The world's first extreme sport?
Penny Farthings, so named because of their wheel size ratio, are perilous things. It’s easier to get on a grumpy rhino than one of these. But that didn’t stop the thrill-seekers of Victorian England, and Mijasper hasn’t let the difficulty of building one in Lego stop him either. The master of ‘Nice Parts Usage’, check out this and his other superb works on Flickr.
There is some discussion on the internet estimating the prices for the three as-yet-unreleased Technic sets of 2012.
We thought we’d weigh in with our predictions, following our previews of all three sets earlier in the year (type ‘preview’ into our search feature at the bottom of the page to read the reports). We were deliberately vague with our pricing information until now, which probably hasn’t helped those of you trying to work out how much to save!
We’re basing our estimations on three factors:
Inputting this information into our enormous and very complex super-computer gives us the following results. Drumroll…
So there you have it – some completely unofficial and possibly inaccurate prices.
Taxi Driver
A trembling elf returned to The Lego Car Blog Towers holding on to Misterzumbi‘s recreation of the iconic character, and cab, from Martin Scorsese’s 1976 masterpiece ‘Taxi Driver’.
The little chap has certainly expanded his vocabulary since watching the film. None of his new found words are printable here.
MOCpages' Time Of The Month
We love MOCpages at The Lego Car Blog. Created by Lego artist Sean Kenney as a means for Lego fans to share their work, the site has grown in popularity and expanded its features to become the largest dedicated LEGO community on the web. Regular readers of this blog will know that many of our featured models are sourced from MOCpages, which now has over 300,000 creations to choose from.
However, MOCpages has become increasingly unreliable in recent times, and currently it’s having one of its ‘moments’. We know the MOCpages team are working hard to resolve the issues, but in the mean time, if you click a link on The Lego Car Blog and it doesn’t work, our apologies. We’re sure MOCpages will be functioning to some degree again soon.
The big green Lego machine
Welcome to the next instalment in our series of Lego’s ‘ultimate’ car sets reviews.
Originally released in 2001, 2 years after 8448 (Super Street Sensation). It is clearly related to 8448 as it shares many functions. Includes 1102 pieces (plus spares) including those awesome chunky wheels and 2 dampers.
Much like 8448 the core of the chassis is made up of traditional Technic studded beams multi layered for strength. Due to this the core of the chassis is very strong. However, the simplistic method used to attach the modern studless beams and liftarms to create the bodywork and ‘undercarriage’ just aren’t strong enough. With light play pieces will start to come loose. This might be due to mine being second hand and maybe the Technic pins are a little tired.
The gearbox and transmission is the best part of this model, but nothing new. From memory the 6 speed gearbox (5 forward gears plus reverse) is exactly the same as 8448 and works very well. The V8 engine transmits the power to all four wheels through 3 differentials – nothing spectacular but it does the job well and I enjoyed building it.
Independent suspension using double wishbones on all four wheels sounds great but the weight of the model coupled with the very poor positioning/angle of the front suspension springs equates to complete front suspension failure. If you push the front of the truck down it will not recoil. I have even tried brand new springs but the problem still persists. The rear of the truck is much lighter and the springs are positioned slightly differently (due to there being no steering) and subsequently work much better.
The Hand of God device and in-car steering would suggest that this is a very playable model and is the only improvement on its predecessor (8448). However the steering lock and front suspension is so poor that it hardly turns.
The bodywork is typical of models from this era using panels and flexi tubes to create a well shaped and distinctive look. The greeny/gold panels shimmer in the light and look great in my opinion. The gullwing doors are a really nice touch and great fun to build and play with. Again the principle is not new and has been seen before in 8448.
The interior is simple and befits the off-roader feel. The seats are a good size and much more in proportion than modern Technic sets. There is ample room in the back to add motors or the optional crane arm.
The chunky balloon tyres are excellent. I am not sure how much weight they could support but they are very cool and a great addition to any collection.
It comes with few stickers subtly used on the panels, gearbox and dashboard. The box is reasonably sturdy but does not include the plastic trays. TLG Pleeease bring these back.
Overall, 8466 is a slightly disappointing addition to the supercar range, and offers nothing new in terms of technical advancements. I must admit that it is not all that bad. I enjoyed the build and it has massive potential for modification. Many of its faults could be rectified by the clever builders out there and power functions could easily be added. I have seen some fantastic power function RCs on YouTube. The opening doors and wheels are great fun, and the colour scheme and bodywork is like Marmite – you either love it or hate it. However, when compared with the other supercar 4x4s; 8880 (the black supercar) and 8110 (The Unimog) this model is quite poor. 6/10 and I think I am being a little generous due to the potential for modification.
Happy building 🙂
Before Batman returned to the dark and menacing character we know from 'Begins' and 'The Dark Knight' he was, well, a little camper. Hooray for progress!
…Batman!
The 1980’s Batmobile was a ridiculous thing – overblown, extravagant, and about as far from Batman’s character as you could get. But despite this, it’s still cool when found lurking in the Batcave. Outer Rim Emperor has recreated the famous hide-out down the last detail, including a dinosaur (although I must have missed that bit of the story!). Check it out on MOCpages or Flickr.
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
A massive drop followed by a loop-the-loop: The third most exciting thing you can do in car, after driving top down through a tunnel, and difficult but satisfying contortions with a companion on the back seat. As long as the green-looking 10 year old behind you manages to keep his lunch inside him that is.
Nico Bestanpouri is the genius behind this creation.
YouTube Video:
Honda Racing colours + massive engines + angry guns = much awesome
Mark Stafford’s fantastic ‘Hikari’ gunship was posted on MOCpages today, the site’s 312,803rd creation. Racing colours seem to look good on anything.
1958 Edsel Bermuda Station Wagon
Famous for having a front grill that resembled a lady’s, er… you know, Edsel was a heroic failure. But what a cool failure. Misterzumbi has built this epic ’58 Edsel Wagon, complete with wood-grain (that’s genuine Lego too) and a roof rack full of beachy things.
To the Mall!
Just the thing for picking up some new shoes, or crushing the car of a sexist blogger, Mahjqa has built a tank for girls. Check it out on Flickr.
YouTube Video:
'Diamondback' Off-Road Racer
There’s Duplo in this. Prizes* for those of you who can find it. If you wish to cheat, check out Brian Kescenovitz‘ MOCpage.
*Not really
'Mogami' Japanese Light Cruiser
It’s been a while since an Elf returned to The Lego Car Blog HQ, but today a tired looking fellow arrived towing this behind him. But what is it you ask? Well, it’s not a car as you can see, but what it lacks in wheels it makes up for in guns. This is the WWII Japanese Light Cruiser ‘Mogami’, replicated perfectly in 1:125 scale. One of four similar ships built, the Mogami was over 600ft in length and armed with over 20 guns. Mark Rodrigues is the talent behind this 63 inch replica.
