Re: A Few Questions

[Knight Cop]

I say avoid loans,, only cause I'm still technically paying off loans for my old Kitt even now,, had a real bad financial spell,, got it all in hand now but ment I had to do some wheeling dealing with company x and company y etc,, so Im very much if I don't have the money I don't have the toy man now,,, that said still starting to mount up a credit card again,, really gota sort that.

Yep money it's a pain I tell ya,, once you have it though then you can get a car and it's well worth driving for 6 months before you do anything, if after 6 months or more you have had nothing major spring up with it you can feel a lot happier starting to pile conversion money into it,, TBH things like dash and electronics etc can easily be moved from one car to another if req but once you start resprays etc that can't be moved over, that's where it then hurts if your base car needs changed.

So when looking getting one in black is cool, but if you have a choice of 2, one body and mech is all golden but it's red for example and one that needs engine work or worse still gearbox work and basically feels a like it might be a costly affair then go red and reprint, you'll be doing nose cone etc anyways so chances where you where going to need to hit it with paint, just means a pain in trying to paint engine bay etc,,,, but that's what I say, others will have other ideas on what's best etc etc,, and they'll be right too for there own reason at the end of the day it's what feels right to you, that's what matters

Not fair I want one and I want it now too let's both win the euro lotto I think we could both live with it being split 2 ways

[GuestGuest]

i bought a very nice clean 1988 f reg 5.7 gta genuine factory black the only problem with the later cars is the ground effects what a pig of a job me and rik had welding up the ground effect holes for repair and paint when you take them off it leaves big bolt holes that is the downside of a later bird

[geordiesharp]

Thanks Simon,

Thats another question answered )
I was looking at the car I've seen on autotrader (see link in message above)
and I was wondering how much mess it would leave after I take of those ground effects at the front and body effects on the doors and side panels.

So basically if it's that messy I think I need to rethink that car, I don't want the expense of having to get the holes welded and painted.

Thanks

[GuestGuest]

you will have a hell of a lot of backdating on later car but on a plus note later cars generally are in better condition and the 5.7 tpi goes like stink and is better on fuel than the carb versions and not to bad on fuel either good on a rub the ground effect holes just need welding up and then filling the panels so if your not afraid of a bit of hard work then buy a later one me and rik have just bought a 1986 c reg 5.0 v8 which we are doing a karr with again that has the ground effects as well unfortunatley but doesnt matter to us as we have already done it

[Newcastle knight]

Thats why id go for a firebird formula if i had to do it again, you get the better engine and gearbox with it being newer, but they dont have a bodykit and also have a cowl hood too

Ive got a GTA myself however all the bodykit was gone when i got it thankfully, although i did help peter remove the bodykit off his 91 Firebird when he got that and yes it was a pain in the arse

[geordiesharp]

Has anyone seen the KITT Marco Valleggi of Italy built ??

I have just watched his videos on youtube, and OH MY GOD !!!!!!
The computer stuff is incredible, not to mention KITT has functional smoke screen, laser and AUTO CRUISE!!.

This guy is unbelieveable, Does anyone know if all this is true or if it's one of those many special effects vids floating around youtube?
BASICALLY I WANT HIS CAR, BUT I PREFER A 1 TV DASH, I'M A SEASON 3/4 GUY MYSELF )

[Newcastle knight]

Yeah some of the stuff Marco has done with his car is amazing, and i think nearly everything is for real apart from the auto cruise function.

But his comlink and all the voice activated gadgets are for real, clever bloke !

[geordiesharp]

Yeah he is a clever bloke, but explain this vid to me then :

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You can see there is noone in the car, and no other car towing it ???????

[Kitt]

sadly its the magic of video editing, you would need a hell of a lot of equipment to make the car do that, pneumatic or hydraulic rams for brake and accelerator, basically its someone ducked down driving straight with the monitor on a front camera view so they can see where they are going, I've done this myself, I can actually drive my car just by looking into the monitor, he did a good job of joining up 2 videos where he gets into the car though you can see a slight difference in the brightness of the sun.
Then whoever was driving gets in the back of the car, opens the door and then films the rest of the video over his shoulder, makes sense
The alleged driving on its own its very clever camera trickery, basically its 2 video overlays, plus the steering is inconsistent to the driving.
Plus really if you were gonna do, that kinda thing you would sit in the drivers seat, no?
Most of the electronics side of things is real though,

[Knight Cop]

Its amazing what you can do with a few clever angles and the right software, having done some SFX for a few productions I gota admit he's quite slick at his edits but as said above he's there just out of camera sight, if you look real close you never see the bottom left of the gull wing

Some nicely done split screening and viola that very nicely done video I need to look through the rest of them, looks like he's done most of the gadgets I want to do on mine aswell,, I'm a gadget freak and from what I've herd his is the most choc crammed full,, Hmmm a target to beat

[geordiesharp]

Yeah this guys car is amazing, I wish there was a way of me doing that, but sadly my computer skills are not that good:((

I wonder if I could convince him to sell me the software

I doubt it (

[geordiesharp]

BTW On KNIGHTRIDERONLINE a guy said there was never a trans am with a 3.1 ltr engine, so he recommends not getting it.

Does anyone here have any other infor on whether a 3.1 ltr engine ever was used ??

[Knight Cop]

I don't think it's him but ther is a Italian guy selling some Kitt software on eBay it's about £80 though but does all sorts,, I don't think it's this guy as the one on eBay is fitted to an Audi lol

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This guy also does a bunch of conversion parts too but as I'm only just back in the scene I don't know what the reputation of this seller is like? (anyone know please )

Now as for the guy with gadget Kitt I think maybe once he's finished and got his finished (if there is such a thing lol) he might sell the software, I'm sure he'd like to recoupe the costs a bit, plus no real outlay to supply other than a few discs,, but who knows.

I'm no computer programmer TBH but am just teaching myself some basic micro controller programming and looking at a few other computer based languages as well so maybe I'll be able to do something similar, but somehow I doubt it'll be as swish as his lol

[Knight Cop]

BTW On KNIGHTRIDERONLINE a guy said there was never a trans am with a 3.1 ltr engine, so he recommends not getting it.

Does anyone here have any other infor on whether a 3.1 ltr engine ever was used ??

Well Trans Am no, but firebirds yes,, people over here tend to call any firebird a trans am , the 3.1 started on the FB in 1990'm for more info...

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Hope that helps

[GuestGuest]

As Knightcop states...The 3.1 V6 was introduced in 1990 and replaced the 2.8 V6. Basically all the cars are Pontiac Firebirds.
You had the Formula, SE, Trans-Am and the Gran Trans-Am ( GTA ) and some special editions over the years. Basically a Trans-Am is depicted by its options but most importantly its power-plant ( V8 ) where the GTA had allot of different refinements and was available with either a 5.0ltr or a 5.7ltr V8.

Hope this helps clarify things somewhat.

[Newcastle knight]

Yeah they are all Pontiac Firebirds, but the Trans Am is a trim level, you know how you can get a VW GOLF, or VW GOLF GTI, sorta like that.

Base Firebird, Firebird SE, Firebird Formula, Firebird Trans Am and the Firebird Trans Am GTA, they were all the different specs you could get over the years

[GuestGuest]

I should have made it a bit clearer lol. As the Formula introduced in 1987 i believe was also a V8 and saw the return of the cowl hood

[geordiesharp]

Yes THANKS Guys,

I am now more aware of the engines, However do I consider this car , as it has the correct nose and rear spoiler, Or do I forget it.

Thats really what I need someone to answer, Is this car worth considering, and is it a REAL Trans Am or a FIREBIRD that the guy has named a TRANS AM ????

[Knight Cop]

Which one are we talking about again linky please

[Lone_crusader]

Yeah this guys car is amazing, I wish there was a way of me doing that, but sadly my computer skills are not that good:((

I wonder if I could convince him to sell me the software

I doubt it (

He does sell the software I think.... sure ive seen it on Knight Rider World's ebay store for about £100

[geordiesharp]

Here you go KNIGHT COP Linky as requested

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Just tell me if this is worth considering, or will it be a MAJOR lot of work )


Cheers

[Knight Cop]

Well looking at the ad he's not called it a trans-am he's only called it a firebird which it is,,m you will not find a V6 trans am, only v8 and as you where looking for the smaller engine then you will have to get a firebird.

The best English equivalent way of explaining it is you have a Ford Escort, and the Ford Escort Cosworth,, but many might call it a Ford Cosworth ignoring saying escort.

As for is it worth it, well it all depends how much of your time you want to dedicate to it etc, if your looking for a project then it is one, any Kitt conversion is a project.

This car has a lot going for it t-tops, power bulge bonnet, Tan interior, it's black, Only a v6 so a tad more Eco, correct spoiler so a few good bits

The things against it is the ground effects, Still need to get turbo fin rims and caps (but 98% of them out there are) And from feedback here it would seem its a little over priced for a firebird of its spec.

As for do you don't you that's your choice

[Newcastle knight]

looks like a great starter car on the face of it but go and see it if your serious about buying it, key areas to check for rust are the passenger side rear wheel arch where the spare wheel goes, along the bottoms of the doors, the front lip of the bonnet, check the underside of it even if theres no signs on the outside.

It is a firebird with the aero package i believe it was called, basically a firebird with a Trans Am style bodykit. ive removed one of those bodykits from Peters old car as it was the same year and model as this one, you will need to buy a new rear bumper as the bodykit is part of the bumper, and its the wrong type anyway.

Its good that its already had a cowl hood fitted though as they are really hard to get hold of now.

[geordiesharp]

Hey KNIGHT COP

COOOOOL find on ebay, looks like the software Marco made or a very close version of it, But I dunno how the .... he wires in the windows or the engine ignition to the computer, I know it's relays but even though I am computer literate when it comes to relays ??????

I think I need a Yoda type person to teach me, maybe help me when I get my car, before I completely .... it up
Any offers gratefully recieved )) Anyway I know I will get more satisfaction to say I BUILT MY OWN KITT ) Than saying oh yeah such and such company did it )

And yes I know it's kinda sad me here at 2:41 am with nothing better to do than post on a forum, but hey I'm an insomniac I prefer sleeping in the daytime, or does that make me a vampire mmmmmmm

[Knight Cop]

Don't worry I'm a night owl myself, For me AM should only be for going to bed not getting up in

Relays are nothing more than a switch, there really quite simple, but being an electronics engineer I would say that

At the moment I wouldn't scare yourself about the wiring job etc involved in the conversion,, worry about getting the car first don't get me wrong, research and prepare yourself for the work that's to come but don't get to hung up on the finer details right now

We'll help you the best we can, of coarse there's only so much we can do over a forum but I'm sure they'll be occasions where one of us can help you out in person,, events are always a good time to get all hands on deck etc.

I am normally at the Billing shows don't know how many here go, I know I normally see one or 2 KITTS there I'm normally found hanging around with the cop club eating doughnuts lol

The billing event is the American Auto Club International event or better know as the AACI Billing event, the dates for this years are..

21st/22nd April 2012
16th/17th June 2012 (the weekend before is the Street rod event)
17th/18th/19th August 2012

Entry is normally £10 per car

Also events wise there are a few others kicking about like Americana, the hot rod nationals and bunch of other random ones.

The main one for this group is KnightCon but not seen any dates or definite answer if there is a 2012 event yet, it'd be nice to have a 2012 as I missed the 2011 but if it needs a year off to help prep and make 2013 happen I know it's occasionally req for event to take a year out to regenerate as it where

But yes I agree it's going to be FAR more satisfying to say you see my KITT I did that rather than hey I picked that up/bough it from

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