Not in Iran

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If you’ve been vaguely aware of the news over the past few weeks it’s been getting a bit bomby in the Middle East.

That’s because President Trump knew that Iran were going to start a war with America, a war that they in fact started 47 years ago, and so he started a war himself, that’s not a war, that Iran started. Ok it might be a war, but it’s not about regime change. It’s about Iran’s imminent use of the nuclear weapons that America “completely and totally obliterated” only last year. Although the regime has also changed.

Anyway, the not-a-war will only last a few weeks, in fact it’s already been won. Although it might go on forever. And NATO need to grow a pair a get involved. Not that Trump needs them.

And if all that sounds like the ravings of an unfiltered toddler making the words up literally as they leave their mouth, that’s because it is.

Thus here’s NATO’s actual front line – the one designed to keep America safe from the Soviet Union behind the buffer of Europe, which isn’t in the Middle East at all – a tremendous Czech Tatra 815-7 8×8 Starkom electronics jammer.

Constructed by Samuel Nerpas (aka Tatrovak), this incredible creation features all-wheel-drive and all-wheel-steering via eight Power Functions XL Motors and two Servos, working all-wheel suspension with adjustable ride height via two M Motors, and pneumatically driven stabilisers via another M Motor. Two CaDa micromotors power the roof-mounted weapons system, with all fifteen operable remotely via a pair of BuWizz Bluetooth bricks, plus there’s a tilting cab complete with a fully detailed interior, opening doors and hatches.

It’s a hugely impressive build, and you can take a closer look at what is still the front line of NATO, which is not in Iran, via both Eurobricks and Flickr.

LEGO Speed Champions 77262 Ken Block’s ‘65 Ford Mustang Hoonicorn V1 | Set Preview

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Internet – this set is for you! Yes one of web’s most famous cars is about to join the Speed Champions line-up, because this is the brand new LEGO Speed Champions 77262 Ken Block’s ‘65 Ford Mustang Hoonicorn V1!

Constructed from 345 pieces, 77262 brings one of the most famous (and fan recreated) cars of modern times to the LEGO range, and unlike the copycat brick brands, this Hoonicorn is officially licensed.

Which of course means a lot of stickers – even without the Monster Energy sponsorship that would have necessitated an 18+ age recommendation (because energy drinks will one day deservedly be seen like cigarettes) – but also the late Ken Block himself in mini-figure form, replica gold wheels, and some of the Hoonicorn’s key details visible in the 2014 ‘Gymkhana 7’ film.

Aimed at ages 9+, the new 77262 Ken Block’s Ford Mustang Hoonicorn V1 set will reach stores in June of ‘26, and is expected to cost $29.99 / £22.99 / €27.99. Start planning your miniature L.A. streets recreation in which to drift it now…

Liebherr Lifts

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This is a Liebherr LTM mobile crane, and it shows that sometimes small-scale building isn’t actually small at all.

Built by Flickr’s Keko007, this Liebherr can get really very large indeed, thanks to a three stage elevating boom with a working winch. There’s also four-axle steering, functional outriggers, and a tilting control cab, and you see lots more of Keko’s surprisingly large erection at his ‘Liebherr LTM 1230-5’ album via the link above.

Skiddadle

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It’s an alternative day here at TLCB, as we’re back B-Modelling. This excellent skid-steer loader is our alternate of choice, being constructed only from the parts found within the Technic 42082 Rough Terrain Crane and retaining the donor set’s focus on motorised functionality.

A gearbox enables power to go to the boom elevation, bucket tilt, or drive, although not all at once. Which means you can chase a TLCB Elf down the office corridor but not simultaneously scoop it up. Not that we’ve tried…

Anyway, building instructions are available and you can see more of this neat 42082 B-Model courtesy of paave at the Eurobricks forum.

Witness Me!

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It’s been a while since TLCB Elves watched 2015’s ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’. They are all happily watching the automotive carnage today though, thanks to one of their number finding this excellent rendition of ‘Nux’s car from the movie.

What was once a 1934 Chevrolet 5-Window Coupe is now a desert-running hot rod, complete with nitrous oxide injection, human ear window decoration, and a stand for a living human hood ornament.

This excellent Speed Champions version comes from Flickr’s Eero Okkonen, who captures it brilliantly (omitted human ears and hood ornament notwithstanding), and you can ride into Valhalla all shiny and new via the link above!

Mining Cornwall

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The Cornwall Peninsula in the very south of the United Kingdom is famous for its pasties, beaches, cider, and – at one time – mining.

This began with silver and tin, plundered by the Romans, and ended with coal, plundered by the Government.

Mines were a combination of dangerous ‘pits’ and open cast, with the latter exploited by enormous mechanisation in later years. This is one such machine from the time, the 390-ton Ruston-Bucyrus 195-B electric rope shovel.


Recreated in 1:28.5 form, this spectacular replica of the Ruston-Bucyrus 195-B comes from recent bloggee Beat Felber, to work alongside his Terex 33-11C mining truck.

Like his previously featured Terex, Beat’s electric rope shovel is packed with electronics to bring it to life, with four Power Functions motors driving the tracks, two the swing motion, another the main winch, and an eighth the dipper handle. No, we don’t know what a dipper handle is.

Finally two CaDA micromotors power the bucket door release and motorised access ladder, there are two sets of LEDs lighting the model, and the whole lot is controllable remotely via twin SBricks.

It’s a hugely impressive feat of engineering, with lots more of the model to see at Beat’s ‘Ruston-Bucyrus 195-B’ Flickr album – where it’s pictured alongside the Terex 33-11C with which it would have worked mining Cornish coal.

Grab a pasty and a cider and head to 1980s Cornwall via the link above.

An Even Bigger Accident

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As has been well documented on this website, Ford Mustangs crash. A lot. Thus Ford have given their seventh generation Mustang an extra 330bhp… Right.

Cue this superb brick-built replica of the Ford Mustang GTD by Flickr’s SP_LINEUP, which recreates the 815bhp special edition ‘stang brilliantly, and is probably rather easier to repair when it’s inevitably binned into a bus shelter.

3D-printed wheels, opening doors, a detailed interior, and fantastically intricate bodywork all feature, and there’s more to see of SP’s superbly presented GTD at his photostream via the link above.

A V10 Tip

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TLCB top tip; want a rear-wheel-drive Japanese V10-engined icon but can’t afford a Lexus LFA? Get yourself a 1970s Isuzu truck!

Yes the Isuzu V10ss had a V10 engine under the curvy cab, providing the power for all sorts of heavy duty applications across Asia.


This spectacular replica of the classic Japanese truck comes from previous bloggee TsungNing Lee, who has recreated the V10ss beautifully.

There’s working steering, a functional tipper, a tilting cab, and of course a brick-built V10 engine. Take our tip and visit Tsung’s ‘Isuzu V10ss Truck’ album for more stunning imagery.

If You’re Going to San Francisco

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For those who come to San Francisco
They’ll find bricks placed with care everywhere 

On the streets of San FranciscoCars and vans will climb hills into the air

The improved lyrics of 1960s hippy nonsense, prompted by this fantastic diorama published by Brickleas of Flickr, who – with his fellow collaborators – has captured the spirit of ‘60s San Francisco wonderfully in this epic diorama.

Beautiful detailing abounds and you can go to San Francisco via the link above. Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.

Astronomy Alphabet

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Star Wars’ Rebel Alliance, much like Mercedes-Benz, name their products based on ‘Sesame Street’s Letter of the Day.

Thus today we have an H-Wing, so called because it looks almost nothing like an H. But it does look cool, which is why it’s here, and you can see more courtesy of Thomas Jenkins via the link.

Lime Crush

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It’s been a quiet week here at TLCB Towers. Elves have returned, creations have been published, and no-one’s been squashed at all. Until today.

This enormous lime green machine is a 1980s Terex 33-11C, actually one of Terex’s smaller mining trucks, and one that was used extensively in Britain’s open cast mines.

It comes from Flickr’s Beat Felber who has not only expertly recreated the 33-11C’s exterior, he’s fitted his spectacular creation with remote control drive, steering, and tipping, courtesy of an SBrick programmable Bluetooth controller and a suite of Power Functions motors.

Being a mining truck of course, Beat’s Terex is much too slow to run over any TLCB Elves, but the Elf that found it took great care loading it up with gravel from the pot plant in the corridor, reversed slowly up to some of its unsuspecting colleagues, and promptly tipped the load on top of them. And then ran them over. Sigh.

Points for Elven ingenuity we suppose. Anyway, whilst we tidy that up you can check out more of Beat’s superb Terex 33-11C at his Flickr album of the same name. Click the link above to take a look.

DAF-ish

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When is a DAF not a DAF? When it’s a GINAF. No, us neither, but this is indeed a GINAF, specifically a M3132-S 360 ATI, which admittedly sounds like a washing machine.

It comes from DAF-building specialist Arian Janssens, who has captured the enormous three axle hook-lift / tipper / crane / trailer arrangement superbly.

Multi-axle steering, a working crane, removable tipping container and hook-lift all feature, and you can see more of this giant GINAF on Flickr via the link.

Z Tune

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This might look that Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34), but it’s actually way more special.

Fitted with a carbon fibre bodywork and a 500bhp engine by Nissan’s own NISMO motorsport arm to celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2005, just 19 NISMO Z Tune GT-Rs were built, all in silver. Which is why we have a blue one…

Still, it does look tremendous, coming from previous bloggee SP_LINEUP, who has recreated the rarest of all the R34 GT-Rs brilliantly in brick.

You can take a closer look at SP’s photostream, where the GT-R NISMO Z Tune and many more models besides are available to view via the link above.

Agricultural Abduction

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“I’m tellin’ you man! I saw it with my own eyes – hovering in the sky like an… uh, I don’t even know what. But it was right over there! And I ain’t even started drinkin’ yet!”

Grab your ‘Welcome to Earth!’ sign and head to the location of the definite sighting with Grant Decker via the link!

Blue and Yellow*

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There are few things cooler than a red (they were all red) Ferrari F40. But if that thing is a blue and yellow F40 racer, that’d do it.

Cue Lachlan Cameron’s spectacular Technic Ferrari F40, which appeared here in road-going form back in 2023, and has now been built – courtesy of Lachlan producing instructions for his models – in a brilliant blue and yellow racing livery by another builder.


Xiao Baiya is behind the F40’s stunning conversion from road car to racer, which includes custom 3D-printed wheels with brakes behind them, and of course the epic decal work required to transform the model into the 1996 Team Ennea Ferrari F40 Le Mans contender.

There’s much more of the F40 to see at its original designer’s photostream, and you can check out our interview with Lachlan Cameron via this bonus link.


*Today’s excellent title song.