Lego Carbon Racers: Grey Navigator

I'm back, and I'm returning with a special model: the Grey Navigator! This one's based on a preexisting Lego Tiny Turbos model that . . . well, I still have it.

You know, was the original Tiny Turbo based on a real-life car, like a dune buggy? That's what I've always assumed, but the model I've made here looks more familiar, honestly.

The back of the car. Yep, that's it. It's unique, to be sure, but . . . I just don't have a lot to say about it.

Is it just me, or does this model hold up particularly well in the 360-rotation gif?

In case you don't already know, the Grey Navigator is based on the Tiny Turbos model 8657, ATR 4 (and, to a certain extent, the later model 8122, Desert Viper); as it turns out, I still have an original ATR 4 in my Lego collection! I got it many years ago at a Chicago Lego store, and I know this probably sounds like Lego heresy, but I've never ever taken it apart. So, when I say it's original, I mean it; everything from the bricks to the stickers and tires--and the classic container--is from the set. If this thing ever becomes valuable, man I'll be loaded. Wait, didn't I just give you the link for this set on BrickLink? Let's see how much it's going for nowadays . . . hmm hmm hmm . . . OK, I'm not rich. Good thing I'm not willing to sell this anyway.

You know what's another great thing about this model? The blueprint is pretty short! After the last few Carbon Racers models I've posted, this is a welcome relief.

I used transparent yellow pieces for headlights on this model, but with the general color scheme here, other transparent--or even opaque--colors would look cool too. Also, that grey two-bar piece in Step 3? That's my Addition of Brilliance for this model. It looks like suspension, and it fits the ATR 4/Desert Viper model type perfectly. I'll never understand why that was never employed in the originals.

I've also never seen an ATR 4/Desert Viper with the 4x4 plate. I mean, those plates are staples of the Tiny Turbos in general, but they didn't get used for dune-buggy-esque models until I cam around, I think.

Some of you longtime Lego Tiny Turbos fans might be asking yourself, "Why aren't you using the windshield the ATR 4 and Desert Viper had?" Well, you're welcome to do that if you want, but aside from a couple of lime green iterations of that piece (and, of course, the ATR 4's piece which I refuse to use), I don't have any of those windshields anymore for some reason. I think this version looks more dune-buggy-like anyway.

See? This is a short blueprint.

It took us a while to get here, but here's the Grey Navigator at last! I hope to return to a more regular posting schedule from here on out, but y'know, there's never a guarantee with my schedule. When I do come back, though, I'll be presenting another regular-car-sized model; it'll also be a rally-type vehicle, and as always, it has an extra twist . . .