Flipping Dominant

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Le Mans is currently in a golden age, with multiple major manufacturers building wild bespoke racers for the top class. Three decades ago, things were just as good.

The top GT1 class led to the creation of some incredible cars, with one of the most famous being this, the spectacular 1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK LM.

Powered by a 5-litre 600bhp naturally-aspirated V8, the CLK LM was designed to dominate GT1. And it did, winning every single ‘98 race bar one, with only Le Mans eluding Mercedes due to a double retirement.

This superb Speed Champions recreation of the ‘98 CLK LM comes from previous bloggee SFH_Bricks, who has replicated not just the amazing proportions of Mercedes’ GT1 racer but the famous ‘D2’ livery too.

Beautifully presented, there’s lots more to see (including a link to building instructions) at SFH’s photostream, and you can dominate the ‘98 GT1 Championship via the link above.

1999 would not go so well…

Space Saturday

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It’s been ages since we’ve featured something sci-fi related, and there’s a very good reason for that; we’re crap at it. But no matter, because today we have no fewer than four spacey builds, and each will be as poorly explained as the last!

So here’s the first (above), this Neo-Classic Space fighter thingumy from Flickr’s bradk918. Pictured dashing over a lunar landscape there’s some clever SNOTery going on in its creation, and there’s more to see at Brad’s photostream.

Next we’re going all asymmetrical, like a first generation Mini Clubman or Nissan Cube, with this  Star Wars-adjacent fighter. A single aircraft tail forms the one-sided wing and there’s more to see of this unusually-shaped ship courtesy of Paul Nicholson on Flickr.

Next we’re swapping fighters for freighters, as the mini-figures of space need their Amazon deliveries too. This neat modular cargo ship comes from previous bloggee David Roberts, and there’s also a matching ground-based drone for loading purposes. Order your space goods with next-day-delivery via the link.

And finally, we stick with sci-fi but change thrusters for legs, thanks to this mad ‘Type-R Monkey Mech’ by Flickr’s Marco Marozzi. We assume when VTEC kick it runs like a mechanical Usain Bolt.

There’s more to see of all four space-based creations on Flickr, and you can head to each builder’s page for all their respective images via the links in the text above.

Golden Nugget

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Proving that you can race anything – no matter how inappropriate – Flickr’s Fukku Guen has taken a Japanese Kei truck, fitted a V6 in the cargo bed, wide arches, and the sort of rear wing and front splitter you’d normally expect to find at Pikes Peak. Inspired by the LEGO 77262 Speed Champions Ken Block Hoonicorn set (and utilising a few of its pieces), building instructions are available, and you can take a closer look at Fukku’s black-and-gold Kei monster on Flickr via the link above.

LEGO Ideas 21371 Wallace & Gromit | Set Preview

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Now that’s a cracking set LEGO! This – in all of its wonderful likeness – is the brand new LEGO Ideas 21371 Wallace & Gromit!

Based on a fan suggestion via the LEGO Ideas platform, 21371 recaptures the world’s favourite plasticine stop-motion duo in their magnificent motorcycle-and-sidecar from the 1995 short film masterpiece ‘A Close Shave’.

Constructed from just over 1,000 pieces, 21371 doesn’t feature the sidecar’s optional extras, but it does include several easter eggs from the movie franchise including crackers, wool, and a diamond, plus two posable figures which are perhaps the most wonderful LEGO have ever created, even if being British we’re legally obliged to say that.

Expected to cost $99.99 / €99.99 / £89.99 21371 is perhaps our favourite movie-licensed set of all time, and you can get hold of Wallace and Gromit from October 1st.

Green Death

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What’s small, green, and incredibly deadly? Yes, it’s the quad bike (or ATV to some), a vehicle that despite having twice the number of wheels as a motorbike is even more likely to fall over.

This one comes from TLCB Master MOCer TLCB Master MOCer Kyle Wigboldy (aka thirdwigg), features working steering and suspension, and it’s just waiting to strike.

There’s more of model to see – including a link to instructions – at Kyle’s Flickr album, and you can power around a field until the quad inevitably flips over on top of you via the link above.

Supernova

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Some cars are just cool. And this is one of them, the tremendous 1969 Chevrolet Nova SS, equipped with a near 400bhp V8 and – in the case of PleaseYesPlease’s brick-built example – dropped to the floor under bulging arches. Never has the office Rover 200 looked more upright. Or slower. Join us imagining we’re cool at Please’s ‘Nova SS 1969’ album via the link.

We’ve Got Gas

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TLCB Team went out for a curry last night and consequently quite a lot of gas has been released in the office today. Which leads us seamlessly – if childishly – to this, a Kenworth C500K 6×6 ‘Frack Pump’; effectively a 40-ton water-jet used to blast apart rock deep underground to release the gas within.

It comes from previous bloggee Sseven Bricks who was inspired to build it by his PhD. Which is presumably geophysical rather than flatulence related.

Working steering, a two-seat cab, and an opening control box all feature, and you can float on over to Sseven’s photostream via the link above for more.

Ramshackle

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The Dodge Viper was famous for having a truck engine. Thus in the early-’00s Dodge decided to take the truck engine out of the Viper and put it back in, well… a truck. And the result was one of the post pointless vehicles ever created.

Based on the Dodge Ram 1500, the Dodge Ram SRT10 featured the Viper’s 500bhp 8.3 litre V10, with Bilstein shock absorbers, performance-tuned springs, and an extra shock on the rear axle to prevent wheel hop during wheel-spin, in an attempt to make it drive less… well, like a Dodge Ram.

The Ram SRT10 was immediately the fastest pick-up truck in the world, reaching a top speed of 154mph. Which must’ve been terrifying as it still definitely drove like a Dodge Ram.

This brilliant Model Team version of what was once the world’s fastest truck comes from previous bloggee Szunyogh Balázs (aka gnat.bricks), who has captured the Dodge Ram SRT10 superbly. There’s a detailed engine under the opening hood, a suitably black-plastic interior behind the opening doors, a raising rear load deck, and even a life-like brick-built drivetrain under the chassis too.

There’s much more of Szunogh’s model to see at his ‘Dodge Ram SRT10’ album on Flickr, and you can do 154mph in an early-’00s pick-up truck via the link above.

Striped Snake

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We suspect the engineers of the Dodge Viper and The Lego Car Blog Elves have much in common. Hopefully not in the way they look or smell, but if you were to ask the Elves to design a car, it’d probably have a racing stripe, an enormous rear wing, and the engine from a truck in it. All of which are key attributes to the late-’00s Dodge Viper ACR.

Cue this very mean-looking Technic version by Grigoriy, which features a racing stripe, an enormous rear wing, and has the engine from a truck in it.

It also packs in working steering, independent suspension, opening doors and hood, plus custom decals and 3D-printed headlights (as LEGO don’t yet produce the part in trans-clear).

Building instructions are available (you can switch those clear headlight pieces for grey) and there’s lots more of Grigoriy’s superbly presented build to see at both the Eurobricks forum and at his ‘Dodge Viper ACR’ Bricksafe album. Click the link above to take a closer look.

Helping Hand

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A few days ago opposite TLCB Towers some hooded gentlemen were struggling to load heavy bags into the back of their van. They were in a real hurry and an alarm was going off nearby which added to their stressful situation. Anyway, this TLCB Writer stopped to help them and got them on their way – a good deed done!

This neat scene by Flickr’s Dwelve is rather reminiscent of the one that took place outside – even down to the delivery drivers’ attire, which is uncannily similar! Help them to load up via the link above, whilst this Writer heads downstairs. Apparently there are a couple of police offers at the door who’d like to chat about something.

From London to Tokyo

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In the 2010’s the Japanese Government issued a tender for a new ‘universal design’ taxi for the 2020s. Replacing the disability-unfriendly sedans, the new taxi had to be lower emission, higher accessibility, and meet strict exterior dimension rules. It also had to “evoke the same sense of recognition as the iconic London black cab“.

The winning design came from Toyota, who paired their 1.5 litre hybrid system to a design that looked… almost exactly like a London black cab. Imitation… flattery… and all that.

This excellent recreation of the Toyota JPN Taxi comes from previous bloggee and TLCB Master MOCer Ralph Savelsberg, who has replicated the cab now plying the streets of Japanese cities superbly in Miniland scale. Three conventionally hinged doors, one sliding door, an opening hood, and an opening tailgate all feature, and you can click here to catch a ride across Tokyo at Ralph’s photostream.

Bad Energy

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People that consume energy drinks are c***s. In TLCB’s home nation, energy drinks make up fewer than 10% of all canned drinks sold, and yet they seem to make up over 90% of all the litter. Not just canned drinks litter, but all litter. Which means there’s a direct positive correlation between Propensity to Consume an Energy Drink and Being a Self-Entitled Scumbag.

The question is do scumbags consume energy drinks, or does consuming an energy drink turn you into a scumbag? That’s one for science. In the meantime here’s the solution, an excellent Isuzu NPR recycling truck, as the one positive of energy drinks – which are without doubt the cigarettes of the 2020s – is that the can they come in is endlessly recyclable. When it’s not chucked in a hedge.

Constructed by TLCB Master MOCer Kyle Wigboldy (aka thirdwigg) this neat Technic creation adds another variant to his previously blogged Isuzu, with a tipping hopper and mechanical bin lift added to the working steering, tilting cab, and 4-cylinder piston engine.

Building instructions are available and there’s more of the model to see on Flickr. Click these words to take a look, and stop drinking Monster. You’re better than that.

Liquid Hot Magma

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No not the morning after a spicy curry, but this; South Korea’s first Le Mans hypercar, the Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001.

Built for the burgeoning Hypercar class, the GMR-001 combines an Oreca LMDh chassis with an in-house twin-turbo V8 based on two 4-cylinder engines from Hyundai’s World Rally Car. The team would also have the coolest name at Le Mans if it wasn’t for a certain world-dominting villain.

This spectacular Speed Champions recreation of the Genesis Magma Racing 2026 hypercar comes from previous bloggee SFH_Bricks, who has appeared here numerous times with his ever growing catalogue of Le Mans racers.

With a superbly replicated livery SFH’s GMR-001 is as realistic as Speed Champions creations come, and you can melt every city on the planet with liquid hot magma via the link above.

Cosmic Corvettes

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Corvettes, like Mustangs, are often driven by people who think their car can spin on the spot. Or fly. Or both. They are mistaken.

But not today! Because we have two Corvettes that can do just that. Previous bloggee Sergio Batista has taken the 76903 Speed Champions Corvettes set and added a whole lot more vertical ability, with inspiration from artist Alejandro Burdisio, the ‘Blade Runner’ movies, and a heap of unusual LEGO Bionicle and Exo-Force pieces.

LED lighting adds to the aura, and there’s more to see of both the Corvette Stingray hover car and Corvette C8.R ‘Spinner’ at Sergio’s photostream. Click the links to take a look, or here for another bonus Corvette crash.

Giant Haystacks

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Because we’re weird, we like obscure niche pieces of machinery here at The Lego Car Blog. And they don’t come much more obscurely niche than a trailer specifically built to carry hay bales. It’s an Oehler DDK 240 BL apparently, and it’s the work of TLCB Master MOCer Eric Trax, who has teamed it with previously-blogged remote controlled JCB Fastrac and Claas Scorpion 756 telehandler.

Like his JCB and Claas, Eric’s Oehler is also motorised, with a single L Motor paired to a gearbox and winch system to allow each sidewall to raise and lower independently, granting access to the 36 brick-built straw bales held within. It’s rather mesmerising to watch in action and you can do just that at Eric’s ‘Oehler DDK 240 BL’ album and at the YouTube video here.

*Today’s title reference. Because we don’t think we’ve linked to a 1970s 317kg British wrestler yet.