Car that met The Hoff will be at rally

The iconic talking Pontiac Trans-Am from the 1980s’ hit television series Knight Rider offered a weekly dose of souped-up wonder.

Fans of the show will have chance to see one of its replicas for the first time in five years at this year’s The Yorkshire Post Motor Show and Classic Car Rally at Castle Howard on Father’s Day. Rob Ormondroyd bought his version of KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand), a 1982 Pontiac Trans-Am, 15 years ago and created his own dashboard.

He said: “It’s something you bring from your childhood. It’s a connection to your childhood and the memories of it. There was nothing like it on television.”

Actor David Hasselhoff, who played Michael Knight in the show, ‘met’ this version of his co-star in 2011 in Castleford.

Five years ago Mr Ormondroyd, a designer who produces sci-fi comic convention Ultra Con at Doncaster Racecourse and co-produced Knight Rider convention Knightcon, ripped out the dashboard to tweak it but was too busy to finish the job. Now a desire to take his five-year-old daughter to the Yorkshire Post Motor Show and Classic Car Rally is driving him to complete the rebuild.

The 44-year-old said: “The Yorkshire Post Motor Show was always my favourite show. My son Brandon, who is 13 now, came to the show lots. He loved standing up out of the T-top roof when the cars were displayed in the arena. For the last 18 months my daughter Alexa has mentioned wanting to do the car show. I decided to do the car for her.”

The car, which has the classic KITT red scanner, is being rebuilt with the custom KITT dashboard including hundreds of LED lights and should be able to talk. It is signed by actor William Daniels who supplied the Voice of KITT.

Tickets for The Yorkshire Post Motor Show and Classic Car Rally on June 19 can be bought at www.castlehoward.co.uk/motorshow. Those booking online will receive a 10 per cent discount. To enter a vehicle, contact Karen Goodridge Cross on 0113 2388201 or [email protected].