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HotRed

December 30th, 2008 Leave a comment Go to comments

Another take on the subjects of HotRods. Features full independent suspension, V14 piston engine, functional steering wheel and a 4-speed manual gearbox.

Datasheet:

Completion date: 01/03/2008
Power: electric (Power Functions)
Dimensions: length 52 studs / width 28 studs / height 19 studs
Weight: 1.34 kg
Suspension: full independent
Motors: 1 x PF XL, 1 x PF Medium,

Probably my first serious attempt to build a good-looking car. While it’s been largely inspired by the 8448 set, the basic concept was to create vehicle that appears like a ‘hotrodized’ Bugatti Type 35. I have been quite happy with the aesthetic side of the model, and hence the first wide use of post-processed photos.

The construction is, I believe, not typical for me. While I usually tend to create large, massive, complex vehicles, here the idea was to use only as many parts as necessary, and to keep in mind how every single part reflects on the look of the whole car. I like to think that it’s been built in a temperate way, and avoided excess of any kind.

The vehicle offers a number of features uncommon for its size. The suspension system, entirely independent, is taken from the 8448 set, with some minor modifications that increased the ground clearance and made the rear axle slightly narrower, simplied and stronger. The drivetrain is somewhat unique, not just because of the presence of a 4-speed gearbox, which has already been used in my earlier front loader model, but mainly because of location of the drive motor. An easy and popular solution involves locating the motor ahead of the gearbox and rear axle. Here, the motor is located right behind the rear axle, the drive is transmitted over it to the gearbox, and then finally to the axle’s differential. Please note that the V14 piston engine in front of the car is driven via the gearbox in a realistic way: that means, it works at the same speed regardless of the gear selected, including the idle gear. I consider it a realistic technical detail, and I’m using such a solution always when a gearbox and a piston egine are involved. The entire drivetrain mechanism is compact and strong, and has spared a great number of space in the chassis. Its diagram can be found among the photos below.

Other features include a functional and adjustable steering wheel, as well as a V14 piston engine. The car was fitted with a V12 version first, but there was still some space left, and I thought that some extend in the engine size is quite characteristic for HotRods. Some V14 engines did, in fact, exist, although they have been only used in a few planes, and none in a car as far as I know. Theoretically it should be perfectly possible to do that, as there are even some examples of aircraft engines used in WW2 tanks.

Photos:

01.jpg 02.jpg 03.jpg 04.jpg 05.jpg 06.jpg 07.jpg 08.jpg 09.jpg 10.jpg 11.jpg bugatti35.gif dscn5814.jpg dscn5815.jpg dscn5818.jpg dscn5820.jpg dscn5822.jpg dscn5823.jpg dscn5830.jpg dscn5831.jpg dscn5832.jpg dscn5834.jpg dscn5845.jpg dscn5852.jpg dscn5855.jpg dscn5858.jpg dscn5862.jpg dscn5871.jpg dscn5872.jpg dscn5877.jpg dscn5879.jpg dscn5
883.jpg dscn5884.jpg dscn5887.jpg dscn5890.jpg dscn5892.jpg dscn5896.jpg dscn5898.jpg dscn5901.jpg dscn5902.jpg dscn5903.jpg dscn5907.jpg dscn5917.jpg hotred_drivetrain.jpg racing_setup.jpg

Video:

Media reference:

The Brothers Brick

Categories: Cars Tags: ,
  1. Sariel
  2. Emil
    June 25th, 2011 at 18:18 | #2

    I can not find the wheels on Bricklink, can you give me a link to them?

  3. Sariel
    February 1st, 2010 at 14:18 | #3

    @Mihály Stépán
    I did it as a kid, before I got my first motor. Years and years ago.

  4. Mihály Stépán
    February 1st, 2010 at 14:12 | #4

    @Sariel
    I see. Before you made PF models, did you use to just “drive” a Technic car on the floor by pushing it along? 🙂 That’s how I got to build more realistically geared steering… it’s too bad standard technic cars don’t have any gearing down in the steering.

  5. Sariel
    February 1st, 2010 at 12:29 | #5

    @Mihály Stépán
    It was roughly 3:1. Would like to gear it down more, but there was no space.

  6. Mihály Stépán
    February 1st, 2010 at 12:23 | #6

    Did I see right in the vid that it was 1 to 1?

  7. Mihály Stépán
    February 1st, 2010 at 12:22 | #7

    What gear reduction did you use btw the wheels and the steering wheel? I usually like to gear the steering so that you have to turn the wheel 3-4 times around from end to end.

  8. Sariel
    February 26th, 2009 at 17:16 | #8

    Nie myślałem o tym jak dotąd.

  9. Jacob
    February 26th, 2009 at 17:03 | #9

    What a speed heh. You and your models are great.
    A przy okazju pytanko czy chciało by ci się sariel zrobić jakiś fajny samochód z lat 70/82 (wyścigowy np. ferrari) ?

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