Modded Jabba's Palace & Rancor Pit

[Flash]

I had a lot of left over parts from the 2nd rancor pit, and I think I only had to dip into my own supply for a few basic blocks (2x4's, etc)

Once you build the first one, it's pretty easy to look at the pics and see how to expand it. It's sad that Lego could have done this with like 100 or so extra parts.

I did also make the pit 2 blocks higher, that helped a lot.

It's worth it, and a nice looking set not with the palace on top.

Give it a try!

[darththeling]

This is outstanding. So many little issues are fixed with this approach. The rancor gate opens, it looks nicer with the above-ground elements where they should be, lots more room for the rancor to catch his dinner! Bravo!

[Darth Stone]

Awesome, planning to do this myself!

I want to display the set like the rancor pit scene where luke is in the pit fighting the rancor and a lot of bounty hunters and other thugs stand around the pit, but i cant find out who is all around the pit, so far i have(besides from the obvious jabba, leia, C-3PO, boba & bib fortuna) Lando, 2 gamorrean gaurds, a jawa, Ree-Yees but these all stand right from the pit. Does anyone have a clue wich people stand left from the pit? I think dengar, but besides from him i can't see anyone else

maybe this is isnt the right place to ask this question but i don't know where else, maybe Bossk?

[Fenaughty]

So I finally decided to tackle this, but with a bit of a bonus, Jabba's palace was reduced to $109 down from$ 199 here in Oz at Kmart, so I grabbed one of those, and Rancor pit was 20% off at TrU

All parts are from those sets alone x 2.

IMG_0848 by Fenaughty, on Flickr

I increased the height of the main room by 1 brick, modified the tower to be higher added a back balcony and some extra width to match the arch in the main room.

The Pit was extended by one set and a 2 stud extra to allow the gate to work, 2 hides in the pillars in the centre gives some extra storage and hiding space.

I may do more but not sure yet, would have liked to increase the height of the main room, and expand extra space for Han to hang in a proper display area.

There is not as much detail with the rancor pit added in, but I'm happy with what I have achieved

Photo's here

[Brewc]

Like the look, I like to see some more steps as far as making the balcony and extending the floor. I want to make finished product look like this!

http://www.hothbricks.com/2013/01/un-autre-mod-pour-le-jabbas-palace-et-le-rancor-pit/#comments

[TristanBane]

Love this mod, so tried it myself (My first ever attempt to mod a set so go easy! - and it is still a WIP).

I tried to convey a few things when making the modifications.

Firstly, I've always associated the exterior of the palace with the image you commonly see in a Google search for 'Jabba Palace' where there are 3 prominent domed towers. The image suggests they are in close proximity to each other, which they are not, so I've added a 3rd dome to the palace to try and mimic.

Secondly I wanted to have 3 scenes depicted without having to rotate the model. The interior with Jabba, the exterior and the classic scene of R2 and C3PO politely knocking on the front door! You'll notice I've rotated the tower and the door now faces the front.

Lastly, the door on the original model is just too small for me. In RoTJ the door is colossal, with the sentinel being a tiny spec in comparison. I've doubled the width and changed the arch to try and inch closer to the grandeur of the original (Still falls well short, but I'm happier with it).

I've lost some of the playability in the process but, as it sits on display in my office, it was an easy compromise to make.

Edited April 10, 2013 by TristanBane

[darwin316]

nice work TristanBane!

[Franquin]

Inspired by your creation I decided to do the same. Bought an extra 75005 without the minifigures and extended the original one with 4 studs. Everything fits perfectly. Only the tower is hovering above a gap.

:)

[Franquin]

Sorry can't edit posts yet ...

Only used bricks from the second set. Just build all the four pillars for some trial and error so in the end i got two pillars with a hidden compartment in it.

Now just waiting for the new Sail Barge to complete my characters combined with the ones fromthese sets and the new Dessert Skiff.

[Cloney]

OMG

ARE THERE INSTRUCTIONS!? or at least a list (photos) of extra pieces?

[henning1010]

OMG

ARE THERE INSTRUCTIONS!? or at least a list (photos) of extra pieces?

Sorry to bring this old thread up again.

I bought the Palace and the Pit some time ago and modded it right away. I also made a LDD file for the mod of the Pit. If you are interested in the additional parts, just follow this link. Perhaps it is helpful for some of you. Of course the list includes as parts needed for the first half of the pit, so you just have to check the difference (just for clarification )

I must admit, perhaps some colors are not right, but by having one Pit you know what to get. The baseplate of the palace overlaps the palace itself by three studs. This way it fits perfectly onto the pit. Have fun!

Edited October 31, 2013 by henning1010

[gavralcraw]

Wow. I love this. The sets are great. I just got Jabbas palace. It feels small. Already I want to make it bigger... Get the band and cronies in there and put more rock on it. The way you've done the exterorior lanscaping is eic and interior rocks. Two Rancor pits huh? With four... Maybe not ;) great job. Inspiring.

[Cloney]

Sorry to bring this old thread up again.

I bought the Palace and the Pit some time ago and modded it right away. I also made a LDD file for the mod of the Pit. If you are interested in the additional parts, just follow this link. Perhaps it is helpful for some of you. Of course the list includes as parts needed for the first half of the pit, so you just have to check the difference (just for clarification )

I must admit, perhaps some colors are not right, but by having one Pit you know what to get. The baseplate of the palace overlaps the palace itself by three studs. This way it fits perfectly onto the pit. Have fun!

I did it, although its not the same, had to use my imagination. thankyou so much!!

[SinWolf89]

Fantastic mod! It looks really perfect!

[jee_ace_guy]

Is there any chance to get instructions ? Thanks

Great improvement

[CaptainCRO]

I havent bought these two setes for the exact same reasons. They looked ok when looked at apart, but they connect very badly.

If this was the real set I would buy it straight away.

Congrats OP, you did a fantastic job!

[Farmer Harv]

Found another Pit on eBay to give this a go, and I hope it's user friendly for those of us with little to no imagination. I'm really looking forward to taking it on though, as I wasn't keen on starting the Palace or the Pit because they just didn't seem to look all that good together. Thanks to everyone who have posted pics and ideas to help the rest of us out.

[Jdurg]

Sadly, nearly all of the pictures from this thread are no longer valid, and from the post counts of individuals I think the users have moved along. But I recently picked up a Rancor Pit and was able to get a MISB Jabba's Palace for $160 the other day. That should arrive on Tuesday. While I generally go and build sets stock with no mods, I think I'll definitely want to go and properly mod the palace/pit quite extensively. My plan is to add in the jail cell area, the droid area where the retaining bolts are added to C3PO and R2D2, as well as a proper area where Han is hung on the wall.

I haven't used LDD before, but I'll fiddle around with that as I too want to make the entrance to the palace more in line with the movie. Thinking of how I'm going to do all of this on paper first, then will go into LDD to design it with the proper bricks, then hit up Bricklink for the first time to get all the extra parts I'll need. Sadly, the closest LEGO store to me is a good hour or so drive away. I REALLY wish they would open up a store here in Southeast Connecticut. I would love it, my bank account would hate it, and my little 3-year old nephew would be in HEAVEN!

[gavralcraw]

Sadly, nearly all of the pictures from this thread are no longer valid, and from the post counts of individuals I think the users have moved along. But I recently picked up a Rancor Pit and was able to get a MISB Jabba's Palace for $160 the other day. That should arrive on Tuesday. While I generally go and build sets stock with no mods, I think I'll definitely want to go and properly mod the palace/pit quite extensively. My plan is to add in the jail cell area, the droid area where the retaining bolts are added to C3PO and R2D2, as well as a proper area where Han is hung on the wall.

I haven't used LDD before, but I'll fiddle around with that as I too want to make the entrance to the palace more in line with the movie. Thinking of how I'm going to do all of this on paper first, then will go into LDD to design it with the proper bricks, then hit up Bricklink for the first time to get all the extra parts I'll need. Sadly, the closest LEGO store to me is a good hour or so drive away. I REALLY wish they would open up a store here in Southeast Connecticut. I would love it, my bank account would hate it, and my little 3-year old nephew would be in HEAVEN!

Sounds like what I want to do but I keep hitting a wall... anyways would love to see you LDD model. Oh yeah - this might help - http://beholdthewook...rim-report.html - best for last though check this out - http://www.niubniubsuniverse.com/visitorMaking/beaulieu/Jabba01.asp Edited June 15, 2014 by gavralcraw

[Jdurg]

Thank Gavralcraw. I'm scheduled to get my Desert Skiff and Jabba's Palace on Tuesday. Will need to take some time to put this MOC together, but my main focus will be in making the entrance door to the palace MUCH larger than in the actual set, and to also have the Carbonite Han in the proper location in reference to the movie. May take me many months to do this, but I already have the Sail Barge and the Rancor pit, so some shopping at Bricklink after I learn how to properly use LDD will help me figure out my end result.

I'll be sure to start a new thread once I've got this going. Perhaps we can work together to come up with the ultimate MOC for this?!

[gavralcraw]

Thank Gavralcraw. I'm scheduled to get my Desert Skiff and Jabba's Palace on Tuesday. Will need to take some time to put this MOC together, but my main focus will be in making the entrance door to the palace MUCH larger than in the actual set, and to also have the Carbonite Han in the proper location in reference to the movie. May take me many months to do this, but I already have the Sail Barge and the Rancor pit, so some shopping at Bricklink after I learn how to properly use LDD will help me figure out my end result.

I'll be sure to start a new thread once I've got this going. Perhaps we can work together to come up with the ultimate MOC for this?!

JDurg, sounds cool. Sharing ideas may give me the motivation I have been sorely lacking.

The skiff looks good but I went after the men only from bricklink - Lando and Weequay? The sail barge figures are good... I'd love to build Max Rebo's round music organ thing.

There are LDD versions of the lego sets here somewhere if you wanted to start with them. I have been playing around with some of the details and stockpiling tan, dark tan, brown, flesh and dark blueish grey parts. Pearl gold, dark red and bark blue look good for highlights but I don't have much.

Been thinking about how to do the viewing floor grates from the throne room into the rancor pit as I am unsatisfied with the lego peice provided - 2x2 turntables with the top removed look good but the support is bad without clear plates beneath - and these are very small so no good.

I think this is a better idea:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/78271818@N00/14254482347/ The lattice structure appears pretty sound but with its size and odd length peices it isnt perfect.

A really big gate with teeth is an excellent idea. Given the scale of the dome fort it might be best to imply it above with a high wall only ... The rest would be underground.

I grabbed two of the lego lone ranger silver mine sets on sale for the additional peices - they have a slide that would go nicely from the trap door to the rancor pit and good matching colour parts.

Ralph McQuarrie pics are also good reference for the feel of things... anyways.

[Farmer Harv]

Here's my feeble attempt at pulling this off. I feel like Emmett trying to build something with no instructions, but it turned out somewhat ok. Apologies for the poor pics, turns out I'm also not a photographer.

[gavralcraw]

Lovely work Farmer Harv! I very much like the extended size. This is a great idea here:

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=87233&hl=leia#entry1709118

Edited June 26, 2014 by gavralcraw