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Max's Camel Wagon original concept art by Ed Verreaux, circa August 1984
The Camel Wagon is a vehicle driven by Max Rockatansky in the opening and final scenes of Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome.
Technical spec.
The Camel Wagon is a Ford F-150 chassis mounted with Ford XA sedan cab cut by the firewall and by the door pillar. Suspension is aftermarket and lifted with an Australian lift kit. Engine is possibly F-150 standard V8 with 4x4 drivetrain running on gasoline. In the movie it is later converted to run on methane, equipped with three methane tanks in Bartertown by Blackfinger. A racing seat with 4 point seatbelt is mounted inside the cab, whereas the floor bed in the back of the truck is utilized as living space full of items collected by Max throughout his journeys in the Wasteland. Arched metal frame covered with cloth is built around the back of the truck functioning as a tent. There is a seat mounted on the roof from which Max controls his camels when the vehicle is out of fuel. Engine is clearly visible and protected by a ram welded onto the front of the chassis and possibly fenders protecting it from the sides. Additional tubing and pressure gauges are visible on the engine after being converted to methane. The truck is rigged with 12lb of dynamite, which can be disarmed with two switches. The first switch is hidden in the steering wheel which engages an alarm sound. The second switch is disguised as a doll at the feet of the chair on the roof. The second switch is guarded by a rabbit trap should an intruder try to reach for the switch blindly. The rabbit trap must be set off first in order to safely reach the doll switch, then the doll switch can be used to disengage the alarm and promptly disarm the explosives. Disconnecting the battery from the switch sets off the explosives. The car was designed as both living space and performance vehicle of the wastelands. It's also worth mentioning that the cab mounted on this vehicle is the same as "March Hare" Interceptor seen in the first Mad Max movie (Ford Falcon XA Sedan)
Appearances on screen.
Little screen time is devoted to the Camel Wagon, but it certainly is one of the key figures in developing the story. Theft of this truck leads to Max visiting Bartertown and confronting Master Blaster. Most shots of the truck are closeup and it's difficult to see the wagon in full glory. It's been driven by 5 characters in the movie: Max, Jedediah, Screwloose and two Imperial Guards. Max is seen driving it only twice, first in the opening scene of the movie, when the truck is towed by camels, and second time when he drives it running on its own power into a head-on collision with Ironbar Bassey.
Max's Camel Wagon on display at 1985 Melbourne Motor Show
Appearances off screen.
After the collision in the final scene of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, the truck has been repaired and put on display at the 1985 Melbourne Motor Show [1]. Current wereabouts of the truck are unknown.
Gallery
