MOC: Minifig scale yellow Hot Rod

[Ralph_S]

I normally do a fair bit of planning before building a model. This one was different. A few days ago I intended to started building a 'thirties pickup truck to go with the WW-II aircraft I've been building in the last few months. However, I soon realised that I didn't have enough of the tyres I wanted to use for it (I used all but two of them on my aircraft models).

The only way to save the idea was to use different tyres for the front than for the rear and the idea to turn it into hot rod was born.

Initially it was all yellow, which was a bit dull. I fiddled around with some stickers, but that didn't really work. Instead I went for a little rebuild, adding a flame job built with small plates. At first the doors were hinged under the windscreen, but this meant that the flame job stopped one plate width further forward than where it does now. I swapped the doors round, giving the vehicle suicide doors and giving me a bit room for the flames.

The construction of the rear does leave two awkward gaps that I haven't been able to close. I had some ideas, but they all ended up with parts rubbing the wheels or with the rear of the car being considerably longer. I considered neither acceptable options.

I think it turned out pretty cute all in all. Fellow brickish member William Howard liked it so much, he made instructions for it, so if you like it too, you can have your own!

Cheers,

Ralph

[RoryoCox]

Great. I really like this and I could see it in my town.

Thanks for the instructions

[General Redwater]

Great job! With the instuctions, I might build a car like this soon.

Nice work.

-

General Redwater

[Freddie]

Saw it on Flickr yesterday. I think it's fantastic. But, how did you attach those plates that make up the flame-job?

[lightningtiger]

AWESOME 'Ralph_S' - you have done it again !

I'm a conformist! !

[prateek]

What's up with all the hotrods here? This one is awesome, and it's really cool that it can actually fit a minifig in it

[Ralph_S]

Thanks guys. I'm glad you like it.

Saw it on Flickr yesterday. I think it's fantastic. But, how did you attach those plates that make up the flame-job?

They are attached with jumper plates and slightly rotated, as you can see in the instructions .

What's up with all the hotrods here? This one is awesome, and it's really cool that it can actually fit a minifig in it

I suspect it has something to do with this month's build challenge on LUGNuts (a group for LEGO car builders on flickr). Several cars that were posted here have also been submitted to the challenge. It is all about building cars from before 1950. I prefer to have space for a minifig in all my minifig scale cars, even if that does mean they end up a bit taller than they perhaps should be.

Cheers,

Ralph

[-zenn]

I love those suicide doors and the back. Awesome job!

*need those doors*

[Superkalle]

Excellent MOC. The combination of 4 and 5 stud wide really put this model apart . And the fact that you've linked to the instructions is an extra bonus. You don't see that kind of sharing often. I re-created your model in LDD and played around a bit. Hope that was OK.

[Ralph_S]

I love those suicide doors and the back. Awesome job!

*need those doors*

Thanks. I don't have many of them myself, but fortunately they are available in quite a few colours and are currently in production.

Excellent MOC. The combination of 4 and 5 stud wide really put this model apart . And the fact that you've linked to the instructions is an extra bonus. You don't see that kind of sharing often. I re-created your model in LDD and played around a bit. Hope that was OK.

Admittedly, I normally don't make instructions. William got very excited about this model and made the instructions for it, reverse engineering the design from the pictures I posted on flickr. There's a small difference between how I built the chassis and his version, but when sitting on their wheels they look exactly the same.

I certainly don't mind you copying the design and playing around with it some. It's really neat to see what other people can do with this idea. The right one in particular looks pretty radical.

Cheers,

Ralph

Edited May 30, 2010 by Ralph_S

[Superkalle]

I certainly don't mind you copying the design and playing around with it some. It's really neat to see what other people can do with this idea. The right one in particular looks pretty radical.

I'm glad it was OK (I just found out after my post that you are the famous Mad Physist). Anyway, I thought the HotRod was so cooll, I couldn't resist. If you want I can send you the LDD file.

[Captain Green Hair]

Looks great Ralph, it will certainly work in a WW2 diorama with your splendid aircraft next to it!

[the Inventor]

Nice Hot Rod, Ralph_S.

I really have to find the bricks to build this, it looks great.

the Inventor

[Perterz]

The gap the bracket creates in the rear is a pitty but it doesn't really bother me.

It seems to be a bit inevitable.

The car itself is pretty cute, really cool flamejob aswell.

Oh, thanks for instructions

Kevin

Edited May 31, 2010 by Perterz

[Ralph_S]

I'm glad it was OK (I just found out after my post that you are the famous Mad Physist). Anyway, I thought the HotRod was so cooll, I couldn't resist. If you want I can send you the LDD file.

The famous Mad Physicist?

William asked me whether I was OK with him publishing the instructions on flickr. If I wouldn't have liked people to build copies or create their own interpretations of the model, I wouldn't have agreed. So, I am also perfectly fine with you doing this. I like your models. I don't have LDD installed in my computer though, so the LDD file isn't of much use to me.

Looks great Ralph, it will certainly work in a WW2 diorama with your splendid aircraft next to it!

Thanks. I don't know. I think that the whole hot-rod scene really emerged after WW-II and that a yellow with flames is a much more modern look than they would have had in the 'forties, even though the car is old enough. I will probably buy some more of these wheels and perhaps some of the doors in black and then build the 'original' non hot rod version of this to go with my planes sometime in the future.

Nice Hot Rod, Ralph_S.

I really have to find the bricks to build this, it looks great.

the Inventor

Thank you. I am glad you like it. I was quite shocked to find it uses 110 pieces!

Cheers,

Ralph

[Captain Green Hair]

Thanks. I don't know. I think that the whole hot-rod scene really emerged after WW-II and that a yellow with flames is a much more modern look than they would have had in the 'forties, even though the car is old enough. I will probably buy some more of these wheels and perhaps some of the doors in black and then build the 'original' non hot rod version of this to go with my planes sometime in the future.

Well the hotrodding started in the early 40's, but you could be right about the too modern look it has.

Doesn't change the fact it would look cool with that nice dark blue fighter next to it.

[Milan]

Ohh, this is so cute!

I think this is one of the top 3 Hot Rod!

Its shape is really flowing perfectly...

Ralpf, you did a outstanding job here.

My only question is...did you try to create different front mudguard, to be more curved?

[Ralph_S]

Well the hotrodding started in the early 40's, but you could be right about the too modern look it has.

Doesn't change the fact it would look cool with that nice dark blue fighter next to it.

True. People certainly started modding cars earlier than WW-II, but the scene only really grew when servicemen came back from the warand the economy was booming. Anyway, I just put it on the same shelf as the dark blue aircraft and indeed it doesn't look out of place.

Ohh, this is so cute!

I think this is one of the top 3 Hot Rod!

Its shape is really flowing perfectly...

Ralpf, you did a outstanding job here.

My only question is...did you try to create different front mudguard, to be more curved?

Thank you. There are a lot of other builders who have built hot rods that were far more intricate and clever than mine. I think the only thing that might set mine apart from some other minifig scale ones is that it is small (only five studs wide) and yet can seat a fig. I have tried different front mudguards. I started with a 'Brick, Modified 1 x 2 x 1 1/3 with Curved Top' instead of the 45 degree inverted slope, which made the top rounder. Ultimately I like my current solution better.

I like the design that SuperKalle used on his modified versions. I didn't think of using that part myself (although I do have some in yellow). I just tried fitting it one mine and unfortunately, it doesn't fit because it interferes with the diagonally mounted panels (with the flame job) -an issue Kalle avoided by using wedge plates and bricks to get the taper at the expense of the flame job. It's a compromise.

Cheers,

Ralph