Raiders of the Lost Ark (and other) props at Melody Ranch Studio

[MFP 2020]

This past weekend I took the family to the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival at Melody Ranch Studio, where they shot Deadwood. (OK, it was my wife's idea.)

I thought about wearing an Indy fedora but opted for a cowboy hat instead. In the studio museum, I was surprised and thrilled to find a couple of Indy props:

The Mercedes "reconnaissance truck" used in the desert chase, and also in "Valkyrie." It's been modified since Raiders, but I checked the DVD and it appears to be the same vehicle.

And a Stembridge stunt holster and gun. Note the eye hook and ring in place of the lanyard swivel. (Sorry, this was the best shot I could get. There was glare on the glass case and "filth muck" on my phone camera lens.)

Bonus thrills included a tank from Red Dawn, Rambo: FBP2, et al:

And one of the bikes from Spacehunter:

There were a lot of people dressed in period costumes—even people who were just attendees and not involved in the event. I think that if we go next year, I'll go FSoC: Full Streets of Cairo.

 

[Apollo]

Great find!

You should go next year in full Indy gear!

 

[MMCD]

Great photo's, I've always wanted to go to the Cowboy Festival, unfortunately couldn't travel down for both monsterpaloosa and this... Great pic's now I really want to go next year!

 

[The Prop Stop]

Spacehunter bike.....love it!

 

[planet]

would have loved to seen the gun out of the holster

 

[JimShine]

It was money generated by building General Lee's for seasons 2, 3 and 4 of Dukes of Hazzard that restored this ranch. They have a few General Lee items on display as well as a car they built in recent years. But they have a off limits garage area that has piles of doors, hoods, fenders, and roofs removed from the hundreds of General Lee's they built.

 

[MFP 2020]

Prominently displayed!

 

[JimShine]

They have a ton more not displayed.

 

[MFP 2020]

Cool, but baffling. Isn't that potentially a source of income going to waste/rusting away? Or is it protected now? (And if it is, isn't it still going to waste...?)

 

[DB537]

Cool, but baffling. Isn't that potentially a source of income going to waste/rusting away? Or is it protected now? (And if it is, isn't it still going to waste...?)

Their contract with Warner Brothers prohibits them from selling the parts.
That's also the reason that they lost their job building cars for the show in 1983. They were caught reselling wrecked General Lees. The cars were repaired and given forged VINs.

 

[IHateSnakes]

Too bad they can't just renegotiate their contract with Warners. We'd love to own one of the 01 panels! DUKES was a big part of my childhood...We've really got to go to the next Open House at the ranch. I'm curious about the ROTLA truck, too...something doesn't look quite right about it to me. UPDATE: We just checked out that sequence, and based upon the photographs in this post, it appears that this is just one of the background "cars" from the Tanis dig site scene. Anyone else agree? Disagree?

 

[MFP 2020]

According to the posters in front of the staff car, it was refitted for "Valkyrie." If you check the wheels and the bottom of the body, you'll see where it's the same. (I went back to the movie, too; otherwise I'd have voiced my doubts as well. When I get home I'll post some additional shots for further analysis.)

Edit: Here you go: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v381/Max_Deployment/Indy/ROTLA Staff Car/