The Search for Artoo

About this scene:

This small scene originally was to happen while Luke and Threepio are rushing off in the landspeeder to search for Artoo-Detoo.

Here we have Threepio driving the landspeeder while he and Luke discuss Artoo and how much trouble Luke will be getting into.

You can see remnants of this scene in the final version of the film: a distant shot shows Luke talking to Threepio and gesturing, but the dialogue does not seem to match what is shown. The part that is cut has close-ups of their extended conversation, and a shot of the landspeeder's display showing where Artoo is. The scene appears in the Lost Cut with a rather unconvincing effect of Tatooine landscape going by outside the speeder, done with rear projection of moving footage. This is probably part of the reason this portion was cut out, since the effect didn't come off so well.

 

EXT. DESERT WASTELAND - LUKE'S SPEEDER - DAY

The rock and sand of the desert floor are a blur as Threepio pilots the sleek landspeeder gracefully across the vast wasteland.

Luke and Threepio talking as they race towards R2-D2. This portion is in the film, but the voices do not match the articulations. Image from Greg Rossiter's site.
 
INT/EXT. LUKE'S SPEEDER - DESERT WASTELAND - TRAVELING - DAY

Luke makes an adjustment behind the landspeeder's seat. From the Lost Cut article in Star Wars Insider.

Luke adjusts something in the motor compartment.

LUKE (yelling)
How's that?

Threepio signals that it is fine and Luke turns back into the wind-whipped cockpit and pops the canopy shut.

Threepio and Luke from behind, with the landscape ahead of them. From the Lost Cut article in Star Wars Insider.

LUKE
Old Ben Kenobi lives out in this direction somewhere, but I don't see how that R-2 unit could have come this far. We must have missed him. Uncle Owen isn't going to take this very well.

THREEPIO
Sir, would it help if you told him it was my fault?

LUKE (brightening)
Sure. He needs you. He'd probably only deactivate you for a day or so...

Behind the scenes: getting ready for the search scene. From Starburst magazine #254. Behind the scenes: Anthony Daniels gets into costume and prepares for the search scene. Note the projection screen behind. From Starburst magazine #254. Continuing to search, but it looks like someone turned off the scenery. Image courtesy of T-Bone Fender.

THREEPIO
Deactivate! Well on the other hand if you hadn't removed his restraining bolt...

The little droid shows up on the speeder's scanner.

LUKE
Wait, there's something dead on the scanner. It looks like our droid... hit the accelerator.