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Original Year
 1983
# of pieces
 178
Categories
 Cars and Trucks: Buggies
Dimensions
 24(L)x16(W)x14(H)
Features
 Steering, 1 Cylinder Engine
Other Views

8841 Desert Racer
iso revolve
Click the image to download the LDraw file of this model.
Model by Jerome Boulanger
Set 8841 was released in 1983, and was the only Technic set released in Europe that year.  This is a much more traditional dune buggy than the previous model, 8845, and yet is very similar to the Go Cart 854.  It features rack and pinion steering and a 1 cylinder reciprocating engine.  The main chassis is constructed of beams, the roll cage and upper frame of axles and toothed connectors, and the colorful seat of standard plates.

Features
Steering
The front wheels can be steered using a wheel at the driver's position.  The wheel drives an axle connected to a pair of 8 tooth pinion gears via a universal joint. The pinions drive a rack.  The steering mechanism itself uses control arms and toothed links. 

steering
Click for an animation of the steering in motion.
Engine
The single cylinder engine uses the offset axle holes of the 24 tooth gears to make a crankshaft.  Connectors placed end to end and clocked 90 degrees form rods which connect to a specialized 2x2 square piston.  The "cylinder" is actually square.

The engine also has a number of aesthetic features such as cooling fins (suggesting this engine is air cooled) and new hose elements which could potentially represent water cooling lines, vacuum lines, or even spark plug wires.  Some gun parts from the Space series are used in an interesting manner to support the hoses.

 engine    engine
Click for an animation of the engine in motion.
Wheels and Tires
This set uses four rubber 17x43 tires and standard old gray wheels.
 Wheels
 

Other Views
Side View
side view
 Top View
top view
Front View
front view
Back View
back view
Computer Render
render

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