[MOC] Hoonipigasus

[Anto]

My new model will be something quite unusual.

 

To begin, I would like to say a little word about Ken Block. After revolutionizing what’s possible with a car and cameras, including rallyes, snow board and more – he passed away in a snowmobile accident at the very beginning of the year. This model will rather be a tribute than the representation of the car that he was to drive at Pikes Peak this year...

 

 

 

The origin of the project

 

Back to July 2022, I was contacted by WeBrick. They asked me if I could build a model using their parts. They provide adaptable LEGO parts, and their main advantages are the number of available colors (no limitations contrary to LEGO, for instance due to the few colors for mudguards) and the cheap price.

This is why I accepted: it was an opportunity to create a model that I could’t have imagined with LEGO parts. I could choose any color and avoid all the color issues that you meet when you build with LEGO parts. Furthermore, it was possible to bring a MOC that is not more expensive than the equivalent LEGO sets, whereas usually, MOCs are way more expensive than sets.

I won’t add more details about WeBrick, because this is not the main subject of this topic. I thought it was necessary to quickly explain why I accepted to build a model with non-LEGO parts and why I chose to reproduce the Hoonipigasus. So please, if you have any questions or remarks related to WeBrick, contact me by private message or by social media to keep this thread about my model.

And you know what? There's even a 100% LEGO version!

 

 

 

Choice of the model

 

My model had to be built around these two main aspects:

 

• A never seen color
• An affordable price for a nice looking and functionnal model

 

This led me to the Hoonipigasus in 1:10 scale (1:11 to be exact because the wheels are huge). The aim was simple: do better than LEGO’s 1:10 scale models.

 

Eventhough the Porsche and the Ferrari have got a pleasant design for a low less high price than the 1:8 supercars, they are missing interesting functions. I wanted to provide a design at least as good as these cars, but with more interesting features. My model includes:

 

• Steering with return to the steering wheel and a HOG
• Openable doors and trunks
• F1-type suspension
• 4-speed sequential gearbox

 

 

Here is the result:

 

 

 

 

 

Design

 

The most important thing I understood about design is that what looks best is when the panels are placed in the simplest manner, so the result looks simple. But it isn’t. That’s what I noticed on the Predator and the 1:8 Porsche of LEGO: everything looks simple, without angles between the panels, but this looks really nice. I tried to do the same thing on my model, with parts tilted around one axis at most.

 

 

I longly wondered how I would replicate the mudguards. The real car was widened a lot, and the mudguards have got a really low profile, making impossible the use of LEGO mudguards. Flex only would have resulted in a too empty result, and I was afraid that using flex + beams would look too heavy. But finally, flex and beams look fine. On the rear, I even succeded in reproducing the slight inclination of the sides thanks to the use of 3x11 panels slightly pushing the mudguards on the exterior!

 

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52626681965_a4ea88c804_b.jpg[/img]

 

And a lot of stickers to make the design as faithful as possible!

 

 

 

 

 

LEGO Version

 

A few details change compared to the WeBrick version (12L flex instead of 14L, no rear headlights), otherwise they are identical.

 

 

 

 

 

Steering

 

The system is simple, you can see the pictures of the 3D model below. The steering can be controlled using the HOG as well as the steering wheel. However, there is a little defect: if you move the car backwards using the HOG, a gear of the transmission may slightly touch a bush, producing some noise. This could easily be fixed by removing the HOG, but to me, the pros of the HOG beat the cons.

 

 

 

 

 

Openings

 

The doors and a panel of the front trunk can be opened, while the rear trunk can be removed to see the rear suspension.

 

 

 

 

 

F1-type suspension

 

The original car features a pushrod suspension. I wanted to reproduce the system, while having something reliable. And with space constraints. I can tell you that I spent hours and hours making messed up prototypes!  It was necessary that everything worked in compression and not in traction. Because suspensions like on LEGO’s F1s work well when the model was just assembled, but after some time, nothing works anymore: there are too important constrainsts on the ball joints and the connectors. Also, I had to get a geometry allowig a perfect height of the car. That’s all, I think I summarized the issues quite well!

 

 

 

 

 

Gearbox

 

Due to space limits, it’s a 4-speed gearbox, with a paddle shifter. The shifter is almost exactly the one of Lego Technic Mastery. On the WeBrick version, it doesn’t work as well as the LEGO version if you take the paddles from the upper part. The 3L axles tend to bend the holes of the liftarms, so you have to be careful and take the paddles by at least the middle. But on the LEGO version, no issue.

 

 

 

 

 

Et voilà!

 

 

 

 

 

Other pictures of the 100% LEGO version :

 

 

 

 

 

To finish, the video !

 

 

 

 

 

Each model has got around 1750 parts. It’s a little more than LEGO’s 1:10 scale models, let’s say that it’s the fault of the mudguards. ^^ I also optimised the inventory: I managed to limit the number of references as much as possible by removing the useless colors and replacing some parts by others when it was possible.

 

All the pictures are available here for the LEGO version and there for the WeBrick version.

 

Fun fact: when I uploaded the pictures on FlickR, I realised that there were 43 images. What a coincidence!

 

 

 

Here are the instructions for the LEGO version.

 

If you are interested in building the pink version, reach me on social media (Antonin Laurent on Facebook of anto_lego_creations on Instagram). Please, don't use the forum to speak about the non-LEGO model.

 

 

 

Spacial thaks to @Milan and @Jim who authorized me to present the non-LEGO version on the forum.

Edited May 31, 2023 by Anto

[LvdH]

Great little model. Also impressive that you managed to fit the suspension (which by itself is already more interesting in design than the entire RSR or 488 GTE) and a gearbox with paddle shifters in such a small car. 

This is going on my "to build" list  

[Scoar Sonander]

Having not bought that many of the recent lego sets, this is gonna cost a lot of money to buy all the parts for, yet it's going to be totally worth it. Absolutely amazing model, and great job with the wheel arches as normally they look somewhat out of place. The tapered and exposed rear is very nice as well. 

[astyanax]

On 1/20/2023 at 1:25 PM, Anto said:

no rear headlights

Wonderful model!! But may I ask why the Lego version has no taillights?

[Anto]

Thank you for your comments!

 

18 hours ago, astyanax said:

But may I ask why the Lego version has no taillights?

The original Hoonipigasus is still in developement and on the first pictures, there were no rear headlights nor visible exhausts (there were holes but no pipe). But more recently, I found pictures on which rear headlights were added. As I build two versions of the car, I thought it could be interesting to have a version with readlights and another one without.

[pwgryglak]

That's an amazing MOC. How can I get the necessary bricks to build the pink one?

[Anto]

Thanks! Check your inbox. :)

[205t16]

Great looking MOC. As a new member I am unable to send you a message. Can you send me the info to build the pink one?

Regards

[Anto]

Message sent!

[Aleh]

Nice video editing! Like the idea with unwrapping!! And the greatest job done with stickers!

Critics: with those vertical front lights itseems that car was scared of something

[Anto]

Thanks!

On 1/25/2023 at 10:24 AM, Aleh said:

Critics: with those vertical front lights itseems that car was scared of something

I agree with that, it was a challenging point to make. I tried several things: using flex axles, other panels, studful... But I could only get an average result from every angle. With the panels I used, I got a pretty nice result when you look the car from the front and the sides, but not as convincing from the top. I prefered something really nice from most of the angles that something average from everywhere.

[Thirdwigg]

Great job with this MOC @Anto. I love the 1:10 scale for Technic cars, and the Discovery Wheels are one of my favorite parts released in the last couple of years.

The features you included are great, and the packaging is top notch. I really like the drivetrain routing and packaging as it looks like each function was well though out, or took a lot of trial and error. My times making pushrod suspension usually leaves me disappointed with how well it works and how much it flexes the rest of the car. It seems like this is not an issue in this MOC. 

While I generally struggle with non-LEGO parts, the pink version looks terrific.

Also, I love the wheel cart and jack. Perfect.

[Anto]

Thank you!

Indeed the wheels were perfect for this model, since they look really close to the ones of the real car and I couldn't have done it with other rims of this diameter - because the ones of the Discovery have got an offset, allowing a shorter width!

 

On 1/26/2023 at 7:36 PM, Thirdwigg said:

While I generally struggle with non-LEGO parts, the pink version looks terrific.

Yes, I didn't want to make a non-LEGO model just because I was asked to, I wanted to make something pretty unique that wouldn't seem a great idea when you thought about it (Barbie's car?) but that actually looks nice!

 

On 1/26/2023 at 7:36 PM, Thirdwigg said:

Also, I love the wheel cart and jack. Perfect.

It's a while since I thought about this but I didn't have an appropriae model for this!

[chuckidukes]

The Hoonipigasus is awesome. I hope you do an rc version. I’m a Hoonigan and deeply miss Mr. Block. Can you hook me up with the pink pieces. Thank you.

[Anto]

Thanks! I'll make a RC version, I just need to find time to work on it!

[Gerorich]

Awesome Moc! I'm a new member so I can't send you a message. Could you give me the information to build the pink one? Are stickers included? Thank you very much

[Teo LEGO Technic]

This model is just gorgeous @Anto! In particular, I love that huge diffuser at the back, and how the rear spoiler moves independently of the rest of the bodywork with the suspension. Did you find that the brick-built panels on the sides of the spoiler fall off easily, or was that not an issue?

My biggest question for you is what tools did you use for the video editing, cause it's just stunning  The transitions are so crisp, and look like the Hoonigan videos, what video software did you use? The camera movements are also really cool, how did you make those smooth dolly shots and pedestal shots, were they shot handheld or did you use some kind of LEGO contraption?

Overall amazing work 

[Anto]

Thanks!

 

On 4/25/2023 at 3:23 PM, Teo LEGO Technic said:

Did you find that the brick-built panels on the sides of the spoiler fall off easily, or was that not an issue?

They hold pretty well. They are attached by 4 half-pins and do not fall, even if you push a little on them.

 

On 4/25/2023 at 3:23 PM, Teo LEGO Technic said:

My biggest question for you is what tools did you use for the video editing, cause it's just stunning 

Thank you, I'm happy that you like the editing because I spent much time on it to try to make it look cool to watch!  I edited the video with Hitfilm Express. It's a free software but you can do a lot of things with it.

For the camera movements, I mainly used a GoPro Hero 9 fixed on a tripod, with wipe underneath, so it was easier to have smooth shots. For a few shots, I directly slided the camera on the background (homemade with plywood and a black fabric on it) or slided the camera with my hands between it and the fabric. Sometimes, several tries were necessary to obtain a satisfying result but it was not too much difficult. :)

[Teo LEGO Technic]

49 minutes ago, Anto said:

Thank you, I'm happy that you like the editing because I spent much time on it to try to make it look cool to watch!  I edited the video with Hitfilm Express. It's a free software but you can do a lot of things with it.

For the camera movements, I mainly used a GoPro Hero 9 fixed on a tripod, with wipe underneath, so it was easier to have smooth shots. For a few shots, I directly slided the camera on the background (homemade with plywood and a black fabric on it) or slided the camera with my hands between it and the fabric. Sometimes, several tries were necessary to obtain a satisfying result but it was not too much difficult. :)

Thanks for the info! For a pretty basic setup, the result is fantastic, congrats again!

[M_longer]

Interesting way of changing the LEGO forum to All Brick forum :)

[stevedeane]

@AntoHi from the UK. Absolutely love the pink Hoonipigasus. Superb work. Have just finished building the Hoonigan mustang and have the Pick up on order, Would love to build the Hoonipigasus as well to add to the collection. Have been a fan of Ken Block for a very long time and I think this is an awesome tribute model. Please is there any way to get the building instructions, brick list and stickers at all. Would be very much appreciated. Many thanks. Steve

Edited May 30, 2023 by stevedeane