Red Coupé V12

[Kronos]

Followed. I have this built and on display also. I just don't have a good camera/set up to take/post pictures.

[Balrog]

Still on my build-list, but supported!

[Blakbird]

After much deliberation, I have decided that this is the next car that I have to build. To that end, I needed to convert the LDD file to an LDraw file so I can follow my normal process. This was a royal PITA because LDD ignores about half of Technic parts while exporting. I eventually added all the missing parts manually and decided to do some renders.

[Kronos]

Great renders as always, Blakbird. Good choice on this one. I built it a while ago, it's awesome. Very well constructed and it looks great next to all my other Supercars.

[Blakbird]

Great renders as always, Blakbird. Good choice on this one. I built it a while ago, it's awesome. Very well constructed and it looks great next to all my other Supercars.

What method did you use to build it? Did you use the automated instructions from LDD?

[Kronos]

I tried to use LDD, but the program 1) takes FOREVER to make instructions, and 2) doesn't build in a "sensible" order. Ex. floating pins/parts, jumps around. I basically reverse engineered mine using LDD's hide feature mostly. It took a long time. It took me just as long to do this one, using the program, as it took me to make Crowkiller's Porsche from pics.

[Blakbird]

I basically reverse engineered mine using LDD's hide feature mostly. It took a long time.

I intend to do effectively the same thing, but using my LDraw file. Too bad that LDD does such a poor job with Technic instructions, but it is not hard to understand why. There is really no simple algorithm you could devise that would always work. That's why making Technic instructions is so much work, because so much human intervention and thought is required.

[Therion]

I tried to convert to ldraw too, but I gave it up soon after... many parts were missing or rotated. So I used the same method as Kronos to build it.

I did make simple instructions using LDD-screenshots if you're interested.

[Rishab N]

I tried to convert to ldraw too, but I gave it up soon after... many parts were missing or rotated. So I used the same method as Kronos to build it.

I did make simple instructions using LDD-screenshots if you're interested.

Since i cant use LDraw at all could you please post the screenshots?

[Therion]

Here they are: https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=3A2745D3FE8FCB9E!3938&authkey=!ACuuKfl6XgHJ22g

@Lipko: I hope you don't mind, otherwise i'll remove the link. I gave you credit for the model

[Blakbird]

Lipko, could you let me know specifically which parts are missing from the LDD file so I can make sure my LDraw file complete? I added wheels, tires, hubs, and flex axles.

[MVtechnic]

I like this creation and superb rendered ... as usual !

[Therion]

Lipko, could you let me know specifically which parts are missing from the LDD file so I can make sure my LDraw file complete? I added wheels, tires, hubs, and flex axles.

Take a look at the BOM at the end of my instructions, that's complete. Also it has the correct colors of all the parts, some of the parts were in the wrong color in the original LDD-file (mostly pins/axles).

Edited August 2, 2013 by Therion

[Lipko]

Thanks for the interest and sorry for the late reply.

You reconstructed the model well, there's only one little mistake in Blackbird's and Therion's build:

There's a hair-thin overlap between part 32054 and the other parts of the car, so I couldn't include it in the LDD file. The overlap is so small that I didn't notice any tension in the real-life build.

Everything else seems to be fine in the instructions provided by Therion.

It's a good feeling if others build your model

[Therion]

ah, that's why that pin was missing! I just assumed you 'forgot' to put a normal pin there. I totally missed it when looking at the photos...

[Blakbird]

There's a hair-thin overlap between part 32054 and the other parts of the car, so I couldn't include it in the LDD file. The overlap is so small that I didn't notice any tension in the real-life build.

Thanks for the clarification. I've added that part to my LDraw file.

[Blakbird]

I finished building this last night. It is a lot bigger than I expected! This is one of the most heavily braced constructions I have ever made. That means that many of the chassis parts can only be added in a certain order and, since I didn't know what that order was, I ended up building and rebuilding many times over before I got it right. I had one issue that I spent almost two hours trying to solve in which a space for the transmission gears which should have been 5 studs long was very slightly (1/10 stud) less than 5 studs so the gears wouldn't turn. Drove me crazy. I got so mad that I shortened one of the clutch gears with a belt sander. But I finally fixed it and got the whole thing assembled. I will post pictures later. Very well designed car; I like it a lot.

[Kronos]

I finished building this last night. It is a lot bigger than I expected! This is one of the most heavily braced constructions I have ever made. That means that many of the chassis parts can only be added in a certain order and, since I didn't know what that order was, I ended up building and rebuilding many times over before I got it right. I had one issue that I spent almost two hours trying to solve in which a space for the transmission gears which should have been 5 studs long was very slightly (1/10 stud) less than 5 studs so the gears wouldn't turn. Drove me crazy. I got so mad that I shortened one of the clutch gears with a belt sander. But I finally fixed it and got the whole thing assembled. I will post pictures later. Very well designed car; I like it a lot.

I was surprised too. I had forgotten how well braced this car was. I had the same issue as you, pulling things apart, rebuilding, etc. I have it on display next to my 8448. Looks great.

[Lipko]

That's why I think this is NOT a well designed car, except for the body. I overcomplicated the chassis because I wanted it to be stiff and I didn't know how stiff other supercars are in comparison (that's a reason among others to build other's MOCs too), Kronos was very helpful with this. If he didn't tell his experiences about other supercars, now the chassis would be a piece of black brick or a neautron star...

It's strange that there was no space for the gears, I didn't have that problem.

[Blakbird]

It's strange that there was no space for the gears, I didn't have that problem.

You didn't have that problem because you didn't screw it up like I did. I found a spot in which one of the cross brace axles was mislocated by 1 stud. This was interfering with a couple of the triangles and bending them forward. This reduced the distance, and that jammed the gears. Unfortunately, once I finally found it I had to rebuild almost the whole chassis to get that bracing out and moved. Afterward, everything worked great.

Here are my photos of the model and build process. The first shows the way I broke it up into modules to make it easier to build. This was both successful and a failure. In terms of being able to look at the CAD file and figure out how to build the module, it worked great. I was able to rotate the module in space and see enough of the construction to figure out how to put it together. The problem was that the build was not actually modular, so after having build all these modules they didn't combine together into the car very easily. This meant there was a lot of rebuilding again. My wife said it was like a huge puzzle, and I agree. I enjoyed solving it!

[Lipko]

To be honest, I still haven't took the model apart frully, so I didn't build it up from zero.

One little note on the build: there should be a 7L axle between the attaching points on the front shock abrorvers acting as strenghtener (I don't know the term for that). That was not included in the LDD file because it touches the engine block.

EDIT: Thank you very much Blackbird for documenting the building experience, it is a very valuable insight about the quality of the model and what to improve in the future.

Edited August 10, 2013 by Lipko

[Trawler Man]

Really cool. I love the overall shape of this MOC, and it makes me wonder what it would look like in orange. :D

[Blakbird]

One little note on the build: there should be a 7L axle between the attaching points on the front shock abrorvers acting as strenghtener (I don't know the term for that). That was not included in the LDD file because it touches the engine block.

Yeah, I figured that out and I even added it to the CAD file already. I also put a length of ribbed hose across it because I thought it looked better. I can see why that axle is required because it stiffens the supports for the shock absorbers.

[GuiliuG]

It looks good indeed ! Good job, blakbird !

Ps : on a side note, I'm currently reading your tutorials about povray and they are really helpful. I could have my first renders done in a few days :p

[skriblez]

Very nice work.

Great work from you as always Blackbird :) Your site is very cool by the way :)