ERTL 1:18 KR modelshots

[KITTfan]

Noticed my BMF sheet had developed weird reaction probably with the glue, there's cracks everywhere. Got the 1:18 KARR model on hand and created this little scene of KARR going through mirrored glass wall, similar to the KR intro where KITT goes through mirrored glass wall.
This scene kind of captures the moment when KARR's nose touches the glass and it begins to shatter first cracking everywhere

[KITTfan]

Here's another KARR scene, this time from Trust Doesn't Rust. KARR in de-activated state in the slammer LOL




When it's dark, I'll take more photos of the scene with scanner on, the re-activated KARR

[KITTfan]

Here's few shots with the scanner on. Since I don't have Tony & Rev figurines, all I can show is the red scanner glow on the twin doors

[Dalton]

Cool pics dude, those are great.

[Knight6000]

Great now you make me want to buy the Joyride KITT or KARR because of the light up scanner.

[WeirdMetamorphosis]

Ha! Cool, I might do the same with mine when I get them. Just got the set of KITT and KARR off ebay at a hefty price but I know it will be worth it. Right now I'm watching Knight Rider Season 1 on DVD lol.

[KITTfan]

Thanks for the comments. Please post pictures if you do something similar or anything else with your models WeirdMetamorphosis

KITT's licenseplate isn't completely show accurate and KARR doesn't have it at all so I decided to do them myself. Printed the plate image to high-resolution paper, glued it on top of Bare Metal Foil sheet and cutted the BMF a little bigger so there's a chrome edge for the licenseplate. Here's some photos:





Printed also the alternative plate from "Brother's Keeper"


KITT and KARR together with new plates:


KARR plate closeups:

[KITTfan]

Here's few outdoor shots taken today with the KITT model and a "road diorama":

[GarthKnight08]

Did you mod the dash & lights? They look a little different than mine.

[KITTfan]

Did you mod the dash & lights? They look a little different than mine.

Yes indeed I've modified this model during the years I've had it (purchased it in 2004). Besided the changes in the dash & foglight openings + the lights, the trunk, doorsills and interior roof is painted in tan colour, the L-trim in the interior doorpanels has now chromed trim (made from bare metal foil), licenceplate is redone and the rims has been painted black between the spokes. There's few other smaller changes also.

[GarthKnight08]

Yes indeed I've modified this model during the years I've had it (purchased it in 2004). Besided the changes in the dash & foglight openings + the lights, the trunk, doorsills and interior roof is painted in tan colour, the L-trim in the interior doorpanels has now chromed trim (made from bare metal foil), licenceplate is redone and the rims has been painted black between the spokes. There's few other smaller changes also.

What did you use to cut out the fog lights? You should put the louvers on the fogs aswell, thats what i always wanted to do to mine because in season 1 & 2 the fog lights were not exposed & the model i think would look so much better. Do you know of any links to custom 1:18 models, Knight Rider & that alike?

[KITTfan]

This model received some paint damages to the front nose in summer 2006 so since I had to repair them & repaint the frontnose anyway, decided to do some more changes while the model was taken apart, for instance the foglight openings. Didn't have to worry about damaging the paint while sawing & filing the foglight openings since the paint was already damaged LOL

The model originally had the lights with orange outer lamps & the lamp assembly were installed to the body simply with screws. Newer models have different foglights, I think they're glued to the openings.
The pillars between the lights in the foglight openings had to be cut with hacksaw & files.
The new lamps I made from clear CD cover plastic. Each lamp has 2 plastic pieces joined together, between them is peace of bare metal foil and the front plastic peace is textured to give it more realistic look.
As for the louvers or grilles, I actually tried to make them as I too like that look but they're so tiny parts in this scale I couldn't get them look nice and smooth enough. I don't have small enough tools to do them better so I left them out. I placed the foglights deep inside the nose so they wouldn't be so visible.

This is what the grilles I tried to make looked like, too crude in my opinion:


Here's a pic of the scratchmade foglight, looks a bit crude when inspected close up but as they are deep inside the nose it's not so visible even if they're not perfect. These are quite tiny parts too.


Here's few project shots of the foglight openings:








I think here at KRO and KRUK you can find the best custom made models I've ever seen, check out for instance the SPM thread in this page, very nicely done custom model by Josch Schultz

[Josch Schulz]

Hey Boy

You do a good Job, I have a unfinished KITT here to. Mayby you can do some stuff for my Car if i pay. Watch i have open a Thread

[Dukeboy320]

its amazing what these cars are going for on Ebay like $100 glad i got mine when they were $20

[Garthe Knight]

Here is my customized KARR.
The best part is the 8LED scanner, and I think the painted interiour came out very well.









And here is a video:

[suave6565]

Great Pics....

I recently bought both on EBAY one is actually was shipped from Japan and its labled as Ver. 2

To be honest, i dont know whats the difference besides the tires having the goodyear logo on it..
Does anyone know the difference? i bought them because...first, im a huge Knight Rider Fan...
Second, these cars are hard to get and no longer made.
I think its has more detail then ERTL...just curious. i keep them in the original boxes.

[KITTfan]

Great job Garthe Knight I see you've also painted the top of the rearbumper black, that's one modification I haven't seen often even it improves the look a lot and the new scanner must look way better than the original. Also KARR's voicebox looks awesome, I should do that too

suave6565, you have the Aoshima models? They used to have the white lettering in the tires. At first KARR was only available from Aoshima and later, if I remember correctly it was 2005 or 2006 when it became available from ERTL. Other than the white lettering I'm not sure if there were any other differencies besides the box art, KARR perhaps had licenseplate when ERTL version didn't?

During the years the ERTL KITT model received some updates, first the orange foglamps were replaced with clear one but all foglights got visible black dots. In the last revision the dots were removed and all foglights were completely clear, just like KARR model always had.

Last year when they first announced that ERTL will stop making 1:18 diecast models I ordered one more new KITT model and have kept it in it's box as it is. It's with all clear foglights & even the voicebox has red basecolour in it from the factory.
I guess by now the production of KITT models have really stopped since I've seen these models going quite high price on ebay. I don't know which version of the KITT models might go higher in price, modified for more accuracy or the factory originals LOL

[KITTfan]

Took few outdoor shots of my KARR model today:




Too bad the lake was still frozen, otherwise it might've looked more like KARR is on Pacific Coastal Highway in California

[KnightRiderKR]

Garthe, great video!

[Dave Knight]

where DO you get the 8 LED scanner? i have a 1st issue 'joyride' KITT and i would LOVE to swap out the 'ok' scanner for one that looks better. i think it is kinda sad that the scanner in the 1/25 japan KITT model looks more like the REAL one than the one in the 1/18.

[Knight007]

A very very nice model. I will start saving so I can buy one of those

[KITTfan]

Visited today the same location with KITT as I did earlier in the spring with KARR. Took some photos with a little Knight Rider scene in mind

"Michael, may I remind you that we have a mission waiting. I suggest we would start going to the Foundation."

They're driving on scenic and sunny Pacific Coastal Highway, nice 80's music playing in the background


KITT: "Michael, Devon is calling"
Michael: "Yo Devon! What's up?"
Devon: "Hello Michael. You seem to be in Pacific Coastal Highway and heading LA. I suggest you'd do the 'one eighty' as you like to call it and go directly to our new client. Bonnie will send the details to KITT. Good luck."
Michael: "All right. KITT, you heard the man."