Landmaster
Encyclopedia
The Landmaster is a unique 12-wheeled amphibious
articulated vehicle constructed by Dean Jeffries
at Jeffries Automotive in Universal City, California
for the 1977 science fiction
film Damnation Alley
. Despite the appearance of two Landmasters in the film (achieved with process photography and models), only one was built at a cost of $350,000 in 1976. ($1.4 million in 2010 dollars)
described the Landmaster:
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 427 cubic inches (7 l) 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.
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, similar to large construction equipment. The Landmaster's bodywork was made with -inch (1 cm) steel plating, which helped it tip the scales at over 10 tons. The design's strength allowed it to survive a 25 feet (7.6 m) jump during testing with no damage.
car culture for many years, the Landmaster was parked in full view next to Dean Jeffries
' automotive shop on Cahuenga Boulevard in North Hollywood, California from 1977 to 2005.
The Landmaster was sold to a private owner in 2005 and was restored to its original condition as featured in Damnation Alley
. The Landmaster was then on the show car circuit for several years. In 2007 it was featured at the San Francisco Rod & Custom Show at the Cow Palace
in San Francisco, California as part of special exhibit with other notable movie and TV cars.
Some time in 2009, the Landmaster was vandalized while in storage. The damage is relatively minor, but repair and restoration is required again.
Amphibious vehicle
An amphibious vehicle , is a vehicle or craft, that is a means of transport, viable on land as well as on water – just like an amphibian....
articulated vehicle constructed by Dean Jeffries
Dean Jeffries
Dean Jeffries is an American custom vehicle designer, fabricator, stuntman and stunt coordinator for motion pictures and television programs based in Los Angeles, California....
at Jeffries Automotive in Universal City, California
Universal City, California
Universal City is a community in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, that encompasses the 415 acre property of Universal Studios...
for the 1977 science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
film Damnation Alley
Damnation Alley (film)
Damnation Alley is a 1977 film, directed by Jack Smight, loosely based on the novel of the same name by Roger Zelazny. The original music score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith.-Plot:...
. Despite the appearance of two Landmasters in the film (achieved with process photography and models), only one was built at a cost of $350,000 in 1976. ($1.4 million in 2010 dollars)
Construction
Popular SciencePopular Science
Popular Science is an American monthly magazine founded in 1872 carrying articles for the general reader on science and technology subjects. Popular Science has won over 58 awards, including the ASME awards for its journalistic excellence in both 2003 and 2004...
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.
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 427 cubic inches (7 l) 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
Tri-star (wheel arrangement)
The tri-star is a novel wheel design—originally by Robert and John Forsyth, assignors to Lockheed in 1967—in which three wheels are arranged in an upright triangle with two on the ground and one above them. If either of the wheels in contact with the ground gets stuck, the whole system rotates over...
" 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.
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, similar to large construction equipment. The Landmaster's bodywork was made with -inch (1 cm) steel plating, which helped it tip the scales at over 10 tons. The design's strength allowed it to survive a 25 feet (7.6 m) jump during testing with no damage.
History
A staple of Southern CaliforniaSouthern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
car culture for many years, the Landmaster was parked in full view next to Dean Jeffries
Dean Jeffries
Dean Jeffries is an American custom vehicle designer, fabricator, stuntman and stunt coordinator for motion pictures and television programs based in Los Angeles, California....
' automotive shop on Cahuenga Boulevard in North Hollywood, California from 1977 to 2005.
The Landmaster was sold to a private owner in 2005 and was restored to its original condition as featured in Damnation Alley
Damnation Alley (film)
Damnation Alley is a 1977 film, directed by Jack Smight, loosely based on the novel of the same name by Roger Zelazny. The original music score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith.-Plot:...
. The Landmaster was then on the show car circuit for several years. In 2007 it was featured at the San Francisco Rod & Custom Show at the Cow Palace
Cow Palace
Cow Palace is an indoor arena, in Daly City, California, situated on the city's border with neighboring San Francisco, notable as a sporting arena.-History:...
in San Francisco, California as part of special exhibit with other notable movie and TV cars.
Some time in 2009, the Landmaster was vandalized while in storage. The damage is relatively minor, but repair and restoration is required again.
Other appearances
- The Morrow ProjectThe Morrow ProjectThe Morrow Project is a science fiction role-playing game created by Kevin Dockery, Robert Sadler and Richard Tucholka and published by TimeLine Limited. It is set after a devastating nuclear war. It was first released in the 1980s, and it still has a loyal following...
(1980) Role-playing game featuring the M.A.R.S. One; a lengthened Landmaster, with two sets of tri-star wheels per segment. The front was altered to resemble the Ark IIArk IIArk II is an American live-action science fiction series aimed at children that aired on CBS beginning in 1976 as part of its Saturday morning line-up...
, with which the Landmaster is often confused. - Gas company commercial (1980s) with a "Mad Max" type character(The Road Worrier).
- “The Wild and the Young” (1986) music video by Quiet Riot.
- Highway to HeavenHighway to HeavenHighway to Heaven is an American television drama series which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1989.- Season 1 :- Season 2 :- Season 3 :- Season 4 :- Season 5 :...
: “Merry Christmas From Grandpa” (1989) TV episode. - Get A LifeGet a Life (TV series)Get a Life is a television sitcom that was broadcast in the United States on the Fox Network from September 23, 1990, to March 8, 1992. The show starred Chris Elliott as a 30-year-old paperboy named Chris Peterson. Peterson lived in an apartment above his parents' garage...
: “Paperboy 2000” (1990) TV episode. - A.P.E.X.A.P.E.X.A.P.E.X is a 1994 science fiction film by Phillip J. Roth about a group of scientists who explore the past using robotic probes known as the A.P.E.X or ˝Advanced Prototype EXploration units˝.-Plot:...
(1994) time travel movie. - HybridHybridIn biology and specifically, genetics, the term hybrid has several meanings, all referring to the offspring of sexual reproduction.#In general usage, hybrid is synonymous with heterozygous: any offspring resulting from the mating of two distinctly homozygous individuals#a genetic hybrid carries two...
(1997) post-apocalyptic movie. - Dino Island – pre-ride video at the Sony MovieGlide Theatre.
- Shin Megami Tensei: Strange JourneyShin Megami Tensei: Strange Journeyis a role-playing video game developed by Atlus and Lancarse for the Nintendo DS. It is a title within the Megami Tensei series of video games, and was released in Japan on October 8, 2009 and in North America on March 23, 2010...
(2009) video game with a deviated version.