I'm having an issue, I've created groups in powerpoint that I never would
have thought possible, but one thing led to another and I found myself using
it as a 3d image editor for a program I'm working on. I've got pretty far
before I have found a limit that I couldn't work around. I'll present some
relevant facts before I ask my question.
Offset pushes or pulls the shape into or out of the page with respect to the
object being in the 0/0/0 (x/y/z) position. Shapes can be grouped. If they
are rotated prior to grouping, they will snap to 0/0/0 (all of them,
seperately) the first time the group is rotated.

I want to maintain the relative rotation. My work around included using
different offsets and manually creating right and left wheels in the picture
below. But with this engine, which I created by extruding (using bevel and
depth) 2 freeform objects in a group. Due to the nature of extruding a
freeform, it has to be at 30 degrees to match the truck in 330 degrees,
because the truck was extruded from the profile angle, as opposed to head on.
Is there any way that anyone can think of gettting the affect I am after,
where I can have one group (truck+engine) that rotates and the engine stays
in its place. is there another way I can make that engine from profile view.
so the agles matchup initially. I wish they made an option for locking the
group and any new rotate command is mathematically added to each parts
existing angle before the group was formed. Offsets, if used(distance from
ground) will make that hard though, I think.
Any Ideas?

Here's an image that illustrates my question.

http://www.auto-ic.com/modernity/rotate.jpg