Orange No.1
A double post today, with a decidedly orange theme. Above we have Tromas’s very cool Honda Hoshi Sci-Fi Racer, looking like an offshore powerboat racer for the skies, whilst below we have Heiwa71’s superb Orange Fleet. We think the Elves must’ve been watching an orange-orientated Sesame Street yesterday…
Orange No.s 2, 3 and 4
Henrik Hoexbroe’s amazing ‘ Kingstown, USA, 1959’
Today we’re pleased to bring you a MOC Special. One of our favourite Town builders, whose creations we’ve featured a few times here before, has pulled together all of his MOCs into one incredible Town-style layout. Set in 1959, Henrik Hoexbroe’s masterpiece includes some simply beautiful small-scale Americana, including Checker Taxis, Greyhound Buses, finned Cadillacs and countless other classic vehicles. Not only that, he’s set in them all in a living world of plastic, complete with diners, cinema, parks, a used car lot… there is is literally too much for us to pick out here.
The whole set-up was recently displayed at the HispaLUG Expo 2012 in Barcelona, and you can see the full gallery of pictures showing the complete scene in detail by visiting Henrik’s MOCpage at the link above. See how many previous blog posts you can find! Congratulations Henrik, from all at The Lego Car Blog!
See the full gallery of fantastic photographs at the link in the text.
New for 2013; LEGO Technic 42004
The penultimate set* in our search for LEGO’s 2013 Technic releases arrived today, scooped from deep within The LEGO Group’s fortified labs. And at first glance 42004 might not look particularly impressive. However, we think this may be one of the best sets of 2013.
Firstly, 42004 has two lovely one-piece buckets. People will buy this set for these parts alone. The design, like most modern Technic, is almost all studless beams, but unlike a lot of modern Technic (see our review of 42010 and 42011) this set has no Power Functions / Pull-Back Motor / Linear Actuator gimmickry.
Instead, it features lots of proper mechanical functions. It steers via articulation in the middle, the front bucket can be raised / lowered and tipped, whilst the rear bucket can swing, extend and tip. All of this is accomplished by simple levers and mechanics, making it one of the most functional, and yet cheapest, LEGO Technic sets in ages.
LEGO Technic 42004 will go on sale in early 2013.
*Actually we previewed LEGO’s 42000 F1 Racer some months ago, because we’re awesome, but we’ll be posting an updated Preview (as soon as the slovenly Elf looking for new pictures returns) in order to complete the 2013 set. Plus it gets loads of hits…
Buy a unique LEGO model, and help provide LEGO to children in need
There’s only one week left in the 2012 Creations for Charity fundraiser. Every model bought provides LEGO to a child in need. Take a look at what’s on offer here, and remember; there are only 5 days left!
Buy this MOC! Built by the legendary Nannan Z (of Brothers Brick fame). All proceeds go towards providing LEGO sets to children in need.
Sci-Fi Retro-Chic
This awesomely cool star-fighter is the work of Daniel Jassim on MOCpages. Mixing an ’80s throwback vibe with modern SNOT works very well. See more here.
New for 2013; 42010
New for 2013; 42011
Two Elves returned together today, each holding one the new Technic sets for 2013 stolen from The LEGO Group’s dungeons. These two are the ‘starter’ sets, and major on robust fun rather than technical functions. As such they feature a new pull-back motor and, er… nothing else. But they do have some new parts and cool stickers, and will no doubt be a great introduction into the world of Technic for younger builders. 42010 and 42011 will join the LEGO Technic line-up in 2013, sitting at the bottom of the range. For details of the other 2013 Technic releases, search our ‘News’ category.
MagicTubaPixie’s ‘Arachnid’. We’ll overlook the leg count because it’s so cool.
The ‘other’ Spyder. This one doesn’t have a folding roof, but it does have six spindly legs for off-roading/parallel parking/scaring pedestrians. Built by the possibly slightly unhinged MagicTubaPixie, you can see more on Brickshelf.
Duuun Dun Dun! Dun, Dun, Duuun…
…a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn’t commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire… The A-Team.
But you’ll have to ask Ralph Savelsberg first.
New for 2013, the LEGO Technic Excavator Claw
Welcome to No.3 in our 2013 Technic Previews series, and this is the Big One. LEGO’s recent line in construction equipment has been excellent, and it looks set to continue with the 2013 release of 42006, the Tracked Claw Excavator.
Like many of LEGO’s previous offerings, the functions of the new model are enabled by LEGO’s linear actuators. This time there is no motor to power them (so expect lots of handle winding!), and as such this set should be cheaper than the preceding motorized models. It will be easily modified to take Power Functions parts though, so don’t worry if you’re winding hand is weak!
Sought-after parts include a new design for the four fingers for the grab, grey tracks and the return of the large Technic turn-table. Expect 42006 to be released towards the start of 2013, sitting mid to top of the pricing structure. Stay tuned for the final 2013 Technic set previews here on The Lego Car Blog, and to view the other 2013 sets posted so far, use the search function at the bottom of this page, or click ‘News’.
Skeletal Viper
It’s Novvember in the LEGO Community, which means it’s Vic Viper building season. At The Lego Car Blog we’ve stayed clear of the VV obsession a little bit, as there are other sites that do this sort of thing way better than us, and it can get a little snooty, with originality sometimes taking a back seat in order to follow the VV ‘rule book’. We can’t be bothered to read the rules (which may be the real reason behind our abstention!), so we have no idea whether this creation qualifies, but we do love it regardless! Built by Xtopher Brick on MOCpages, this ‘Skeleviper’ looks like a cross between TRON and Funny Bones. Check out the full gallery by clicking the link.
New for 2013; Lego Technic Hovercraft
Today another Elf returned from the secret mission set deep within the basements of The LEGO Group’s labs in Billund, Denmark. Tasked with uncovering the as-yet-unreleased 2013 Technic sets, our Elves have been snooping for pictures of the sets you’ll be able to buy next year. The second Elf to return (hot on the heels of the first scoop posted earlier in the week) entered the office grasping this; the new Technic Hovercraft 42002.
LEGO have dabbled in Technic Hovercraft sets before, with mixed results, and this one to our eyes sits firmly mid-table amongst its forebears. Like all the 2013 releases it’s a 2-in-1 set, which is basically a fancy way of saying there’s a ‘B’ model too. 42002’s alternative build is a small propellor plane, and both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ models feature a V2 piston engine powered by forward movement, and… not much else. But the new Hovercraft is pleasing to look at, robust and it looks quite zoom-able.
Stayed tuned for the remaining 2013 new releases!
Suez Crisis Fighter
This stripy fighter is an American F4U-5 Corsair, built by Sydag, and displayed in the livery used by the French Navy during the ’50s Suez Crisis. Egypt had nationalised the Suez Canal, royally annoying the British, French and Israelis who had trade interests in the area. Their response was to bomb Cairo, until pressure from the USSR, and USA of all people, forced the British and French to withdraw within the year. Israel continued alone for a while after this, and to some extent secured a degree of control over the trade route. Learn more in your local library : )
Big Photo, Mini-Rod
Small, yellow and excellent. This little Hot Rod was found on Flickr. 1ssacw is the MOCer behind it.
New for 2013; LEGO Technic Moto-Cross Bike
Following some unusual generosity from TLCB Team towards our Elf-based workforce, normality has been restored by chucking a few of the little buggers over The LEGO Company’s walls in order to uncover the new releases for 2013. Today one of the ‘lucky’ Elves chosen for this mission returned to the office holding this; the 2013 Technic Moto-Cross Bike.
Resplendent in KTM orange, 42007 continues the decent return to form that Technic has been enjoying over the past few years. There are new dirt tyres, a V-Twin engine, all-round suspension via some rather lovely shock-absorbers, and some funky looking decals too.
We expect this to be a mid-entry in LEGO’s Technic pricing structure, probably being the lowest priced of the ‘proper’ Technic sets, with some ‘mini’ Technic sets slotting underneath it.
As the Elves find their way back to The Lego Car Blog Towers we’ll bring you sneak peeks of the other 2013 Technic sets, so watch this space for more posts in our ‘News’ category.
Gambort’s Gas Truck
Once the temperatures drop the TLCB Elves start getting a little lazy. You can hardly get them out of their hammocks. But they know they’re most likely to relax again when they bring home the nicest car MOCs out there. The threat of the Air Horn looms if they don’t…
Anyway, talking of the nicest car MOCs out there, this superb gas truck (or lorry) is built by TBB’s gambort (Tim Gould). It’s based on a ’30s Leyland Beaver and surely one of the finest vintage vehicles we’ve seen this year. The Elf who found this is happy, too. We granted her three days off. See, we’re not always mean.