KITT's REAL Engine Revealed! PLUS Firing up our Screen Used Knight Rider Car After 25 YEARS!

Alright, you asked for it! Today we will pop the hood of our original, screen used KITT, and also throw it back to 2012 when we fired it up for the first time since the 1980's!
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[@combatking0]

Devon: "This is the most advanced microprocessor controlled car in the world." Crew: "Not really..."

[@Pillar5770]

😄😄😄

[@eduardr4536]

I admire people that can have a Kitt replica. But an original series Kitt car?!! That for me is a pure Goal! Thanks for every video you upload for us.

[@clemensJB]

Soon....trust the plan.

[@ridinglacs]

🥅

[@Switching-Cars]

@@clemensJB as a replica owner i feel you but only 5 original it would be hard to have one and for sure everyone would love to have an original one but i am verry happy with what i got :)

[@katiewennerberg210]

WOW! Aside from the original modifications, that has to be one of the best preserved 80’s engines in the world. That’s amazing! That poor car looked so rough when you first started it, I’m shocked the engine is in the condition it’s in. Aside from it’s value from having been on the show it’s sad seeing such a nice car in that condition, so glad you did the restoration you did. What a treat!

[@necrotoaster94]

Another great video. Don't worry about haters, they gonna hate no matter what you do. Keep up the good work!

[@dougc190]

Their guys throwing hate on this chat?! man they need to go to another channel! I don't see anybody else doing this stuff that these guys are doing for Knight Rider

[@C.M.S.recordingsstudio]

Who can hate this?

[@rodneyjohnson6313]

@@C.M.S.recordingsstudio you would be surprised

[@cecwaterbury]

We get to see KITT's heart, the engine! This was such a cool treat!

[@urgolf1974]

5:12 "They eliminated the computer from this car completely." Yes, only to use this car in a tv series about a car with a computer. Lol. Movie magic.

[@procta2343]

you have to laugh, about it.

[@jonathanryan2915]

Yeah, because it made the car run worse, LOL

[@timvangenechten5258]

Pretty ironic if you ask me, KITT being the most advanced computer driven car has his computer disabled.

[@ClassicGamer81]

Thanks for the look under the hood of KITT. Its awesome how you're keeping everything as authentic as possible👍

[@chiaraj1003]

Is it just me or has Knight Rider Content increased more and more? I love that though, and great channel and content!

[@FirstDan2000]

I've noticed that too, particularly this channel. And not very long ago, Joe announced they were taking a break but started pumping out more episodes. I'm not complaining by the way.!

[@SA-zoom1]

I love how you are preserving this car so sympathetically 🙂

[@jwfloating-world]

Dobby gave K.I.T.T. his sock. Good show again.

[@rickr442]

Well done, including keeping all of the studio hackjob wiring and making it all work without the car burning to the ground! Used to be red? Painted black? Yeah, probably 15 times! Earl Scheib RULED!

[@Raynl1978]

I'm pretty sure the sock made its debut in return to white rock. 🤔

[@infer217]

Excellent! Thanks for sharing this!

[@makayla3563]

It's so unique to see a Knight Rider car engine. Thank you for another great video!

[@mrjsv4935]

Wow, first ever proper view of KITT's actual engine, that is super cool :) Now we've seen what April and Bonnie saw during the show! I guess the door open and close sounds were sound effects as well, as it sounds different to the show? Wiper blades seems to be similar to what Mazda used in the early to mid 80's. There's probably a pin at the wiper arm, where the blade connects to, as it's kind of above the wiper arm. Had myself a 1982 Mazda 323 (GLC in US) with similar wiper blade style.

[@StormsparkPegasus]

Don't forget, the Chrysler Turbine was made 20 years before Knight Rider. While not all that practical, it is certainly possible to power a car with a turbine engine (they work like a turboshaft in a turbine helicopter, where the turbine extracts almost all the energy from the combusion to power a shaft, rather than putting thrust out the back like a aircraft turbofan). Someday, some hobbyist is going to build an actual turbine powered KITT. Most of the time in the show, they dubbed over turbine sounds when KITT was driving, but more often than not you could hear the actual V8 when the car started and moved.

[@UnknownRaiderGuy]

They also used a sound board for kitt high speed engine sounds that sounds like a 1960s nascar. (I really want to know where universal actually got 1960s nascar sound from)

[@halofreak1990]

Casey Putsch (if I remember the name correctly) can tell you, from experience with his turbine-powered Batmobile replica, that it's not that simple to build a functional turbine-driven car. Nor to drive one.

[@StormsparkPegasus]

@@halofreak1990 Actually driving them is not difficult at all. See the various videos out there on the Chrysler Turbine. Engineering it is another matter, I agree. But Chrysler was able to accomplish this in the 60's.

[@phydeux]

@@UnknownRaiderGuy - They probably pulled it from one of Universal's many foley libraries. Foley artists would regularly capture all sorts of sounds on tape that they thought might be interesting to use later. Flour sifters, squeaky hinges, steel rasps over hollow fruit rinds... you name it, there's probably a recording somewhere. Take some of those sounds and process them a bit and you've got a futuristic engine sound. Heck, Queen Amidala's starship on SW Episode One used engine sounds from a propeller plane.

[@UnknownRaiderGuy]

@@phydeux I would definitely use the high speed engine sound on a kitt replica lol haven’t seen it done before yet

[@Knightcowboy89]

This was really cool to see.I'm sure that first start up was an emotional moment. As for what else I want to see, two things: 1) The dashboard finished and put into this car. 2) An up close look at your other KITT car. But I'm a patient man, I can wait😏

[@simondunn3555]

KITT has received a sock, Kitt is a free car...

[@fixman88]

*snickers*

[@arnold9526]

Dobby referance is funny😂😂😂

[@CoastalAutoReactionCAR]

Super cool that you left as much as you could from the show! I’d restore the air can back to how it looked when they put it on I mean you restored the car why not have it match? Cheers!

[@dpring777]

I would gladly sit through a documentary detailing the retrieval and preservation process of Joe's KITT... if the footage exists.

[@resecro]

Yes... Would love to see more old video.

[@craigwhitthread3050]

I had goose bumps while you were showing the engine bay. That feeling you must have owning an original piece of history, a real KITT! I bet you have (whilst no one else around) said "KITT" and waited to see if you got a reply! Thanks for the video, top drawer.

[@bobbova8708]

Thanks for an excellent follow up video!!the 305 was a pretty reliable engine.the only real problem was that the factory hydraulic flat tapped cams were made of a soft materisl.a buddy of mine worked as a mechanic at s Chevrolet dealership and he had to re cam many of the engines while still under factory warranty.I think you mentioned in the earlier video that universal put in a more performance oriented cam.I along with I am sure many others had to do cam replacement in my 82. Sorry to hear you actually get negative feedback.I really enjoy what you and A.J.have shared with the knight rider fans community.in closing I must say thanks!!!🙂🙂🙂🙂

[@BacklotRiders]

It’s so awesome to know that an original screen used KITT still exists and that it’s in great shape and in good hands! Salute to you guys 🍻

[@thekingsilverado8419]

I saw the original Kitt at the old hotrods home a few weeks ago. They put my Road Runner in the same hospice garage with Kitt. They were both in good spirits knowing their cancer rust work was in the hands of a professional. My Roadrunner told Kitt that his faded paint was just a sign of maturity..

[@madmaxcars9653]

Would love to see the footage of rescuing the car from the wrecking yard, how it looked the time, what secrets you found cleaning it up,, how you went about various restoration elements. How did you save the paint? Did you repaint the rear bumper? Stuff like that.

[@davida1hiwaaynet]

Love it! You're so fortunate to have found this car! I know this has been beat down into the dirt already.... but I find it ironic that they removed the "computer" from the world's most advanced computer controlled car ever! That 305 is a great engine for long life and low maintenance. Perfect for a prop car or a show car.

[@keepingitreal71]

This was cool as hell! Thank you....If there is any Kitt or Karr recording sessions that were filmed.. I would love to see that.. Even with some goofs.. I think that would be cool...

[@theswedguy2786]

Sorry for being late to the video, but I just found out about your guys channel😊 I think you guys should keep the "Lucky Sock" in the car as a symbol of the great luck you guys had finally finding the long lost Knight Rider Entourage😍❤ - A Fan Of Knight Rider

[@jaybob3143]

love your videos...attention to detail is 2nd to none...who would have thought K.I.T.T had a locking hood latch

[@ILMODC]

Excellent video sir. I love your sense of humor and the fact that I don’t know if people get your dry sarcasm. Lol. Remind me of me.

[@Schnee4378]

As a kid watching in the 80's, I always wondered about the lack of turn signals.... I know the moulding hid them at the front but is there anything at all for them?

[@FormulaManuel]

I remember seeing K.I.T.T. use his blinker in one episode on stock footage 🤔 no idea which episode though

[@michaelb9664]

@@FormulaManuel it was Trust Doesn’t Rust just before they hear the police radio announcement that KARR has caused a disturbance.

[@kennethoats2322]

Yup. They were there, it's just the dark blacked out moulding hid them. Most people who make these cars don't put them in at all

[@MotorScotti]

KITT's indestructible! I hope you still change the oil and filter every couple of years, though. 😁

[@FirstDan2000]

So that's what ended FLAG. Michael ran the car right into the ground after, say 5 years the engine had a meltdown. Michael's defence was 'I thought it was indestructable'.

[@bobbyblack1138]

This is sooo freaking cool! It's so ironic that they simplified everything so much on such an "advanced" car. The TH350 trans is really the best!

[@nicholasr6381]

Brilliant video, thanks for sharing a bit of iconic tv history from my childhood

[@Siosal01]

Talk about pulling back the curtain! Well done guys!

[@manytrickpony695]

The irony under the hood is gold!

[@essbe7158]

Thank you so much for showing us this!

[@enprisezzz]

Exactly every question answered we didn't know to ask. Seeing the steps of the restore would be incredible. Thank you.

[@audreyseddon9749]

This is such a beautiful car. Thanks for all the work you do in preserving these pieces of TV history.

[@adrianfrankowski138]

Stunning episode! I love all the information you provided. They are an answer to the questions that have been tormenting me for 30 years :) I have been following the fate of this car since I came across the information in 2008 that it landed in a junkyard in Los Angeles. It is good that you had a chance to save this piece of movie and automotive history! Keep it up, your'e doing a very good job! I hope to visit the USA someday and I will be able to meet you and see my childhood dream in person :) THIS will be the number one of my trip;)

[@procta2343]

That's shocking to read, that this ended up in a scrap yard!

[@joaoluistavares6046]

Opening that hood is like nostalgia. Thank you for the video.

[@Zelaznogsiul-63]

The under carriage, skid plate mounting points, suspension work done by the studio, exhaust I know it is a single exhaust but all that is so interesting to me. Thank you for the video.

[@Eremon1]

A lot of the topics and things shown on this channel have been on my to know list for as long as I've known about the show. That car is almost a person in itself, and so is a massive part of my favorite childhood memories. I've never gotten to see any of the travelling KITT cars in person, so this is the next best thing. Cheers.

[@troyendicott973]

My favorite show when I was a kid, I love that your keeping it alive, great job😁

[@donovaneddiealanhodges1499]

👍👍This is cool! Absolutely cool! KITT's turbine engine seen on 🏁Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death. Keep bringing out the best of this channel!❤Thanks, Joe! Oh, yeah, the Semi is still on the job, right?

[@donovaneddiealanhodges1499]

@@HiromiQuan The Semi is that being in construction. So it'll be a long while.

[@donovaneddiealanhodges1499]

@@HiromiQuan Oh yeah. That. Well, I don't know just yet. I haven't gotten any more details on it.

[@knight280700]

We'd like to see how it looked like when you got it. This kinda tour video as you did on a semi. Maybe you have some old footage that you can upload for us. That would be soo cool. I really like how it looked on this video from 2012 when it first started.

[@Buck3366]

I’ve seen some amazing replicas complete with turbine sound speakers and total remote control but for me this car is by far the best. To think it’s one of the actual cars from the best show that i loved as a kid (and adult 🤣).... it’s priceless!! A proper piece of iconic TV history.

[@THECLARENCES]

Awesome!!! xoxo The Clarences

[@tryksta7247]

Well now we know why K.I.T.T.'s turbine engine was never actually shown in the series. I have the 1/18 scale Hotwheels Elite models and they made imaginary turbine engines with a serial number from a throwaway line in one of the episodes.

[@impala1330]

You are 100% right on leaving it as original it possible. Great job👍

[@brianmoser260]

That was awesome

[@d.jbrickmocs1637]

A detailed look inside would be great. Tanks for this one👍

[@mpmyprojects6687]

Thank you for that look under the hood of the car I used to love in my childhood.

[@tonywhitaker8146]

This is why I think it would be fun to watch you guys build a KARR replica. Since it's a replica no original concerns, and you could update some things. A KARR with 400 plus horsepower would be fun to drive.

[@JohnThree6Teen]

It’s nice to see old video of Bonnie and April working together from 2012... 🙂👍

[@neoanderson7]

The attention to detail is off the hook! Bravo sir! 1 can only imagine what you're going to do to the semi when it's fully done.. :-)

[@Borrelnoot1982]

After so many years, that engine looks great, can really see that its well taken care of. And i llove it how you guys have a eye for the smallest details, even under the hood :).

[@dehavenfamilyfarm]

Awesome history there in your driveway 🙂

[@johnclements9968]

Cool follow up video Joe! Great to see the original engine and especially the start up back in 2012! It's fascinating to see what the maintenance crews did back then to make the cars easier to work on, it all makes sense. Time is money and any down time on these cars must have had the clock ticking in $$$$ It's also great to see the lengths you guys go to, to keep the cars true to the original and what we know and love. Thanks again for another opportunity to learn.. just like the people behind putting Knight Rider together back in the day, massive respect to you and what goes into putting Knight Rider Historians together 👏😎

[@BuiltTough1776]

I really enjoy all the videos you pushout on the channel, but have always wanted content on the few remaining original K.I.T.T cars. Keep up the great videos, God Bless!!

[@Buc_Stops_Here]

Most interesting thing about the lot car - no computers used at all on the engine to improve reliability. How have times changed. Now they use computers to maintain batteries, maintain emissions, maintain the stop-start functionality of engines, you name it. Cars today can have as many as 100 microprocessors now. This is a real throwback to remove all the computers used in the 1980s which was a fraction of what is used today. Thanks for sharing.

[@anthonyfiorito1385]

Awesome as usual Joe. Keep the vids coming. Qhat a great show. Loved it. Still watch it today n enjoy itt 80's show were so good. Knight Rider n TJ Hooker were my go to shows back then.

[@phatstax2011]

Does anyone else appreciate the irony that in the computerized car of the future, the production team replaced the GM electronic fuel injection and electronic ignition with a carburetor and points because 1980's EFI and electronic ignition were too finicky and not dependable enough for a weekly television series?

[@RiderRated18]

Fascinating stuff Joe, it’s really great to see and to learn more about this car’s history 🙂👍

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

Still I would put a clean filter in it and keep the dirty one for static display and authenticity.

[@keithdonnelly248]

Another great video! Enjoyed that video showing during the restoration of the engine starting up, looks like it took some amount of hard work, time, researching and dedication to have it looking as fantastic as it does now! Trurly increadible attention to detail!

[@02WIFE]

My nephew has a replica in my backyard

[@kamranetemad4968]

I remember visiting and sitting in it (what a thriller that was);this car at display at movie studio.you asked supposedly kITT questions and it gave you answers,as long as you did not ask kITT to open the hood and show you the turbine. 1

[@michaelknight2721]

Fantastic to see the original engine.Keep up the good Knight Rider work.These videos are so interesting.

[@AndrewChapman]

2:50 Love the addition of the sock lol

[@beckygraham7824]

You took A 2 hour car ride with Jay Leno?! So cool!

[@The07gt]

Nice! Please do a video of the under carriage. I’m curious to see what lies beneath.👍

[@MGower4465]

I was hoping the sock was original, there for some exotic Hollywood trick.

[@ivanfernyhough3851]

This is a great channel.i used to worship knightrider over here in the uk.i was 11 in 1982 which i think is when it was 1st on here.funny thing is,i would have missed the pilot episode if it hadnt bin for our tv being stuck on the channel it was on.itv1 i think.i genuinely thought it was real.felt his pain when he got damaged lol.i even cried when he got dumped in the acid pit and smashed by goliath.great to see he has survived all these years,a few of him infact lol.kerp up the good work on your channel.

[@DKnight75]

What!? You mean to tell me that’s not Michael Knight’s original sock I’m so disappointed lol..

[@Innochamp]

Really nice car. Thanks to fans like you such filming icon survive and are functioning 👍🏻

[@CoastalAutoReactionCAR]

So cool thank you!

[@joekugelman4196]

That car looks great!

[@Speculativedude]

And the engine is carbureted, not fuel injected. That's beautiful. I had an 89 Camaro that was carbureted, and an 88 Trans Am GTA that was fuel Injected. I would take that carbureted engine over the fuel injected one any day.

[@eevialasalmi5834]

My favorite knight rider kitt is talks

[@kevinknight2795]

Video quality looks awesome on my 70” tv. Just keep pumping out those videos historian!!

[@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial]

GoPro Hero 9 will do that ;)

[@realmaindrianpace]

Very nice job preserving that car, it looked quite tired when you got it. The engine reminds me of when I attended the L.A. Roadster show and swap meet in Pomona in 2007. George Barris was there signing autographs in a tent, and he had the original '66 Batmobile displayed next to the tent with the hood slightly up. I looked inside and saw that the car was not powered by a Bat turbine, but rather a Bat 390 FE - the original engine, supplied new by Ford, that the Batmobile was built with.

[@w41duvernay]

THE real TV show car had a 305 chevy. PONTIAC high performance mag said I did constantly break down. JUST needs a cam and heads and headers.

[@ChristopherCampbell]

What?! No little special corner in there for William Daniels? ;)

[@michealsousa559california5]

That explains why you said in the last video, this car runs and starts great. All GM vehicles of that 80's before fuel injection, ran and performed crappie. That's why like you said to keep it simple and more reliable. And on that note, those cars weren't registered for the road. Thanks for the info 👍 great video!

[@digitalmagicAR]

Great video! Thank you!

[@alex1949]

Awesome! I've always wondered what REALLY was under the hood. What I'd like to see is the scanner relay box. I can come up with a dozen ways to reproduce it, but I'd like to know about the original.

[@charger19691]

Is this the KITT that is introduced to Michael in the pilot episode by Devin in the airplane hangar and Devin whacks the hood with the hammer?

[@sleepingwarrior4618]

You need a video with Bonnie bent over the bonnet in her overalls... even now I think she would still make the car look great!

[@TheRealMrCods]

Ok this is cool 👍

[@FormulaManuel]

Awesome! I’d like to see the inside and especially the dash and switches and if the “standard ones” (wiper, blinker, etc.) still work and if they are practically situated behind the switch pods and everything 😊 thanks in advance!

[@Samuel-gc6js]

Brilliant video. Thanks!!!

[@quincywashington4395]

Thank you for letting us look at the engine and for this great information

[@chosenone101]

I don't feel bad having an original (40+ year old) 350 engine in my Fall Guy truck replica...lol. Love the car!

[@MikeJBlues]

Very cool and simple / reliable. Awsome car. Maybe discuss the wheel setup ? Not a common wheel and cap for sure.

[@filipohman7277]

Awesome Job Brother!!! 👍😀 Greetings from Helsinki, Finland 🇫🇮🇺🇸🇫🇮🇺🇸

[@aulford2000]

Thanks again awesome

[@Dixie013]

Pretty cools stuff here Joe, Thankyou for the upload. Also during some of the shows, when Michael got into KITT, there was a series of colorful lights that lit up under the door handles.. Can you cover this please?

[@bjarkeistruppedersen8213]

Most likely on the soundstage

[@jeffdalrymple1634]

Every time KITT started in the show, it sounded exactly like my father's 305 Caprice Estate. That Wagon was a true malaise hot rod Where's the KITT cat?

[@JustinMacri007]

Why not do a video on the origin of buying the car.

[@DavidR-ub2dp]

It's so cool to amazingly see that this car had the same engine from the factory still intact with under 1000 miles its true Joe when you disassembled the intake the factory had placed stamps and marking you can only see when an engine is new or very low miles plus Pontiac had some special paint markings and stamps around the rocker arms and inside the cylinder head and pushrods its usually bright yellow or light blue paint

[@russellbluewolf6427]

what i was always curious about was how the scanner bar was wired..in the show it was just so neat..

[@paulmoffat9306]

My car also sounded like it had a jet engine in it! (When the fan clutch failed in the 'on' position!)