Official C-3PO helmet found part search

[GINO]

There are 2 parts we need to find.

1. Most people aren't aware that the piece on the back part of the threepio mask is actually a metal found part and also that it is repeated on the abdomen.

2. The little loop that attaches to the facemask which the forehead antennae passes through. It looks like your typical eye hook, but I've never seen one that thin. And then there's the question of how (exactly) does it attach to the facemask per the screen used piece.

Here are the photos:

 

[artoo77]

1. I don't believe this was a found part. You're correct that it is the same part used on the stomach, but I seemed to remember seeing a mechanical drawing of the part used to machine it out of aluminum in the archives.

2. Not sure if this was a found part or custom made, but it is simply screwed into the front face mask at the top of the head. The "antenna" machined part fits through the loop, holding the face onto the the back of the head at the top, while the two neck bolts hold the side of the head. Incidently, those three parts (as well as the bolts at the sides of the chest and in the neck ring) are Dzus connectors, press fit into the machined parts.

--Don Bies

There are 2 parts we need to find.

1. Most people aren't aware that the piece on the back part of the threepio mask is actually a metal found part and also that it is repeated on the abdomen.

2. The little loop that attaches to the facemask which the forehead antennae passes through. It looks like your typical eye hook, but I've never seen one that thin. And then there's the question of how (exactly) does it attach to the facemask per the screen used piece.

Here are the photos:

 

[GINO]

Thanks for the info! :thumbsup

 

[BrianM]

Don,

Could it be possible that this was a found part on the ANH suit and was later drawn and re-made for additional copies?

I'm pretty sure the early suit had more detail.

BrianM

1. I don't believe this was a found part. You're correct that it is the same part used on the stomach, but I seemed to remember seeing a mechanical drawing of the part used to machine it out of aluminum in the archives.


--Don Bies

 

[artoo77]

Absolutely. The ANH suit had other changes--instead of Dzus connectors, it had 1/4-20 screws, digging into Anthony's soft bits. And yes, it was 1/4-20 screws and not metric screws...

--Don

Don,

Could it be possible that this was a found part on the ANH suit and was later drawn and re-made for additional copies?

I'm pretty sure the early suit had more detail.

BrianM

 

[Trooper TK409]

Great info as always Don. Here's a closeup of a cast of a ESB-era torso. Looks like there is some knurling around the base of the disc. Sorry for the dust. From the photos above, where Daniels has the head off, it definitely looks like a machined part.

 

[propstuf]

Always thought it looked like part of some spooling mechanism, especially given the number of camera parts used for other props/costumes...

 

[GINO]

I always knew it was a machined piece. I'm just not so sure that it was custom made for ANH C-3PO (although most of the other metal greeblies were).
Reason being that there is detail on the backside as well as the 4 screw holes appear to have been put there for a specific application.
On C-3PO, the pieces are glued in place and not screwed.

It would be interesting to know whether or not all the film used threepio masks/suits had the seperate metal pieces, or if they were part of the casting for others.

 

[vaderdarth]

I'd wager that the original pieces on the ANH threepio were found as well, I'll bet LFL created a blueprint off those original parts so they could fabricate copies of the suit without hunting down the same parts (possibly they were in a box of junk and they didn't even know what they were)!!!

Dave

 

[robstyle]

here is the back of the head from the new trilogy 3P0

Interesting as I asked Don Bies about both R2 and 3P0 for the new trilogy and he said they are original trilogy items. He said no new droids were made but 3P0 had parts replated. I did see that 3P0's torso and hands were rubber and the legs fiberglass as was the head.
After the talk I drove R2 into a wall at full speed, lol. One of the missing peices of R2's foot has my name on it.

 

[BrianM]

Here is how it went as best that I've been able to determine.

ANH I think they built 2.5ish gold 3PO suits & one silver. When the movie was over they dumped them all in a box. Even when they shot the photos for the Art of Star Wars they pulled the wrong parts out of the box for 3PO.

When "surprise" they had to make Empire and Jedi they opened the box and said "oh bugger" this stuff is bang to hell. We'll have to "refurbish" everything. That's when I think they made drawings and made a bunch of suits. When they were done they had parts for around 5 suits in various colors and plating. And knowing they had items of incredible value and history. Your guessed it - They threw it all in a box.

When Don finally opened that box it was impossible to tell what was from when. I think there is a good possibility only the arms and the "shorts" may have survived intact from ANH. It's impossible to tell for sure.

No more suits were ever made for the films. Just refurbished re-plated ESB suits. Although there are some rumors about some new manufactured parts making there way into the suit bin.

I get that about right Don?
BrianM

P.S. All this to say I think it was a found part. Originally. Since so many ANH parts were from aircraft, maybe the Viscount would be a good place to start.

 

[GINO]

That seems believable to me.
Here's a pic of two threepio heads pre-ESB. You can see some unfinished fett pieces on the table as well.
The Fett costumes were finished as all white 'Supertroopers' long before ESB production began so it is likely that this photo was taken circa late 1977 - early 1978.

You can see the threepio helmet on the left with the famous dent in the head seen in all of ANH except for the ceremony scene. We're not used to seeing it without all the grime and dulling spray. Maybe that one was replated somewhere down the line.
This dented helmet can be seen all spiffy and shiny in one of the recent exhibits.

Anyway, here is the photo:

 

[Trooper TK409]

Great photo Gino.

 

[Treadwell]

Here is how it went as best that I've been able to determine.

ANH I think they built 2.5ish gold 3PO suits & one silver. When the movie was over they dumped them all in a box. Even when they shot the photos for the Art of Star Wars they pulled the wrong parts out of the box for 3PO.

I agree. Note that in several televised appearances of 3PO in 77 and 78, (Donny and Marie Show, for example), the wrong leg is silver.

 

[CustomCreations]

This is the best I could find as reference- its a modern speaker etc, but I would say that bit on the back of c3po's head is the reverse side of a small car or radio 's speaker. The round knurled looking bit would probably have supported the magnet.

My guess, anyway !

 

[Cantina_Dude]

You can see the threepio helmet on the left with the famous dent in the head seen in all of ANH except for the ceremony scene. We're not used to seeing it without all the grime and dulling spray. Maybe that one was replated somewhere down the line.
This dented helmet can be seen all spiffy and shiny in one of the recent exhibits.

Well he actually didn't have that dent on his head until he fell over during the Tusken Raiders attack in ANH, but it was still there in the ceremony scene, just not all dirty:

It's much easier to see it in the moving video, but it's definitely there. Just wanted to clear that up. It could be this is the very same face seen at the exhibits and in the ESB behind the scenes photo. Oh, and here is a better version of it:

Later,

MJC.

 

[bobasfett]

That's correct Cantina Dude. It appears there were two head and torso styles used for ANH. Prior to the Tusken scene, the head and suit were perfect (no dents). After that scene, threepio sported the dent in the head as well as the chin, along with a dent in the breastplate, all apparent in the final ceremonial scene. They did a good job with continuity as I'm not sure when that scene was filmed.

 

[damon5973]

looking at the machined part for the back of the head and the torso, it makes me think if a piece form the entire MKIII obi grenade..it was a base of some sort...I cant find a pic...but it was a max of 2 inches in diameter but about 1/4 in thick..and heavy..

 

[vaderdarth]

The eye hook looks like a standard hardware eye hook that is typically packaged with the washer and nut included. The size ranges from something 2 inches in diameter (the loop) all the way down to the ones that are even smaller. The smallest ones have "wood screw" ends rather than machined nuts. It's possible that there is a hunk of plastic inside the mask that it is simply screwed into or even glassed in place.

As for how the thing appears to attach the two halves together........it looks like the back ridge of the mask, has a cutout on the front which is the same shape as the eyehook, the back half is lined up with the eye hook which slides right inside the back half...........and the antenna screws into the hole which secures the entire thing. The antenna would actually pass thru the eye hook passively. Does that make sense??? You can sort of see the eye hook inside the hole in that blowup of the same pic you posted of 3PO's heads on the table. You can definitely make out the "eye hook shaped cutout" in some of those other pics!

It just occurred to me that the machined piece on the back of the head looks very much like what is found inside a light fixture. Like the globe type of bathroom wall fixtures.

The middle tube part would be the thing the light bulb is screwed into.........but before you put the light bulb in, you have to stick the glass globe on, then secure it with that machined piece which goes around the middle stem............then the bulb can be screwed into it. The globes are more or less cup shaped if you catch my drift. The "bezels" which hold the globes in place come in all shapes and varieties if you look at alot of these types of light fixtures. So instead of a wall fixture, which would have a smaller bezel, think larger like the upside down globe on a floor lamp. It would be wider to secure the larger globe which is like 18" diameter.

 

[GINO]

It was mentioned to me that it reminded them of part of a sink or bathtub drain.
The one in my house looks strikingly similar.

Maybe this is a direction we could follow up on.