myKITT.de - My Knight Rider K.I.T.T. Replica

On May 18th and 19th 2010 there was a shooting for Spiegel-TV-Report "Helden der Hebebühne" for German TV station DMAX. The report shows different car handicraft enthusiasts, who work on special cars. One part of the report will show my replica of K.I.T.T. - so they filmed the mounting of my switchpod. They also filmed me capturing soundfiles and of course they did a lot of shoots of K.I.T.T.

» Backstage photos

Today, we mounted the switchpod into the car. First, we built the electronics into the painted switchpod. Then we had to remove the dashboard from the car to mount the switchpod to it.

» 16 images

Meanwhile, the switchpod has been grinded and primed

» 4 images

In the past 2 days we went on working on the switchpod. First we glued the aluminium overlays into the fiberglass. Then, the switchpod had to be made thinner, so it can fit behind the round steering wheel. Additionally, we soldered the electronics so it can be mounted into the fiberglass after it has been painted.

» 16 images

Today, I meet with Christian Kastenberger and his replica of the Knight 3000 to make some pictures of the old and the new K.I.T.T. - Additionally, Elmar A. Schulte, author of German fan book "Das Knight Rider Buch" joined our meeting.

» 19 images, 1 video

Today I got the overlays for the switchpod electronics. They are made of lasercut aluminium.

» images

I started to put the switchpod electronics together. So, I added flat LEDs and buttons to a circuit board and printed labels, which have been sticked to the LEDs.

» images

Today, I tested, if the switchpod would fit into my car, when using a round steering wheel. Result: With some adjustments it could be mounted. To do so, the upper side has to be shorted. Additionally, the dish of the steering wheel should be extended, using an additional adapter by Grant.

» 4 images

The several buttons at the switchpod will be connected to a MP3 module, to play several audio files of K.I.T.T., so I don't have to start the car PC just to let the car speak...

» 4 images

Today, I got my Switchpod. I don't know, if it will be mounted into the car, since I have to drive with a round steering wheel, where there is less space behind it. So maybe there has to be done some bodywork or I won't be able to mount it...

» more information in the "Interior"-section

Because I won't have the time to get K.I.T.T. out of the garage until October, 31st, I already prepared him for his "winter sleep" today. The car was filled up with gas and I also took it for a wash. Now it will be in the garage until May, 1st 2010...

Besides my replica-project, I'm also a huge fan of the "Back to the Future"-trilogy and the webmaster of the largest German fansite for the films, www.ZidZ.com. There we organize annual fanmeetings. This year we went to Frankfurt/Main and K.I.T.T. was there, too.

» 32 images, 1 video

The "Street Mag Show" in Hannover is one of Germany's biggest U.S. Car Meetings. This year, my K.I.T.T. was a part of it.

» 24 images

Today, we mounted the new LED scanner by Lectric Enterprises. We had to install new aluminium brackets to mount the black cover in front of the scannerbar. Additionally, we had to remove the old halogen scanner, which was quite complicated, too.

» 6 images, 1 video

There was one big problem with controlling K.I.T.T.'s voice via Bluetooth Remote Control: My mobile phone only has about 10 meters range using Bluetooth. So I was looking for a wireless LAN solution and found it: With WinAmp remote program "Signal", the range now is more than 100 meters. So I happily spent the $25 for the license.

» full size image