Lego Technic 8880 evo

Instructions:
https://bricksafe.com/files/Attika77/...



More pics:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gal...

Blackbird's Technicodedia page:
http://www.technicopedia.com/8880.html

The original set 8880 has been released in 1994. Sadly that time I was living my dark age (life without lego). Now it's been 4 years that I got back in business, dark age is over and this set is weightly responsible for that change in my life. First I was just reading about it on Blackbird page and if you are not familiar with this set I highly recommend to read up on it on the link above.

Long story short I could manage to get one, and as an old school lego fan (being child in the 80's) it straight enchanted me and determined probably my whole life. (hobbywise at least). In the same time I really admired the modern studdless system of lego and it inevitably ended up in the demand in me to build a studless version of it. I've built it first in 2013, but in lack of sources (parts and talent) it wasn't really desirable, nor "smart". Since then I keep rebuilding it time to time and always ends up better and better. According this I wouldn't say this is the last or the best of it, but at the moment this is the stage of its evolution. This is where the name I gave came from.

A few words about the details:

Body:
As you see it I did not use panels but kept the wireframe like appearance as it is one of the benchmark of the original set. Speaking of which I have to admit I did change the shape of the front a lot, even eliminated the concealed headlights due to the feeling that time has passed and it's not cool anymore. But to pay back what I took, I've designed a hood what follows the geometrical concept of the boot. If you listen closer, when the hood opens, the headlights are sliding backward. Rest of the body I think speaks for itself.

Interior: Not much to say about it, seats, dash , keeping the colour scheme.

Gearbox:
Now that is a tricky one. That was the first problem I've been facing with as due to the size of the model I needed a narrow 4 speed gearbox with central differential, but I could not find a decent one anywhere. Crowkillers Paul had the 6 speeder, but it was too wide for my car and Sariel's 4 speeder has been designed for two wheel drive. So I've spent the next month and a half to develop a new one from scratch. I'm hesitating to make a separate video out of it, so if you think I should do so, please let me know in comments. ;-)
Of course if there is a central diff it should be lockable, so it is. And it makes a very compact structure with the gearbox itself what comes handy in modular building.

Steering:
Unlike in the original, there is no ackermann geometry in my model, but please blame lego as it is the field where the part developement goes backward. Anyway the front steering is pretty simple, but for the rear I had to use a rod mechanism, since the compact gearbox left no room for an axle to go trough without compromising the aesthetics. It comes however with certain benefits, as with minor modification on the linking can change the steering lock of the rear wheels. I've applied the smalest as I've found it more realistic. The real life 4 wheel steered cars have only 3-5 degrees on the rear.

Ground clearence adjustment:
No witchcraft, a worm gear and an 8 tooth gear paired up on each wheel to lift and lower the shockers trough an axle. That it.

While in this vid you'll see mostly the version what built according the original colours, on my brickshelf there is a few other colours schemes too. And with time even more should appear.

I hope you enjoyed, thank you for reading and watching and if there is any question, just use the comment section and I'm looking forward to answer it as best as I can.

Keep building!