BrickMonkeyMOCs

It looks like a great set, and while I understand why it is what it is, the price is just too much. Features I would have gladly sacrificed for a reduced and more reasonable price: Premium packaging Thousand-page instruction novel 'Authentic' stickers Serial number and DLC The suitcase I'm also a bit surprised by the lack of functioning lights, given the prominence of these in the teaser video shown before the model's release.

OP updated with photos.

Um, it's upside down.

Needs 1x2 tiles instead of plates on the sides of the windscreen and roof. Otherwise exceptionally tidy work and a big step up from the original set. Well done!

Thanks Henrik. I agree on the McLaren doors, but I couldn't find a texture that worked well (yours is fine of course but conflicts with fitting a driver). I had a 1x2 grille there for a while, but it wasn't particularly accurate and looked a bit busy. And you're welcome. I'm always careful to give credit where due, and your many excellent models really opened my eyes to what is possible at this scale.

Initially posted here as LDraw renders, here are my completed city-scale McLaren F1 GTR and Ferrari 458 GT3. I started by heavily modifying Henrik Hoexbroe's McLaren model to fit a minifigure driver, and then modified the same base frame to produce the 458 Italia. The models feature Speed Champion rims on regular city wheels and fenders, and detachable engine covers and rear wings. Click through for the full Flickr album. As always, feedback is welcome.

Not presently. I'm more likely to try something different next, though it wouldn't be hard to modify the above design for other teams. Thanks for the feedback. I've ordered parts and will post more pics when it's built. ETA: I see on TLCB that Noah_L just released his own SF-16H which is probably better than mine, but it will still be nice to have my own version rather than a direct copy of his one.

Sure. I've added a second engine shot to the OP. Possibly, but not by much. I don't know of any closer wheel/tire match for this scale. Thanks for the feedback. Yes, you're right. I'm lengthening the model by one stud (between the cockpit and front wheels) which I think should improve the proportions. I've updated the OP pics to the longer version. It's still not quite as long and skinny as the real thing, but like you I find the real car a little too narrow.

Inspired by the work of Noah_L on Flickr, I've been working on an LDraw design for a 1:17(ish) scale 2016 Formula 1 car. I've tried to capture as much detail as possible, based on photos from the SF-16H launch photos. Comparison shots below. Any feedback would be appreciated before I finalize the design and begin ordering parts. UPDATE: I now have this built, so I've replaced the renders below with photographs. This came together really well, and I've only made a few minor tweaks from the original LDraw design. These included switching to a square air scoop above the cockpit, reversing the 1x3 wing angles above the sidepod air intakes, and adding a little more detail to the engine bay. As you can see below, the front and rear wings, engine cover, wheels, and even the V6 engine are all detachable. The front wheels also feature posable steering. Click here for the full Flickr album.

Fantastic work. Can you share the LDraw file?

Thank you Madoca for a wonderful model and detailed instructions. Although impressive as the drive-train solution is, I will also be holding out for an unpowered manual version with HoG steering, gearbox, and fake engine. (I could manage the engine myself, but have no experience with gearboxes.) I was excited about the upcoming 42056 Porsche set but I would much rather put my money into this. :)

I definitely approve of the improved front end. Also very clever that you've managed to fit the spare wheel in the back. Bizarre how old homologation reg's required space for a spare wheel and a suitcase!

Nice collection. I have my own replacement for the F1 cars from the 8654 and 8185 Ferrari F1 Truck sets, though the tires I used are not as good as the newer SC slicks you've used here. One thing I don't like so much is the exposed arms of the drivers in the newer designs. I much prefer the use of removable wedge plates to enclose the driver, as per your modified 8185 design above.

Nice. Much better than the original. Two suggestions: You could swap the white at the front for red and/or incorporate some brick-built headlights. And I think a couple of 1x2 curved slopes immediately behind the cockpit would work well to remove that one-plate drop.

Wow, the red Camaro looks a lot better at 8-wide. Of course, as Erol notes the other option is to stay 6-wide and go lower and shorter to match City-scale. Clever work extending the grill sticker, though I still prefer to see things brick built wherever possible. Will you be doing the Porsche and Audi LMP cars from this wave too?

Inspired by your Viper and the 60113 set, I've had a go at modifying Henrik's McLaren F1 GTR to fit a minifig driver. The base design also modifies well to represent a Ferrari 458 Italia, which I think looks much better than the weirdly proportioned and hyper-stickered Lego SC version from last year.

I agree that the new rims are nice. It's just a pity that Lego compromised them with worse axles and arches. But as you can see, there are ways of combining the new rims with the older and better parts. Yes, I've seen similar before from Erol on Flickr. An excellent solution. Very tidy. I'm not much of a fan of the new windscreens either to be honest, but it works nicely there. I like the side sculpting and hood vents. Very nice.

I don't think it was anything particular to my models, as I had four of them and they all had increased rolling resistance compared to normal city axles and hubs. I've also noticed others online making the same observation. Push a Speed Champions model next to a regular City car and you should see and feel the difference. Still, they were fun to modify, though I've sold mine since. If I make any City-scale racer MOCs they will be with the older hubs and arches. (Henrik Hoexbroe on Flickr has models of this type far superior to anything in the Speed Champions range.) The Speed Champions wheel arches are also much bulkier and harder to build around than the older City ones.

I can't say I'm that impressed with the Speed Champions range. I bought a few last year and found them to be well out of proportion and completely overly-reliant on stickers. I de-stickered and customized them extensively, but even then the new wheel arches were still too blocky to build around and the new wheel connections had too much friction which prevented them from rolling freely. The new range has chosen a nice range of vehicles to model, and they come at a great price point for kids, but they still suffer from all of the same problems mentioned above. They don't compare well with the new 60115 4x4 Off Roader and 60113 Rally Car, the latter of which uses the old style axle connections and wheel arches, looks great stickered or unstickered, and provides a great base for modification. To each his own, but the Speed Champions range is one I will be passing on.

I could be wrong, but based on Toy Fair pics it looks like this new slope in DBG will be in the 60122 Volcano Crawler, 60124 Volcano Exploration Base, and 76051 Captain America set. The latter set also appears to contain the piece in dark blue.

I see this new part from 2016 sets is already on BrickLink. Is anyone able to save me some investigation time and tell me what colours we will be seeing this part released in this year? More specifically, do any known 2016 sets appear to have this part in DBG?

This morning I finally got around to modifying my 10248 F40 set. I think it's a brilliant set as designed, and certainly one of the most fun and instructive sets to build. But as most of us noted upon its release it is not without its flaws; foremost among these being the printed A- and C-pillars, and the fact that it is too short for its width with a rather squished back end. The first thing I did though was to replace the blue technic pins in the headlights with black ones, as they are visible from the outside. I then took to the printed A-pillars on the windscreen with some brasso, and replaced the red-printed black wedges serving as C-pillars with plain red parts. I think the windscreen looks much better without the printed pillars, and I have no idea why they bothered printing them in the first place. The removal of the printed C-pillars means it is less accurate in terms of the rear window side profile, but I still think it looks better than the printed parts. The more complicated final step was then to correct the proportions. I've extended the wheelbase, moving the engine and rear axle back one stud. I've also lengthened the doors one stud, and moved the angled section between the doors and rear wheels back one stud as well, to compensate. The engine cover is a stud longer between the back of the louvres and the rear wing. It's only a one-stud increase in overall model length, but it makes a world of difference to the overall look of the model.

http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=11833#T=C

Thanks for this (and the technic crank part update)! It makes for a quick and easy fix for an otherwise fantastic model.

Some pics from the show... (Click for larger)