Sven J

Well, it was to be expected - nevertheless I'm sorry for you!

These are actually 3386 "Brick, Round 1 x 1 x 2/3 Half Circle Extended with Stud on Side". Stacking them results in the closest distance between open studs that is possible with Lego elements (6.4 mm). In fact, playing around with a pile of 3386 was what gave me the idea of building the SSKL.

@dimka_ya Thank you!

I can't really explain. 18 201 looks really good, 18 314 is ugly... maybe it's more a matter of proportions than of basic forms. And I don't like unneccessary ornaments (V200 with its two-tone paint scheme and that ridiculous chromed "V" at the front) and "cluttered" looks with lots of visible pipes and tubes and angles and edges - that's why I love Swedish steam locomotives with their clean, elegant design. Back to topic, I suppose... Thanks! No matter if it's formally "patented", I just consider it to be a question of good manners. When someone else has a good idea, I won't copy it without asking.

Thank you! More about the procedure for converting JS figures is shown here.

Don't worry - there are many widely celebrated German locomotives which I find rather ugly, too (BR24, V200, BR10, 18 314, ICE3...) P.S.: May I borrow your idea of the sausage/minifig-hand combo for the compressed-air hoses?

Well, the original is rather ugly in my opinion, but your model is simply breathtaking! Awesome attention to detail and crazy building techniques make this a gorgeous piece of LEGO art!

Hello everyone, After looking at some prototype photos again, one thing was certain: the exhaust manifold had to be modified. Luckily, I had some rigid hoses in the appropriate color lying around, so the three pipes now not only extend further upward, but also are shining in flat silver. In addition, I swapped the old 132 tires for the brand new (and unfortunately still ridiculously expensive) 21x6 ones (5813). It takes brute force and some tricks to stretch them over the wheels, but in my opinion, they look much better. The overall wheel diameter is a fraction of a millimeter larger than with the old tires, but more importantly, the new tires are treaded and significantly narrower – perfectly suited for vintage car models. See for yourselves: Thanks for stopping by again! Sven

Thank you for your kind words and appreciation, @LEGO Train 12 Volts That's what it was built for... But it will take a few more months before the locomotive is finished. I'm susceptible to procrastination...

Yes, they`re great, and much sturdier than I expected. Webrick lists them as parts GDS-90190, GDS-90192, GDS-90193, GDS-90294 and GDS-2201 (don't mind that they call them "boards with panels"...). I used one GDS-90193 for attaching the double slope in the radiator of my Mercedes SSKL recently. A purist solution is much bulkier.

Thank you @dimka_ya and @Shiva!

Thank you Thorsten, you're always too kind! As far as modern "computers on wheels" are concerned, neither am I. But these 1930s cars are something different. Classic mechanical engineering, almost locomotive-like. Unfortunately, the parts range in dark green is still very limited. Otherwise I might be tempted to build a matching Bentley...

Thank you for clarifying! I occasionally buy some parts in special colours from Webrick myself, but have refrained from building complete models using their bricks. Fit and quality are not quite up to Lego's standard in my opinion. However, these parts are quite handy:

What a tremendous job with the livery, the angled fronts and all the details! Absolutely outstanding! One detail I really love is the design of the headlamps, with rollerskates above (no idea for what purpose they serve on the prototype). Only question, where did you get those white rings?

Hello everyone, For me, the sports cars of the late 1920s and early 1930s, with their monumental engines and their clean, functional design (the ornate Art Deco sports cars of the later 1930s don’t appeal to me that much), are among the most fascinating vehicles of all. If someone gave me a car like that as a present, I almost would be tempted to try and get a driver's license in my old age... So it was only a matter of time before one of these vehicles made its way into my 1/32 series, namely the "White Elephant," correctly called the Mercedes SSKL and even more correctly the Mercedes-Benz WS06 RS. This special "lightweight version" (due to large drill holes in the frame) was the final development stage of the W06 series, the most well-known example of which is probably the SSK model. Unlike other W06 versions, the SSKL was only available with a two-seater racing car body. The engine, a massive 7.1-liter inline six with a supercharger, already familiar from the previous models, now produced 240 or 300 hp (without/with supercharger). The top speed was said to have been over 230 km/h. What braking would be like if a truck suddenly pulled over to the fast lane is something you'd rather not imagine... This splendid vehicle was available for the bargain price of 40,000 RM, which was equivalent to almost 20 average gross ANNUAL salaries! And by the way, if you want to buy an original SSKL today, you can save up for it for around 20 years, too... Luckily, my model is a bit cheaper. It consists of approximately 220 parts. About 10% of these are 3386 round bricks, which I laughed at as unnecessary when they were first released... well, you never stop becoming wiser. Enough said, you’ll want to see some pictures, I suppose: The proud owner, Count Balthasar von Baller und Bleifuß, with his brand new toy. A size comparison with the (scale-accurate!) modified Jack Stone figure also reveals why the SSKL earned its nickname "White Elephant." The Count in action behind the wheel: And, finally, two pictures from the building phase to show the design of the chassis: Free building instructions for the model are available here. Thanks for stopping by! Best regards, Sven