New from Grimer's automotive works

[Grimer]

First a small excavator. It's built partly from an old 642 set, where unfortunately some parts (including the rear shovel) won't fit together well after being stored assembled 20+ years.

Smaller wheels gotten from some Legoland car or other and adapted for a minifigure. The handles fits into his hands.

Second is an electric sports car for Röskva.

It looks OK, but it's not a good design as it's too un-robust.

I'll disassemble it and use the parts for a similar (but also 5 studs wide) design later on.

Edited November 18, 2011 by Phred

[Axle]

Nice, I like the white car, but, if you have them, I'd recommend replacing those 1x1 white slopes with 1x1 transparent slopes. Just an opinion. Also, (Sorry for being so mean) maybe raise the middle 3x1 white smooth slope thing a plate higher?

But I like the design, you don't see many 5 stud wide cars everyday!

[Asuka]

That excavator looks hilarious.... now that´s what I call working like a dog indeed....

The white car looks pretty sporty too, nice!

[Grimer]

maybe raise the middle 3x1 white smooth slope thing a plate higher?

The rest I can agree with, but this is a design feature which will remain in the next, improved, version. Headlights will be moved up a bit, so there can be sort of a reason for it.

[Grimer]

This is what the evolution would have looked like:

Felt like a solid design, but when letting LDD make the building instructions it became obvious it really isn't.

So it's back to the (virtual) drawing board.

[Grimer]

As it turned out Röskva's new car wouldn't pass quality control, she needed another vehicle. Grimer's brother Rustan had a car on order, and as his house isn't built yet (so he doesn't live in town yet), Röskva gets to borrow his.

She's really fond of the baggage compartment, so I guess her new car will have something similar.

[Asuka]

That´s a really interesting design, especially that unsymmetrical front.

But perhaps it would look better if the windshield wouldn´t hang out in the air like that....

[Grimer]

I had to ask what the front is due to: It's a tool box.

After a bit of market research, it was found that what will sell best this year is small cars. These are the upcoming designs.

LDD file with all five cars

[Grimer]

Time for some public transport. A small bus.

It's not colour finished yet. I use LDD to try out different ones, for now white/blue or tan/green are the main options.

We also need a mail van. More or less standard, but with a few small adaptions.

[Asuka]

You´re really good in creating lovely small cars.... um.... they would just be perfect (IMHO that is ) with car doors....

I really like car doors.... However, your new bus looks really wonderful.... hmm, wait.... a car door could fit where these

1x1 round bricks´re right now.... for a small luggage compartment. I know.... I´m just car door crazy....

[simonwillems]

I´m just car door crazy....

There is a Dutch saying applying to you here: "Zo gek als een deur".

(Translation: "Crazy like a door"....)

[Grimer]

More public transport: A bus stop and a taxi.

Taxi LDD file

Doors are a problem. If they came in more colours, I'd probably use them more than I do.

All cars have been modified a bit, so this is the current line up:

Cars v2 LDD file

[Asuka]

A neat cab and a well fitting bus stop, and some smooth improvements with your other cars. An overall very charming work, well done!

[maiq the liar]

You should make a multipack that has all your cars in it.

[Grimer]

You should make a multipack that has all your cars in it.

Apart from colour variations, and the final version of the bus (I'll make one which doesn't require the front from the doctor's car and it turned out the wheels fell off to easily in this version), they're available here.

[Grimer]

Digger updated with some steps to climb.

Edited August 5, 2008 by Grimer

[Grimer]

A small trailer for logs.

I haven't decided if the risers should be round or square, but I'm thinking square would be stronger both in Lego and in the real world.

[Asuka]

A neat trailer, a fine improvement with that digger and the cars look simply sweet in real bricks!

[Grimer]

I think I've settled on orange pillars for the log trailer.

Made a longer version (so I could fit 3 hinges, for stability, but it might look a bit too long) as a side dumper. And two small tractors.

[Asuka]

Yep, the new log trailer looks better and orange fits well indeed. Your side dumper looks pretty cool and these

tractors´re very neat. I especially like that a little more old fashioned looking red one.

[Grimer]

Some further refinement, before ordering pieces for them.

The side dumper has been shortened, as has both drawbars.

LDD file here: http://www.canit.se/~griffon/lego/ldd.html

[Grimer]

I have now settled on a colour scheme for the new ambulance, it's white with green/light green panels.

The service/maintenance van has gotten blue and orange panels. And just when I've settled on this, I've come back from a country where it's the ambulances which are white with orange and blue stripes...

A new really small car (it's maybe actually a motorcycle or moped) and a small taxi.

Note that the colour of the driver's hands is due to him wearing gloves.

I got tired of the bus being blue/white, as many cars get these colours due to parts availability. It, and the two bus stops, are now grey/yellow with tan roofs.