The Evolution of Knight Rider's KITT - Dash, Bumper, Console Changes Throughout the Series!

We explore KITT's changes throughout the 4 years that Knight Rider was on the air!
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[@tompinkerton8099]

A couple of things I would be interested in seeing: 1. A comparison of KARR as he appeared in season 1 vs season 3. Supposedly the exact same vehicle, but obviously there were differences. 3. A look at the evolution of the interior of the semi over the course of the four seasons. Thanks for the great video as always, Joe!

[@nikkipacheco6835]

I agree 💯 but they won't ever respond to there subscribers

[@JohnSmith-lm4nn]

Ive had a bit of similar experience

[@spidermanfan.3161]

Nice to Know KITTS different looks and changes throughout the show.

[@donfoley6946]

One thing that I think is funny, that hasn't been mentioned, are the different buttons that Bonnie or April installs for "laser" or whatever that are on a giant red panel. You even see Michael reach up to push these "buttons", and an insert picture shows a giant red panel that couldn't possibly be there! I don't know why they couldn't have marked an existing led or switch, but they always use the red panel. It would be interesting to see a video with all these "buttons" used throughout the series!

[@knighriderredux]

Amazed seeing the SPM KITT pre transformation.

[@FirstDan2000]

Yeah, it's a gorgeous photo.

[@guitarcheology]

Michael Scheffe’s designs were so elegant. Beautiful use of curves. Putting the early designs side by side with the later, the Barris versions look clunky. I had a meal with Michael years ago. We discussed iconography for a couple hours. Could have had a conversation for days. The man has a deep knowledge of art, how it impacts people emotionally, paired with amazing artistic talent. With that said, I Do prefer the revision of KITT’s voice box. The first version of the LED’s was my favorite.

[@pt008]

18:18 I love the "Item", "Qty" (quantity) and "Price" buttons - they clearly raided a cash-register or other point-of-sale keyboard 😄 "Kitt, I need a manager override for a void"

[@briank.8925]

Bonnie has one of those coiled key rings around her arm with one key on it to stick into KITT and get the function to work. 😄😄

[@greggv8]

It was for curbside ordering and pickup. KITT could hack into a store's main computer so Michael could punch in the prices on the console.

[@justinsanders2705]

Now when watching the show it's so cool to be able to pick out the differences in each car. It adds a whole new element to watching.

[@AdrianSchoeman]

The iconic look was the Season 2 exterior (before the sagging nose beneath the headlights) with two fog lights and grill in place. Best dashboard was the Season 2 insert dash but with the Season 1 pilot steering wheel (no hole/dimple in the centre). I also prefer the "less sensitive" 3-line voice modulator where the outer lines are normally shorter than the centre line.

[@mattiasjohansson7231]

Omg yes! You are exactly on point! The season 2 look is THE KITT for me

[@user-ib5mx8ro4k]

You don’t like the saggy ones?

[@AdrianSchoeman]

@@user-ib5mx8ro4k Sagging is a quality that I generally try to avoid in all areas of life…

[@davidc9441]

Agree with all of that. Never liked the season 4 dash. Green accelerator pedal lights were great though when they got added.

[@thisfancyhouse]

For anyone doing a.KITT replica build, this video is very practical for the look and aesthetic that you'd want, and be able to speak to it intelligently. For me, I want season one exterior nose with those nice curves and three fog lights later 1st season/2nd season dash with voicebox, but later year upper console with multicolored buttons, and original lower console. It's amazing how these videos seem to hit the interwaves at just the right time...

[@itsmephil2255]

To the average viewer , I didn't realise there were so many variations to the hardware Thank god for fans like Joe Awesome stuff 👍

[@danielstorm281]

This video is destined to go down as one of your best and most watched. Fantastic work! Thank you, Knight Rider Historians. Straight ahead 😎🎬✨✨✨

[@BladeV8]

YES - I think I commented asking about this months ago, so I shall enjoy this thoroughly!

[@BladeV8]

So my two questions would be (and relate to the S3/4 interior): 1. What were those little coloured caps on the steering wheel at 32:47 & where they added in the redesign or present throughout the show? 2. The Power/Auto/Normal/Pursuit buttons all moved up from the lower part of the dash to where the tach is, so did anything replace them or was that space just filled by the new monitor? I think you mentioned in another video the SPM/braking panel never existed in a car, so presumably that was meant to be somewhere down there?

[@originalsubwayjones]

Love this kind of stuff... I've mentioned before that I build BTTF props, there are a number of differences from car to car, it's always a challenge figuring out which prop to build, which details to go with. I can't imagine how hard it would be to decide how to build a KITT.

[@chosenman08]

Wow! I would never notice so many detailed changes, let alone chonologically. All the little cogwheels in my head were running like crazy. Great job, thank you!

[@rogerdalrymple422]

Many thanks - this is excellent. Interesting that ‘Auto cruise’ and ‘Normal cruise’ were transposed in the S3 dash

[@FirstDan2000]

Yeah, PANP became PNAP.

[@77CJJ]

Great video! You should do a video of all the sound effects used for KITTs functions, his start up, his take off & acceleration sound, his normal running sounds and the original Trans Am sound used, like in Blind Spot when he does the reverse 180 out of the car park. There would be a lot to cover there but would be interesting to break down all the sounds and where they come from.

[@craiglightowler2991]

Nice overview!! Didn't see that seldom used stock nose scanner bar front mentioned 😮. And as for deep dives....I'd absolutely love more on the voice modulator and the insert dash pleeeeaaaassse!!! Really enjoying this channel 😊😊😊😊😊

[@BarryWKay]

Cool look at KITT’s changes over the course of the show. I for one am a fan of the Barris bumper. Just looks more clean and strong than the other bumpers.

[@AJYZF1R2010]

This car creates feelings in me even I don’t understand ❤❤❤❤

[@Rozom]

This is one of the perfect episodes I love, an end to end history of change and why! WELL DONE!

[@michaelknight2721]

Very interesting Joe,thankyou.

[@The07gt]

Yes, please do more in depth of all the specific parts of the car throughout the different seasons. Thank you.

[@vinpetrol4309]

Very interesting and informative video. I really enjoyed it. Thank you for the great work.

[@rtchrg440]

Great info Joe! Would love to know details on the actual electronics that makes KITT's dash work (any season)

[@philllev]

Thanks for another great insight into Knight Rider. I watched Brothers Keeper last night and noticed all those scratches on the curved part of the dashboard, old TV's hid a multitude of sins 😂

[@RobertM125]

This was great! Watching the show as a kid of course I never picked up on these datails but it's fascinating to see them now. Thank you so much for putting this together.

[@RuffoIDP]

Very good job! It would be interesting to have more details about the dash, for example where was located some few used functions like elements analyzer, computer printout, SPM and EBS mode switch, surveillance mode and so on. Thanks for all the amazing job you do everytime. Yours is asolutely the best knight rider YT channel! ❤

[@ClarkOVision]

Loved this. Fascinating to see the details change. Somethings you did notice easily when watching the series and some not so easily.

[@shaggy72]

And that pic at 9:57 with SPM not extended... WOW! I ALWAYS wondered what the car looked like (especially with the sensor pushed forward) before it transformed. So cool!!

[@gem.dionisio]

Whoa cool. This is the episode I need as reference for my 1/24 KITT Builds. Thank you.

[@FirstDan2000]

I thoroughly enjoyed this thorough examination of the car throughout the show. I was stunned when you showed a freeze frame of the SPM from kittnap, because I took a screenshot of that moment from an actual dvd on my computer and it appears to be the exact same frame. You asked for suggestions for deeper dives: I've occasionally noticed shots of the season 1 dash which, I believe, are of the actual dash in the hero car. For example, one scene shows the countdown lamps and the camera follows each lamp changing the focus as each new lamp lights. Another example is of the eject button, the camera is focused tight on it with the surrounding buttons blurred by a softer focus, and a hint of the gull wing at the outer edge of the frame. It might not be a long video. It might even not exist if I've been mistaken.

[@stevenallan5822]

I think a detailed look at the button changes on the pods on either side of the steering wheel over the seasons would be nice.

[@AdrianSchoeman]

Awesome video! Been looking for a video like this forever! Thanks Joe!

[@JohnSmith-lm4nn]

All of the kitt's are amazing 👍

[@marioayala2318]

I always like the square box modulator instead of the 3 bars on KITT.

[@knightsnake7587]

Man I really love that I finally see a picture of the transforming SPM car with all the parts retracted... That thing looks gorgeous all things considered.

[@matt98032]

If you look at the console from "mouth of hte snake" the keys were taken from either a cash register or some sort of calculator(?), you can see the words; Qty, Price and item written on them.

[@Rick_Todd]

Thank you Joe for sharing your knowledge.

[@EffendiChung]

That first KITT used for the pilot presentation looks as if it is puckering for a kiss.

[@NeverLoseHope31]

Side note if not covered is the seats and seatbelts kept changing even during the episodes. Thank You for the content. Beloved Fan of the Show!

[@darylkik777]

Just happened by this channel. I got to sit and play around in one of the on screen used cars. ( Cannot confirm.) I worked for Dealer Specialties running the Las Vegas market and a short lived dealership went in across from the new strip and highway. (Cheaper) They only sold Hollywood used cars and they had one of the Kitt cars inside and I had fun taking photos and information for the internet. (Around 2003) and several other movie cars. They were bankrupt and gone really fast and not sure what happened to all the cars and people like me who they owed a debt. Thanks for the memories.

[@chrisbullard5901]

A lot of the minor interior changes probably come down to tooling costs and survivability of the props. The Street Hawk motorcycle was redesigned a couple times from the pilot to the finale, and a lot of it came down to how much the hero and stunt bikes broke apart during jumps.

[@ProcyonRobotics]

Ever since watching this show, the Trans Am has been my favorite car, and I was lucky enough to get one as my first car! Now I just can't decide if I want to fully customize it to my own liking or turn it into KITT. And here's the thing, I have a big dream of opening a museum for all my real robots and other life-size robot figures from movies, and having KITT on display there would be just perfect. I think I could in any case save a lot of money on my fiberglassing and 3D-printing experience, and I guess the most expensive part of making KITT is buying a Trans Am anyway, haha. Thanks for uploading this helpful video of all the versions. I think I would go for the season 1 version if I go for this.

[@josephferraro4925]

Great video 👍.I have a question! When they filmed the insert of Kitt talking. Was someone actually speaking into a microphone to make the voice box look real in time. If so did they just use anyone or was it William Daniel’s through the recording. Is it possible the bars were stronger in some shots because they used different people talking into it

[@pwmilliken]

@knightriderhistoriansofficial Can you do a segment that discusses the changes in the steering wheel….in particular the season where the green leds are visible on the wheel grips? Thanks!

[@malcolmgeorge]

I remember being wowed by the green lights on the gas pedal that showed up all of the sudden. :)

[@filipohman7277]

Awesome 👍👍👍😎 Greetings from Helsinki, Finland 🇫🇮🇺🇸🇫🇮🇺🇸🇫🇮🇺🇸

[@knightridersofgreece]

the two hamps on top of the voicebox at 35:00 look like two finger tips that try to push in the voicebox while the dash paint was not totaly dry!

[@JohnSmith-lm4nn]

Key people to knightrider .john ward ,michael shuffee, george barras . Very intresting information

[@aaronthomas2900]

I would love to see you do some details of K.A.R.R? I think that would be great!

[@blind_neighbourhoodNerd]

This video was excellent!!

[@guitarcheology]

35:54 You can see they used some sort of tinted lens over the LED’s and likely hand painted blackout around the rows of lights. The left row in particular gets really narrow at the top.

[@vijayantgovender2045]

Thank you for sharing this very interesting watching from South Africa

[@ruipx]

I noticed a few diferences during the series... but you guys went way into the rabbit hole.

[@jokerfleckcast3196]

I love the pilot kitt nose.

[@bjarkeistruppedersen8213]

Do you have any pictures of the insert dash, as it was installed in the studio. Like so we can see how it was mounted.

[@LeathafaceTV]

I have the perfect idea for a new up to date Knight Rider movie that everyone would love. Garth Knight who been living a low profiled life. He ran shack the Foundation headquarters. Garth killed Devon after he gave him the passcodes to the Foundation’s computer right before he killed Devon. Garth went to searching the Foundations computers and discovered the ultimate weapon location in Karr on the premises. He retrieved Karr and went on a global terrorism campaign. The movie also start with Michael and Kitt doing their last mission together before Michael take his retirement. The old Kitt should be in this scene. It got postponed due to what have unfolded at the Foundation. Kitt also get destroyed on this mission due to a direct missile attack which Kitt saved hundreds of people by sacrificing himself. However the cpu was salvageable and Kitt was installed In a new body. Michael had to take Devon’s position and searched for a new hot shot driver. That’s the movie plot right here.

[@TheShornak]

I always remembered back in the 80's watching this show the thing that really bothered me was the front bumper. Back then I used to own a fiberglass company with my father and we made lots of custom automotive pieces along with other custom pieces like planter boxes. Whenever they showed the car and those acrylic turn signal covers and the fiberglass panels would droop down and it looked so sloppy to me. The bumpers to me just looked like they weren't made properly at all. I would have made sure they ran evenly across the front of the hood and headlights. Some did though line up better then others. Also the placement of the fog lights. You could tell at night they weren't even aimed the same way and they wouldn't always sit correctly in the opening. I don't know maybe I was too critical but this was supposed to be some sophisticated car and to me the front bumper never looked like it.

[@MultiCfoster]

Great video, I really enjoyed it.. in terms of what deep dive I would like to see next... Kitt's performance upgrades... I would like to learn more about the performance and handling upgrades for the KIITT cars used in the pilot and the TV series, Jack Gill said in an interview that they had built a high speed car as well as a range of stunt cars... .

[@FirstDan2000]

I'd like to add my voice to this. Sometimes I hear an engine sound that raises the heckles, and I'm increasingly convinced it's from the car fitted with nitrous. I'd like to find out if I'm right or wrong.

[@janniksauer]

38:00 and they changed the order. Earlier versions had Auto Normal Pursuit, this version now shows Normal Auto Pursuit

[@hamisharchibald5270]

I live in New Zealand and I can remember many years ago when they they had a KITT vehicle was at different events around New Zealand so people would be able to get a photo taken with someone sitting in the drivers seat. Did notice it had normal standard looking Accelerator and Brake pedals. I didn't realize that KITT had normal looking pedals as I can remember when the accelerate pedal was a different one that had LED's up the side of it. I do not know what happened to that photo but I found another photo of me seating in KITT and it looked like has got white lettered tyres on it.

[@rayf2145]

The final scanner had 8 lights, but on the first episodes, only seven were lit. Is that because the electronics of the thin scanner from the pilot only supported seven?! Otherweise, great episode.

[@michealoceallaigh4716]

Nice to see Manny the Manual Transmission Stunt Car got some dignity back after "Dog".

[@pdennis93]

23:11 IIRC In KITT VS KARR, the overhead console still had the 4 colored buttons (white, yellow red and blue) when Michael uses KITT's outside PA to talk to KARR to convince him to let Mandy and John out during the final battle scene. I'm guessing that means the console was changed during the break between filming the first 5 episodes of S3 and Knight of the Drones?

[@markraimo1283]

I think you forgot about gas pedal and how it changes in season 3 to a light up green gas pedal that stays for the rest of the series. Other than that, I enjoyed the video and as always. I can't wait to see more.

[@rogerdalrymple422]

So good thank you. Great to see the SPM car with features retracted. Are there any alternate takes of the footage of SPM deploying? And do you have any thoughts on why the SPM-deployment footage always looked like it was a model rather than a genuine car?

[@danielschiman767]

That was great! Thanks for showing us. Personally, would love to see a side-by-side comparison, it was quite annoying clicking back and forth to see the differences, but that is just me.

[@davemenne8340]

Please do all what you said at the end. Love all your videos. Questions I have why does KARR have a different sounding scanner sweep and was there ever a talk about someone rebuilding KARR before the series ended?

[@AdrianSchoeman]

The only design flaw of the vehicle was the main headlights that changed the car from sleek and elegant to goofy and awkward. The main headlights seemed to be used less and less as the show went on, opting to use the fog lights instead. At least, that's how I remember it.

[@FirstDan2000]

I always liked the headlights when they were popped up.With headlights as eyes and the scanner as a smile It gave the car a face.

[@BrianKitching-wv5nh]

​@@FirstDan2000Agreed.

[@intersepter100]

Thankyou so much for your videos. Yes please more informitive deeper videos would be great. Is there any cool info on the special effects used? Cheers

[@davudandrews2665]

Very informative and interesting cool video Joe

[@maxmurmel9222]

Thanks for your great work!

[@TrueAlmightyOutcast]

This is why I find it hilarious when people become obsessed with making a “screen accurate” replica

[@jokerfleckcast3196]

Lol true. Basically no replica can ever be "screen accurate", the on screen cars exterior and interiors were never 100% exact, always changing.

[@TheAquabears]

18:24 - ITEM, QTY, PRICE.... those are cash register buttons.

[@kargandarr]

Part of the season 2 lower console replacement was a keypad from a calculator that used a paper roll to print the figures on. You left out the Super Pursuit Mode parts of the dash.

[@enricorosan8546]

Optimal video!!!Thank you

[@JohnSmith-lm4nn]

We want more classic episodes of knightrider made please .the same with a lot of classic tv shows

[@bazzyg]

You forgot to mention the accelerator pedal. It was a standard one then upgraded to green led I think in S2

[@josephdecicco3177]

Changes to the button arrangement of the Season 3/4 pods

[@BlueShift2000]

It's like with Knight Rider ('08?). The Mustang ('08?) GT500KR looked nice, but it isn't the Kitt we all know and love. Therefore, Kitt in the first season with the synthesizer looked the best (atleast as far as the front pumper didn't hang through) season two because it didn't hang through. Oh man, i wish i could own a '82 Firebird TA...

[@shaggy72]

As a kid I was very observant (even on Dukes of Hazzard, I noticed every time the windows were up, the roll cage/bar changed, etc). For KITT, I had always wondered WHERE WAS surveillance mode & eject L & R {the ones with the LED lights that go back & forth not the pod buttons} located at? I THINK they were somewhere below the monitors, like somewhere maybe below the printout or above "analyzer" box thingy. I remember ASKING at Universal Studios with they car the had on display for public to take pics with & have a W. Daniels soundalike interact with guests, but he ignored those questions (but DID say the upper console were "higher computer & communication functions" (which made sense since Hasselhoff seem to always punch those buttons when he contacted Devon or whatever haha) Also I believe the "C" (convertible) buttons was supposed to be on one of the pods? And I don't think anyone has EVER mentioned just where the Super Pursuit Mode & Emergency Braking System Panel was supposed to be in the car! THAT always bugged me as a kid w/ OCD haha P.S. Even though the sagging turn signal covers was annoying, it pretty much simply became "the look" of KITT for me. I PREFERED the turn signal inserts instead of that 4th season smooth/no signal covers look. (And I personally preferred the look of the monitors in the PILOT over the smaller ones.)

[@derekhughes8318]

Great video thanks 😎

[@NickRyderSGC]

I always wanted a side by side graphic of the car - the nose the dash etc but as like a poster - showing the evolution through the seasons

[@lueecam9320]

I really dig that kitt front bumper on the transforming SPM car. I wonder if none episode footage of this car transforming exist. I also wonder how close Pontiac got to the Kitt dash when they were designing the digital dash for the Trans Am mid 80's 🤔. It had to be Knight Rider inspired.

[@scienceman2024]

That was awesome, thanks!

[@GartheKnightReturns]

I always find these minute things fascinating. Personally not a nitpick but KITT being technology would have regular updates and improvements over time in in-universe canon. But watching the series in HD Blu-ray many of these features and faults are very apparent.

[@mattayres5238]

Wish it could have come to the uk back in the 80s for a double episode! thats would have been good. 😀👍

[@andriuskirklys2487]

Would be so nice if Knight Rider would come back, yes. With diferrent actors. But, would be so cool. Was a fan since I was a kid

[@home-space]

When I was a child and watched knight rider I noticed these things and some of the differences between cars. So it wasn’t great that their continuity skills back then weren’t that great. But different times back then

[@knightridersofgreece]

The monitor frames for season 2 are inspired from battle star galactica computer.

[@MrChaz03]

Any chance of video and behind the scenes pictures of the spm transforming trans AM prop? ... Always wondered how it looked inside , under and what made it work also if there are complete car pictures as you showed here to us it would be great! (not the spm fixed wings car)

[@simonwyndham]

As a kid I used to love drawing KITT, but due to the fact that I had autistic tendencies, even at that age I used to notice all these differences from shot to shot, episode to episode, and it used to drive me nuts! It meant I could never be sure I was drawing an accurate version of KITT!

[@metalworker3]

Love it! Thanks!

[@PhoneSpecificationsUSA]

For the Fanhome model build, would you recommend putting in the Mike Lane front grill modz or would you recommend leaving it the original Fanhome way?

[@donaldwiller9238]

Great information 👍

[@BrianKitching-wv5nh]

Loved this video Joe,i must say this is very interesting. I much prefer the Michael Schaiffe designed kitt dash,it it wwadd more cleaner and curvy looking,loved the hero car's looks.

[@rottweiller9]

Great video ❤

[@randycarter2001]

At 12m 39s it could be that one of the lamps burned out. To make things look better they rearranged the working ones and disconnected the extra one. You don't always have access to the parts you need while on location.

[@P5ychoFox]

I never knew KITT had a 5.25” floppy drive 😮

[@Samuel-gc6js]

That season 4 nose :( Season 1/2 was perfection