The American Dream - My Knight Rider KITT Project :-)

[Rob]

Bad news, but it'll be so awesome when it's done. Just don't let it bankrupt you.

 

[Bluebeard]

That is rotten, that's going to need a full on strip down.

Nope it's not. Just surface rust. Trust me my mates a body shop technician.

Taken the t top centre panel off today all the seals have rotten ($500) and the centre piece is rotten through (£90). Looks like a pillars are f**ked too.

LOL!

 

[Knight_Rider]

Bad news, but it'll be so awesome when it's done. Just don't let it bankrupt you.

That's what's keeping me going the thought of what it will look like when it's all done. It's not a huge problem just a bit of an inconvenience!

 

[Knight_Rider]

My lead mechanic taking a brew break today lol

 

[Knight_Rider]

Well bit more grinding and cutting to do tommorow. Lower door seals and boot seal are just about salvageable (I think) but doors need some attention at the bottoms. The other wheel arches are ok bar the back passenger side which has a substantial piece needing replacing and the tops of the a pillars where the targa top sits are heavily corroded. Centre piece fell in bits when I took it off as did the rubbers so going to have to budget at least £100 for the frame and another £300 for a full set of seals. Needs to be done and dusted by march 20th ish, then he's off for some bodywork and a full respray can't wait to get him up to spec as he looks dead scruffy at the moment! Will get a few progress photos up tommorow to show the bits that desp need attention!!

 

[chriscummins7]

LOL! Mental project, good luck mate!

 

[Knight_Rider]

It's long and hard and proving very expensive and he looks so sorry for himself with his crap swirly peeling paint and no interior. So many people have told me its a waste and to get rid and sometimes I'm tempted but then I look at him and see the potential and I wouldn't be able to let him go!

 

[leeds_182]

What do mint versions of these fetch? Are you ever going to get back what you put in?

 

[M4D M4X]

Wouldn't it be easier just to buy this?
eBay no 160721146354 sorry can't post link up, on my iPhone.

 

[Knight_Rider]

Easier yes but nowhere near as rewarding

 

[Simon@SprayShack]

Hey i called it first!!

Jesus thats a mega job body work wise........really she wants completely bare shell strip and dipping then welding and repairing and repainting.

Well worth doing IMO, nothing more satisfying than a project even if it does cost a fortune.

 

[realnumber 1]

I look forward to seeing this round town.
You might have to take me for a spin in it when it's done.

 

[Knight_Rider]

I'm sure that can be arranged cracked on with the welding today its getting there slowly but surely!

 

[Knight_Rider]

Had a play with my new glue gun and re trimmed the speaker covers welding is now practically completed. Just some finicky bits to resolve then the outer body will get sorted by the bodyshop.
Some issues have arisen with the electrics due to shocking wiring by the plebeian clown who owned it before! Blown and melted a few fuses today so my electric specialist is going to re do it all this week then he can run again!

 

[Knight_Rider]

Not an awful lot to report tbh lately not been able to get a lot done! Sourced a dash shell which should arrive shortly and hopefully some electronics for said dash too! Going to do a mini service an change the oil and fuel and air filters tommorow as engine is running a bit rough..... My old room at my mothers is rapidly looking more like a Pontiac parts shop! Next big update will be at the end of march when he gets re sprayed!! Shall keep you all posted!!!

 

[dannycivic02]

Brilliant will be watching this one, have wanted to do one myself in the past but I know I wouldn't be married for long if I did.

 

[Knight_Rider]

Made a bit of a boo boo today while servicing the rockers! Tightened em too tight and ended up bending the push rods! Oooops! Had to tow him back to the garage where he is now disabled ha ha! Trip to castleford tommorow I think!

 

[Matthew]

Balls the size of footballs mate.

Hats off to you!

 

[Knight_Rider]

Thank you :-D ha ha

 

[Scrooge]

Bet you didn't expect this much work when you first see it.

If you do it properly it'll be worth effort for sure, good luck

 

[Knight_Rider]

Ha ha deffo bigger than anticipated! But just keep thinking about th end result and it will be all worth it should have the dash shell this week and electrics by end of the month!! Whoop!

 

[jayxx83]

love the project pal... keep it up!

 

[Knight_Rider]

Whoop! KITT's electrics arrived today! Managed to get these for an absolute steal!!! A 1/4 of their original price and they are barely used! Just need the metal overlays for them now!
The dash shell should be here on Weds/Thurs so will get photos of them up asap!
Electronics dont look very exciitng in this pic, and tbh I will prob upgrade the VOX box but it was still a steal!

 

[Simon@SprayShack]

Woah cool man, does it work ok? can you bench test it?

 

[Knight_Rider]

Yeah had each one hooked up to a battery today and all works spot on

 

[Knight_Rider]

And this is how the dash will look totally finished with the gullwing wheel cant wait

 

[Knight_Rider]

Well all the rocker push rods have been replaced. Still needs some tweaking though as runs a bit lumpy tbh. New air filter arrived today so need to fit that at the weekend.

More excitingly the dash/overhead console/switch pod mount and countdown lights arrived the other day. TNT however the useless w*****s must have thrown it about as was broken when I unpacked it. Devastated. Got on to the courier who booked it but it's gonna be a drawn out process. Dash is repairable but won't ever be perfect so gonna try and get em to pay out the £650 for a new one!
Also found a problem with the handbrake this week. Cable can't be adjusted as the bolt is badly bent :-/ need to source a replacement but that proving hard. Also need some gaskets and other bits and bats. Found another hole in the chassis under the pedals too so that needs sorting along with some panel replacement underneath all before last week in march ha ha! Busy busy!

 

[Daz.]

That second pic is so worth it though!

s**t about the dash - I'm sure a decent repairer could sort it out - is it plastic?

 

[Knight_Rider]

That second pic is so worth it though!

s**t about the dash - I'm sure a decent repairer could sort it out - is it plastic?

Looks nice when he's clean ha ha can't wait for the respray to happen now!
Spoken to the guys who make it and they say it's fixable hopefully will just get it replaced tbh! It's a weird material its like car filler but a lot smoother and stronger with a re enforced centre made of a resin like substance then coated with a plasticky gloss coat. Looks and feels weird where it's broken!

 

[VeinAST]

That completed dash looks f**king epic!! Can't wait to see it materialise!

 

[Knight_Rider]

Made progress today. Found a garage who know what they are doing with a trans am also ordered gaskets for the rockers! Got paint for the interior plastics and dye for the covers for rear seats tis all good.

 

[TimR26]

Are you getting new rocker covers? We've been looking for chrome rocker covers for the Camaro.

 

[Knight_Rider]

No the ones I've got are aftermarket not a perfect fit either! There's loads on eBay though! What size engine (engine code) is the camaro? Is it the 5.0 Chevy 305 engine?

 

[TimR26]

Yes, it's a 305 but not sure on the engine code.

 

[Knight_Rider]

These are on eBay bit pricey though item number 130621445797

 

[Knight_Rider]

Respray is getting closer and closer now!!!! 3 weeks to go!!! So excited!!
To keep myself pacified I have been trying to sort the interior plastics today but need to get more plastic paint lol!
Also ordered a LCD screen for the in dash tvs which is gonna be linked up to a DVD player and a reverse camera
Still need to sort out having the rear seats re upholstered but everyone's a bloody rip off that I've found!!
Reversing lights and indicators now fitted and functional (all led and look sweeeeeet) just waiting on my led brake bulbs to arrive now!!
Also costed up but not ordered my led tacho for the dash and the electronics for the overhead console and the rear taillight black out! Will have this car looking good by summer even if it bankrupts me ha ha! Then there will be more photos such as this..........

 

[DaveDreads]

Have you thought about sticking some button noises in it?

Most of the sound effects this guy has are gash imo, apart from the first ones when he turns the ignition on,
like a late 80s early 90s mobile phone, all the buttons in the show made that noise.

 

[Rob]

That's a real b*****d on the dash, can't believe they've damaged it!

Are you getting anywhere with that?

Keep trying with the upholstery companies, eventually you'll find one. I found the prices differed massively when I was looking.

A question for you, I know you're ploughing $$$$ into this, but will it have any decent value when done? Or it this just something you really want to do?

 

[Knight_Rider]

Have you thought about sticking some button noises in it?

Most of the sound effects this guy has are gash imo, apart from the first ones when he turns the ignition on,
like a late 80s early 90s mobile phone, all the buttons in the show made that noise.

Yeah mines gonna do the tone sequence on start up but other than that wanna keep beeping to a minimum lol gonna have a speaker on the nose though that makes the "whooo whooooo" scanner noise :-D

 

[Knight_Rider]

That's a real b*****d on the dash, can't believe they've damaged it!

Are you getting anywhere with that?

Keep trying with the upholstery companies, eventually you'll find one. I found the prices differed massively when I was looking.

A question for you, I know you're ploughing $$$$ into this, but will it have any decent value when done? Or it this just something you really want to do?

Dash is still ongoing sadly all the damage reports been sent to TNT just got to wait and hope they take responsibility!
Keep emailing people everyday for retrim quotes. Had some insane ones tbh!! One quoted £900 just for the rears!!!
Value wise it's a bit of a grey area. The car was 2k. By the time it's resprayed and the dash and interior are in I'm looking at least another 2 or 3k depending on whether I can get cheaper second hand parts or special offers and stuff. God knows how much I've spent so far :-/ it's all little bits here an there that mount up! Big expenses are the paint and dash and exterior bits like the wheels and lights.
Really good replicas (there's one selling on the KR forum now that's amazing!) sell for about £8000 but can take some shifting. Really it's not too much of an issue as I don't think I will ever sell him now! Invested too much time and he's one of the family now ha ha