1 to 1 Landspeeder build

[TommyBuilt]

We had the opportunity back in Oct to build a Landspeeder for a new TV series that will air in late April or so on Velocity channel. The build came out pretty nice and we have since gone back and started to add some detail. Since we were pressed for time we couldn't build it to exact movie spec but its looking pretty close.Its taken the guys over at Faraway creations years to collect original parts to create there master piece. we had 30 days, lol. We made our own chassis out of aluminum inside the fiberglass tub and its powered by an electric golf cart drive train. we basically took the rear out of the golf cart and narrowed it and replaced the wheels and tires with something skinnier to fit under the speeder properly. we were able to use some of the steering components and went with a single wheel up front. Its powered by 4 Optima Yellow Top batteries and rolls out pretty quick. we built the rear suspension as a 3 link set up using coil overs. Since we were filming other episodes back to back we are just now getting to put some time into the details. Allot of the original parts that were put on the original two speeders made no sense at all and are certainly now recognizable as to what they really are. Since it was designed as a prop to be used in a few scenes and there were very few close up shots of the detials we decided to embellish a bit on a few items that clearly look like they were out of place. The steering wheel for one was different between the two originals and neither looked the part. Since this will be something that people can walk up on and see in person We felt we should make some of these minor details look like what you would have expected to see. I will add some air dates on to the thread when I know for sure if anyone is interested in checking out the build. Meanwhile here are some pictures to check out.

 

[SofaKing01]

GORGEOUS!!

 

[Darth Mawr]

Beautiful work. Looking forward to seeing this show on Velocity. Please do post the air dates.

 

[Cadger]

I hate to brake the news but no one is really interested. Since the new XP-38 came out, your speeder is just not in demand.

:lol

Just kidding!

I wish I had something like that. I must be so cool to be able to cruise around in a landspeeder. Great work!

 

[joberg]

Excellent job on that Speeder for sure:cool

 

[TommyBuilt]

Thanks guys , I appreciate it and who's to say we aren't already working on an XP-38.

 

[Devil Master]

Wow. That makes me wish I had the time and resources to attempt something like that, but I wouldn't go for a simple 1 to 1 replica of what has been seen in the movie.
Has anyone ever thought about the untold stories of the various objects that appeared in the movies? Stories that, in universe, must necessarily have happened? For example, we have always seen Luke's landspeeder as old and beat-up, but, in universe, it must have been new at a certain point in time. Try to imagine that: a brand-new X-34 landspeeder, just out of the SoroSuub factories. All shiny, without any bump or dent, no scratches or chips in the paint, and the paint itself showing off bright colors because it's too new for even starting to fade.
That's what I'd really like to make if I could.

 

[TommyBuilt]

That would be awesome , it would be slick to do one in another color scheme as well Im sure there were options at the dealer , they may have had a 4 seater sedan available as well. There is a really cool rendering floating around the web of a new version and Im dying to build it. But there will be very few people that would know what it was.Its is hard when you build stuff like this because it is so recognizable people just expect see certain things. We took a few liberties on this build mostly because of time constriants but at the end of the day Im not looking to have an exact replica of something a couple of guys originally through together to be used in 4 scenes or so.Anyone that has done their homework on the original two knows there were plenty of differences between both of the screen used versions so I guess my point is what are you really replicating what you really saw, or what you think you saw.

 

[Halliwax]

i love these kinds of builds! very nice job, i personally LOVE the seats! im going to have to keep an eye out on the velocity channel!

 

[TXarmory]

Very nice rendition of the speeder Tommybuilt. The engine lights are a cool touch. Welcome to the club. Where are you located?

We just did a little update to the paint job on ours today, getting ready for a ComicCon in Dallas this weekend. Anyone in Dallas, come on out to Irving convention center Saturday Feb 7, or Sunday. Say howdy.

 

[TXarmory]

For example, we have always seen Luke's landspeeder as old and beat-up, but, in universe, it must have been new at a certain point in time. Try to imagine that: a brand-new X-34 landspeeder, just out of the SoroSuub factories. All shiny, without any bump or dent, no scratches or chips in the paint, and the paint itself showing off bright colors because it's too new for even starting to fade.
That's what I'd really like to make if I could.

Funny your thinking of that. The first paint job I did on my speeder was exactly that. Fresh and new. No scratches. Paint colors shiny and fresh. It looked really weird. We quickly repainted it all scratched up, and it looked much better. The mind's eye is a hard thing to fool.

I'll have to find those pictures and post them so you can see for yourself.

 

[TommyBuilt]

Thanks TXarmory , Im out of MD. I built this one using the Daniels mold from FL. He was under the impression his was the only one on the east coast. It looks like all the rest of these have been made from the same mold? I was looking into building this pretty hard last Sept. we had 30 days from resin to reveal date for this one so I didn't get to do as much research as I would have liked. The only speeder besides Daniels that I could find was Far Away's, I did most of my digging on the Rebel legion Forum. Im definitely interested in a club. I would like toad sound effects and more details,I would be interested to see what people are using. So far our lighting concepts are working out great. I have some video at night, its awesome. I just installed an Amp and speakers and picked up an arduino board for mp3 playback I would like to add sound while its moving as well. The pictures I took of it before all the damage was added and we flat cleared it look so cool, kind of cartoonish But it was definitely out of place. If I make my way out to TX I will definitely look you up.

 

[Devil Master]

I'll have to find those pictures and post them so you can see for yourself.

You made me curious. I'm waiting for those pictures.

 

[Driod Collector]

Nice build. I thought Daniels molds were destroyed at the time he made his pull? This is what I heard from numerous prop builders. I have the molds to the other speeders out there including Cal's. Curious.

 

[thd9791]

Holy cow this is incredible!

 

[TommyBuilt]

Nice build. I thought Daniels molds were destroyed at the time he made his pull? This is what I heard from numerous prop builders. I have the molds to the other speeders out there including Cal's. Curious.

this is the only other cast made from his molds, Im not sure of the history, if they were repaired or redone, etc. He let me use them as a personal favor since It was being built on a TV show. I am very curious to see how close these are in person.

- - - Updated - - -

Holy cow this is incredible!

Thanks , we are still working on the details but Im pretty happy so far.

 

[Pwrsrce]

Looks great!

Here's a little history on the current speeders that are available...My friend Ron and I had talked about creating a speeder for a while, and finally we went about making it a reality. Ron and another friend up in Ohio built/sculpted the master based on hands on measurements from the real prop that was out on tour. When they were getting close to making molds, we were also talking with Daniel, as he wanted one for Star Wars weekends at Disney. He wanted Ron to send his master down to Florida for him to make the molds. But Ron didn't believe the Master would survive the trip, and declined. So Daniel went another direction with his...And it turned out pretty well. The only real issues with his were differences in the engine pods from what is seen on screen, as well as the shape/depth of the intakes on the fronts of the wings. I don't know where he got his measurements, but the whole thing seemed a little larger than the original as well. But still very nice. We eventually finished ours, and most of the replicas that are out there (including Faraway's) came from those molds. I later met the guys at TXarmory and was able to compare notes with them regarding their fine build.

Obviously I have an affinity for the landspeeder builds...And yours is coming along very nicely. Great job!

Jason

 

[TommyBuilt]

Looks great!

Here's a little history on the current speeders that are available...My friend Ron and I had talked about creating a speeder for a while, and finally we went about making it a reality. Ron and another friend up in Ohio built/sculpted the master based on hands on measurements from the real prop that was out on tour. When they were getting close to making molds, we were also talking with Daniel, as he wanted one for Star Wars weekends at Disney. He wanted Ron to send his master down to Florida for him to make the molds. But Ron didn't believe the Master would survive the trip, and declined. So Daniel went another direction with his...And it turned out pretty well. The only real issues with his were differences in the engine pods from what is seen on screen, as well as the shape/depth of the intakes on the fronts of the wings. I don't know where he got his measurements, but the whole thing seemed a little larger than the original as well. But still very nice. We eventually finished ours, and most of the replicas that are out there (including Faraway's) came from those molds. I later met the guys at TXarmory and was able to compare notes with them regarding their fine build.

Obviously I have an affinity for the landspeeder builds...And yours is coming along very nicely. Great job!

Jason

Thanks for the info, I figured that there were not many molds out there. Daniel had told me that he had some inside help from the original builders of the Real land speeder and also had access to the original for measuring purposes. I really don't know the detials as far as how accurate it really is. I did see the engines look little more oval than these. Honestly with the time and the circumstances we had on this build , we weren't looking to make a total screen accurate build. Allot of the details on the screen used speeders left allot to be desired and of course aren't accurate to what would have been on a real vehicle of this nature, like the gear shifter that was in one but not the other, the analog Hobb's meter in the dash. these are things most people never noticed were even there. Since you can walk up on it and stare at it in person we chose to make the details a little more realistic to what a space age hover craft might really have in it without taking away from what people thought they saw. The land speeder was only in a few scenes as iconic as it is most people have no idea of its true detials.The guys form Faraway have painstakingly taken there build to a level of screen used accuracy That I couldn't imagine the only thing they could have done any better was to get an old Renult Robin for the drive train. I found one for sale here and almost bought it for this build but we just didn't have the time to do that kind of build with this thing. I am working on the rear panels right now, I will get some updated pics up as soon as they are close.

 

[Pwrsrce]

Yep...I've heard people say that a Renault Robin was the original doner...But I also heard that the Bond Bug was as well. I'm not sure if it's ever been confirmed definitively either way.

As far as details go...I always thought that building an ipad into the dash would be a cool idea. You could set a closeup pic of the original prop dash if you wanted it, but it could also be a touch screen with other various things to do...Music, pics, video, etc.

I can't wait to see more pics...And let us know when the show is going to air.

Jason

 

[TommyBuilt]

I was planing on an IPAD mini in the dash boxes so I could display various scene's , etc and of course speakers.