Steerable car

Eric Brok showed me a model of a car which could be steered by pushing it sideways, since the steering axle was excentric relative to the rotation of the wheel. This is an excellent idea. Here I have worked it out for the classic 1920s car of the archaeologists.

car picture (GIF)

Color coding: parts with the same color move together as one object.

Central to the model is the red axle of length 12 (drawn slightly longer for clarity), which has three purposes: it holds the model together; it permits the steering mechanism to tilt, giving a nice all-terrain functionality (very much needed among the desert ruins); and it allows attachment of the crank that was used to start the engine. I have broadened the wheel base to 7 units, and had to adapt the rear wheels as well, by an unusual trick using LEGO TECHNIC(r) pieces.

Be sure to check out Eric Brok's version (on his page select `miscelegos: wwII half-track'). His steering mechanism is more compact, 4 bricks wide.

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email: leo@science.uva.nl