Landmaster: Difference between revisions
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The '''Landmaster''' is a unique 12-wheeled [[amphibious vehicle|amphibious]] [[articulated]] vehicle constructed by [[Dean Jefferies]] at Jefferies Automotive in [[Universal City, California]] for the 1977 [[science fiction]] film [[Damnation Alley (film)|Damnation Alley]]. Despite the appearance of two Landmasters in the film (achieved with models), only one was built at a cost of $300,000 in 1976.<ref>{{cite journal |last=McComb |first=Gordon | coauthors=J. Steven York |title=Automotive Fantasies—And The Men Who Make Them |journal=journal unknown |issue=issue unknown |pages=p.66–67}}</ref> |
The '''Landmaster''' is a unique 12-wheeled [[amphibious vehicle|amphibious]] [[articulated]] vehicle constructed by [[Dean Jefferies]] at Jefferies Automotive in [[Universal City, California]] for the 1977 [[science fiction]] film [[Damnation Alley (film)|Damnation Alley]]. Despite the appearance of two Landmasters in the film (achieved with models), only one was built at a cost of $300,000 in 1976.<ref>{{cite journal |last=McComb |first=Gordon | coauthors=J. Steven York |title=Automotive Fantasies—And The Men Who Make Them |journal=journal unknown |issue=issue unknown |pages=p.66–67}}</ref> |
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==Construction== |
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[[Popular Science]] described the Landmaster: |
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:''Three independent drive sources running from a gasoline power plant. Uses semi truck parts in the drive train. Can operate with the front or rear wheel trinary out of commission. Side and top hatches on the main unit and rear and top on the after section. Full running lights and brake lights for urban street use. External video camera is mounted on the forward pylon located just behind the front top hatch. Could also house the antenna. All pylons are hardened and armored. Can operate in water and will remain sealed when fully submerged. Can float while half full of water.''<ref>{{cite journal |last=Scagnetti |first=Jack |title=Landmaster |journal=[[Popular Science]] |issue=March, 1977 |pages= |publisher= }}</ref> |
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While the film is fiction, the Landmaster vehicle itself is real. In the story, the Landmaster was designed to use as many standard truck parts as possible, so that any junkyard would have whatever was needed for repairs. The real Landmaster is powered by a 391 cubic-inch Ford industrial engine, and uses the rear-ends of two big trucks and an Allison automatic truck transmission. It features a fully-functional, custom-built "[[Tri-star (wheel arrangement) | tri-star]]" wheel arrangement, which could actually help it crawl over boulders. All 12 wheels are driven, but only 8 are normally in contact with the road surface at any one time.<ref>{{cite journal |last= |first= |title=CB Supercar: The Incredible Landmaster | journal=CB Guide |issue=issue unknown | pages=p.12–15}}</ref> |
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It also used an innovative steering mechanism which guided the vehicle, not by turning the front wheels, but by bending the middle section with [[hydraulic]] rams to effect a turn. The Landmaster's bodywork was made with 3/8-inch steel plating, which helped it tip the scales at over 10 tons. It was so tough that it survived a 25-foot jump during testing with no damage. |
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==History== |
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A staple of [[Southern California]] car culture for many years, the Landmaster was parked in full view next to Dean Jefferies' automotive shop on [[Cahuenga Boulevard]] in [[North Hollywood, California]] from 1977 to 2005. |
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The Landmaster was sold to a private owner in 2005, and is currently undergoing restoration, and is on the showcar circuit. It has been somewhat modified from its original appearance in "Damnation Alley," with the enlargement of the driver and passenger side windows, and the removal of the flexible center section cover. Image: http://www.wwwmwww.com/Macross/landmaster1.png |
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Its most recent public appearance was at the 2007 San Francisco Rod & Custom Show at the [[Cow Palace]] in South San Francisco, CA.<ref>[[http://www.sfcustomshow.com/navigation/eventguide.html]] |
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</ref> |
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==Other appearances== |
==Other appearances== |
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* A television commercial for [[Amoco]] titled ''The Road Worrier.'' {{Fact|date=February 2007}} |
* A television commercial for [[Amoco]] titled ''The Road Worrier.'' {{Fact|date=February 2007}} |
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* [[The Morrow Project]] [[Role-playing game|RPG]] featured the ''M.A.R.S. One'', a lengthened version of the Landmaster. The ''M.A.R.S. One'' was twice as long, and had four sets of tri-star wheels—two per hinged segment—rather than the two sets used on the real vehicle. The artwork used for the game also altered the front of the cab, drawing it to resemble the cab of the [[Ark II]], with which the Landmaster is often confused. |
* [[The Morrow Project]] [[Role-playing game|RPG]] featured the ''M.A.R.S. One'', a lengthened version of the Landmaster. The ''M.A.R.S. One'' was twice as long, and had four sets of tri-star wheels—two per hinged segment—rather than the two sets used on the real vehicle. The artwork used for the game also altered the front of the cab, drawing it to resemble the cab of the [[Ark II]], with which the Landmaster is often confused. |
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* Everyone's Final Smash |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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Revision as of 21:43, 31 January 2008
The Landmaster is a unique 12-wheeled amphibious articulated vehicle constructed by Dean Jefferies at Jefferies Automotive in Universal City, California for the 1977 science fiction film Damnation Alley. Despite the appearance of two Landmasters in the film (achieved with models), only one was built at a cost of $300,000 in 1976.[1]
Construction
Popular Science described the Landmaster:
- Three independent drive sources running from a gasoline power plant. Uses semi truck parts in the drive train. Can operate with the front or rear wheel trinary out of commission. Side and top hatches on the main unit and rear and top on the after section. Full running lights and brake lights for urban street use. External video camera is mounted on the forward pylon located just behind the front top hatch. Could also house the antenna. All pylons are hardened and armored. Can operate in water and will remain sealed when fully submerged. Can float while half full of water.[2]
While the film is fiction, the Landmaster vehicle itself is real. In the story, the Landmaster was designed to use as many standard truck parts as possible, so that any junkyard would have whatever was needed for repairs. The real Landmaster is powered by a 391 cubic-inch Ford industrial engine, and uses the rear-ends of two big trucks and an Allison automatic truck transmission. It features a fully-functional, custom-built " tri-star" wheel arrangement, which could actually help it crawl over boulders. All 12 wheels are driven, but only 8 are normally in contact with the road surface at any one time.[3]
It also used an innovative steering mechanism which guided the vehicle, not by turning the front wheels, but by bending the middle section with hydraulic rams to effect a turn. The Landmaster's bodywork was made with 3/8-inch steel plating, which helped it tip the scales at over 10 tons. It was so tough that it survived a 25-foot jump during testing with no damage.
History
A staple of Southern California car culture for many years, the Landmaster was parked in full view next to Dean Jefferies' automotive shop on Cahuenga Boulevard in North Hollywood, California from 1977 to 2005.
The Landmaster was sold to a private owner in 2005, and is currently undergoing restoration, and is on the showcar circuit. It has been somewhat modified from its original appearance in "Damnation Alley," with the enlargement of the driver and passenger side windows, and the removal of the flexible center section cover. Image: http://www.wwwmwww.com/Macross/landmaster1.png
Its most recent public appearance was at the 2007 San Francisco Rod & Custom Show at the Cow Palace in South San Francisco, CA.[4]
Other appearances
- “The wild and the Young” (1986) – Music video by Quiet Riot
- Get A Life: “Paperboy 2000” (1990-11-04 episode)
- A.P.E.X. (1994) – a time travel movie.
- Hybrid (1997) – a post-apocalyptic movie.
- Dino Island pre-ride video – Sony MovieGlide Theatre
- A television commercial for Amoco titled The Road Worrier. [citation needed]
- The Morrow Project RPG featured the M.A.R.S. One, a lengthened version of the Landmaster. The M.A.R.S. One was twice as long, and had four sets of tri-star wheels—two per hinged segment—rather than the two sets used on the real vehicle. The artwork used for the game also altered the front of the cab, drawing it to resemble the cab of the Ark II, with which the Landmaster is often confused.
External links
- Enthusiast website about the Landmaster
- The Landmaster page at amphibiousvehicle.net
- A Landmaster page at geocities.com
- Restored Landmaster in 2007 on the showcar circuit
- Computer animated Landmaster at YouTube
 | This science fiction-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- ^ McComb, Gordon. "Automotive Fantasies—And The Men Who Make Them". journal unknown (issue unknown): p.66–67.
{{cite journal}}:|issue=has extra text (help);|pages=has extra text (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Scagnetti, Jack. "Landmaster". Popular Science (March, 1977).
- ^ "CB Supercar: The Incredible Landmaster". CB Guide (issue unknown): p.12–15.
{{cite journal}}:|issue=has extra text (help);|pages=has extra text (help) - ^ [[1]]