The vehicle from Damnation Alley (1977) is known as the Landmaster, and it’s one of the most iconic post-apocalyptic vehicles in sci-fi movie history. The film, based loosely on a novel by Roger Zelazny, follows a group of survivors traveling across a devastated America after a nuclear war — and the Landmaster is their armored all-terrain vehicle.
Real-World Specs:
-
Built For: The 1977 film Damnation Alley.
-
Chassis: Custom-built from scratch by Dean Jeffries, a famous Hollywood car customizer (who also designed the Monkeemobile and Green Hornet’s Black Beauty).
-
Dimensions:
-
About 35 feet long
-
12 wheels, arranged in tri-wheel clusters on each side
-
Powered by a 390-cubic-inch Ford V8 engine
-
-
Steering System: Uses a hydraulic articulation system that bends the entire body in the middle to steer, instead of traditional front-wheel steering.
Design Features:
-
Tri-Star Wheel Design: Allows it to roll over massive obstacles like rocks or debris (the wheels rotate in a triangle pattern when needed).
-
Body Armor: Heavy-duty sheet metal body — designed to survive nuclear fallout and mutant attacks.
-
Living Quarters: In-film, it contained sleeping space, storage, a galley, and a command console.
-
Missile Launcher: Featured a retractable rooftop rocket pod in the movie (non-functional in reality).
In the Film:
-
Plot Use: The Landmaster carries a group of military survivors across the dangerous "Damnation Alley" — a swath of irradiated land filled with killer cockroaches, storms, and mutants — from California to what they hope is a safe haven in Albany, New York.
-
Crew Includes: George Peppard and Jan-Michael Vincent
Fun Facts:
-
The actual Landmaster still exists and has appeared at auto and sci-fi conventions.
-
After filming, it was stored for years and occasionally repurposed for other movies or displays.
-
It became a cult icon in sci-fi circles and inspired many post-apocalyptic designs in later films and games (e.g., Fallout, Mad Max, etc.).
-
Featured in a brief cameo in the show Archer, season 11.
After filming, the Landmaster sat outside Jeffries' shop in North Hollywood from about 1977 to 2005, becoming a fixture in the local custom-car scene
In 2005, it was sold and restored to its original movie condition. It made show appearances, including the 2007 San Francisco Rod & Custom Show
In 2014, it was relocated to a restoration-ready facility in Central California, then in 2016 moved to Gene Winfield’s shop near Mojave
Following Gene Winfield’s passing, the Landmaster was sold in 2024 to a California owner who is currently working to restore it again to its original screen appearance
No comments:
Post a Comment
Witnessed !