Category Archives: Technic

Elven Heights

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‘Hmmm…’ murmured this TLCB writer upon entering the crumbling ruin that is TLCB Towers today. The cause of his utterance was looking him in, well, not quite the face, but certainly the testicles. A grinning Elf was sat on a shelf in the lobby, and not in a whimsical Christmassy way.

A little further on another was eating an unnecessary candle placed upon a dresser by TLCB’s intern “because it smells nice!”, whilst a third Elf was hanging from the door handle to the Executive Washroom and Sauna…

That final Elf was the most unnerving – based upon a miserable previous experience – and thus was swiftly batted off the handle by a mop head before it caused any real panic amongst the members of TLCB Staff with PTSD.

The cause of the Elves in high places became apparent when this writer entered the office, wherein a small cohort of Elves were hanging from a fairly sizeable Technic crane, trying to gain entry the stationary cupboard with a bent paper clip.

Mr. Airhorn promptly ceased the shenanigans, scattering the would-be burglars, and we can now take a peek at the creation responsible without fear of all TLCB’s glue sticks being eaten and very sticky messes being left throughout the Elves’ cage room tomorrow morning.

Said creation is this one; previous bloggee Ivan_M (aka Ivan MOC)‘s marvellous Power Functions remote controlled crane truck.

A beautifully neat build, Ivan’s truck features motorised drive and steering, linear actuator boom elevation, with working boom extension, rotation and winch operation, plus functioning outriggers, and an in-cab piston-engine too.

The Power Functions battery box and IR receiver look remarkably at home exposed under the stowed crane, with Ivan’s model easily appearing as though it could be an official LEGO Technic set.

There’s more of Ivan’s excellent Technic crane truck to see at his Flickr album via the link in the text above, which includes images demonstrating its surprisingly large extension*. Take a look via the link to Flickr whilst we double check the office for any more Elves in high places…

*That’s what she said

Venom (Unverified)

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Several cars currently claim to be the fastest ever produced. The race for the highest top speed has brought about some incredible machines, but it’s also reached a fairly pointless level, as a whole pit crew, the hiring of a desert, plus bespoke tyres, fuel, and fluids are all required. If TLCB were in charge of the record, a car’s run would only stand if it was filled up on the M32, just outside Bristol, and driven by an elderly lady plucked at random from a nearby bowls club.

Hennessey somewhat understandably chose not to take this approach, going the whole pit-crew-desert-bespoke route when they beat the Bugatti Veyron’s record last decade, reaching an official top speed of 270mph in what was basically a Lotus Exige with an LS in it.

Bugatti have since upped their game but – not counting SSC’s recent slightly embarrassing and completely unverified claim – no production car has yet hit a verified 300mph.

Hennessey aim to do so imminently though, with this; the 1,800bhp Venom F5.

Built in England (as most American supercar icons seem to be), and powered by a hugely reworked Chevrolet LS (as most American supercar icons seem to be), just twenty-four Venom F5s are due to be produced, each costing $2.1m, and each capable (if Hennessey’s maths are proved correct) of a record-breaking 301mph top speed.

We’ll find out if the claims are true when the Venom F5 records a verified run, so until then we’re happy to focus on a rather smaller version, as built in 1:8 scale by previous bloggee Jeroen Ottens.

With all-wheel-suspension, a V8 engine, working scissor doors, functioning steering, and an 8-speed sequential gearbox, Jeroen’s Technic Venom F5 is certainly every bit as impressive as an on-paper top speed of 301mph.

You can also build Jeroen’s model for yourself, as it’s constructed mostly from the various green pieces (and variously green pieces) from the 42115 Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 set, with instructions available at Jeroen’s website.

There’s more to see – including the complete gallery and full build details – at both Flickr and Eurobricks – Click the links above, grab your pit crew and some bespoke tyres, and probably/possibly/maybe hit 301mph!

Half-Size Supercar

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This is an Autozam AZ-1, and it’s awesome! Produced from 1992 to ’94, fewer than 5,000 units were built across all three brands that marketed it (Mazda, Mazda’s kei car brand Autozam, and Suzuki, who supplied the engine), with sales hampered by a high list price, collapsing economy, and it being weird even by the standards of the Japanese kei-class.

Effectively a 1:2 scale mid-engined gull-winged supercar, the AZ-1 we have here is even smaller, at 1:11, but it’s as packed with interestingness as the real thing. Built by syclone of Eurobricks, this brilliant Technic recreation of the coolest kei-car of them all features remote control drive, steering and headlights, a working steering wheel inside a detailed cabin, independent front and rear suspension, a working piston engine (in there somewhere!), and – of course – opening gull-wing doors.

Building instructions are available and there’s much more to see of syclone’s brilliant Autozam AZ-1, including a video of it in action, at the Eurobricks discussion forum. Take a look at this fantastic 1:11 recreation of a 1:2 supercar via the link above!

Phlattening Phoenix

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It was a peaceful morning here at TLCB Towers. Some Elves were quietly watching cartoons, some TLCB Writers were… er, quietly watching cartoons, and all was well with the world.

And then a BuWizz-powered truck ran a load of them over. Elves you understand, not Writers.

Built by Eurobricks’ blaz62, this monstrous Tatra Phoenix trial truck made easy work smushing our smelly little workers, thanks to twin motors, fully independent suspension, and six-wheel-drive.

The Elf at the controls was clearly enjoying itself, but fortunately we were on hand to promptly pick up the creation in question and end the violence, much to its annoyance.

A closer inspection of the model revealed modular construction, opening doors, and – for a Technic creation at least – a kinda detailed interior, but with a trial truck it’s really all about how the model drives.

Whilst we conduct some arduous ‘testing’ to determine this, you can see more of blaz62’s excellent all-wheel-drive Phoenix at the Eurobricks discussion via the link above, plus you can check out the creation in action via the video below.

YouTube

Blank Face

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Things with blank, expressionless faces are terrifying. How do you know what they’re thinking? That’s why car styling always sort of resembles a face, even if that face is an increasingly angry one these days.

Oshkosk didn’t get that memo though, and – in creating their HMETT 8×8 off-road truck – gave it a face of such horrifying blankness it could belong to a Cyberman.

Still, vacant serial-killer stare aside, the HMETT is a mega bit of kit, and so too is Thesuperkoala‘s Technic recreation, which includes eight-wheel-drive, four-wheel-steering, lockable differentials, a high/low gearbox, all-wheel springless suspension, a removable load bed, and BuWizz bluetooth remote control.

Which means it could drive around the house seemingly of its own free-will, which gives this writer shivers.

There’s more to see of Thesuperkoala’s excellent Technic Oshkosh HMETT 8×8 truck at both Flickr and via the video below; click the links to take a look, whilst this TLCB Writer draws smiley faces on anything vaguely resembling a head in TLCB office and tries to think happy thoughts…

YouTube Video

Devil Dog

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We love Technic Supercars here at TLCB. There’s no need for motors, and the car doesn’t have to actually be a ‘super car’, it just needs steering, suspension, a gearbox, and a piston engine. Perhaps it should be out next competition?

Anyway until then, here’s a Technic Supercar from one of the very best. Suggested by a reader, TLCB Master MOCer Crowkillers’ latest creation fits the Technic Supercar brief perfectly, with steering, all-wheel suspension, a 4+R gearbox (with a gear indicator on the dashboard too), and a V8 engine up front.

The doors, hood and trunk also open, and there’s more to see of Crowkillers’ ‘Cerberus’ Technic Supercar via Bricksafe, where two-dozen high quality images are available, and via the YouTube video below with a suitably devil dogish soundtrack.

YouTube Video

Go-Kart Redux

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Constructed for a Eurobricks contest, this is dazzz99‘s homage to the vintage 8842 Technic Go-Kart set, re-engineered using modern studless pieces, and with some rather lovely details too, including a radiator, oil filler cap, and air-filter attached to the working single-cylinder piston engine.

It’s an engine that’s far more appropriate than that found on original set too, which pre-dated LEGO’s purpose-built cylinder and piston parts and instead used an enormous brick-built mechanism that would’ve been larger than the driver. And probably killed them.

There’s more to see of dazzz’s lovely 8842 redux on Flickr via the link above, plus you can check out the contest in which it’s entered, the original 1980s Technic set that inspired it, and our review of a multitude of LEGO Technic Go-Kart sets via the respective links in the text.

B-Grade

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So often Technic’s B-Model, road graders like this Volvo G990 are the vehicles that give almost everything else we post a place to exist in the first place. So here to shine a light on their significance is Eric Trax, and this brilliant, er… 42114 B-Model…

OK, a B-Model this Volvo G990 may be, but it doesn’t feel compromised for it. Utilising around 90% of the parts from the 42114 6×6 Volvo Articulated Hauler set, Eric’s alternate redeploys the Control+ motors, control unit and app to give his grader remote control drive, steering, a three-speed automatic gearbox, and to power the main blade’s elevation.

The model features a few mechanical functions too, including a working piston engine, manually controlled ripper, and a seven-position blade angle. Best of all, Eric has released instructions for his road grader so you can build it for yourself if you own the 42114 set, and there’s more of Eric’s Volvo G990 B-Model to see on both Flickr and at the Eurobricks forum. Click the links above to earn yourself a B Grade.

YouTube Video

Build-a-Fiat

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LEGO’s 10271 Creator Fiat 500 set is a fine addition to their officially licensed line up. Even if we don’t understand why it comes with an easel.

However being a Creator set, 10271 isn’t particularly technical. Cue TLCB Master MOCer Nico71, who has constructed a similarly-sized sixties Fiat 500 in Technic form with a whole heap more functionality. Although no easel.

Nico’s Fiat looks the part, with a combination of axles, lift arms and flex tubes recreating the 500’s famous shape, under which is a working rear-mounted two cylinder engine driven by the rear wheels, functioning steering, front and rear suspension, plus opening doors, front trunk and engine cover.

It’s a lovely build (that would make an excellent set too), and one that you can recreate for yourself at home as Nico has made building instructions available.

There’s more to see on Eurobricks, and at Nico’s excellent website, plus you can read his interview in the Master MOCers series here at The Lego Car Blog via the link in the next above.

YouTube Video

Smaller than Expected*

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This may look like a normal cab-over light duty truck, but it is in fact a kei car, Japan’s microcar class in which vehicles can measure no longer than 3.4m, no wider than 1.48m, and have an engine size no greater than 660cc.

It is, therefore, absolutely tiny. Plus, obviously, it’s a Lego model, so it’s even smaller than that…

This superb Technic kei-class truck is a Daihatsu Hijet S110P, and it comes from syclone of Eurobricks who has packed it with an unfathomably large amount of features.

Under the really rather good exterior is a full remote control drivetrain, complete with all-wheel-suspension, all-wheel-drive, servo steering (linked to the steering wheel too), opening and locking doors, dropping bed side walls, and even working headlights.

There’s loads more of syclone’s Daihatsu Hijet to see at the Eurobricks forum, including a video of the kei truck in action. Take a look via the link above!

*That’s what she said.

Printed Discs

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3D printing has changed the way things are made forever. Prototypes, one-offs, and recreations of long-lost parts can now be produced at a fraction of their previous cost thanks to computer-aided-design and little plastic granules.

Inevitably we’re now seeing 3D printed pieces appear in Lego creations too, including this one by regular bloggee Horcik Designs. Horcik’s cafe racer motorcycle uses a (very cool looking ) 3D printed front brake disc, which fits perfectly to the front wheel.

Steering, suspension, a piston engine, and a foot-peg operated two-speed transmission also feature, with these all built from standard LEGO pieces.

With LEGO themselves regularly creating new and bespoke pieces for official sets, we’re taking the stance that a model using a custom part doesn’t preclude it from appearing here.

You can see more of Horcik’s cafe racer at both Bricksafe and Eurobricks, the latter of which shows another of his creations that’s has gone (quite a long way) further down the 3D printing route…

James Young

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Who? Well back in the ’60s (and a lot more before then), you could buy a car without a body. Usually a really posh one.

The point was a coach builder could create something more bespoke, and they were used frequently by the top luxury automotive brands of the time including Bentley, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and – of course – Rolls Royce.

This particular coach-built Rolls Royce is a 1960s Phantom V Limousine by James Young, and it has been recreated rather beautifully in Technic form by Agent 00381 of Eurobricks.

A full ‘Technic Supercar’ chassis sits underneath the elegant bodywork, with all-wheel suspension, working steering, an ‘auto’ gearbox, and a V8 engine.

Opening doors, hood, trunk, and glovebox are included, and there’ s even a rising partition to separate the peasant driving up front from the elite classes riding in the back.

There’s more of Agent’s Rolls Royce Limousine to see – including a link to building instructions and a video of the model’s features – at the Eurobricks forum. Click the link above to enter the rear of James Young.

Technic 42111 Dom’s Dodge Charger | Review

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The ‘Fast & Furious’ movies are – for the most part – total garbage. With characters coming back from the dead (twice), long lost family members loosely enabling plot continuation (twice), and bad guys turning good just to keep them in the franchise (three times by our count), the plots could have been written by TLCB Elves.

But, like the internet’s most popular video category, no one is watching a Fast & Furious movie for the plot. They’re watching for the cars. And maybe Vin Diesel’s giant shiny head. In doing so making ‘Fast & Furious’ the most profitable movie franchise ever.

Thus LEGO have joined the ‘Fast & Furious’ party, and have brought one of the franchise’s star cars to life in Technic form. This is the Technic 42111 Dom’s Dodge Charger set, supplied to us here at TLCB by online shop Zavvi, and it’s time for a review…

First a shout out to our suppliers Zavvi, whose delivery was prompt, communication good, and the 42111 box was massively well protected inside, well… a bigger box. If you’re the kind of person who likes to keep the boxes for your sets (ours just go in the recycling), that’s a bonus.

LEGO have realised this too, removing the sticky circles that hold the ends shut (but that rip the artwork when opened), and fitting a cereal-box style closable tab so it can stay closed.

Inside 42111’s box are five numbered bags, bagged instructions and stickers (which helps to keep them protected too), and 1,077 parts. Many of these are weird and new, at least to this reviewer (if not the set), and continue LEGO’s approach of using every colour ever. However, like numerous ‘Fast & Furious’ characters, we’re going to do a complete 180 and say that it, well… works.

Building 42111 is fun and straight-forward, with the multitude of colours making it easy to find the parts required. The colours are thoughtfully chosen too, enabling quick identification and actually changing in some cases as the build progresses depending upon which similar pieces they shared a bag with. They’re all fairly well hidden by the end too, so there’s no ‘rainbow’ misery here.

The build can also be commended for creating a fully working rolling chassis by the mid-point, which makes it much more interesting than only adding the wheels at the end.

As has been the case for a while now though, the instructions can be very simple, at times adding just one piece per step. That said, there are a lot of orientation changes, which you have to watch out for so you don’t install something upside down. Not that this Reviewer did that. He’s a professional.

After a few hours of happy parts selection and spot-the-difference, you’ll have a nicely sized Technic recreation of the early ’70s Dodge Charger – modified ‘Fast & Furious’ style with a giant supercharger and NO2 tanks – complete with a working V8 engine, steering, all-wheel suspension, opening doors, hood and trunk, and a bizarre party trick. Continue reading →

Just Add String

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The LEGO Technic 42098 Car Transporter is a fine set, and it’s also spawned a variety of alternative builds that have appeared here at TLCB, including hook-lift container trucks, buses, and… er, other car transporters, and this might be our favourite yet.

With ‘HOG’ steering, a 6-cylinder engine, opening doors and hood, rear lift, boom extension, elevation and rotation, working out-riggers, and a lockable winch, Dyen’s rotator tow truck would make an excellent set in its own right, and yet it’s constructed entirely from the parts found within the 42098 set.

Well, apart from some string for the winch, but everyone has string at home so that’s alright.

There’s more to see of Dyen’s superb 42098 B-Model at both Flickr and the Eurobricks discussion forum, where a link to building instructions can also be found.

Click the links to take a look, and maybe convert the pieces from your own 42098 set into this rotator tow truck too. Just add string.

Mechanical ‘Mog

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LEGO’s official Technic 8110 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U400 set earned a stellar 9/10 rating here at The Lego Car Blog when it was reviewed way back in 2011. Fantastic functional realism, excellent use of motorisation, and an on-board pneumatic compressor make 8110 one of the finest sets we’ve ever reviewed. However, whilst expensive then, 8110 is ludicrously pricey now.

Cue previous bloggee thirdwigg, who has created his own superbly engineered Technic Unimog U400, only all-mechanical.

The loss of Power Functions components hasn’t reduced the functional realism though, with thirdwigg’s U400 equipped with all-wheel suspension, four-wheel-drive connected to an inline-4 engine under a tipping cab, working steering, a front and rear PTO, three-way tipping bed, and a pneumatic take-off too.

It’s a brilliantly simplified (but in no way simple) take on the original 8110 set, and one that you can build for yourself, as thirdwigg has released instructions for his model alongside the excellent imagery you see here.

If you missed out on the official LEGO Technic 8110 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U400 set a decade ago, and baulk at the price of them today, check out thirdwigg’s wonderfully engineered 4/5ths version at his ‘U400’ album via the link above, plus you can watch all of the model’s features in action via the video below.

YouTube Video