"How To Build A Supercar Out of Lego" Article

[DLuders]

A week ago, Paul Boratko (a.k.a. Crowkillers) wrote this interesting Jalopnik article on "How To Build a Supercar Out of Lego". It was noted on this website belonging to Fernando Correia (Conchas), but folks may have missed it. It is recommended reading (with several pictures explaining his points below). Here is the gist of his advice:

"1.) Don't rush your model

This is not a contest to see how fast that you can pump out a car. I usually spend six months on average developing a car. Sometimes I spend 2 weeks just getting a door or hood right. If you take your time, you'll end up with a much more appreciated end product.

2.) Always look for the best possible solution

As I said before, Lego makes hundreds and hundreds of Technic parts that can be used in billions of different combinations with each other. Don't settle for second best. More than likely there is a better solution to your problem even though you think that you have the right answer.

3.) Think of it like chess

When building in the "studless" format, you have to treat it like a game of chess and always plan 5 moves ahead of where you are. It is best to build a separate module to make sure everything works properly before incorporating it into your build. This will prevent the frustration of having to tear half of your model back apart because things didn't work out the way that you thought that they would.

4.) Try not to use more parts than needed

One of the most important factors with building any type of car is keeping the weight down, especially if you are incorporating suspension into them. So this takes us back to point #2 which is always look for the best possible solution.

5.) Be creative when using parts

At first glance, some Technic parts appear to be simple and only have one use. If you feel this way, then you are not expanding your creative mind. If you look at Technic parts from multiple angles, you will begin to see that they are not 2 dimensional and do in fact have multiple uses. Maybe you can even discover one that no one has thought of yet.

6.) Don't get too frustrated

I'll be the first to admit, that I have gotten so frustrated in the past that I almost wanted to give up on a project. You would be surprised what a day from building can do for you. It gives your brain a chance to reboot and start over. Hell, I have already been stuck on a project and had a dream about how to fix it. No kidding.

7.) Talk to others

If you are thinking about getting started in building, don't hesitate to join a forum or e-mail someone who built something that you really liked and ask for a few pointers. Most guys love to talk to people who admire their work.

8.) Transmission woes

Ok, I am going to be upfront about this, Lego gearboxes are more complex than an actual transmission in a real car. Lego currently only produces one type of clutch gear and in order to get a fully functional gearbox, it is far more complex than it needs to be. Many people will feel overwhelmed when they first look at what goes into building a transmission, but after you study one and realize what is actually happening, it's not as mystifying as it originally seemed.

9.) Steering issues

When designing your steering, it is best to keep everything straight and uniform so that you don't run into toe in and toe out issues. If your steering links are parallel with your Steering rack and control arms, you won't have these problems. Of course as you advance, you may find alternative solutions that may suit your model's steering better.

10.) Building in Modules

Modular building is a great way to build a chassis for a Technic car. By building various modules onto a naked chassis, you can interchange suspensions and transmissions.

11.) Studless Building vs Studded Building

The new style of Technic building is mostly comprise of parts that don't "snap" together with studded parts, but are built by using a system of "Studless" parts and liftarms that are pinned and joined together. I prefer this style of building for cars as I feel that it produces a lighter stronger chassis. Of course there is nothing wrong with incorporating both into your building style. You may find advantages and disadvantages with both styles.

12.) Lego Technic is based on math

Most Technic parts(especially Liftarms) are based on odd digits. 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15. Now there are some parts including axles that are both odd and even, so it isn't as hard to find the right part for the right situation. One of the key factors is to keep this math number in mind, especially when you start running into "1/2 a Stud" difference where your 2 parts may not line up properly because they are off 1/2 of a stud width. The one thing that you don't want to do is bend or flex parts to solve your problem. In most cases, you will almost always find the proper math solution to solve your dilemma. There are many Technic parts that are used to solve these "off by 1/2 a stud" issues properly.

So by taking your time and having a solid game plan of ideas along with a wide selection of parts, just about anyone who can dream up their own Lego Technic Supercar can also build it into reality. Just like designing a real auto, it isn't easy, but it sure is a hell of a lot of fun."

Edited June 27, 2012 by DLuders

[Meatman]

It's a good read with some key points that would especially be useful to new builders just getting into Technic.

[timslegos]

Some great tips there. A lot of those tips can be applied to any MOC building.

tim

[allanp]

Excellent words of wisdom, but I think the most important point has been missed out. That point is to just build, build and build some more. Build concepts of individual parts. Build a few prototypes (probably the single best thing you can do to build a good MOC). Build all the ideas you might have even if you don't have a use for them as the understanding gained might come in handy later. Just build damb it! Nothing beats practice and experience. You get to have a real feel of what the individual parts can and cannot do as well as how much bracing you need to prevent gears slipping and a million other things that can't really be taught. Knowledge is only a part of understanding afterall

Loved his point about the gearbox BTW. It really needs an update.