sat Aug 06, 2005 7:03 am

Your right about a car collector versus a fan of the show.

I personally would love to own a Chip Foose orginal some day (would love to see what he could do with a 3rd gen Camaro) and would really take anything that could be documented as being associated with him if I had the funds.

People are the same about Boyd Coddington. I'm not crazy about deuce coupes or "Boyd-sters" at all, but fans feel the same as I do about Foose I imagine.

However, since I am a fan I'll glady take a more accurate conversion from the (realtively) unknown manufacturers that most of us deal with than a questionably accurate one from Barris

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Post by Michael Pajaro » Sat Aug 06, 2005 6:58 pm

Here's a clip of Barris talking about the KITT... I shot the footage with the movie mode on a digital still camera so I apologize for the quality (or lack there-of).

http://knightridermovie.com/misc/auction.mov
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Post by FuzzieDice » Sat Aug 06, 2005 8:23 pm

David Hasselhoff had driven THAT car? Did I hear right? I dunno if he ever drove THAT particular car (with a spoiler on the nose). If he did, when?

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Post by Michael Pajaro » Sat Aug 06, 2005 11:16 pm

Putting together pieces from a couple of different sources, whcih may or may not fit....

As I understand it, David Hasselhoff does not appear in "Benchwarmers" with this KITT. But Hasselhoff is working on another project with Adam Sandler and they arranged to do a photo shoot with the car. That's based on what I heard from Barris and talking to the guy who brought KITT to the auction. True or not? I don't know.

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Post by Army_F_Body » Sat Aug 06, 2005 11:43 pm

Looks like your number of posts have hit that magic number, Michael :)
KITT project is on again!

Currently working on: brand new stock tan interior, almost done!

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Post by michealknightbx81 » Wed Aug 24, 2005 10:34 am

what does the interior look like?
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Post by TurbomanKnight » Wed Aug 24, 2005 11:13 am

Some nice PMDs with a hack job of a dash and steering wheel. There was thread with pictures of the interior. I'll look for it. 8)
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Post by TurbomanKnight » Wed Aug 24, 2005 11:19 am

Here you go. 8)
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Post by K.I.T.T » Wed Aug 24, 2005 3:00 pm

Mike thanks for sharing those pics!!! It is an awful replica though isnt it lol.

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Post by Michael Pajaro » Wed Aug 24, 2005 3:56 pm

TurbomanKnight wrote:Some nice PMDs with a hack job of a dash and steering wheel. There was thread with pictures of the interior. I'll look for it. 8)
The interior photos aren't accurate any more. The car on auction had a brand new KITT steering wheel from Don Colie. The winner of the car will get it with a brand new interior created by Sony Pictures, including a new functioning dash. From what I heard, I don't think the new dash is an exact replica of KITT's but is more "in the style of" KITT.

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Post by TurbomanKnight » Wed Aug 24, 2005 4:11 pm

Oh... whoops. :oops:

New dash by Sony Pictures, ehh? I wonder hoe that would turn out. Hopefully good. 8)
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Post by Lost Knight » Wed Aug 24, 2005 4:41 pm

The car is already inaccurate, so by this point it really doesn't matter making the dashboard accurate. I'm sure Sony's version will be interesting, though. I just hope they shave K.I.T.T.'s mustache.

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Post by knightdriver » Wed Aug 24, 2005 6:02 pm

Michael Pajaro wrote:
TurbomanKnight wrote:Some nice PMDs with a hack job of a dash and steering wheel. There was thread with pictures of the interior. I'll look for it. 8)
The interior photos aren't accurate any more. The car on auction had a brand new KITT steering wheel from Don Colie. The winner of the car will get it with a brand new interior created by Sony Pictures, including a new functioning dash. From what I heard, I don't think the new dash is an exact replica of KITT's but is more "in the style of" KITT.
We shall see when the film comes out.

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Post by FuzzieDice » Wed Aug 24, 2005 11:43 pm

Lost Knight wrote:I just hope they shave K.I.T.T.'s mustache.
:lol: Me too! I hope they don't give him a goatee next. :P

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Post by michealknightbx81 » Thu Aug 25, 2005 4:23 pm

lol
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Post by spyhunter » Sun Feb 26, 2006 8:13 am

OMG! Please don't tell me the scanner only flashes in one direction, and then starts over? It looks like the right side bulbs were also inoperative!

That's horrendous!

I thought I would post now that the previews are finally in the theater! Anybody have any info on what KITT really looks like in the film?

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Post by neps » Sun Feb 26, 2006 12:24 pm

Are there previews in the theater that have this trailer with KITT in it? If so, which film did you see it attached to?

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Post by spyhunter » Sun Feb 26, 2006 1:16 pm

It was either Curious George or Pink Panther, because I just saw those in the last couple of weeks, there were no shots of KITT however, the wierdest thing is seeing Napoleon Dynamite play something other than Napoleon, he's still playing a goofy kid though...

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Post by ryytel » Fri Mar 03, 2006 3:01 am

seems that kitt is on super pursuit mode awesome
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Post by wannabegeorge » Fri Mar 03, 2006 3:12 pm

That is a bit bizarre ... kinda wish I'd seen the variety show. Are there clips or images of that anywhere?

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