Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

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Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by CB2001 » Mon Apr 25, 2011 9:04 pm

I'm about to recount to you guys something. It's a personal story, I suppose, as I'm sure that many others here know the same feelings I have and had, trying to find that one item of their childhood or the one item they wanted from their childhood but never had. So, Mr. Peabody, let's set the Wayback Machine to the 1980s.

I am a child of the 80s. As I may have mentioned, I was born in 1982. I share the same year as many classic Sci-Fi movies and TV shows. One of them, which I have been a long-time fan of, is Knight Rider. And one of the toys I wanted when I was younger, but my parents weren't able to afford at the time, was the Kenner Knight Rider Knight Industries Two Thousand with Michael Knight action figure.

So, around 13 years of age, I started to try to find one for myself. I tried everywhere possible to find one. eBay, whenever I could check, had some of them listed for $50 or more, including shipping and handling. Of course, this was eBay back before they had the "Buy It Now" option, and bidding was literally a roll of the dice. And as each year passed, even after I grew out of the toys I used to play with, I continued to search, even though I knew finding it at a thrift store or a flea market was impossible. Eventually, I bought the Joyride 1/18 scale diecast KITT in 2005. I felt it was a worthy compromise, though not the toy I wanted ever since I was little. So, I stopped trying to find it.

Today, no more than two days past my 29th birthday and on a whim, my dad and I decided to go over to Valdosta, Georgia to bum around the thrift stores to see if we could snag some retro-gaming items. After we had lunch, my dad and I went to the first thrift shop. At 11:01, there it was. It was sitting on the shelf, the first item my eye caught after entering the store. And with the price tag of $30 and Michael Knight sitting in the driver seat looking straight at me, I wasn't going to pass it up.

As we continued on with our tour of the local thrift shops, I sat with it in my lap. I even had to ask my dad, "Dad, am I dreaming?" I asked because it seemed so surreal, and I was expecting to wake up in bed only to realize that it was a dream. But, it wasn't a dream. I had found what I had long since dubbed my White Whale. Thanks to my dad, we repaired the voice box to work and cleaned the car. If you saw it in person, you'd swear it came out of the box and off the shelf.

Even now, it seems so surreal. But, here it is. Sixteen years of searching, over 20 years of wanting. $30 and a chance of random browsing at a thrift store that hadn't been open until some time late last year.

Here are the photos, taken by me. Ladies and gentlemen... This Ahab presents his White Whale.

Thank you for your time. :*)
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Last edited by CB2001 on Tue Apr 26, 2011 1:33 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by Michael Pajaro » Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:13 pm

This story has a much happier ending than the original Captain Ahab! $30 is a great deal. Congratulations!
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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by CB2001 » Tue Apr 26, 2011 1:32 am

Michael Pajaro wrote:This story has a much happier ending than the original Captain Ahab! $30 is a great deal. Congratulations!
Thanks, Michael. You're right, it is a happier ending. :D

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by blackthorntk » Tue Apr 26, 2011 1:53 am

nice I wish i still had mine but my mom believes in if not using throw away theory :/ so i lost that 2 years after i got it when i was 8 years old damn it :/

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by CB2001 » Tue Apr 26, 2011 2:24 am

I'm sorry to hear about that, Blackthorntk. You never know, you could always get your hands on another one someday.

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by blackthorntk » Tue Apr 26, 2011 2:55 am

That's true But for now I'm working on a bigger Kitt car with my mustang :D. Witch I can't wait for the project to be done but first need ot pay off my car hehe.

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by Skav » Tue Apr 26, 2011 7:35 am

$30?

Steal!

They are on Ebay for more than $100.
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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by CB2001 » Tue Apr 26, 2011 11:14 am

blackthorntk wrote:That's true But for now I'm working on a bigger Kitt car with my mustang :D. Witch I can't wait for the project to be done but first need ot pay off my car hehe.
Nice! So, basically, you're white whale is what you're working on. :D
Skav wrote:$30?

Steal!

They are on Ebay for more than $100.
I know. I think they priced it at $30 because at the time I got it, the voice box wasn't working. I don't know how much it is now with the voice box working, but I know the value would be slightly hurt with the minor scratches it has (which the photos don't really show well.

Also, I discovered something odd. In all the pictures I've seen of the box, KITT has a clear windshield and rear windshield, yet they're light blue on the actual toy. I never knew that.

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by blackthorntk » Tue Apr 26, 2011 2:18 pm

yeah and right now I'm working on kitt responding to me :D

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by jyd85 » Tue Apr 26, 2011 9:53 pm

Congrats!

I'm still kicking myself over not rescuing one I spotted at Goodwill a few years ago.
If you'd be so kind as to put me down.

Down?

My dear, I'm a car. Not a plane.

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by CB2001 » Tue Apr 26, 2011 11:16 pm

jyd85 wrote:Congrats!

I'm still kicking myself over not rescuing one I spotted at Goodwill a few years ago.
Thank you. I'm sorry that you didn't snag it. But you never know, you may get another chance sooner or later. :)

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by blackthorntk » Wed Apr 27, 2011 12:04 am

or snag a fake replica version made from china or Thailand or something. They even produce fake knight rider mio GPS apparently from sources I been reading about lol. 1 of witch claims to have the 2011 maps O.o witch should have been discontinued since 2009 update.

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by CB2001 » Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:28 am

blackthorntk wrote:or snag a fake replica version made from china or Thailand or something. They even produce fake knight rider mio GPS apparently from sources I been reading about lol. 1 of witch claims to have the 2011 maps O.o witch should have been discontinued since 2009 update.
If you decide to go that way, cool beans. :)

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by Chief Oddball » Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:50 am

Awesome, I haven't seen that toy in such good condition since I unboxed mine in...1986? Long time ago, that's for sure. Nice find and a great deal.

I still have mine, but in its present condition it would be worth nothing. The voice box works, but the car has been turbo-boosted a lot and it definitely shows. ;) Plus the Michael Knight figure is MIA.

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by CB2001 » Wed Apr 27, 2011 3:55 pm

Chief Oddball wrote:Awesome, I haven't seen that toy in such good condition since I unboxed mine in...1986? Long time ago, that's for sure. Nice find and a great deal.

I still have mine, but in its present condition it would be worth nothing. The voice box works, but the car has been turbo-boosted a lot and it definitely shows. ;) Plus the Michael Knight figure is MIA.
Thanks. Like I said, there's some minor scratches, but over all it's in good condition. Like I said, the photos don't do the real thing justice.

Well, you've still got one. That's a good thing. Getting a Michael should be easy (in comparison for trying to get a KITT and Michael, or just KITT himself). But I'm sure there must be a way to pull some restoration on the one you have. I say do some research on it to find out. :)

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by blackthorntk » Wed Apr 27, 2011 11:48 pm

CB2001 wrote:
Chief Oddball wrote:Awesome, I haven't seen that toy in such good condition since I unboxed mine in...1986? Long time ago, that's for sure. Nice find and a great deal.

I still have mine, but in its present condition it would be worth nothing. The voice box works, but the car has been turbo-boosted a lot and it definitely shows. ;) Plus the Michael Knight figure is MIA.
Thanks. Like I said, there's some minor scratches, but over all it's in good condition. Like I said, the photos don't do the real thing justice.

Well, you've still got one. That's a good thing. Getting a Michael should be easy (in comparison for trying to get a KITT and Michael, or just KITT himself). But I'm sure there must be a way to pull some restoration on the one you have. I say do some research on it to find out. :)
Why CB2001 are you a photoshop 7.0 expert? Did you photo shop your Knight rider kitt toy to look like new and no scratches and damages :P. I't looks really darn new to me lol.

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by CB2001 » Thu Apr 28, 2011 1:20 am

blackthorntk wrote:
CB2001 wrote:
Chief Oddball wrote:Awesome, I haven't seen that toy in such good condition since I unboxed mine in...1986? Long time ago, that's for sure. Nice find and a great deal.

I still have mine, but in its present condition it would be worth nothing. The voice box works, but the car has been turbo-boosted a lot and it definitely shows. ;) Plus the Michael Knight figure is MIA.
Thanks. Like I said, there's some minor scratches, but over all it's in good condition. Like I said, the photos don't do the real thing justice.

Well, you've still got one. That's a good thing. Getting a Michael should be easy (in comparison for trying to get a KITT and Michael, or just KITT himself). But I'm sure there must be a way to pull some restoration on the one you have. I say do some research on it to find out. :)
Why CB2001 are you a photoshop 7.0 expert? Did you photo shop your Knight rider kitt toy to look like new and no scratches and damages :P. I't looks really darn new to me lol.

I wish. But there are some light scratches in the plastic of the body and some of them are on the back windshield. Due to the lighting, they don't register in the shots.

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by blackthorntk » Thu Apr 28, 2011 3:38 am

try use a plastic scratch remover that they use for car lights or normal plastic in the interior that should help.

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by CB2001 » Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:51 am

Thanks. I'll have to try that.

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by iKITT » Sat Apr 30, 2011 6:07 pm

Beautiful representation of such an old toy. I'd put this baby in a glass box after enjoying it for a bit. After searching so long for this gem you at least deserve to have bit of fun with it. You should be delighted in knowing you paid less than half of eBay pricing. I certainly would be! Especially considering the overall condition. Color me jealous.

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by CB2001 » Sat Apr 30, 2011 7:14 pm

Thank you, iKITT. At the current time, it's store in a box. But eventually, I may put it in a plexiglass case instead.

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by Josch Schulz » Sat Apr 30, 2011 10:17 pm

Hey Man :good:

Great Story, even my english is bad, here is mine:

I am Born 1984 and KR came to germany in the late 80s and was here to 1995. It was in 1998 I saw the Kenner Voice car for the first time in germany. I loved this car so much and yes wow it talks and all. Well christmas 2007 was my time when I was going on a vacation to eastgermany to visit a friend. I had give up my Kenner Voice car very very long because in germany, you never have the chance to find one. Well I was return home from my trip and found a big box adressed to me in my room on my TV chair. On the Box wrote my friend down: "Merry Christmas, I hope the search for you is finaly over". I was wondering whats that supposed to mean so I unpacked the Box and what I saw get me almost a heartattack: The Kennver Voice Car, with Michael Knight Actionfigure:

Image

KITTs voice was in a good condition, and to make sure that it stays like that I removed the Battery. On March 15th 2011 all my Knight Rider Items moved with me over to the United States and nothing in there is crahsed. Kenner Voice car is still alive to...from the states and back to the states...

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by CB2001 » Sun May 01, 2011 12:56 am

First off, thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed the story.

That's a nice looking collection and an excellent story in itself. Glad to see your items came over with you. :)

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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by Josch Schulz » Sun May 01, 2011 6:20 pm

Thanks, my whole collection is right now in a Box special with bubblepaper filled so when I move in my own house I start to build it back up :mrgreen: I have arround 200 Items or so...some stuff is still in germany, but not much...some DVDs and Audiobooks...
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Re: Finally, my White Whale I have caught!

Post by Dave Knight » Sun May 01, 2011 7:57 pm

I still have mine that I purchased in summer of 97 from a friend who had it since 83 to replace the one my then 2 year old brother (he is 29 now) destroyed ;).

Image

Image

those pics were taken after I got him and Mike out of storage, I have since cleaned him up and polished the 'glass' and put him in a safer place. my KITT still talks too his battery compartment has ZERO corrosion, but to keep it that way I leave the battery out of it when he is on display :good:.
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