KerbalWagen - Das Auto. Affordable cars for all Kerbals. Compact, yet seats 4 in comfort.

[Goddess Bhavani]

The Kerbal's Car

KerbalWagen - Affordable Mobility for the Masses

Background

KerbalWagen was created by the Kerbal Labour Front as to date the Kerbal auto industry was comprised mostly of luxury vehicles, like the gargantuan F-150 Replica I tuned earlier that despite its massive size, seats just two. As only 1 out of 50 Kerbals owned a personal car, some carmakers sought to produce an affordable "Kerbal's Car", of which KerbalWagen is one of the examples.

It is inspired by both the real world Volkswagen "People's Car" and the famous Mini Cooper. The KerbalWagens are built around a small but cozy 4-seater passenger cell with the most compact of powerplants in the front, and modest luggage space at the back.

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The Mark 1 KerbalWagen is available in two designs:

1) GTE Coupe - the coupe roofline will not accomodate astronaut helmets, and is meant for Kerbin use only. It has ample head and legroom for 4 non-helmeted Kerbals.

Download KerbalWagen Mk1 GTE Coupe from KerbalX

2) Spyder - with roof removed, the KerbalWagen can be used as an all-environment rover, with space for 4 fully suited astronauts and a large luggage rack / rollbar for utility.

Download KerbalWagen Mk1 Spyder from KerbalX

[Kenobi McCormick]

Oooh. Pretty sweeeeeet. Gonna go try to soup these up a bit with some aftermarket racing wheels and see how much fun they can be!

[Goddess Bhavani]

I wonder if anyone has taken the hood off the KerbalWagen, to reveal the small bit of artistry in cramming the battery, fuel cell and probe core into a tiny space, in the spirit of the original Mini

[GarrisonChisholm]

I wonder if anyone has taken the hood off the KerbalWagen, to reveal the small bit of artistry in cramming the battery, fuel cell and probe core into a tiny space, in the spirit of the original Mini

http://i.imgur.com/FS7EK0J.jpg

Brilliant, but not (due to your most August standards) surprising.

[BlueCanary]

"you must spread some reputation around"

This is awesome

[BlueCanary]

I tried making an off-road Baja Bug like version:

It has slightly tweaked aesthetics, and the engine and probe core have been relocated to the rear of the car, beetle style, with a (sort of) opening hood. The fuel tank is also now in the front for balance.

In the off road version the back seats have been removed to allow for a sturdier rollcage and the wheels are now off-road wheels on a spider-based suspension. I'm still working on it though because the short wheelbase makes it very flippable over jumps at speed. I also made another version without the back seats removed and without the off road gear, but I don't have screenshots.

[Goddess Bhavani]

Love the Baja Bug version!

I was meaning to relocate the FCs and other equipment to the rear as well, and raise the body a bit so it resembles more of the Volkswagen Beetle. Using the battery terminal as the grille is just brilliant.

Feel free to post up a .craft once it's ready. I'll be more than happy to feature any new vehicles in a upcoming cinematic.

ps:

If anyone else is interested to join the KerbalWagen project, I'm hoping for a Type 2 VW Bus next!

[BlueCanary]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1wfd0ybastsmm6k/KerbalWagen%20Mk2%20Baja%202.craft?dl=0

Here it is so far, I'm not sure what can be done to solve it's instability, but you can largely avoid problems by stopping accelerating as the front wheels leave the ground over a jump so it doesn't do too much of a wheelie, or using action group 3 to toggle 2 wheel drive mode as you hit jumps may work too.

[Goddess Bhavani]

To be fair I believe a real Baja Bug can be flipped over quite easily if careless, so it all adds to the fun

In the meantime I'm prepping a Mk1 GTE for cinematic use, rigged with hidden cameras (oh my...) and the usual interior accourtements including the patented Keinz Shifter!

The car is now badged as a fictional "Morris GTO 54" to suit the soundtrack that pretty much writes the script for the video

Edited August 18, 2015 by pandoras kitten

[BlueCanary]

ps:

If anyone else is interested to join the KerbalWagen project, I'm hoping for a Type 2 VW Bus next!

I've been trying for ages to do a Type 2 without any real success - the best prototype still managed to take off and fly itself into the VAB every time, so I'd also really want to see one made. Also what about the WWII German military beetle variants - the Kubelwagen, the amphibious Schwimmwagen - it would be very cool to see an amphibious car in KSP, difficult seeing as the only real propulsion option is a jet engine.

I'm still struggling with getting the baja version to work, the biggest issue now is that the extra ground clearance from the bigger wheels completely ruins the originals great handling and makes it roll-over in an real turn. The problem is the other wheels break way too easily for any real off-roading.

EDIT: The "what could possibly go wrong" edition:

Edited August 19, 2015 by BlueCanary

[Goddess Bhavani]

To compensate for a generous increase in ride height I would recommend a generous application of rake angle and camber to the suspension, that way body pitch and roll can be better controlled without need for active stability control measures.

It will then look more like a Mad Max vehicle than a Baja Bug but so long as it works, the KerbalWagen need not be constrained by the rules of real world ground vehicle design

Btw, there is a non-stock part on your Baja craft file and I haven't figured out what it is yet. Might need to go through it with a text editor later to see if I can temporarily stockify it.

Edited August 19, 2015 by pandoras kitten

[BlueCanary]

To compensate for a generous increase in ride height I would recommend a generous application of rake angle and camber to the suspension, that way body pitch and roll can be better controlled without need for active stability control measures.

It will then look more like a Mad Max vehicle than a Baja Bug but so long as it works, the KerbalWagen need not be constrained by the rules of real world ground vehicle design

Btw, there is a non-stock part on your Baja craft file and I haven't figured out what it is yet. Might need to go through it with a text editor later to see if I can temporarily stockify it.

Sorry, forgot to take off a KAS connector port.

[Goddess Bhavani]

Ah no worries then, I do have KAS on my career install, so I'll just copy it over to my messing around directory

Kerbal Kars cinematic about 30% complete; here's a pic of a fishing boat transporting a KerbalWagen Mk.1 GTE

[BlueCanary]

Kerbal Kars cinematic about 30% complete; here's a pic of a fishing boat transporting a KerbalWagen Mk.1 GTE

Can't wait, looks like it's going to be awesome. I don't suppose you want any more vehicles for it? I have this quadbike and this off-road rover vaguely based on the Warthog from Halo.

[Goddess Bhavani]

Good News Everyone!

Thanks to a more merciful than usual Real Life work schedule this week, I finished "I Like Driving In My Car" earlier than usual. It's intended to be a craft showcase for those of us who find amusement in constructing simple craft with OCD levels of attention to detail! It's quite short and doesn't feature a wide variety of vehicles, as I was constrained by wanting to follow the general pace and 'feel' of a 80s or 90s music video.

Oh and it has a great remastered soundtrack too - thanks to a KSP Facebook group member who suggested the titular track by Madness!

[Planetfall]

ps:

If anyone else is interested to join the KerbalWagen project, I'm hoping for a Type 2 VW Bus next!

That sounds fun! I love VW Buses. I've made a few buslike designs before, but I was more focused on function than authenticity.

Your bug seems to be a good compromise with it being compact, and low part count mimicking the trates of the real bug.

Your good at this, all of you.

Planetfall.

[Goddess Bhavani]

I can't help but think there are a fair number of new parts in 1.0.x that make car design much more attractive. The curved radiator panels and the angled control surfaces, for instance.

If you want to take a stab at a VW Bus or share am existing cra, feel free to! The KerbalWagen turned out nicely thanks to BlueCanary's K-150 truck demonstrating use of unusual parts for bodywork, after all.

[BlueCanary]

Tried putting one on a low loader, forgot the low loader is actually narrower than the car. It sort of worked:

[Sharkman Briton]

This is great!

[ouion]

Great for Target practicing for BD Armory

[windows_x_seven]

I think it should be "Das Rover" instead of "Das Auto". I don't know.

It would be way more Kerbal

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

I removed the sissy stock wheels, and slapped on some Bads KF wheels:

[Goddess Bhavani]

LOL @ MRS

You just made yourself a Baja Bug there!

The KerbalWagen Project continues with the release of the Type 2 Microbus, styled more closely to actual Volkswagen vans this time.

I wasn't sure whether to simply, post the VW Bus here or create a new thread, but I had already hit enter on the new thread, oh well!

In any case, here are some screenshots of the classic Bus with which to spread peace, joy and freedom, and the KerbalX Link:

http://kerbalx.com/pandoraskitten/KerbalWagen-Type-2-Microbus

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@BlueCanary - I do love that semi truck and lowboy trailer very much! I was wanting to build one of those after constructing the Bus. This way, a Type 2 flatbed can carry a KerbalWagen Mk.1 and the lowboy can carry the Type 2

[Akaishi_]

Also what about the WWII German military beetle variants - the Kubelwagen, the amphibious Schwimmwagen - it would be very cool to see an amphibious car in KSP, difficult seeing as the only real propulsion option is a jet engine.

Ask, and ye shall receive, Kubelwagens, that is.

Full album:http://imgur.com/a/wPdU7

Craft file: http://kerbal.curseforge.com/projects/the-lvc-kerbalwagen-type-182

[sabreheim]

First off - I love the look of the rovers - will test them out on my next play.

Also, do you per chance have a file available for the 'Jebs' truck - provided you are allowing use of it.

EDIT:

Sure the truck is a 1989 F-150 replica, available here.

Thank you

Edited October 4, 2015 by sabreheim