Friends create Knight Rider car for European rally
Paul Holmes and Luke Booth bought the car after spotting it online
- Published
Two friends have set out on an 837-mile (1,348km) charity drive through Europe in a car decked out to resemble the vehicle from 1980s TV show Knight Rider.
Luke Booth and Paul Holmes, from Melton Mowbray, have already raised more than £2,500 for the Alzheimer's Society as part of the Skinflint Rally.
The rally, which began on Thursday, will see participants drive from Calais to Slovenia, taking in countries including Czechia and Germany along the way.
The duo, who have both dressed as Knight Rider star David Hasselhoff for the journey, bought a £500 Toyota Celica and have fitted it with "gadgets and gizmos" to complete the challenge.
Mr Booth, 27, said they had decided to raise funds for Alzheimer's Society as it was a cause close to their hearts.
He added: "We found out about the rally a few years ago. We both wanted to do one.
"Due to time and work commitments we struggled to do the initial one.
"It's everything we wanted to do, having a laugh, raising money for great charities."
The first stop along the journey was due to be Cologne, Germany, before the next stop in Prague.
The "most beautiful leg" will involve more than nine hours of driving to Bovec, Slovenia.
Mr Booth said: "A bit like a Top Gear challenge we are supposed to be staying off the autobahns and [it is] sort of a long route round.
"The final stint which is probably the most beautiful stint but also the challenge itself – is the width of the Alps. The scenery is absolutely insane."
It took two days for the friends to install the "gadgets" on to the car.
The pair had been looking for a car to complete the challenge in for about two weeks before they found a 2004 Toyota Celica online.
Mr Holmes, 44, had "childhood memories" of Knight Rider, so the mates decided to add "gadgets and gizmos" to the car to pay tribute to the original.
These features include a strobe radar light, a red underglow, and a tannoy system.
Mr Holmes and Mr Booth are aiming to reach their destination on Saturday.
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