April | 2022 | Thirdwigg.com

Lego 8440 Update

April 11, 2022 1 Comment

I am on a little bit of a old set update kick right now, so here is another one.

Free instructions are available here.

When I do an update, I like to add features, but keep the look and feel of the original in a way that you see the build and know what it is referencing. It’s is easy to see the old studded design and have the impulse to recreate the set with studless beams. But there are a lot of new parts that have been released since those old sets were released and many of the new parts allow for a lot of new functions.

For this set, I started first with the bodywork. Once the bodywork was where I wanted, I would fit in as many new functions as I could. It turned out that not many functions were added. But at least the bodywork was a nice update to the original.

Updated 8440 (red) over original 8440 (light trans-blue)

I kept the V6 that 8440 had, and devised a new rear transmission to the rear wheels. It is single speed, but it is geared up in a way that the engine spins faster than it does in the original. I then started adding details to the engine that would fit under the engine cover. I had to keep some exhaust pipes, and cooling radiators, but it took a little time to get those to look the way I wanted. I finally found a solution that was a step up from the old pneumatic tubes.

Keeping the front steering was simple, but fitting it into the narrow nose was a little bit of a trick. The final result is not too interesting but works well, and allows for a removable nose. A simple rear wing was added as well, and can be easily removed.

The remake did not add as many new functions as I originally wanted to add. True, the design stayed faithful to the original, but a wanted a little more than that. Everything worked well, and looked great, but it was a little too simple. Maybe the next update I do will have a little more opportunity to make some updates. Until then, happy building.

Filed under Cars Tagged with 2022, Differential, MOC, racecar, steering, V-6

LEGO 42126 SVT8/10

April 11, 2022 1 Comment

I loved LEGO set 8081 because it gave me a lot of modification ideas, and LEGO 42126 is similar.

Instructions may be found at Rebrickable for the SVT10 and the SVT8.

In addition to the 4×4 version of 42126, I was immediately interested to making a sport version of the pickup. The sport pickup is one of those silly American contributions to the automotive landscape, so naturally I had to turn the most American of vehicles, the F-150, into a sport truck.

First, I had to figure out how to set the ride height. I decided on the wheels for the truck right away, so it was clear the truck had to come down a little bit. It was clear this would be a significant modification. Since I was already changing the whole frame for the ride height drop, I decided early that i would change the rear suspension to an independent design.

Second, I had to decide on what engine I would use. It was clear at this point, I would have a two door and four door version so I decided a V8 for one, and a V10 for the other. 42126 has a lot of space under the hood, so both would fit without a lot of changes. I added a chain driven supercharger for the V8 to give it a little different look.

Finally, I wanted to keep the bodywork similar to 42126, but with a sporty look. I designed a new front bumper that is lower, and looks less rugged. I removed the side steps from 42126, and replaced with some simple panels. A new hood was also designed.

Video for the SVT10.

Video for the SVT8.

Functionally, the truck worked better than the Raptor. The suspension worked very well, thought the rear ride height was a little high. The steering worked well, and the front wheels tracked better than on 42126. I liked the look a little better as well, as the wheels and tires make 42126 look out of scale with itself. I pleased with how the updates turned out, so we’ll see if I come up with another MOD to do at some point.

Until then, happy building!