This weird-looking off-roady-van-type-thing is called a Pinzgauer. Originally from Austria it’s been used by Europe’s militaries for years, and it can go pretty much anywhere. This Technic version was built for Truck Trial by Flickr and MOCpages‘ Nimdian, and it’s packed with Power Functions. See all the photos at either site via the links.
FebRovery might be finished for another year, but there are still a few Rovers appearing over on Flickr. Classic Spaceman Crimso Giger recently uploaded his cache of Rovery goodness. Here are four of his best, and you can see more of them and his other Spacey MOCs at his photostream via the link above.
Big points to anyone who can decode our (slightly nerdy) Rover-related title!**
**Not redeemable for anything useful.
Not just an excuse for a slightly rude title, but a comparison of Technic fork lift trucks….
We’ll start with set 850, just as Technic itself did, way back when the summers were warm and everybody was on strike. In 1977, this was the very first ‘Expert Builder’ set. In common with the other early sets, there were instructions for 3 models and a wealth of further ideas on the box. The model itself is very cute, if somewhat basic. A quick build, it uses the limited palette of pieces then available to good effect. The first technic model is still the one with the best steering system, for instance. Exceptionally smooth in operation, sensibly geared and with a generous lock; a system that simply hasn’t been bettered since. Ally that to the very short wheelbase and you have an amazingly manoevreable model.
Moving frontwards, things are less happy. The forks are too long and too close together, they don’t rise very far and the system to move them is very basic. Tilting them is but the fevered dream of a madman… as for loading them – you’ll need to put something heavy under the seat first. So, 850 the model is probably a 5/10. 850 the set is more like a 9. There’s a perfect mix of bricks and the new technic parts here to make all kinds of yellow building site stuff. The perfect starter kit.
Moving on to 1984, and a demonstration that original style pneumatics can actually work, in the form of the slightly unhappy looking 8843. Maybe it should just be red or yellow, rather than both… This time at least, the forks will tilt, and there’s even an additional hand-of-god steering control to supplement the one in the cab, which (praise be!) is still connected. It’s rather a pity, therefore, that the steering feels very stiff, because the system incorporates 8 bevel gears (4 of which are in the roof!) and these are the older, flat 14 tooth gears which seem to have more friction than the newer design. It doesn’t help that the cab’s wheel rubs against some of the pneumatic tubing as it turns.
Whilst it does feel somewhat churlish to criticize a feature that I’m always begging to see brought back, this would actually be better without it. Don’t think for a moment that this will stop me nagging to see its return on new models…. capricious, moi?
At the front, things are better. The pneumatic installation is quite neat, there’s an extra long piston (not as illustrated; the one pictured is assembled from my collection, with period pneumatics from 8040) to facilitate a good range of movement, and the forks are linked to it via short lengths of chain. Operate the pump and they whizz up and down very happily, and will do so with a reasonable load, as well. To achieve this, millimetre perfect lining up of the chain is necessary – it uses tread link pieces wedged in holes and some of the clearances are very tight – but do that and it’ll work fine.
8843 is a good effort; in some ways a useful improvement on 850, but it’s lost that model’s best features – the B model here is a sketchy looking tow truck and the varied colour palette means there’s not enough pieces of one colour in this small set to make convincing alternatives. 6/10.
Fast forward to 1989; it’s goodbye Berlin Wall and, somewhat less momentously, hello 8835. Much better looking than its predecessor, it also benefits from a lifting mechanism that closely mirrors the solution on real forklifts. Smoother steering too, although wouldn’t it be nice if there was a wheel in the cab….? (yes, yes, I know…)
The only demerit with this model concerns the jerky movement of the forks. The brick-built carrier that wraps around the spars is too tight-fitting to move smoothly, as if the designers had forgotten the far more elegant solution to this problem found on 8843. At least they hadn’t forgotten about the tilt function.
Although 8835 is just as multi-coloured as its predecessor, the colours are much more harmonious and this is a handsome model. The B model suffers in the same way as 8843’s, though. It’s a less-than-convincing tractor. Stick to the forklift though and this is a good set, with only one major flaw. 8/10
Still with me? You’re doing well, don’t give up now… Continue reading
‘What’s going on ‘ere then?’*. Feast your pork pies* on Mijasper’s Bobby-Car vs. bobby* encounter! See if it’s all a giraffe* on Flickr here. Our money’s on the copper*.
*Apologies to non-British readers of this post. None of this will make any sense!
One of the defining coming-of-age films of the 1980s, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off told the story of one young man’s quest to have a day of extraordinary leisure. It starred Matthew Broderick, Jennifer Grey, Mia Sara, and even (briefly) Charlie Sheen, but the real star of the movie is of course the gorgeous 1961 Ferrari GT California.
TLCB favourite Ralph Savelsberg (aka Mad Physicist) has recreated the beautiful classic from the film (complete with Ferris figure) in his un-mistakable building style, and you can see all the photos at Ralph’s photostream here.
Apologies for the unimaginative title but we’ve been a bit pre-occupied dealing with a combined Elf and Mini-Fig uprising here at TLCB Towers. Now the that airhorn is recharged, we’ve time to bring you this rather charming creation from Miro Dudas, on Flickr. Possibly the most normal looking car in the FebRovery group, the Lunar Rover 90 is standard Land Rover, which has been modified for use in space. Apparently this was done to save money on developing a new moon buggy. You can see the complete range of weird and wonderful vehicles which were created last month by following this link to the FebRovery Group.