r/STARWARSlifesize

This R2-D2 sold at auction in 2017 for an incredible $2.76 million (£2.13m).
But here’s what makes it interesting for us life-size builders: this isn’t one complete R2-D2 that rolled straight off a Star Wars set.
A British collector spent years assembling it from original production and film-used R2 components from different movies.
The dome is an original A New Hope Kenny Baker hero dome, the legs were made for The Empire Strikes Back, other components were used through the original trilogy, the body was made for The Phantom Menace, and the rear hatch was used in Attack of the Clones.
Even one of the feet was production-made but apparently never actually used during filming.
I don’t know how legacy was proven and clearly there are builders club parts on this droid, I do wonder is it more builders club replica parts or more ‘film production’ parts…

So the $2.76m R2 is effectively the ultimate full-size R2 build assembled from genuine Star Wars production parts and club parts — rather than one intact screen-used droid.
And that’s something I love about this hobby: the line between the original prop makers and today’s R2 builders is sometimes much closer than people realise.
Would you rather own this… or build your own screen-accurate R2? For me I built my own but almost 3 mil … yeah ill take this one 😁
r/STARWARSlifesize

This replica C3PO has been vac metalised gold which is a process that really relies upon excellent preparation, every part must be sanded smooth without blemish. This particular droid also has lots of brass parts. The thing with droid building is that you cannot buy parts ‘off the shelf’.