HUGE ride for my Jawas!**UPDATE**12/29/07

[patreektherodian]

Boy would it ever suck for you if hasbro came out with a better one.

[DARKLORD]

Boy would it ever suck for you if hasbro came out with a better one.

Yes that would suck.

But I gotta tell you, that seems EXTREMELY unlikely. Even in the unlikely event that they moved on from their current vintage KENNER Sancrawler mold and created a newer larger one, I SINCERELY DOUBT it would be anywhere near as big or impressive as the custom crawler I own.

I've been in the middle of a raging debate over at rebelscum regarding the likelihood of Hasbro making really LARGE vehicles for their STAR WARS 3-3/4 inch STAR WARS line.

I've been pushing really HARD for over two years for a close-to-scale Millennium Falcon toy designed for play use with the STAR WARS figures. 

That's a 4-1/2 foot long ship... basically a 3 foot diameter saucer with two 1-1/2 foot long mandibles that attach assemble on.

This is a totally manangable and PLAYABLE toy spaceship / playset.  WIth a price point of $250 as a mass-retail item (admittedly unlikely), or $400 as an exclusive, limited edition, or online retail offer, I'm convinced that this ship would be a HUGE sales hit for Hasbro and not at all the retail failure repeat of 1999's 3 foot long Naboo Royal Starship.

The Millennium Falcon is a much more popular, iconic, recognizable, and desired spaceship than the  Naboo Cruiser.

Well, everyone and their mother are giving me every reason on the PLANET why Hasbro simply WILL NOT commit to producing such a large toy. Undoubtedly, someone HERE will begin posting even MORE reasons against this bigger-scale Falcon.

So if they're all correct, and I'm the one that's wrong, then  Hasbro will NEVER make a 5 foot long, 2-1/2 foot tall Remote Controlled Jawa Sandcrawler with working lights, interior play environment for figures, and full front cargo bay loading ramp.

[patreektherodian]

I agree

[patreektherodian]

Hope I did not send you on a rant or anythin. I'm just jealous I wish I could get my hands on that thing! I could cast and mold the panels then mass produce.

[evenflow]

That is  just incredible  I would love one.

[patreektherodian]

Impossible question but I'm just Hypothesising
Is there a way you could get a scan or photocopy of the panels 1:1?

[CHEWIE]

Amazing stuff, but I can't imagine where I'd put something like this... I don't have enough display space.  Or the money of course... over two grand is a lot! 

Regarding if it would go over if available for $400.00, I'd pass - it's well worth that amount of money, but for that size/price, I'd get more use out of a diorama/playset.  Several levels on a Death Star or even a Utapau cliff section would be more up my alley... that isn't to knock this extremely killer work of art though at all - it's AMAZING and I'm sure you're absolutely thrilled with it!   

[DARKLORD]

Impossible question but I'm just Hypothesising
Is there a way you could get a scan or photocopy of the panels 1:1?

I honestly just don't see how that is possible. I don't know of any scanner or photocopier LARGE enough to handle copying even ONE full surface panel on this Sandcrawler... not to mention the horrible logistics of transporting this heavy and cumbersome beast TO an adequate copy machine even... if one DID exist.

Amazing stuff, but I can't imagine where I'd put something like this... I don't have enough display space.  Or the money of course... over two grand is a lot! 

Man you're not kidding!  I had to work serious extra hours all summer long just to be able afford this bad boy AND still keep up with Hasbro's TAC offerings!  It's a good thing I'm only an Original Trilogy collector! Plus, I've STILL got to sell off my Vintage Kenner Remote Controlled Jawa Sandcrawler (as I promised my VERY patient wife that I would) in order to at least off-set some of the cost of this commission.

And now, I've already begun to save my pennies for the Custom 6 Foot Long Jabba The Hutt Sailbarge (which I hope to purchase mid-year 2008). 

Even though I am NOT a displayer, I must admit that space IS now starting to become an issue in my collection room.  Right now, The Sandcrawler is sitting on a 6-foot long folding banquet table set up smack-dab in the middle of the space.  I've posed a handful of Jawas at the base of the Crawler, and the whole display looks GREAT, but it IS only temporary.  I'm just waiting for the big custom box with inserts that I've ordered.

Regarding if it would go over if available for $400.00, I'd pass - it's well worth that amount of money, but for that size/price, I'd get more use out of a diorama/playset.  Several levels on a Death Star or even a Utapau cliff section would be more up my alley... that isn't to knock this extremely killer work of art though at all - it's AMAZING and I'm sure you're absolutely thrilled with it!   

Yes, well, being "thrilled" with it doesn't even begin to cover how giddy I am these days.

But, again, I DO know what you mean. I fully intend to purchase some of the awesome playset works of art from Owen Driscol sometime soon, for example.  I was preparing to do just that about 3 years ago when some repair issues with my HOUSE came up that required my immediate attention first. But I am planning to reach out to him again.

I DO love diorama / playsets. No doubt about that.

But for ME, there's nothing like the thrill I get from hunting down and owning a really impressive 3-3/4 inch-scaled STAR WARS spaceship or vehicle... big or small... Kenner, Hasbro, or custom. 

When I was a kid, I used to LOOSE MY MIND over behind-the-scenes photos in books and magazines of those AWESOME Star Wars model space ships and vehicles.

I guess some things never change.

[CHEWIE]

Yeah, I know what you mean about wanting more to scale stuff.  If I were a rich man, then I'd commission work from those guys too (they're in Chile, right?)... and you're getting a Sail Barge from them too?  Wow.  I'm very envious of you.

As for Owen's work, unfortunately he's not doing too many commissions anymore... but I did manage to get THIS about three weeks ago...

[DARKLORD]

Yeah, I know what you mean about wanting more to scale stuff.  If I were a rich man, then I'd commission work from those guys too (they're in Chile, right?)... and you're getting a Sail Barge from them too?  Wow.  I'm very envious of you.

Hah!! And here I was always being envious of YOU, what with the awesome size of your collection, the beautiful, custom rare pieces in it, AND the amazing photonovels you create!! 

I guess it just goes to show the qualities of the collector mentality:  Somehow enough is never ENOUGH!  We're always focused on the awesome pieces we DON'T yet own.

As for Owen's work, unfortunately he's not doing too many commissions anymore... but I did manage to get THIS about three weeks ago...

Wow!!!  That Palpatine office is GORGEOUS!!!  Of course I'd expect nothing less from Owen!

But, uh, he's not doing too many commissions anymore, you say?  Say it isn't so.

I know he doesn't know me personally. And I did flake out two years ago from buying his Star Destroyer Bridge Playset like I was planning to (due to the aforementioned house repair emergency that arose). But I sure hope he'll make an exception for me someday and allow me to commission the construction of the Executor bridge playset.

[CHEWIE]

Yeah, I've got pretty much an entire collection now of Owen's work... cost me an arm and a leg, but actually I think his prices are cheap compared to what I'd expect for the quality.  He's truly made my collection into something special and very personal.

I guess maybe ask him what his interest level would be on making another SD bridge... I think more than anything he's a bit burnt out by making dioramas, and I believe he started a new job that eats up quite a bit of his time.

[BrentS]

I'd love to give my Jawas a ride in that.

[DARKLORD]

I'd love to give my Jawas a ride in that.

Wow!!  That's an awesome looking horde of Jawas you got goin' on there, Brent!

If you and your Jawas are ever in the NYC area, feel free to stop over.  They are all welcome to go for a spin.

[DARKLORD]

My vintage Kenner Jawa Sandcrawler looks like a Micro Machines dinky toy next to this Custom Sandcrawler.  The top Control room fits only ONE modern Comm tech styled jawa at the controls and maybe 2 vintage Kenner ones.

Just for laughs, I tried to see how many Jawas I could fit up in the main control room on my new big Sandcrawler.  I placed 18 Jawas from one of my vinyl collector cases into the control room. There was plenty of room to spare!








The interior lighting details add a whole lotta fun too.  There are two working lights in the front loading ramp bay, and one working light in the main side compartment.

The main front loading ramp bay looks like it could hold my CAT!!









The panel scribing detail is really most impressive on this crawler.  Perfectly straight and clean. I've never seen anything like it outside of a production Hasbro STAR WARS toy.

And the kit bash detailing is outta this world.

[patreektherodian]

Any idea on how it was made??  What does kit bashed mean anyways.