Famous Car Friday

A car famed for helping David Hasselhoff escape bad guys on the 1980s television series Knight Rider. The original KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand) appeared on T.V. for the first time in 1982 as the show then lasted for 90 episodes. KITT is an artificially intelligent electronic computer module as a 1982 Pontiac Trans Am. KITT the self-driving car, voiced by William Daniels, helped the 21st century crime-fighter Michael Knight by using Turbo Boosts, a front-mounted scanner bar, small fire arms, and much more. 23 KITT cars were used for the series. All but five were destroyed at the end of filming. Complete with an evil doppelganger called KARR, KITT is a T.V. car worth remembering.

 

Famous Car Friday

What car was more iconic than the original Batmobile? This classic 1966 Batmobile, customized by George Barris, was a signature vehicle for the Batman television series. Barris had originally purchased the 1955 Lincoln Futura for $1, that was later turned into the Batmobile. ABC Television had asked Barris to create a vehicle for their Batman T.V. series a few weeks before filming was to begin. Barris decided to hire Gene Cushenberry, a custom builder, to help modify his Futura. Three weeks later the Batmobile was created. This car helped to make Barris famous through the T.V. series. After the show ended, Barris sold the Batmobile in 2013 for $4,620,000 at an auction. With 120 episodes in three seasons, this car will always be remembered for it’s incredible features and upgrades.

Famous Car Friday

No one could forget the nine seasons of the Beverly Hillbillies with their old beat up truck driven by the Clampetts. This truck is based on an early 1920 Oldsmobile Model 43-A touring car. This model had a 43-horsepower 4-cylinder engine and rode on a 115-inch wheelbase. George Barris is responsible for creating this truck, as he was asked to design a suitable vehicle for a hillbilly family. He found a 1921 Oldsmobile behind a feed store, which he considered to be an almost perfect hillbilly truck. The rear half of the body had already been removed and all that was added was a rear platform with a high bench to fit Granny and Elly May. Driving this 40-year-old truck from the Ozark Mountains to California must have meant that Jethro had been a good mechanic.

Famous Car Friday

Many remember the Green Hornet TV Series for its Chrysler Imperial Crown known as Black Beauty. Black Beauty was loaded. She had retractable panels with explosive warheads, a knock-out gas nozzle in the center of the grille, a “scanner” able to launch through a panel in the trunk lid, and a gun where the fuel filler previously was. One of her most memorable features includes her green headlights. This car was customized for $13,000 by Dean Jefferies. Two Black Beauties were used for the show in 1966-’67 and both still exist today.  Many still enjoy Black Beauty 1 on display at the Peterson Automotive Museum.