# Chariot build thread



## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

Thought I'd kick it off. 
I started work on mine tonight, so far so good. I'm using Tamiya (mostly) for the painting. The international orange is pretty bright so I cut it down somewhat with a little red. I'm using silver leaf for the body and frame. 
The parts all seem to fit very well, no flash to speak of. If there was ever a kit that demanded to be painted in sub assemblies, this is it. You'll see. Not really an issue. I primed the runners with all the little greeblie parts right on the trees, same with the seats and pads. The seats, pads and seat belts are made in separate pieces so that it is very easy to paint them. You'll see. The kit has 2 little laser rifles that go in the back. Very cool!
The tires fit on the wheels, trust me. The instructions recommend heating them in hot water before sliding them on to the wheels. I slipped one on with a little spit but it was a bear to get them off. Paint your wheels and then slide the tires on once! They fit. There are 5 steel axles and 2 screws that come with the kit. The screws attach the undercarriage to the body.
The instructions also come with a little additional "corrections" flyer. I 
think it has to do with the wheels, I haven't really looked yet!
Kudos to Jeff, Dave and Chris, they all are credited with helping with the kit in one way or another.
Lastly- The inner frame is supposed to be orange so you face the prospect of having to mask and paint from the inside (yikes!) or as was suggested by a fellow member, paint the outside masked frame area orange and then silver over that. Highly preferable if you ask me.
All that said, it looks like Lou will be producing a vinyl inner frame kit to alleviate the daunting task I just described. Perhaps fellow member Bob will be producing one also? The beauty of that is that if you take care, you can retro fit the vinyl frames after you've painted your outer silver. In other words, waiting on the frame kit won't really slow you down.
Overall- A very well done kit, no flaws to speak of. Highly recommended.
THANK YOU FRANK!!!!


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## AJ-1701 (May 10, 2008)

Any pics yet??


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## DMC-12 (Oct 7, 2007)

Love to see some pics of the kit pieces PLEASE:thumbsup:


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

Here's one of most of the parts. If a Mod wants to make thumbnails, be my guest.












Instructions-












More parts-











More instructions-


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## Admiral Nelson (Feb 28, 2002)

F91 said:


> OK, give a few minutes and I'll post some up. I'm a giver.


How are the instructions this time?


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

Good and in color. Pics above.



Admiral Nelson said:


> How are the instructions this time?


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## Admiral Nelson (Feb 28, 2002)

F91 said:


> Good and in color. Pics above.


Thanks for the pics. Hummmm, the instructions still look pretty sparse but better. Oh well, that's why you pro kit builders post pictures.


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## Markdwilso (Jun 14, 1999)

*My gosh*

My gosh, it's beautiful...

"I have got to get me one of these!" (My profuse apologies to Will Smith)


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## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

what color are the wee bits and seats molded in? Are they white/ gray? or did you prime them?

The test shot I have has them molded black and it's taking SEVERAL coats of orange over them to get any usable color.

And yes, I did come up with a fine solution to painting the framework

Ckeck the other thread on painting solutions to see pictures


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## DMC-12 (Oct 7, 2007)

Thanks for posting those pictures now I want one even MORE :woohoo:



Cameron


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## xsavoie (Jun 29, 1999)

It's pretty hard to go wrong with real pictures,as opposed to line drawings.First Monarch and then Moebius have understood this.Great thinking guys.:thumbsup:


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

Lou, the whole kit is molded in the silver that you see the robot and side curtains in.


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## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

Glorious! 

What good news that is!

They coulda cast it in Orange and been that much further ahaead, But i'll take silver/grey any day.

Thankfully this was only my proof of concept mule.

the next one gets the lighting and other works

thanks again for the good news

PS don't forget those two bumpouts on the bottom (below the headlamps) are Orange not the silver of the rest of the ubderside


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

*Another Beautiful kit!!:thumbsup:*

*I am counting on my Local Hobby Shop getting mine in this week.*



*Thanks Moebius!*And thanks F91 FOR POSTING THE PICS OF YOUR KIT!! It's Looking great so far!!!


*BP*


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

I just masked and painted those after painting the orange for the interior.



Lou Dalmaso said:


> Glorious!
> PS don't forget those two bumpouts on the bottom (below the headlamps) are Orange not the silver of the rest of the ubderside


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## gareee (Jan 1, 1970)

thanks for those pics.. ordered mine from cultvman, and both the pod and chariot are shipping together, to save a few bucks. Hope to see them soon now!


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## g_xii (Mar 20, 2002)

How, exactly, DOES the Robot get in and out of the Chariot? Does anyone know?


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## Admiral Nelson (Feb 28, 2002)

g_xii said:


> How, exactly, DOES the Robot get in and out of the Chariot? Does anyone know?


Don't you know? It's the fantasy world of Irwin Allen at work.


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## Dar (Apr 20, 2007)

> How, exactly, DOES the Robot get in and out of the Chariot? Does anyone know?


There is an episode in the 3rd season that shows the robot has the ability to seperate from his lower half, the torso can levitate. Dr.Smith was going to make the robotinto a lesiure vehicle or carry all.


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

So- My compressor makes an electrical burny sound (technical term, dates back to the Mayans) and no longer works. Have to take the housing apart. Make trip to Lowes for really long Phillips head screw driver to take case apart. Take case apart, discover blown 10a fuse. Go back to Lowes and get 10a fuse. OK- we are back up and running. But wait!!! Install wiring harness and connect wife's fog lights on her 08 Altima, also change oil in my truck. Phew!! Now I can "relax".
I primed the inside of the chariot floor white so that the orange would go on easier and 'pop". I would suggest, if you are not in a tremendous hurry like someone else we know, to sand down the ejector pin marks and part number in the middle of the floor, I didn't.
The tracks have an inside and an outside. The channel for the drive wheels is offset in the tracks, so you need to make sure you install the tracks properly. A lot easier to do this with the undercarriage off. Since it's screwed on anyway, you can always remove later. The drive axles seem to push firmly into the wheels on one side, but need to be glued on the other. I used CA.
I glued together a couple of seats and seat cushions and installed them, along with most of the interior. Fairly straight forward. Make sure you put the instrument panel in first. The seats will need to be touched up where they were cut from the sprue, but overall, so far, so good. Did I mention I pulled weeds in the yard too?


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## g_xii (Mar 20, 2002)

Dar said:


> There is an episode in the 3rd season that shows the robot has the ability to seperate from his lower half, the torso can levitate. Dr.Smith was going to make the robotinto a lesiure vehicle or carry all.


Oh my God! I forgot all about that!! You are absolutly right! 

That MUST be how he got in and out of the Chariot! 

--Henry


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## starseeker2 (Jun 13, 2008)

The back wall of the chariot was a door that folded upwards. Never shown open on the show but the door seam itself is very obvious. Maybe a winch? He did have those two hooks on his shoulders.


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## g_xii (Mar 20, 2002)

starseeker2 said:


> The back wall of the chariot was a door that folded upwards. Never shown open on the show but the door seam itself is very obvious. Maybe a winch? He did have those two hooks on his shoulders.


Seriously, another excellent point.

But, I can't help but think that I now have 2 perfectly intelligent people trying to figure out the Irwin Allen world, and exercise in futility at best! But the answers are all plausable! Who'd have thought?

I brought it up as a joke, but don't feel that way about it now -- kind of cool when you think it through, I guess!

--Henry


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## starseeker2 (Jun 13, 2008)

A very much misspent youth trying to research things like the Chariot. For more of what I think that back door would look like, and other small details of the Chariot, see: 
http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=181293


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## starseeker2 (Jun 13, 2008)

I haven't been over to that thread since I finished posting. Captain Cardboard has posted the best picture of the Chariot that I've see so far that shows the double vertical frames that run up either side of the door and onto the roof. I can't tell if they're on the model or not, tho in some shots they do seem to be. Fingers crossed.
http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showpost.php?p=2410199&postcount=10


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

That looks good. I think I will glue some photo etch tread plate over the oterhwise flat floor for some detail. Or not. I get lazy. But the kit looks really really good as does your work so far.


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## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

^^ It most likely would have been an indoor/outdoor rugged carpet. given that they would not want the extra noise of feet on a hard floor during filming. In the "real world" I'd imagine some sort of non slip diamond plate surfacing.

F91, what's the story on the pins holding the side doors in place to the frame? mine were so fragile, they snapped off. I'm going to replace with brass pins. was this corrected?

thanks for do the early build!


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## Opus Penguin (Apr 19, 2004)

g_xii said:


> How, exactly, DOES the Robot get in and out of the Chariot? Does anyone know?


Even more important, how does he get in and out of the Jupiter 2 when it is has landed on its legs?


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

The pins are pretty sturdy, no problem to speak of. I'm pretty sure the styrene is not as brittle as the test shots.



Lou Dalmaso said:


> ^^
> F91, what's the story on the pins holding the side doors in place to the frame? mine were so fragile, they snapped off. I'm going to replace with brass pins. was this corrected?
> 
> thanks for do the early build!


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## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

Thanks,
Good to know. It makes me wonder how much work to put into this kit, knowing that i will be making another "real" one later on. Perhaps I'll just glue the doors shut on this one and save my energy for the next one.


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## scotpens (Sep 6, 2003)

djnick66 said:


> . . . I think I will glue some photo etch tread plate over the oterhwise flat floor for some detail. Or not. I get lazy.





Lou Dalmaso said:


> It most likely would have been an indoor/outdoor rugged carpet. given that they would not want the extra noise of feet on a hard floor during filming. In the "real world" I'd imagine some sort of non slip diamond plate surfacing.


I was thinking of doing mine in orange shag carpeting, with a fridge and wet bar, a state-of-the-art sound system, and a custom pinstripe paint job.

And a sticker that says, "If this chariot's rockin’ — don't bother knockin’!" :devil:


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## starseeker2 (Jun 13, 2008)

The floor, at least on the 24" miniature, was aluminum colored, I believe.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Somewhere I have a LiS book with modern photos of the Chariot. The full size vehicle is still around. It was found someplace weird like at a Ski Lodge or something.


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## rondenning (Jul 29, 2008)

Several episodes show the Robot "stepping down" from ladders, the step on the rear landing leg of the pod, as well as down from the landing leg pad.
His tread section bottom is actually 2 pieces, tho it wasn't shown much after the pilot (remember the Crush,Kill,Destroy fight in the pilot episode).
And I think I do have a shot of the Chariot somewhere, that shows the back glass door in the raised position tho it is not a straight shot from the back, but an angled shot from the front/passenger side in which you can see the back door up. I will look for it, and post it when I find it.:thumbsup:
Ron


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## starseeker2 (Jun 13, 2008)

Over on Cloudster 
http://www.cloudster.com/Sets&Vehicles/Chariot/Chariotreal.htm
there are a couple color pictures of the full size Chariot. Judy's parka in all photos reproduced everywhere is a very deep red. The same color as the red bits of the 24" Chariot over at the IDIC page. It doesn't appear that the full size Chariot is quite a deep a red as the either miniature or Judy's parka but it seems close. In no color photo I've seen is it anywhere near a day glow or international rescue orange. Does anyone know where this orange color suggestion came from? Please don't let it be from Cris Tietz's (sp) Chariot as it appears today. I once had a Toyota that went from deep red to the proposed orange over a period of about 15 years. The real Chariot has been out in the sun for 40 years.


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## Tim Nolan (Jul 9, 2008)

I haven't been able to find any shots of the Chariot as it appears today, as the website for it seems to be dead. Anybody have any info or these pics? I understand the entire bottom Snow Cat section is gone, it's just the upper body area. 

Yeh, the contradictary world of Irwin Allen definitely poses some logistics problems as far as these extra vehicles. When the derelict ship is sitting in the dirt on the set, I can't even figure out where the secodn floor is! (Underground?) So where the heck did the Pod, the Chariot, and all of the other stuff they have go? Was there some indication that the Chariot "folded down"? Impossible with all of those windows to collapse..... Fun to speculate, but we could drive ourselves crazy figuring out the impossible! :freak:


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## gareee (Jan 1, 1970)

actually the last time I saw it it was the opposite.. the bottom and cab were all that remained, and it was being used to haul firewood for a lodge somewhere


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## gareee (Jan 1, 1970)

I don't understand why people can;t tell what color things are in this day and age of DVD releases.. can't you just watch an episode with the chariot in it, and see what color it looks like to you?

20 years ago, when it wasn't airing or even on videotape I could understand, but not today.


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## scotpens (Sep 6, 2003)

Tim Nolan said:


> I haven't been able to find any shots of the Chariot as it appears today, as the website for it seems to be dead. Anybody have any info or these pics? I understand the entire bottom Snow Cat section is gone, it's just the upper body area.





gareee said:


> actually the last time I saw it it was the opposite.. the bottom and cab were all that remained, and it was being used to haul firewood for a lodge somewhere


Actually you're both right. According to Phil Broad's Cloudster site, after _Lost in Space_ was cancelled, the Chariot body was removed from the snow-cat chassis and the vehicle was sold back to the ski resort from which it had originally been purchased. A fan eventually acquired the Chariot body and planned to restore it. Don't know what happened to it after that.


djnick66 said:


> Somewhere I have a LiS book with modern photos of the Chariot. The full size vehicle is still around. It was found someplace weird like at a Ski Lodge or something.


A snow-cat at a ski lodge -- man, that IS weird!


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## rondenning (Jul 29, 2008)

Yes, the Pod had its own "hanger bay" in the J2, and although we never saw them remove the Chariot, there are several episodes in which Don tells John "I'll get the Robot, and start assembling the Chariot", or "I'll get Smith and the Robot started assembling the Chariot". So, even as a kid watching the show, I always thought the Chariot dissassembled into the track and body section, and all the clear window sections somehow folded down, or were removed seperately.
Here is a shot of the Chariot:

The skin tones look about right, and this shot shows the differant silver colors of the window frames and main body, as well as the orange/red of the interior.
Here is another of the pod that shows the exterior silver color and the orange color used.
:thumbsup:
Enjoy,
Ron


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

What , no arguments about the curtains? Come to think of it, the curtains do have a mylar-like look to them.....


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## starseeker2 (Jun 13, 2008)

A couple of the Chariot in better days a few more posts below.


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## AJ-1701 (May 10, 2008)

Thanks for the pics :thumbsup:

I wasn't gonna get one of these but I weakened and ordered one last week thru Steve over at CultTVmans. Now I'm glad I did :woohoo: the down side is that the "Crusades" diorama I'm meant to be doing for my wife will be delayed yet again...


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## gojira61 (May 21, 2008)

rondenning said:


> Here is another of the pod that shows the exterior silver color and the orange color used.


Great shot of the full size Pod.

On the full size set it looks like the shock bodies on the landing gear are a different color of silver.


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## gojira61 (May 21, 2008)

starseeker2 said:


> A couple of the Chariot in not so good days.


Oh man, that hurts.

I've heard the ski lodge story but I've never seen the photos. Thanks for postng them.


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## flyingfrets (Oct 19, 2001)

For the life of me, I can't remember where I saw it, but around the time the PL J2 came out, I found a website showing the restoration project on the Chariot.

Photos showed it alongside a house and it looked nearly complete. IIRC, the new owner was waiting for new glass, but otherwise, it looked pretty good. I think the treads may have still been off, but as far as I'm aware, it *had* been rescued from the ski lodge.


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## starseeker2 (Jun 13, 2008)

Had to remove the ski lodge photos because I'm out of space again. But here are a couple more of the Chariot during restoration. The site that a lot of these photos were on, Lost in After Space or something like that, seems to no longer exist.


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## flyingfrets (Oct 19, 2001)

Yes! Those are 2 of the photos I remember! I wonder if he ever finished it...?


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## DMC-12 (Oct 7, 2007)

flyingfrets said:


> Yes! Those are 2 of the photos I remember! I wonder if he ever finished it...?




Ive wondered the same for years and wanted measurements off it :thumbsup: any one know how to get ahold of the current owner and see if he will do a spread for the internet now that the Moebius model Kit of his Baby is out now


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## j2man (Jun 18, 1999)

His name is Chris Tietz and he works for Disney.............


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## Duck Fink (May 2, 2005)

Looks good so far F91...thanks for posting!


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## wrestlemark (Jul 28, 2008)

*a piece of history..................*



starseeker2 said:


> Had to remove the ski lodge photos because I'm out of space again. But here are a couple more of the Chariot during restoration. The site that a lot of these photos were on, Lost in After Space or something like that, seems to no longer exist.


hope its out there ...........SOMEWHERE...........being restored:freak:


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## gareee (Jan 1, 1970)

http://www.modelsbuzz.com/forums/general/19917-ot-lost-in-space-chariot-where-is-the-real-thing.html


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## Tim Nolan (Jul 9, 2008)

There's a Lost in Space Museum?


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

Here's my latest update (with a photo just for you Ducky!). I've been dealing with a finicky compressor, so progress has slowed. The interior, outside of a few buttons, is mostly done. Curtains and Laser rifles are next.


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

It Looks Greeeeeeat:thumbsup:


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## j2man (Jun 18, 1999)

OOooooh. Can you paint mine too. Your work is very nice. I can't wait to see your completed work.


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

Thanks guys. My next step will be to use some fine masking tape to cover the raised ridges on the body and then paint the main body a darker silver to get the contrast. I'm not a big fan of that look so I'll try to keep the shades of silver fairly close, minimal contrast. Of course, all this depends on my compressor getting fixed.


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## starseeker2 (Jun 13, 2008)

Came across a photo in SF and Fantasy Models by accident while looking for something else. This is the pre-restoration 24" Chariot and the 4' space pod during restoration. The floor in the miniature Chariot is aluminum color. Has anyone seen a picture of the full-size Chariot with the red floor??


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## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

interesting...notice how it shows the box between the front seats (the thing the radar thingy sits on) as being the same orange/red as the framework. the kit instructions show it as the metallic gray

and the rooftop in the front is orange, not metallic gray.


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## j2man (Jun 18, 1999)

I'm still in shock that the top of the Pod is orange!


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I am not sure the Chariot was always the same colors. I have a feeling, like the Robot, it was touched up a bit with more color trim for later seasons. Remember the Robot didn't have red claws, yellow and red spinny things, black chest plate, etc until Season 2. 

The pod miniatures shown there lacks the middle door hinge.


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## starseeker2 (Jun 13, 2008)

Yes, there was some repainting going on, or the miniature didn't quite match the full size Chariot(s?). My favorite photo of the Chariot (19) at the cloudster site shows the scanner/engine cover silver, the shelves on the sides of the driver and co-pilot silver, and the floor silver as well.


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## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

Hey guys, 
I 've finished the frame painting templates.

Semi-final pics up over at the other thread

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?p=2474755#post2474755

cheers,
Lou


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## Montclaire (Oct 5, 2008)

Hello, I just joined HT for the specific purpose of posting on this thread. 

I have been trying to find current pictures of the chariot. The Chris Tietz link has been out of commission for a LONG time now, how is it that nobody else has pics of this thing? I believe I did see them once, and went back to save them and they were gone. He also had pics of the J2 set as well, if I remember correctly. If anybody does indeed have pics on their disc drive or whatever, please take a few minutes to look through your files and post them. I seriously can't believe this thing is not on youtube. 

Thanks


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

(sound of can of worms being opened) The treads look silverish (Not Silver Fish) on the year 1 episodes. I am going blind, right???


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## LGFugate (Sep 11, 2000)

Montclaire,

Are you asking for pics of the Chariot as it stands (or lies) TODAY, or of it when it was in use on the Lost In Space sets?

Larry


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## Gemini1999 (Sep 25, 2008)

I found some pics of the Chariot - both full scale and the studio miniature.

Full scale:

http://www.cloudster.com/sets&vehicles/Chariot/Chariotreal.htm

Studio miniature:

http://www.cloudster.com/sets&vehicles/Chariot/Chariotmodel.htm

Coincidentally, I was taking a look at the first few Season 1 episodes to get a better look at it, but I didn't notice that the treads were silver.

Bryan

Edited to add: I just found another photo gallery for the Chariot - it even includes a few photos of what it looked like after it was found in a state of declining condition. Here's the link:

http://www.uncleodiescollectibles.com/html_lib/lis/00023.html


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## Montclaire (Oct 5, 2008)

LGFugate said:


> Montclaire,
> 
> Are you asking for pics of the Chariot as it stands (or lies) TODAY, or of it when it was in use on the Lost In Space sets?
> 
> Larry


Larry, I was looking for modern day shots. The link that Brian posted had a couple in it, hard to believe it got as beat up as it did. Anyone know how the restoration is progressing? Can't imagine it would be nothing short of drastically expensive. 

I always hoped that one of the major theme parks would build a LIS ride, seems like it the show would be perfectly suited for it.


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## BigGeorge (Mar 4, 2009)

*Full-Size Lost in Space Chariot Restoration*

Hi guys- I'm new to this group and glad to be here. Anybody still have those photos of the Chariot during it's restoration ? I'm looking for the most recent pics, even if they were taken a few years ago. Thanks much !
Craig (BigGeorge in Florida)


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## Montclaire (Oct 5, 2008)

Is it me, or does the 'Dominator' from Storm Chasers resemble a distant cousin to the Chariot? I can't watch the show without thinking about LIS


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

BigGeorge said:


> Hi guys- I'm new to this group and glad to be here. Anybody still have those photos of the Chariot during it's restoration ? I'm looking for the most recent pics, even if they were taken a few years ago. Thanks much !
> Craig (BigGeorge in Florida)


Doing a Chariot build soon? If you are, post some WIP pics!


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## AF1963 (Aug 28, 2010)

Check out this first season film:

youtube.com/watch?v=XS5BQBOou1w&p=E631DFE2125DC4F4&playnext=1&index=43


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