Original R2-D2 foot motors from 1977's Star Wars ANH

[OpenR2]

The original John Stears' R2 Robot Manual, the fall special edition of Electronics Today, and the December issue of Electronics Today have some of the best shots of the construction of the R2 traction drive system.

We've been able to identified the original motors used on R2-D2 as Lucas 17W windscreen motors.

Here is a link to an article we put together that shows a bit of history about tracking down the motor and a video disassembling the motor.

Forensic Archaeology - Lucas 17W

 

[Halliwax]

Oh my god! Of course, flipping windshield wiper motors!!

 

[division 6]

A friend of mine used wiper motors in his as well.

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Maybe James Bruton on YouTube knew something we didn’t, he’s been using car wiper and power window motors for years on robot builds.

 

[Halliwax]

A lot of r2 builders have been using wiper motors for awhile.

I think power window motors too.. memory escapes me

All I do know is any delorean owner will tell you.. “stay away from Lucas electronics!”

 

[OpenR2]

One thing you’ll never be able to unsee is that the Lucas 17W motor only comes in one handedness. So on Artoo, the motors are mounted in opposite directions on each foot.

 

[Halliwax]

One thing you’ll never be able to unsee is that the Lucas 17W motor only comes in one handedness. So on Artoo, the motors are mounted in opposite directions on each foot.

View attachment 1778026

I don’t think I’ve ever seen these photos… the battery boxes are interesting…

 

[Vagabond Elf]

Man, I stared at those photos for the B-Boxes for ages when I was creating my "ANH detail sideplates" and never noticed that the side panels on the real droid were rotated, not mirrored.

Oh, well, I like symmetry, my boxes are done, and there's a half-dozen others with my design in the wild now. And I'm definitely going for more of an "idealised" build, as droid builders generally do. Still, a very cool detail to know.

 

[3Dsf]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen these photos… the battery boxes are interesting…

Who would have thought that promo photos for the Holiday Special could yield such valuable research?

Man, I stared at those photos for the B-Boxes for ages when I was creating my "ANH detail sideplates" and never noticed that the side panels on the real droid were rotated, not mirrored.

Yes, it’s a detail that’s super hard to spot in virtually all the photos of the original ANH RC R2. We don’t see the robot from the back in a lot of photos, and few actually show the battery box sides.

Plus it’s easy to mentally discount something like this, even unconsciously, unless you’re doing what Robert is doing, and digging down really deep in terms of the original engineering of those droids!

 

[Halliwax]

we

Who would have thought that promo photos for the Holiday Special could yield such valuable research?


Yes, it’s a detail that’s super hard to spot in virtually all the photos of the original ANH RC R2. We don’t see the robot from the back in a lot of photos, and few actually show the battery box sides.

Plus it’s easy to mentally discount something like this, even unconsciously, unless you’re doing what Robert is doing, and digging down really deep in terms of the original engineering of those droids!

Love the holiday special

Still trying to figure out what’s going on with those boxes though…

And these are the only ones done like this?

 

[3Dsf]

Still trying to figure out what’s going on with those boxes though…

And these are the only ones done like this?

Going on in what sense?

The ANH RC R2 aluminium foot boxes had hangers, and were thus not attached directly to the feet. The boxes also had large round holes cut into them. These were larger than was needed to accommodate the side of the Lucas motors protruding from them, so a sheet metal plate was installed on each side. The plates were curved over the top and had notches for the motors. (The landspeeder/stunt R2 had solid plates with chamfered lower corners over the boxes) The visible sections of the motors were painted white. And I think Robert/OpenR2 was the first to point out that the cutouts weren’t mirrored but were handed.

The fronts of the boxes had asymmetrical protrusions; the lower one being taller.

The Empire fibreglass boxes lacked the hangers and this altered the shape of the foot and box profiles. They were also smooth sided and had no holes except for the versions designed for Kenny, which had holes for his legs to go into.

I've written up more info here:

The R2-D2 Detail Catalogue Part C: Legs, Shoulders, and Feet

TABLE OF CONTENTS

sites.google.com

 

[Halliwax]

Going on in what sense?

The ANH RC R2 aluminium foot boxes had hangers, and were thus not attached directly to the feet. The boxes also had large round holes cut into them. These were larger than was needed to accommodate the side of the Lucas motors protruding from them, so a sheet metal plate was installed on each side. The plates were curved over the top and had notches for the motors. (The landspeeder/stunt R2 had solid plates with chamfered lower corners over the boxes) The visible sections of the motors were painted white. And I think Robert/OpenR2 was the first to point out that the cutouts weren’t mirrored but were handed.

The fronts of the boxes had asymmetrical protrusions; the lower one being taller.

The Empire fibreglass boxes lacked the hangers and this altered the shape of the foot and box profiles. They were also smooth sided and had no holes except for the versions designed for Kenny, which had holes for his legs to go into.

More info:

The R2-D2 Detail Catalogue Part C: Legs, Shoulders, and Feet

TABLE OF CONTENTS

sites.google.com

Thanks for taking the time and explaining, first I’ve ever heard of these plates that expose the motors!

 

[3Dsf]

Thanks for taking the time and explaining, first I’ve ever heard of these plates that expose the motors!

It's a rabbithole, to be sure.