Almost a year ago when I was finishing up the Lego garage and paddock complex for my race track, I was playing around with some extra bricks and plates and some trick windows I had acquired amidst the various orders I had placed through bricklink.com. Anyway, long story short, I came up with an idea for some luxury boxes to place atop a run of AFX Revamatic grandstands I have on my track between turns one and two.

So it took 11 months but I finally starting ordering the necessary pieces to complete this project, and since I know you guys are a visual bunch, I took pictures as I worked. So here we go . . .

This is the row of grandstands I planned to top with lurury boxes.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02461.JPG

So after making a few measurements I cleared just enough room on the slot table to start connecting plates and spacing out the windows and bricking up the back wall.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC024641.JPG

Here's some of the detail of the windows and you can also kind of see how I used small plates to join the larger ones together to create the floor for this structure.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02465.JPG

More in a minute.

OK About halfway up the back wall I placed a 1x2 Lego Technic brick every so often (this is precise work after all). My intention was to put screws through the back wall and secure the structure to the table's border. Anyway, a #10-32 screw fits through the hole - perfectly- .
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02467.JPG

The rest of the back wall plus some random clutter.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02468.JPG

Once I had the back wall done it was time to remove the windows so I could position the structure against the track wall and put it evenly across the top of the grandstands. I left about 1/8" inch gap from the top of the grandstands to the floor of the luxury boxes.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02483.JPG

More in a minute.

Once everything was lined up to my satisfaction, it was time to start drilling. I used washers on both sides of the screw, which ended up way too long as I must have doubled the size of the brick when I did my math. Oh flippin' well!
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02490.JPG

I ended up with 15 mounting screws which is total overkill I know but this baby is solid and isn't going anywhere, so it's all good. This is how it looked prior to vacuuming up the mess.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02493.JPG

After tightening up the screws a bit it was time to bring the windows back over and start installing them plus the roof panels.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02494.JPG

More in a minute.

The first couple of windows going in.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02497.JPG

All these plates and all these tiles (plus about 30 more) were used to make the roof panels.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02498.JPG

Almost done with the window installation.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02499.JPG

More in a minute.

The timing and scoring table will be up against this border but in case anyone would ever run their hand across this side I put the screw heads on the outside, with the gnarly end of the bolt on the inside of the building. Aren't I thoughtful? :thumbsup:http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02500.JPG

So this is how it ended up looking.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02501.JPG

A different angle of that end of the track and the newly completed construction.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02505.JPG

More in a minute.

A couple of pics with cars on the track.

Exiting turn one and heading to turn two past the short chute grandstands and luxury boxes.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02506.JPG

Turning into turn two and heading into the forest.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02507.JPG

A pretty fun and easy project compared to the garage/paddock.

Next on the to-do list is the video screen(s). :woohoo:

Doba', you are the man! That is awesome!

Verrrrrry nice job!! Are those Lego windows. Where can i get some for a project??
thx, mj

Never ceases to amaze me, what steller work you do.. thats awesome....


Dave

The boxes look incredible. Excellent Idea Doba'.

That is very Kool Doba!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Loved looking at all the pics also of how you did this step by step. Better than any book out there man...nice job indeed and thanks for sharron.:cool:

Bob...zilla

Looks awesome!

You should seriously consider legoscaping your whole track.

those look fantastic:thumbsup: Thanks for the great step by step pics. It must have took you a long time to get all those grandstands

That is phenominal!!!! Where did you buy all the Leggo blocks the same color etc.?

That's a fantastic idea, what a great project ! You da man !
glbb

Thanks for the compliments guys! It is always fun to play with Legos :roll:


Verrrrrry nice job!! Are those Lego windows. Where can i get some for a project??
thx, mj

YES -- Everything is Lego including the windows.

I use http://www.bricklink.com to research and buy the parts I need. Commom bricks and pieces range from a penny or so up to hard to find or one-off pieces that can sell for several dollars each. It just depends how many pieces are available and who is selling them for what price.

Use the Reference Catalog function at Bricklink to find parts. They have drop down menus to make searching easy. The windows, for example, are found under the PARTS menu, listed under WINDOWS. All the windows Lego has made are listed by style with part numbers. Here is a link to the windows I used for this project: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=30185c01

If you look on the lower left you can see how many lots are for sale in each color. I went with the dark grey as they were most plentiful (i.e. most likely to be less expensive). When you click on the link for the color you want, it will list all the sellers who are selling those pieces and how much they charge per piece and if they have a minimum order.

You can filter the results also, so you can find either all new parts, or all used, or least expensive, or even by quantity. I usually filter by quantity first to see who has the most and then I compare to what I need to order. If I have other bricks to order, I will also search for those bricks from the same seller as a lot of times you can put in one large order to offset some of the shipping cost vs. buying a little from this seller and a little from that seller.

For the windows, I already had some so I needed to get a few more plus the roof plates and the Technic bricks. I ended up getting the whole lot from vendor eBricksOnline with the windows being $1.99 each (x8), the roof panels being $.99 each (x30, I loaded up since I can use them for other projects) and the Technic bricks being $.04 each (x40 again since I can always use them later). All told it was $47.22 plus about $6 shipping, or roughly the cost of one G-Jet after tax. I already had the rest of the white bricks and small windows left over from previous builds.

Check out bricklink and all the parts that are available -- it really gets the creativity going. I have several specialty pieces I have purchased in the last year which I just need one creative spark to light that fire that gets me working on the next big thing! :p

Looks very nice-job well done.You have made some nice additions to your track with the Lego's.Have you thought about putting lights in your sky boxes?:thumbsup:

That's really cool man. :cool:

So I got snooping around on that website and found a window I might be interested in:

http://www.bricklink.com/PL/2634c02.gif

How can I find the dimensions of this part? Here is the page:

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=2634c02

Thanks,
Scott

I'll remove my hat to the undisputed king of Lego!

Sweet and smooth...per normal 'Doba.

And here, I just thought they were only good for the four-pippers that ya step on in the dark(@%$*ouch the little%$#@&) and making mold boxes for resin slot car bodies.

You built a real beauty, hey! :thumbsup:

That's really cool man. :cool:

So I got snooping around on that website and found a window I might be interested in:

http://www.bricklink.com/PL/2634c02.gif

How can I find the dimensions of this part? Here is the page:

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=2634c02

Thanks,
Scott

That is a nice piece and if I recall it only came as part of a ship set for Maersk company (there is a link on the page that will show you what sets the part was in) -- it makes it pretty rare and kind of pricey. I actually bought two of them last year to play with but I haven't found a use for them yet.

That window is 2 x 8 x 2 in Lego-speak, which means it is 2 studs high, by 8 studs long, by 2 studs wide. It's basically 4 of the standard issue Lego bricks stacked two high and placed end to end. In measuring mine, they come out to 3.5" long x .75" high x .625" deep. I'll shoot a pic and post it for reference for ya in a minute.

Here's that pic:

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02510.JPG

I stuck it onto the 2 x 4 bricks so you get a sense of the size better.

Doba,

You are the Lego Man...man.

Way Kool Lego information and pics. Great all I need is another diversion...lego building......ohhhhhh noooooooooooooo. :eek:

Bob...zilla

Hey thanks 'doba. Now that I see them I don't think they'll work for what I have in mind. My nephew has tons of Lego stuff and he has shown me that site before. Just amazing what you find there.

-Scott V

Wow. My favorite HT track just got even better. Incredible work, Doba. :thumbsup:

Wow, the final result is fabulous. Very impressive and adds a lot to the overall look and feel of the track. I'm glad to see you subscribe to the "It's never really done..." philosophy of slot car tracks.

Doba Doba Do!!! Outstanding!!! I just now found the incredible build, amazing what you guys come up with. I'm going to Toys R Me and check out the Legos. Now I also know, why there are no Grandstands for sale!!! Great work!!! RM

Great job, 'doba; I love your track. Just my opinion, but I think it has just the right balance of scenery and a great racing layout - a nice, clean look. My kids, who have many Lego kits, also enjoy looking at your accomplishments.

If you don't mind telling us, approximately how much did you spend on the Legos for the pit lane project and on this one?

Wanted to get Skybox seats for a race or two this season.... ALREADY sold out. :( .... all sold out before construction was even finished...ya snooze ya lose. nd

Out freakin' standing!! *applause*

Truly cool! :cool:

That does look great. I'm about to start a luxury box building (free standing building; not over my grandstands) that I plan to build out of strip styrene, but would love to make use out of some of those windows. Are those Lego's too? Where did you get them?

Doba bravo,
You are very creative with the Legos. Looks even better with the boxes
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Nice-now puts some lights in them.Ithink that would complete them.Maybe a few spectators in there.:thumbsup:

What would be perfect for those suites would be white LEDS or the mini CCFL bulbs they sell at Miller Engineering. :cool:

http://www.microstru.com/Flourescents.html

I think Doba's Christmas lights solution as with the pit building would be fine here, and cheaper... and he knows how, he's done it before

Maybe a few spectators in there.:thumbsup:

Maybe add this guy to the mix. He's very much enjoying his drink. I think I've seen a few of these guys at the races I've attended.

54151

Doba,
Great looking Sky Suites. When you were putting all of the Legos together, did you apply any glue to keep them from unsnapping apart if bumped or knocked by someone?

:thumbsup::thumbsup: rr

. . . My kids, who have many Lego kits, also enjoy looking at your accomplishments.

If you don't mind telling us, approximately how much did you spend on the Legos for the pit lane project and on this one?

You should put your kids to work on your track -- or give them one of their own to mess with -- maybe you've got some budding future architechts!

As to how much I spent . . . ummmm, don't really know. Probably wouldn't want to know anyhow. :lol: I know I always over-order parts and have pieces left over to mess with for the next thing, so the cost is kind of gray anyway.

Suffice to say it wasn't cheap, but I could have done it for less too. Four walls and an open doorway would have been adequate for the garages, however, if you want to try to mimic the look of a 1:1 scale track, then you have to start adding details, and that drives the costs up.

That does look great. I'm about to start a luxury box building (free standing building; not over my grandstands) that I plan to build out of strip styrene, but would love to make use out of some of those windows. Are those Lego's too? Where did you get them?

Look back at the top of page 2 of this thread -- there is some commentary on the windows. :wave:

Nice-now puts some lights in them.Ithink that would complete them.Maybe a few spectators in there.:thumbsup:

Unfortunately there is nothing to light inside the boxes -- no interior -- so I don't plan on adding lights just to show off my mounting bolts! :lol:

Maybe in the future I can do a project with a proper interior and fill it with HO scale figures.

Doba,
Great looking Sky Suites. When you were putting all of the Legos together, did you apply any glue to keep them from unsnapping apart if bumped or knocked by someone?

:thumbsup::thumbsup: rr

Nope -- no glue. They are in a spot where I don't think they will get bumped, plus the mounting bolts are holding it pretty sturdy. It'd have to be a heckuva shot to break it apart I believe. Of course, having said that . . .

You never know.

Where did you get the bleachers? Or did you build them yourself?

Where did you get the bleachers? Or did you build them yourself?

I got a couple from one of the guys I race with, the rest I just acquired thru FleaBay over the course of about two years. Search for "Revamatic" and occasionally they turn up.

There are also the Model Motoring Bleachers, and the Faller Bleachers.
I actually have some extra unbuilt boxes of Faller bleachers that I've posted on the auctions thread here.
http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/vbclassified.php?do=ad&id=7

so I don't plan on adding lights just to show off my mounting bolts!

What?! Be proud of those bolts!! :jest:

Now what did I do with that big box of Lego stuff the kids had way back? :freak:

:cool: rr