[REVIEW] 42056 - Porsche 911 GT3 RS

[promobricks]

Good news for German fans: the LEGO Technic Porsche set is available at Porsche Online-Shop ... same price and you can order a couple of sets. Delivery is within 5 days says Porsche.

http://shop2.porsche.com/germany/kids/toys/map07026816/porsche-911-gt3-rs-lego-technic.pdds

Didn't check if the shop works in UK or US as well ...

[Jay Psi]

Good news for German fans: the LEGO Technic Porsche set is available at Porsche Online-Shop ... same price and you can order a couple of sets. Delivery is within 5 days says Porsche.

http://shop2.porsche...go-technic.pdds

Didn't check if the shop works in UK or US as well ...

Well unless Lego have gone back to wooden toys, then it's not on Porsche's UK shop at least...

[FLOGO]

http://shop2.porsche...go-technic.pdds

Also works for Austria/Österreich:

Als Rechnungsadresse Österreich wählen

Edited June 4, 2016 by FLOGO

[Meatman]

Ok, I finished the chassis last night. Everything is exactly as in the instructions except I used the old hubs for the front and I used modified driving rings for easy sliding. I also used Blakbird's mod for the friction. I tested out both the gear pattern the way Lego has it and the way Paul advised. There is no difference in resistance either way and with Paul's idea, the gears shift in the proper order. No doubt in my mind this was an error by Lego in their instructions and they just don't want to admit it. Why would you release a model that shifts out of order when there is absolutely no reason to? Only problem is that often 2 gears engage at the same time unless you really pull hard on the paddles, but this results in a lot of flexing on those parts.

[Didumos69]

For those living in The Netherlands, if you want to use the Porsche webshop to buy the Porsche, you can use a Dutch service (Huifkar) to have it send to you in The Netherlands using a German address: http://www.huifkarverzendservice.nl/. I use this service a lot and just ordered the Porsche (I live in the Netherlands). I expect the costs for Huifkar to be 6 euro's only.

Now I have to explain my wife

[legolijntje]

For those living in The Netherlands, if you want to use the Porsche webshop to buy the Porsche, you can use a Dutch service (Huifkar) to have it send to you in The Netherlands using a German address: http://www.huifkarverzendservice.nl/. I use this service a lot and just ordered the Porsche (I live in the Netherlands). I expect the costs for Huifkar to be 6 euro's only.

Now I have to explain my wife

Nice tip! Not just for Lego

[gylman]

While this particular set holds very little appeal for me (crazy price for yet another race car with an interesting gear box but little else, that will just end up sitting on a shelf), I hope that it heralds a future of "ultimate" Technic constructions of a more interesting nature. In my opinion, for pure functionality in an elegant package, the 1980s' Airtech Claw Rig has yet to be surpassed. An upgraded, motorized version of that iconic Technic set would be my ideal high end technic set.

I hope that LEGO designers read these threads and consider what people say. I believe they do. So, here goes: for me any "ultimate" Technic construction would have motors, would have remote control, and would have a variety of fucntionalities that involve visible movement and manipulation. To that end, the LEGO Volvo loader from last year was much more of an "ultimate" Technic set for me. I only wished it worked a bit better (too slow, with erratic movement). And well designed pneumatics are more fun than linear actuators.

[TomOOO]

Just to add my 2p worth on the modular design...

From an engineering point of view, although the Unimog was a great set with a lot of function, from an engineering design of construction, gears and steering it was a real "dogs breakfast" (is that too UK English to translate - guess). For me (AFOL with very many technic sets back to year dot), the engineering design of the function is key to the concept of technic. I am with Jangbricks with the review of the set - you know that there are some real nice features there even if you can't see them. A little pricey but I am lucky that that is OK for me. Other sets where they had a good engineering design was the skip lorry 42024 - that was very nice bit of engineering, and so was 42008 - maybe not flagship but simple and elegant Technic.

Maybe I will be put down for liking this set with its flaws, but we are technic people - I build it as the instructions say, but I immediately rebuild with MOC to "improve" and design new features. I will of course add power functions (thanks to all the MOC suggestions already out there), change pins, etc. The lego team think have tried to widen the Technic idea to more pretty cars (form) and less stress on the function - this is the concept of UCS Technic - for me that works,

I will want to improve this as time goes on - that is what technic is all about. I think they have made a good branch in Technic with this model to a wider audience - I think good for lego and good for Technic which is quite niche in the US. Only time will tell.

[TomOOO]

I do think there PR team is a bit amateur though...

[jensbrix]

Are anyone able to give a good explanation of the shifting mechanism in the steering column? I have been looking at the instruction a few times by now, but unfortunately don't have the parts to fully recreate it, and I have a hard time understanding it.

Thanks in advance :)

[Appie]

Basically the knob gears that are on the liftarms of the paddles are semi-fixed in position because of the red catchovers with the 2L rubber beams with axle holes below them. Those semi-fixed knob gears will turn the centre knobgear about 90 degrees because of that red catchover construction.

I hope that makes it more clear.

Edited June 5, 2016 by Appie

[jensbrix]

Basically the knob gears that are on the liftarms of the paddles are semi-fixed in position because of the red catchovers with the 2L rubber beams with axle holes below them. Those semi-fixed knob gears will turn the centre knobgear about 90 degrees because of that red catchover construction.

I hope that makes it more clear.

Yeah, I got that bit, but I didn't understand how they would get back in position again, without changing the gear back.

I just found this video which shows it quite well, if anyone else is confused :)

[mobi]

Those who have now built the Porsche and applied the fixes discussed here, can you please confirm whether all the modifications can be made using parts from this set alone?

I am talking of following fixes

1. Blakbird's fix for step 5

2. Step 267-269 fixes for correct sequence of changes

3. Modification for easier removal of the body from chassis

[technic_addict]

Those who have now built the Porsche and applied the fixes discussed here, can you please confirm whether all the modifications can be made using parts from this set alone?

I am talking of following fixes

1. Blakbird's fix for step 5

2. Step 267-269 fixes for correct sequence of changes

3. Modification for easier removal of the body from chassis

MaxSupercars also posted a video in the Mods and improvements thread which only allowed 4 + N + R and only allowed going into reverse when the car was set in 1st gear.

[Josch]

Great review, thanks.

Regarding the issues with the gearbox (I did not check the whole forum, so this may be already addressed before, for which I apologise), this may be due to the conversion of a rotating movement to a translational one. This means that the gears are for a much longer time in a locked stage than in an unlocked stage (neutral position). If my gonio is correct the gears are for 2/3 in the locked stage (say 1st and 3rd gear) and only 1/3 in the neutral positions in between.

[Didumos69]

Those who have now built the Porsche and applied the fixes discussed here, can you please confirm whether all the modifications can be made using parts from this set alone?

I am talking of following fixes

1. Blakbird's fix for step 5

2. Step 267-269 fixes for correct sequence of changes

3. Modification for easier removal of the body from chassis

1. The Blakbird fix requires 2 extra bushes not part of the set. To do the Blakbird-fix without adding parts to the set you can switch the 4 half bushes in the handgrip of the luggage bag with the pin joiner in the D+N+R-selecter. Or even better, if you don't like the yellow half bushes on the paddles you can use the yellow ones for the D+N+R-selecter and the LBG ones from the bag for the paddles.

2. There are several video's on youtube showing how this can be done just by switching parts. So no extra parts needed for this.

3. I don't know, maybe someone else can tell.

Edited June 5, 2016 by Didumos69

[Appie]

Going by Sariel's review, the 2 bushes for fix 1 are in spares.

#3 requires about 5 additional pins, 2 of which those 3L axle pin, the rest is probably in the spares. See the video on the first page of this topic.

[Didumos69]

Going by Sariel's review, the 2 bushes for fix 1 are in spares.

#3 requires about 5 additional pins, 2 of which those 3L axle pin, the rest is probably in the spares. See the video on the first page of this topic.

Are the spares for each box the same?

[Appie]

Nope, tend to be small variations, but a couple of pins and bushes is usually a given.

[Didumos69]

Nope, tend to be small variations, but a couple of pins and bushes is usually a given.

Okay, thanks. Didn't know that. The Porsche will be my first set since I'm out of my dark age. Upto now I bought my parts via Bricklink (apart from the 42036 Road motor and the 42007 Cross motor that I bought for my kids a year ago).

[aefferen]

Thanks Jim for this review. At least your review earns the title of 'Ultimate'. Although I am following the presses on the release and availability of this set for months, your review changed my mind a bit. Realizing how much technical opportunities are missed. Like rear end steering introduced in the 8880 set which could have been perfected in this set. Or the height adjustment introduced in the 8297 which could have been easily copied in to this model. This set is huge so room enough for some more goodies. What really disappoints me is the plain and simple front steering. Not even 'Ackermann' was considered which even the 8860 set had (repeated in 8865 and 8880). Why didn't TLG make this close to reality steering a standard for high end models? And a bit of caster would have been a game changer as well. This is the easiest way to improve play-ability. To summarize it equals the non-technic set 8145 Ferrari 599; great body work but limited features. Altogether I consider this a very nice building experience which is in principle the main purpose of a Lego set. I never understood to use a Lego set as a display, it is meant for building and taking apart for other creative work. Besides my hands are itching and my brains are spinning to add the missing features myself in this set. What would have covered the extra 70 Euro was a B-model like a 911 convertible. Finally I will buy it anyway this week, I am still a collector!

[Pvdb]

Well I have been away for a few days and missed all of the excitement of this set being released.

I was really pleased that Lego were eventually going down this line and even happier when I saw some of the first pictures of the Porsche, even though it is not my favourite car by a long way. I know how hard it is to do such a great job on the bodywork, even if you are able to make up some new parts to help out!! With regard to the looks, I think Lego have really pushed the boat out and modernised this set in a good way.

However, following some of the great reviews, I am thus pretty shocked with the effort that has seemingly gone into the inside of the car. I have often been fascinated by some of the solutions that the Lego designers have dreamed up – especially in some of their smaller vehicles, there is not much of this in the Porsche though and the fact that they have messed up the gear shifting pattern and forgotten to add the limiter to disallow direct 1^st - 4^th gear change, and also not put in a solution to make only 1 reverse gear, in my opinion is pretty dire and unprofessional.

Even an amateur designer should be embarrassed to release a solution like that and I am sure that even some kids who are lucky enough to get this set will notice the incorrect sequence. I know that I probably would have at about the age of 10 (although I wouldn’t have been lucky enough to get hold of it at the price it is!)

A quick point on the gearbox. When I designed the similar gearbox for my Koenigsegg, my experimentation led me to realise that it was important not to include any gears in the gear change mechanism – only use the knob wheels to absolutely minimise backlash through the mechanism. I see that there are some 8 tooth gears in the Porsche mechanism which means (as shown in some of the videos) that some backlash has been introdused and therefore there is not the full 90 degree rotation in the gear selectors (the 2L Orange Beams) that is required to get a more reliable shift ensuring engagement and more importantly disengagement of the clutches. (did they really spend 3 years on this – it took about an hour for me to realise this)

The fact that no effort has been put into designing a semi realistic suspension set up is also a big let down.

As for the rear steering and perhaps changing the dynamics of this in relation to the gear selection. Now that would have been ultimate and would have included something technically very clever and special to this model. However, I am not so surprised that this has not been included as it would have been very complex to engineer.

So, in my opinion, a great looking model (which is important for this line) hugely let down by worse than amateur solutions under the bodywork. However, I really hope that all of this criticism doesn’t put Lego off but that they try to better themselves on their next attempt.

[hadidi1999]

..... So, For Those two... or just one... who got to enter the code... What did it Unlock?!?!?!

[Kman860]

Look a few pages back, around 10/11.

[Kumbbl]

@Pvdb: concerning the full 90 degree rotation: this is very probably designed right by TLG but the instructions are wrong; see the fix of Attika in the Porsche MOD thread which ensures the 90 degree rotation. This is a verY ingenious solution i would say ans the 8th gears seem to be really no drawback...