ALIEN (1979) motion tracker questions

Hey Gang,

In my quest to obtain the "less popular" props, I recenty acquired a Panasonic Ranger 505 portable TV (base of the '79 motion tracker). I was wondering if anyone here knew anything else about replicating this prop. Any ideas about any other greeblies or what mods were made to the TV itself? Here's a link to the completed Ebay auction for those who aren't familiar with the piece http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1.

I know there are one or two people here trying to replicate this piece as well. Let's try and pool all of our info into one big fact finding thread.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated (this has also been posted over at the Aliens Legacy board).

Thanks,
Fred

I'll start...

cool prop. Never followed the research threads on this one, but the blocks with the wiring/ribbed wiring sticking out seems to be an icecube thingie.

Marc

Wow! Nice catch there!!

Looking forward to seeing it built up!!

Originally posted by apollo@Feb 21 2006, 08:31 PM
Wow!Â* Nice catch there!!

Looking forward to seeing it built up!!

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Thanks, me too

AA, thanks for those pics; they should be of some help .

Marc, I believe that the ice cube tray is the one identified piece on the tracker. The two round things underneath those wires look like a split film reel (like from a eumig servomatic (Luke's macros)). The wires are most likely 1/4" and 1/2" wire loom. The thing sticking out the front looks like a funnel, but I've never seen one with such a wide neck.

Everything else, well, that's anyone's guess.

Any other pics or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Fred

The round thing on the side is a gully cover.There was another thread about this part and I have found it (or as near as) at a local store.

-Paul.

I was watching that one, Fred - would have bid on it but then I saw you posted yours. Shows you what good just watching does! :P

But I'm not upset, becuase here are mine:





Before anybody accuses me of hoarding, I'd like it known that I never snipe anyone's auction if I recognize them as RPFers, and I've actually resold two to members who needed them for a conversion. I won't be parting with any more since I need these to serve as testbeds for the replica greeblies I plan on designing in CAD when my time allows. Simon (Birdie)'s awesome scratch-built tracker replica was my inspiration to get into this prop, and as soon as time and funds allow, I plan on having each and every greeblie reproduced in metal, wood, or resin. So at the end, I'll only be keeping one and selling the others as part of a kit or buildup.

Until then, if anybody wants to take a crack at this prop and would like a mess of screen-used photos I've graciously been given by Birdie, Philippes, and other members, please e-mail me at proprunner@aol.com and I'll gladly zip them up for you.

- Gabe

HOARDER!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by LeMarchand@Feb 21 2006, 01:04 PM
HOARDER!!!!!!!!

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Maybe you should sleep a little less... that way you could win more US auctions and have time to FINISH UP your damn GRISTLE GUN already!

- Gabe

http://www.rpf.invisionzone.com/index.php?...=motion+tracker

I've yet to see any photographic evidence to support the gully theory.

Here's the scratchbuild I did a few years ago:











Not very accurate, I admit, but given the lack of found parts & reference, it turned out pretty good

I'd love to see some of the other parts ID'ed, as I want to put a more accurate one together.

Originally posted by Prop Runner+Feb 21 2006, 10:09 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Prop Runner &#064; Feb 21 2006, 10:09 PM)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-LeMarchand

@Feb 21 2006, 01:04 PM
HOARDER&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;

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Maybe you should sleep a little less... that way you could win more US auctions and have time to FINISH UP your damn GRISTLE GUN already&#33;

- Gabe

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Didn&#39;t you hear??? The gristlegun was finished 6 months ago and a run of 20 was done, i no longer make them and the buyers signed an agreement they would never sell their copy. I am so sorry you missed out on the run, especially since i sold them for &#036;9.99 build and painted :P :P :P :P

Marc

Nice score&#33;

I don&#39;t think the two round things are a split film reel. Even 8mm film reels are bigger than that (look at Bob&#39;s hand for scale).

I&#39;m pretty sure the parts I&#39;ve (poorly) ringed in red are sliders from a sound mixer or similar:

OK Birdie,

I&#39;m going to buy the gully cover just out of curiosity to see if it is the same.Look damn close to me and I have used these before.I will post a pic when I get it.

Originally posted by troopermaster@Feb 21 2006, 09:49 PM
OK Birdie,

I&#39;m going to buy the gully cover just out of curiosity to see if it is the same.Look damn close to me and I have used these before.I will post a pic when I get it.

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Cool. Look foward to seeing what you come up with. I&#39;ve seen some gullies with a similar pattern, but not anything really close.

Whatever it is, it came in all shapes and sizes. The Nostromo toolbox, from Bob Burns&#39; collection:

Originally posted by LeMarchand@Feb 21 2006, 01:17 PM
Didn&#39;t you hear??? The gristlegun was finished 6 months ago and a run of 20 was done, i no longer make them and the buyers signed an agreement they would never sell their copy. I am so sorry you missed out on the run, especially since i sold them for &#036;9.99 build and painted :P :P :P :P

Marc

I VILL GET YOU FIR THIS, MERCHAND&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&# 33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;



Simon - awesome to see your buildup, as usual&#33; I never knew about the Nostromo toolbox - or that the grills came in different sizes - you been holding out on me, mate?

- Gabe

Originally posted by Prop Runner+Feb 21 2006, 10:13 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Prop Runner &#064; Feb 21 2006, 10:13 PM)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-LeMarchand

@Feb 21 2006, 01:17 PM
Didn&#39;t you hear??? The gristlegun was finished 6 months ago and a run of 20 was done, i no longer make them and the buyers signed an agreement they would never sell their copy. I am so sorry you missed out on the run, especially since i sold them for &#036;9.99 build and painted :P :P :P :P

Marc

I VILL GET YOU FIR THIS, MERCHAND&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&# 33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;



Simon - awesome to see your buildup, as usual&#33; I never knew about the Nostromo toolbox - or that the grills came in different sizes - you been holding out on me, mate?

- Gabe

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Any opportunity,Gabe, any opportunity

Actually, I only spotted that little detail the other day, as it&#39;s on the original Aliens DVD boxset photo gallery, but not the all-singing, all dancing Alien Quadrilogy boxset.

Crafty buggers, those 20th Century Fox wallers&#33;

The round part, could it be an airvent for a computer? Or perhaps one of those old style aentenas(sp) you would sit on your tv to get better signals?

I wonder if the ice cube tray served as the tracker&#39;s cooling unit?

................runs away..............

Actually, the flashlight looking part appears to be made of galvanized steel, so I&#39;d probably look at cookers, washing machines, dryers, ventilation equipment, gardening supplies, plumbing, etc.

- Gabe

Damn guys, this thread exploded &#33;. I figured it would just fade away into oblivion.

Gabe, that&#39;s a hell of a collection (and I appreciate you letting me win this auction ). As a funny side note, I was keeping an eye on a particular piece on ebay and I saw you bid and decided to let off. I hope you get the piece because I know it will benefit of all of us if you do .

That round part does look like an air vent cover now that I see it on the tool box.

Birdie, that is freaking sweet. Care to share an tips on the buildup ?

Let&#39;s keep going guys&#33;&#33;&#33;

-Fred

Bob shows this off on both the Alien Legacy 5th disk and the Movie FX DVD issue that showcased his basement.

Originally posted by Gigatron@Feb 21 2006, 03:01 PM
Gabe, that&#39;s a hell of a collection (and I appreciate you letting me win this auctionÂ* ).Â* As a funny side note, I was keeping an eye on a particular piece on ebay and I saw you bid and decided to let off.Â* I hope you get the piece because I know it will benefit of all of us if you doÂ*

Anything for a brutha&#33; Are you saying you DUCKED the auction or that you found it a little FISHY? Come on, COP to it&#33;

- Gabe

I&#39;m really glad that people have picked up on this piece. It&#39;s such a tough conversion just by the sheer number or parts. I identified the Ranger the week that the Alien Quadrilogy DVD&#39;s came out. I happened to watch the Bob Burns documentary the day before I noticed the TV at the flea market and it caught my eye right away.

Someone sent me some really good ref pics after the ID was made. I&#39;m trying to remember who it was. They had done some work for Fox and had some priveliged ref pics, but I can&#39;t remember if I was supposed to keep them for myself. Maybe they can send me a PM either way if they see this. Some of the pre-production pics show the piece painted white like the toolbox prop. It looks like they painted everything over after that to be closer to the original green color of the TV.

Adam

Originally posted by Prop Runner+Feb 21 2006, 11:12 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Prop Runner &#064; Feb 21 2006, 11:12 PM)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-Gigatron

@Feb 21 2006, 03:01 PM
Gabe, that&#39;s a hell of a collection (and I appreciate you letting me win this auctionÂ* ).Â* As a funny side note, I was keeping an eye on a particular piece on ebay and I saw you bid and decided to let off.Â* I hope you get the piece because I know it will benefit of all of us if you doÂ*

Anything for a brutha&#33; Are you saying you DUCKED the auction or that you found it a little FISHY? Come on, COP to it&#33;

- Gabe

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Gabe, to my eye, that entire auction looked fishy

Godzilla, if you get the permission, I&#39;d love to see those pics.

AA, what&#39;s the Alien Legacy 5th disk? Is it part of that quadrology?

Thanks again,
Fred

Well, you guys have really come up with something (if I may quote another old film of some reknown ) .... well all I have to contribute is my little cache of grabs ... but first, tell me what you think of this "discovery" :



It looks to me like the little screen on the tracker might be from the Commlock prop used on Space: 1999&#33;
















- k