KITT sound

[one man]

I have kind of an odd question that I haven't found the answer to online, and I wanted to see if anyone knows. I have an 83 Trans Am KITT replica that I'm trying to build accurate to the original show, and I'm trying to get the exhuast sound that one of the "hero" cars had. It started around mid-first season. I've read where during the first season the stunt guys pulled out the factory 305 V8, and replaced it with a 350. The exhaust doesn't to me have the quiet factory sound, even with a 350. I'm not sure if they used a different muffler, or straight pipes with no mufflers, or put headers on the car, or what. I've been all over the internet and You Tube listening to different exhaust/muffler combinations with 305 and 350 engines, and haven't heard anything that matches the show. There's a couple of different good scenes in White Bird and Knight Moves during the first season, where Hasselhoff starts up KITT, and the dubbed in Turbine sound doesn't drown out the exhaust. I've heard that engine start and exhaust sound in different episodes from about mid-first season, thru the fourth season. I was wondering if anyone knew of a hero car that they tried putting a high performance exhaust, or muffler on it to beef up the sound?

[james olden]

Alot of kitts sounds were mostly just sound effects.but sometimes some sounds were actually real for example in season 4 Knight of the Juggernaut right before Michael pressed the spm button forthwith first time you can hear the 82 trans am 305 or 350 motor. The 82 trans am real sound also on Smokey and the bandit 3.

[one man]

Thanks for the reply james. I know there are a couple of pretty good clean sounds if KITT's exhaust in two episodes from the first season. In White Bird when Michael packs up and drives away with Stevie from her apartment, and Knight Moves I think was the episode where Michael goes to leave and there is a truck blocking them in. You can clearly see and hear Michael turning the key, and KITT starting up. I'd really like to get that muffler sound out of my car. Another good scene is from the 3rd season episode Knightlines, where Michael picks up the construction worker's widow out in front of school she teaches as at and drives off. I gotta believe those weren't dubbed in. I just thought I would see if anyone in the forum here would have any knowledge of a high performance exhaust or muffler they put on one of the hero cars around mid-first season.

[keonjenkins]

I agree with James I think it's all dubbed in sound effects. I caught the same exhaust sound in a few tv shows and a Chuck Norris movie. For example in the A Team episode Taxi Cab Wars, this is the episode that introduces Faceman's Corvette. You hear that same sound as they drive down the road. Also in some of the third season episodes and so on they use that sound effect on B.A.s Van. On Hunter you hear it on DeeDee McCalls Dodge Daytona. It was in a car chase in season one. It was jumpin little hills on a residential street or something.

[KITTfan]

Really like the exhaust / muffler sound in Soul Survivor at the scene where Adrianne tells Randy to kill Michael using KITT and the other guy forces him into the car, Randy starts KITT and drives away, this sound is really nice

[scatpack]

the 82 I had sounded just like KITT minus the turbine sound of course. 305 4 bbl stock exhaust. I have an 83 now with a crossfire so it is a little different.

[Knight Racer]

I have a 67 recordings I made for MsKen's game for the engine sounds as well as every other kitt sound you can think of.It was very hard to find some that haven't been drowned out by music.Do you want me to email it to you?

[one man]

Thanks for all the input, everyone. I'm a believer in the dubbed in enigine start now. I just watched "Knight Behind Bars," from the 4th season. After Bonnie goes into the prison, Michael and KITT are sitting outside the prison. When they go to move closer, you can hear two engine starts. The first one is the one with exhaust sound I'm trying to replicate, and then you hear another starter crank. Unbelievable. I think the second starte is probably the actual start from the hero car. Bad editing on the post-production teams part, and I think it's sad that they had to dub in engine starts and drive aways. I can understand dubbing in the turbine sound, but the startup? I have converted 5-6 clips of some pretty clean scenes minus of the turbine sound(thanks for the offer Knight Racer), to WAV files. I think I'm going to just burn them to a CD and take it to a muffler shop and see what they think they can put on my car to get that sound. Personally, I think it's a turbo muffler, but we'll see what they say.

scatpak, I have an 83 myself. It's a 305, but not sure if it's a crossfire. I don't have the original sticker. I was disappointed to pull off the air cleaner when I bought it, and saw it has a 2 bbl on it.

[Knight Racer]

Your welcome,glad I could help.I used to love the jet engine sound until I heard the engine sounds in the first half of goliath.That the sound you were looking for?