Little 8865, my tribute to 40 years of Technic.

[Appie]

After seeing Lego's 8860 modern version from 3 sets of 2017, I liked it alot, but I have no nostalgia otherwise for the 8860, while I do for the 8865. This was the first Lego "supercar" I build when I was about 8 years old. Alot of people find it ugly, but I can never hate on this model. So it felt perfect for my "tribute" to 40 years of Technic.

I tried to copy as much functions from the original, I decided not to add any new functions that the original didn't have (wether I had room for that in the first place is another thing). The functions are:

- 2 speed gearbox (first gear 2:1 and second gear is 1:1, of course like the original: linear)

- Full independent suspension

- 4 cylinder engine

- Working steering wheel (sorry no HOG Lipko )

- Folding headlights

- Adjustable seats

Features I could not get into a model of this size were a neutral+third speed for the gearbox and a differential at the rear. I could have probably made a rear diff work, but it would mean I'd have to sacrifice the rear independent suspension and build a live axle. I decided the value of having independent suspension at the rear was of greater importance as a tribute to this model than a diff.

LDD available for download here

(Thanks @LvdH and @Didumos69 for the help on the LDD and the 9L liftarm in front of the model is for dash, supposed to be placed behind the steering wheel)

A couple of more images:

If you wonder why I didn't use the 2017 part of pinhoel with 2 axle ends on the driveshaft towards the gearbox. That was my intention, but I don't own the part yet and after mounting the gearbox on top I couldn't detect any play in that part anymore, so instead of breaking down the model to get that new part in there I decided to leave it as this.

I tried to copy as many details of the engine as possible. A custom V4 engine worked best instead of the standard Lego engine parts, because I could mount the exhausts better and have the transparent red in the centre of the engine (4L lightsaber) where the original had 1x2 transparent red bricks.

For the centre console I tried to mimic the original as well. I used a 3L blue liftarm as gearstick because his big brother has it too, same goes for the antenna being red for the headlights. The reason why that isn't simply an axle with a red bush is because from the front view that is visible above the dash and I don't like that. Also, when the headlights are up a bush in that position makes it harder to steer. While I can perfectly fit the mechanism on the passengers side, that felt out of place, so this looked best to me.

Folding headlight, simple but effective

Adjustable seat's maximum laid back position to keep a seat in its adjusted position I decided to use rubber 2L liftarms below the seats (behind the LBG bush). A little turn of that LBG bush and the seat won't move.

Of course I made pictures with its big brother:

Which brings me to a problem of this tribute: scale. I originally wanted to use 30.5mm tires, but that mean I'd have to make a suspension that was about 9 studs wide, 10 studs wide if I decide to ignore the fact the 30.5mm tires are far too wide to be in scale. However, I couldn't make a 10 stud wide front suspension that felt strong enough to mount the rest of the car to. While I managed a rear suspension in 10 studs, it looked very flimsy So I decided to slightly scale up my model with the use of these 37mm tires. The end result was a scale of 1 : 0.48 (sorry engineers for this crappy notation ). However where the 30.5mm were far too wide (2studs) for scale, these were a tad worse .

To compensate for this I decided to make the suspension smaller in width, so that the total width with tires included would be in scale (edit: and this width is what I based the "1 : 0.48 scale" on, the tires actually needed to be 39mm to be in scale for that ratio and not 37mm, but those don't exist in any way from Lego, the next is 43mm which would be such a significant upscaling that I didn't want to do, 2mm is barely visible I think and allowed me to create a smaller model /end edit). That resulted in this 11 stud wide suspension, which was alot better to work with for mounting a body to it. Also the rear got some much needed inforcement to remove the flimsy look of the 10 stud wide suspension. So with having a scale that basically meant 2:1 it was easy to work with, for bigger sizes I used the 0.48 and for small stuff (4 studs or lower) I used 2:1.

The engine is 1 stud too high in scale, but this I could not combine lower with the suspension. I am glad it it's still (just barely) under the "rear window".

Thanks for your time looking at my little model.

 

Edited March 19, 2017 by Appie
typos and couldn't preview topic before posting? Edit 2 Additional info and added LDD to opening post

[Myers Lego Technic]

Very Cool! the similarities are prominent, and the functions are great! For a small build,  nice Work! 

[ColletArrow]

That's a very clever, clean build. I love the integration of all the original functions in this smaller scale, especially the folding headlights. (I think I prefer the control being on the dashboard to the original model, it feels more intuitive.) Well done for pulling it all off!

[Appie]

Thank you very much guys.

Funny thing for the headlights control is that I had the full intention to build it like the original, however I couldn't route an axle through the front suspension (steering took alot of available space), nor have a lever for it between the gearbox and the seats. Then this method happened when I mounted the dash and front bumper

[nerdsforprez]

Too much fun.  Count me in as a huge fan of this build.  

Kudos on making the lights work, brilliant.

The limitations u noted r completely understandable given the limitations of Lego element possibilities.

[Oliver 79]

Very nice little tribute. I love how you got all the original features in.

How did you do the steering with the 6L steering links? I'm working on an 11 stud wide front steered axle with independent suspension myself and am having difficulty making it work. 

Have you any pictures of yours? 

[VKTechnic]

Appie you've got some insane talent for building small. Great model mate!

[zux]

Creating a small moc of this size and number of functions is a challenge already. Making it scaled version of existing set is just incredible!

Proportions are just on spot - you can clearly see smaller model is like a younger brother to larger one. 

[Didumos69]

34 minutes ago, VKTechnic said:

Appie you've got some insane talent for building small. Great model mate!

 

20 minutes ago, zux said:

Creating a small moc of this size and number of functions is a challenge already. Making it scaled version of existing set is just incredible!

Proportions are just on spot - you can clearly see smaller model is like a younger brother to larger one. 

I second every word of the above. I love it!

[Blakbird]

Fantastic!  This is immediately recognizable as an updated 8865, even without reading any text.  I love it.

[Appie]

Thank you very much guys! 

1 hour ago, Oliver 79 said:

Very nice little tribute. I love how you got all the original features in.

How did you do the steering with the 6L steering links? I'm working on an 11 stud wide front steered axle with independent suspension myself and am having difficulty making it work. 

Have you any pictures of yours? 

I have this image from when it was just a chassis 

The 6L links basically share a 3L axle at the front. I tried quite a few suspension setups with these blue wishbones (which I felt I needed to use for this tribute) and this setup resulted in almost no visible bumpsteer. Hope it helps you out. 

[Edwin Korstanje]

Fantastic Appie

[Oliver 79]

15 minutes ago, Appie said:

....I have this image from when it was just a chassis..... 

 

Ah ok. Yes, that helps. Thanks. 

You sure got the compact builds nailed! 

[Littleworlds]

So cool! I am not the super technic fan but even I know and love this car and you made an outstanding miniature version of it! I think I will have a go building one like yours as well. After aquiring the neccessary pieces. Well done! 

[Jeroen Ottens]

Brilliant little bugger, your small builds get better and better

[Jay Psi]

This is too cute for words, even if it didn't have all the functionality you managed to squeeze into it.

The fact that you've almost totally replicated the functions of the original on such a small scale is brilliant.

[Appie]

Thanks guys for the compliments. Much appreciated!

@LvdH

Looking at the comments, I'll probably make my own LDD within the next couple of days, so people can build it if they would like to.

[Polo-Freak]

Little Masterpiece 

[Erik Leppen]

Lovely, instantly recognizable (and I always liked the original set as well, so great choice).

Too bad the suspension are non-official part usage. But I understand there are very little options there. The similarity with the original is very well done.

[Blakbird]

19 minutes ago, Erik Leppen said:

Too bad the suspension are non-official part usage.

True, but it is pretty close given that the box for 8860 showed springs being used the same way even though the actual model was different than the pictures.

[trekman]

This mini 8865 is sweet.  I have the original big brother.  I was just wondering if you used any of those notorious black pins....

[Leonardo da Bricki]

Excellent tribute, I think this is what Lego should have done.

[Didumos69]

9 hours ago, Appie said:

Looking at the comments, I'll probably make my own LDD within the next couple of days, so people can build it if they would like to.

Please do!

You have the extraordinary skill to merge multiple functions in a small structure as was already evident in your [TC10] Little Bulldozer and I would like to know all the details.

[PKW]

I'm who (almost) have big sizes in lego, because they make pieces more important than unique solutions and hard-thinking about the project, I have only a word: AWESOME

I love how you fit even a gearbox in there! I have only a question, how shock absorbing work with the real drivertrain?

[Didumos69]

10 minutes ago, LvdH said:

I wonder too. Because the rear suspension is quite weird in how it works. I have tried figuring it out in LDD and I think I did it. Because he only has 1 CV joint on each rear wheel (normally there would be 2 for double wishbone suspension) and one to connect the rear wheels to the gearbox. 

I think the differential - or what goes for a diff - is floating. Otherwise why would there be a lengthwise CV-joint running to the 'diff' (which is of course not a diff)?

Edited March 16, 2017 by Didumos69