It's about a time, since I've been ended my dark ages and now it looks like my way will be rather smaller attempts and "projects", then bigger and more sophisticated ones. My older builds had their own topics here and here, but I don't think that all of my next builds will be suitable for separate topics, so I decided to make this one, where I have intention to add all of my publishable builds.

And for the beginning, here is my wip small manual buggy. Buggies are favourite Technic builds, there are many of them in all sizes, shapes and qualities. This one is intended to be small and simple, all manualy working. Now it has front and rear suspesion, openable cabin, steering and rear wheels conected to fake engine. I'd like to improve rear axle suspension, add HOG and steering wheel and some details here and there. And finaly adjust color scheme, although I'm not very disturbed with this clor vomit in this type of vehicle.

Nice!

That is damn sexy already! 

Can You make a picture with 62,4x20 wheels? I find 56-er proper here, just pure curiosity.

Excellent buggy, it looks good, but IMHO, try to limit yourself to 2 colors in addition to black and white, just so it looks a bit more coordinated.

Can you add an underside and straight rear photo so we can advise on the suspension?

16 hours ago, agrof said:

That is damn sexy already! 

Can You make a picture with 62,4x20 wheels? I find 56-er proper here, just pure curiosity.

Thanks :) I've made some pics with 62.4x20 wheels and it looked better, then I thought, but anyway, I like those offroad tyres more. And there is problem with bigger front wheels, that they contact side liftarm when steered. 56-ers are also close, but still have little gap there.

14 hours ago, Leonardo da Bricki said:

Excellent buggy, it looks good, but IMHO, try to limit yourself to 2 colors in addition to black and white, just so it looks a bit more coordinated.

Can you add an underside and straight rear photo so we can advise on the suspension?

Here are some pics of rear suspension. I have to replace those yelow beams, which interacts with springs. Substitute them by 2 studs shorter beams will help. I also need to add links to hold rear axle in position, just don't know, where and how to connect them.

Colors are only temporary solution, I use parts, which I have in my tiny collection and don't built in other models. When I'll solve all technical aspects, then I'll try to make some changes in colours. I would like to combine black with yellow, maybe with bright green. I don't know, which one will be more realistic yet.

Very cool little buggy, now if only it was buggy motor powered with a Buwizz, it would be a rocket . Great shape though  well done! 

Nice buggy.

So, how the steering is done now. Juts that gear in cabin?

Thanks :) Steering is only by that gear, but I'm just working on it, so it is possible, that today HOG and steering wheel will be done ;)

Small, but important upgrade - HOG and steering wheel. I'm not very satisfied with position of steering wheel, it should be 1 stud further from seat back. Other then that it works flawless.

Looking good.

I've made some colour options in LDD. Yellow and red would be without any problem, green one would need some small changes because of missing parts in this colour.

Looks really well with the steering added. And the new version of the cockpit + steering wheel is just ingenious (just checked on Bricksafe).  I am not fan of the color variants You made, I believe if there are no stripes, it will look better! Black -or DBG as it is now- top, mono color sides and belly would present the smooth shape maybe a bit better. I even like this version, just less yellow in the body, it reflects the racing feeling:

Could You share the LDD file for it, or not planned yet? Definitely on my building list.

Edited April 24, 20177 yr by agrof

Thank you for your  coment :) I've uploaded LXF here, with updated color scheme as original build with some small changes as you suggested. I think you are right, less is sometimes more and I like it as it is now. Some details are still unfinnished, some unused pins and unfinnished rear safety cage, but all functions are already done.

I've edited link to LDD, first one didn't work.

Edited April 24, 20177 yr by muffinbrick

Thank You @muffinbrick for the LDD file!

I quickly scanned it through, the only thing I can add is, that I would use 5.5L axles for the rear wheels, so the axles can not slide out:

I couldn't resist to form it a bit how my build will probably look like - I will use my spare 62,4-er wheels. Waiting for the final version, I am in love with this "small" (570 pcs) buggy! 

Thank you for kind words, I appreciate it . I like your version, this simple decolorization looks very nice!

Problem with those 62.4x20 wheels is, that they contact when steered, so this part of the cabin cover should be built differently. I have some ideas how, but I'm affraid that this will weaken construction of cabin, when it is not very strong already.

And one more "problem" - front suspension is not willing to return, when pressed. I don't know, if it's only because of weak springs, or if it's fail in this construction . I'll try to replace by as pivots of arms, but i'm not sure, if it'll work. Any other suggestion?

I will find a way to solve the collision. There is always a way. 

Yes, probably the friction is too high then for the soft springs. Hard springs are worth to try, and also as You wrote: using axles instead.

I've add my buggy on rebricable. Some pics of "final" setup:

 

Just seen it on Rebrickable, very nice buggy) I should build it.

Nice! Looks very playable.

Great to see it finished, thanks for the extra effort with the pdf instructions!  

Nowadays I'm working on something different from my previous builds. And also it's "for the first time" in many senses. It's my first attempt to make C-model, first attempt to make motorized MOC and it will be my first above 1000 parts MOC(it's not yet, but it'll be likely).

It'll be c-model of 42054, Skidder. My intention is to make 3 motorized functions and some manual functions.

Manual functions will be steering by HOG, pendular suspension lifting(and maybe tilting) of blade, rotating and closing of claws, motorized functions will be positionig and extracting of the boom.

Today I have main chassis and proportions of model, but it's still bit messy. I have to rebuild front end to make it more rigid and to make manual functioncs work flawlessly, and mainly I have to build rear end with boom and all motorized funcitons.

As building skidder have very slow progress and is still far from finish, i've started another buggy. It's bigger, have all wheel drive, two L-motors for drive and one M-motor for steering. Shaping is almost done, but performance is poor, so i have to improve it.  Firstly buggy is too heavy, i don't know, how to lower the weight of it without affecting stiffnes and look and I'm affraid, that two L-motors will not be enough. Second problem is, that all wheel drive is not smooth enough, there are lot of friction, so I'll have to rebuild rear arms and maybe scrifice front wheels drive.

 

Any suggestions are welcome.

Looks really good!  What is the actual weight?

Using panels already a nice way to cut the weight and increase stiffness, this is also something what I made with my buggy. At final stage, I revised all the connections, removed all the unnecessary pins,and also replaced some connections which could be solved by less and lighter parts. Gathering 25 gramms minus was not bad result. 

First I made a driveline as You did, but indeed it generates lot of friction, so I decided to build the motors into the  swingarms. I also used 2 L-motors, as I don't have RC motors (which are the best choice if You are looking for performance), and geared them for speed - which was actually quite acceptable for 1481 gramms brutto, side impact is almost zero torque, so usable only on flat or declining surfaces.

I hope this helps a bit!

Edited September 25, 20177 yr by agrof

Thanks for your reply. I know your buggy, like it, and also my former colegue have it on his shelf ;) It was bit of inspiration on the begining for my build, too. Anyway, I didn't want to copy it, just to make it's performance as close as possible to your buggy, with the same motorization, but in different look and setup. So I would like to avoid placing motors into the swingarms, but rather find another solutions to lower friction. Firstly i want to use small turntables as swingarm pivots and rebuild gears between motors and main axle. Then i will see, if it helps enough, or i'll have to improove it more.

My actual build with all motors and full battery box is around 1140g so it looks like it's not that bad, as i thought. I've just made prototype of stiffer rear swingarm with turntable in it looks promising.

Your first buggy has much improved since I saw it! Very nice 

For your skidder, not gonna lie, it looks disproportionate, and the articulated joint seems pretty weak. Not sure if you're still working on it, but that's just my 2 cents.

Your second buggy has a very nice front suspension.