BJ & The Bear computerized car episode

[Michael Pajaro]

Before Glen Larson did Knight Rider, he was the producer of "BJ and the Bear" about a trucker who drove around with his pet chimpanzee helping people. Yes, it was as silly as it sounds but we all loved it as kids (right?)

One of the episodes, "Cain's Cruiser", was about a high-tech prototype car which was going to be distributed to police forces to help fight crime. The back seat had a computerized dashboard run by an operator. The car had sensors to detect low tire pressure on vehicles in motion (to bump up ticket revenues), could scan a vehicle to see the number of heartbeats inside (for catching illegal human smuggling) and could burst through walls without a scratch (just because it's cool.) The inventor/operator of the car was played by Erin Gray of Buck Rogers fame. This episode was kind of a precursor to what Knight Rider eventually became.

I finally found a copy of the episode at a Sci-Fi convention this past weekend. It's a bad DVD of a bad VHS recording, but at least I finally got to see the episode. Here are some pics of the car:

http://www.knightridermovie.com/bj_bear/bj_cruiser1.jpg
http://www.knightridermovie.com/bj_bear/bj_cruiser2.jpg
http://www.knightridermovie.com/bj_bear/bj_cruiser3.jpg
http://www.knightridermovie.com/bj_bear/bj_cruiser4.jpg

I'm not a car person, so I can't tell what model car they used. Anyone?

[James_kr]

The front of that reminds me of the old mercedes.

[pewter 02ws6]

that looks like a 77-78 dodge monaco. the very same type of car that roscoe p. coltrane drove in the dukes of hazzard. these cars were commonly used in every late 70s and early to mid 80's tv shows.

[Lyn]

Speaking of "BJ and the Bear", didn't that semi turn up in a few episodes of "Knight Rider"? I remember seeing it in the background of some "Knight Rider" episodes...

[whet]

The background where location reminds me of the track where they filmed"slammin sammy stunt show"

[James_kr]

The background where location reminds me of the track where they filmed"slammin sammy stunt show"

I agree with that

[kitt_rulz]

humm.... I think KITT looks more futuristic to me. Of couse I'm biest.

[James_kr]

an original trans am would look more futuristic than that!

[Knight Rider Archive]

The background is indeed where Knight Rider filmed "Slammin' Sammy's Stunt Show Spectacular", the demolition derby in the Pilot Episode/"Knight of the Phoenix" and the race in "Knights of the Fast Lane". It was located at the Saugus Speedway, and also featured (a lot) in The Dukes of Hazzard, Hardcastle & McCormick, The A-Team, and a ton of other shows.

[pdennis93]

yeah that is definatley a 77ish monaco like rosco had.

so that track is actually called saugus? its funny that peter avery (mark taylor) says that in knights of the fast lane, i figured it was just a fictional track..

they did use that a lot in hardcastle and mccormick, esp in the pilot, its the track mccormick is driving on in the camaro when he finds out flip dies. and i want to say its also used near the end of the episode even though that was supposed to take place in las vegas

and im pretty sure in the Season 2 opener of H&M that is the track that mccormick races ej corlette on (same actor as john on Chips)

the dukes used it for "the dukes meet cale yarborough" among other racing episodes (pretty sure the demo derby in "the smugglers" doh episode was there too)

[Lost Knight]

I think we could quite possibly be seeing what kind of car K.I.T.T. would have been had Knight Rider been created before 1982.

[pdennis93]

actually looking at that car, it reminds me of the red and white 1977 plymouth fury (and green 77 monaco after it goes through the car was, woops) from "custom made killer"

[pewter 02ws6]

actually looking at that car, it reminds me of the red and white 1977 plymouth fury (and green 77 monaco after it goes through the car was, woops) from "custom made killer"

you are correct! i already stated what type of car it was earlier in this thread.

[Akaihiryuu]

The Dodge Monaco and Plymouth Fury are actually the exact same car, just with minor styling differences. Kinda like how the Camaro and Firebird are the same car with some styling differences. Chrysler made a lot fewer changes between the Monaco and Fury than GM did between the Camaro and Firebird though. I don't know my old Chrysler cars well enough to tell if the car in those shots is a Dodge or Plymouth though. GM tends to make a lot more styling differences between Chevy and Pontiac so it's obvious, but with Chrysler sometimes you have to get close enough to see the emblem before you can tell.