ROVERS

While Ron works on the mech, John works on the body and cab and Chris makes the wheel of the large Rover, I turn my attention to the small ones. Nice chunky, angular, believable, utalitarian designs from Gavin for the three rovers. Ideally, we would have had three completely different rovers, but there wasnt the time allowed (or more importantly paid for) for that. In early production meetings, Bill suggested three identical bodies, identical cabs, with a different treatment for the flatbed part of the trucks. So this is what Gavin worked with. For speeds sake 12th scale was agreed for the three and 6th scale for the larger (of which there would be only one body made and three 6th scale tops) There would be three entire 12th scalers so it was a must to cut the pieces for all three bodies and cabs at the same time, so this is what I did. Again in FOAMEX...this time with 3mm thickness for the cab and flatbeds and a 3mm perspex for the lower chassis box as it needed to be more rigid and take the weight of batteries and heavy resin wheels (by comparison).
MOSTLY SCRATCHED Just one or two tiny pre-formed miniature electical boxes (black) and a little brass etching, the rest, apart from the headlights, was scratch built.
EASY AS ABC. You can see Rovers B and C in the background. Chris and John went on to build the hardware for the backs of those.
MUCH CLEARER NOW That magic paint again! Grey to even out the tones AND the best plastic primer from the range.
NICE WHEELS! Mock MDF wheels I made, just to check out the suspension. little foam strips stuck to a board for bumps and then pulled on a wire. Wheels had a 10mm range of movement up and down.
iM LACQUERED!! All the rovers get a coat of laquer so that all the powder-paint wont be absorbed by the matt-white paint (which acts like paper) If any gloss poked through the dirt - it could be knocked back with a matt spray.
WHEELY LACQUERED! I mean REALLY KNACKERED! Having already done many many late evenings, I stayed late to paint and laquer the wheels for all the Rovers. Richard St Clair had made the original pattern and Chris Hayes had cast them all up in Resin....all I had to do was to drill a hole in the middle of em all and secure them onto the axles with a cap, that I had to be careful not to glue to the wheel.

IS THIS YOUR

BEST SIDE?

 The finished Rover A, complete with Headlights, cabin lights and DIRT, lots of dirt.

NO, THIS IS YOUR

BEST SIDE

 This was the 'hero' body - which had the working suspension and an illuminated cab. It was only the flatbed part at the back which was interchangable. John Lee and Chris Hayes made backs B and C.
I WANT ONE! All three small Rovers in the bay. An angle you dont see in the film.
AND "ACTION!" Well, not quite.....those headlights need turning on first.
MAKING TRACKS With only one cab illuminated, both Rovers are pulled out of the bay. They might light the other one in POST, mighten they?
WOT NO STARS? Well, maybe one or two on the dark side - but not when the sun's out! This was the black velvet cloth of the backdrop, you might see a wrinkle or two!
OTT WEATHERING Sams Rover after the crash. This is the 12th scale set up - there was also a 6th scale one. Its hard to tell them apart.....which is good.