Category Archives: Technic

My Other Piece of Agricultural Equipment is a Unimog

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The new and rather excellent looking LEGO Technic 42242 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5023 set brings a whole lot of lime to the Technic line-up.

Which means a famously-lime agricultural brand is within B-Model reach. And reach Eurobricks’ Ngoc Nguyen has done, because he’s created this tremendous Claas Torion 530 front loader solely from the parts found within the aforementioned Unimog.

42242’s pneumatics have been redeployed to create a twin-cylinder boom lift and tilt, at the end of which is a mechanically-operated removable grapple, whilst there’s articulated steering via both ‘HOG’ and the steering wheel.

Building instructions are available and you can find further details of Ngoc’s excellent 42242 alternate at the Eurobricks forum. Swap your ‘Mog for a Claas via the link above.

Remotely Racing

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This morning has been somewhat messier than we hoped. A remote control creation was found by one of our Elves, which – as regular readers will know – of course means it was used to run over as many Elves as possible before it inevitably crashed.

Rather annoyingly however, the Elven attrition continued post-crash, because whilst the truck was out of action it was able to jettison the racing car it carried which was also remote controlled. Sigh.

Order has now been restored, the culprit given a Smartie (that’s how it works…), and we can take a look at the creation/s that caused the ruckus.

Built by Technic genius mahjqa, this remotely controlled transporter and racing car duo are a wonderful demonstration of brick-based engineering.

As well as both featuring remote control drive and steering, the racing car includes an oversized V8 engine with working cylinders, whilst the truck is equipped with a clever tilting hook-lift platform, with even cleverer automatic wheel chocks that deploy during the tilt to ensure the racing car doesn’t roll off.

It’s a brilliant solution and you can watch both models in action via the fantastic video below, in which mahjqa also reveals the ingenious Technic camera cars used to capture the footage, plus you can find full details at Eurobricks as well as all the images on Flickr here.

YouTube Video

 

Czech Meight

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It’s been a while since we had a trial truck here at TLCB Towers, but we’re making up for it today. This is Madoca 1977’s Tatra T813 8×8 Kolos, and it’s one of the most capable we’ve seen yet.

Controlled via a Smart Hub, two L Motors drive all eight fully-suspended wheels via planetary reduction, a M Motor drives the steering, whilst another M Motor operates the high/low gearbox.

Madoca’s model also includes a V12 engine, a removable cab, plus opening doors and hatches, with lots more to see at the Eurobricks forum. Click the link above for a closer look.

Mentally Challenged

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If the Ford Mustang is the car of crashing immediately upon leaving an otherwise respectable car meet, the Dodge Challenger is the car of crashing in the middle of an illegal one.

Usually seen doing poorly executed donuts in the centre of an intersection with a perma-vaping aspiring ‘rapper’ behind the wheel whose IQ is lower than their credit score, you’d have to be a complete moron to think the Challenger is cool.

Cue this spectacular Technic Dodge Challenger by Flickr’s Lachlan Cameron (aka loxlego), and it’s so cool!

Working steering, adjustable suspension, a V8 engine, six-speed gearbox, plus custom decals, wheels, and chrome all feature, and you can join the crowd standing around an intersection at night filming the inevitable crash on their phones whilst shouting ‘Oooooohhh!!’ via the link above!

Trailin’ Low

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This neat Technic 8×4 truck and low-bed three-axle trailer comes from previous bloggee damianPLE, and despite the small scale there’s a full remote control drivetrain squeezed inside. The Power Functions Medium Motor and Servo are powerful enough to haul a load too, and you can see more (as well as find a link to building instructions) at Eurobricks and Bricksafe.

I Used to Bullseye Womp Rats…

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It’s Star Wars Day, that one day of the year when nerds feel socially acceptable, and when websites that normally couldn’t care less about the George Lucas saga jump on the bandwagon for clicks.

Um, so here’s a Star Wars post… But it is an interesting one, we promise! This brilliantly clever T-65 X-Wing fighter, mounted atop a fully controllable Stewart Platform, is the work of vascolp of Eurobricks, and it’s built entirely from parts found within the enormous LEGO Technic 42100 Liebherr R 9800 Excavator.

The huge quantity of electronics from the donor set allows vascolp’s X-Wing to pitch, bank and twist beautifully, as well as position the opening wings. A custom Pybricks Python programme controls the magic and you watch this incredible alternate in action via the video above and read more about the build at the Eurobricks forum here.

B is for BuWizz

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TLCB Elves are running for their lives today, because this tremendous Technic remote control Group B rally car is roaring up and down the office corridor. TLCB staff may or may not be at the controls…

Constructed by TLCB Master MOCer Nico71, entered into last year’s BuWizz Gathering, and inspired by a number of ‘80s rally machines, it shows the best of what can be achieved with LEGO Technic and compatible third-party electronics.


Twin LEGO Buggy Motors, Servo steering, all-wheel double-wishbone suspension, a mid-mounted V6 engine, opening doors, hood and tailgate, and BuWizz 2.0 Bluetooth control all feature, as do building instructions so you can create Nico’s model for yourself to terrorise the animals in your own house.

There’s loads more to see at the Eurobricks forum and you can make a beeline there via the link above, plus you can watch Nico’s creation in action via the video below.

YouTube Video

String Theory

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Unifying quantum mechanics and general relativity, String Theory proposes that the universe is composed of vibrating one-dimensional strings instead of points, incorporating all particles and forces into a single framework. Alternatively it’s adding some string to a LEGO set to make a new one. We’re doing the latter today…

This is paave’s Technic mobile crane, and it’s built only from the parts of the 42175 LEGO Technic Volvo FMX Truck & EC230 Electric Excavator set. Plus a piece of string.

Featuring working steering, outriggers, boom elevation and extension, superstructure rotation, and an inline-6 engine, paave’s alternate is an excellent reconstitution of the 42175 donor, and one you can build for yourself as instructions are available. As long as you have some string. Find a link to them and further build details on Eurobricks via the link above.

YouTube Video

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.

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.

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.

Big Forker

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One of LEGO’s finest themes and eras was the early-’90s ‘Town’ range. Railways, airports, emergency services, and harbours all featured, with perhaps the best of them all being the huge 6542 Launch & Load Seaport.

Cue regular bloggee Thirdwigg, who has set out to recreate all of the elements of the wonderful 1991 set in Technic form, including the crane, containers, ships, truck, and forklift.

It’s the latter of these that he has recently completed, supersizing the original forklift from the set to Technic scale with working rear-steer, and tilting / raising forks, all operated mechanically.

There’s much more of Thirdwigg’s Technic 6542 forklift, and the other components completed so far, at his ‘6542 Bigger’ album, and you can take a look on Flickr via the link above.

Technically Trucking

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From a tiny RC truck to one that’s rather larger, this is nico71’s splendid fully remote controlled 1:30 Scania.

Fitted with a pair of LEGO Power Functions motors for drive and steering, Nico’s truck also features opening doors, a tilting cab, lockable three-axle trailer steering, working support legs, and – if motors aren’t your thing – a manual version that switches the electronics for ‘HOG’ steering and a piston engine.

Building instructions for both versions are available, and you can find full details plus a video of the truck in action at the Eurobricks forum here, plus you can check out Nico’s interview in the Master MOCers series via this bonus link.

Horse Handler

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Ford Bronco owners like to think that by driving their boxy SUV people will think they’re outdoorsy farming types, rather than Jeff from Marketing. But they’re fooling no-one. However Flickr’s M_longer can help! Because this splendid telehandler – complete with working arm elevation and extension, deployable stabilisers, spring operated forks, all-wheel steering, and an inline piston engine – is constructed solely from the parts of the official 42213 Technic Ford Bronco set. No-one’s gonna think you work in marketing driving this! Switch up your Bronco for a real farm machine courtesy of M_longer via the link above, where building instructions for this brilliant Bronco B-Model can also be found.

Town to Technic

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The early-’90s were a golden era for LEGO’s ‘Town’ theme. Shops, restaurants, race tracks, 9V trains, and – our favourite – sea ports. The pinnacle was 6542 Launch & Load Seaport, which included two ships, a marvellous crane, and a truck, from which containers of various loads could be transferred to sea or rail, with LEGO ingeniously standardising the container mounts across a wide variety of sets.

Friend of TLCB Thirdwigg (aka wigboldy) is on a mission to recreate this glorious Town set in Technic form, including an upscaled version of 6542’s truck and the containers it carried. With working steering, deployable trailer support legs, and a piston engine under the tilting cab, the increased scale affords a few more working features than the four-wide original, and you can check out further images of Thirdwigg’s fantastic truck and the other components within his 6542 project created so far via the link above.