Category Archives: Technic

Pipe Service*

An enjoyable afternoon perusing the office intern’s Facebook holiday pictures seemed like a good use of this TLCB writer’s time today. Sadly the importance of this task was lost on the Elves, who decided to shatter the peace of the office by feeding one of their number into a desk fan. Sigh.

It turns out that this particular act of violence was the culmination of an Elf-fight, which started when a two of our Elves simultaneously returned to TLCB Towers with this remote control UAZ-452 gas-service van, found on both MOCpages and Eurobricks. Seeing as we’re feeling generous today (and we’re bored of the fights) we’ll let them each have a meal token. On to the model!

It’s a Soviet-issue UAZ gas-service van, used for… er, servicing gas. Underneath the Technic lift-arm body is one of the most compact 4×4 drive-trains that we’ve seen yet. An XL motor powers all four wheels, suspended by live axles, plus there’s a Servo motor steering the front axle, opening (and locking) doors, an on board LiPo battery, and a telescopic ladder.

Previous bloggee Paave is the builder and you can see lots more, including a video of the UAZ in action, via the two links in the text above.

*Insert your own ‘Your Mom’ joke!

Not A Review

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When the previews for the ‘Ultimate’ Technic 42056 Porsche were circulating, I was certain that I’d buy one, as a Lego fan and petrolhead; even though I’m not overly fond of the Volkswagen Beetle Sport…. a review was promised in short order.

Well, here it isn’t – for a couple of reasons.

First, LEGO pulled it from sale before it was even offered, to fix a packaging problem we were told. If by packaging problem they mean packaging an errata sheet in the instructions… We will see. It seems the massive weight of that doorstop sized coffee table book was crushing the boxes around it.

Second, early reviews were not encouraging, highlighting a number of reasons why this isn’t really ‘Ultimate’ in anything but price.

Technically, the steering and suspension are identical to the 42039 Le Mans car. No fancy tricks, just the basics. I don’t really care about the colour of the springs if the geometry is nothing like the real car… The flat six engine is bog standard and completely hidden. There’s plenty of space back there to have a go at modelling camshafts, say, but no attempt was made at anything above the ordinary.

Likewise, no attempt was made at any kind of rear wheel steering, a notable feature of the real 911 GT3RS. The only technical aspect that shows any ambition is the gearbox, more on which in a bit… So, if you want the ultimate Lego Technic car, stick to your 8880.

What about that much heralded build experience? It’s an idea that’s appeared before, in the 8448, which does the modularity thing a whole lot better. Since I haven’t (and probably won’t unless 42056 appears at a steep discount) built the Porsche, the jury will have to stay out on that one.

Ultimate packaging maybe? It would be if the box had a strong plastic insert to sort the pieces into and lots of pictures of alternate builds. For that, you’ll need an 853. I do understand what they mean by the ‘premium experience’ of the Porsche but like a lot of things, the word ‘premium’ just means you pay more.

Ultimate looks?

It is pretty, and the orange (close-but-no-cigar to the real Porsche’s ‘lava orange’ colour) does look good. But with its awkward gaps around the headlights and taillights, messy interior and clumsy rear end is it as pretty as the Creator Ferrari F40? Not to these eyes.

Now then, that gearbox, surely that must be the most impressive such thing in a Lego car?

If you like your changing up sequence to be 1-3-2-4 and lots of friction, then yes. A lot of said friction can apparently be blamed on this little fella:

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It’s a small bevel gear assembly built in the very early stages, and the problem is that pin joiner, used as a spacer. Change it for a couple of bushes and it’s fine. Expect that to be instruction errata number 1. According to Sariel’s review on Eurobricks, there are twenty gears engaged in first gear; so don’t expect that to completely solve the friction problem. Now we know why the white clutch gear was included in the powertrain…

As for the shift sequence, this can be corrected by swapping a 12T double bevel and a 16T spur gear on the back of the gearbox, which suggests a simple error in the instructions. Or it would if LEGO hadn’t tried to tell us it was ‘to reduce friction and enhance the premium experience’ or some such tosh. According to everyone who’s built one, the positions of these gears makes no difference to the friction. That’ll be errata number 2.

If these two problems are solved – and they should be when it becomes available again – this gearbox will be an impressive feat, for all that you can still change up from 4 back to 1 and have four reverse gears. That sounds like fun. Finally, it’s possible to drive a 911 as if its engine is in the right place. Backwards…

So it might actually be the ultimate gearbox. £250 is a lot to pay for a gearbox.

Hang on a sec, it’s got a handbag as well, so there’s that… it’d better be a Hermes…

Sorry LEGO. I know you tried. The idea for an ‘Ultimate’ series of Technic models is a great one which should produce something fantastic that we’ll all love. It’s just that 42056 isn’t it. It feels like the product of two partners with conflicting priorities, rather like the McLaren-Mercedes SLR; when the 8880 felt like LEGO’s McLaren F1

Army Ant

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This is a real off-roader! Previous bloggee Pipasseyoyo has miniaturised one of the most accomplished all-terrain-vehicles, and his remote controlled Technic 6×6 ATV is every bit as capable as the real thing. With 6-wheel-drive powered by two XL Motors, locking differentials, a two-speed gearbox and working steering powered by a Medium Motor each, plus suspension on all three axles, Pipasseyoyo’s creation can climb like an ant. There’s lots more detail available on Brickshelf, including a rendering of the awesome 6×6 drivetrain and a video link to see the model in action – click the link above to make the jump.

G63 AMG

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Alongside civilian versions of the Hummer, AMG’s G63 version of the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon is surely one of the most pointless vehicles ever created. Transforming a hardcore off-road workhorse into an immensely powerful on-road racer results in a car that can do neither of those things, and that costs a fortune to do absolutely nothing well at all. In short, the G63 AMG’s only purpose is to be a rolling pile of banknotes proclaiming the wealth of the occupant inside it. Rant over, on to the model…

This impressive recreation of the World’s Most Pointless Car comes from previous bloggee damianple, making his fifth appearance on TLCB. Damian’s G63 AMG is a fully functioning Technic Supercar with some seriously impressive engineering inside. A working V8 engine, all-wheel-suspension, all-wheel-drive, steering and Power Functions remote control are included, amongst a host of other features.

There’s an extensive gallery of photos available to view via Brickshelf, including detailed chassis imagery and interior shots. Click the link above to make the jump.

Land Rover Defender Camel Trophy – Picture Special

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We rarely feature modifications of other peoples’ creations here at TLCB, but when a builder as accomplished as RM8 decides to use a design by Master MOCer Sheepo as the basis for a build, we think we can let that rule slide a bit…

This is RM8 (real name Egor Karshiev)’s brilliant Technic Land Rover Defender 90 in full Camel Trophy specification. Based on the original Defender design by Sheepo, Egor has extensively updated the hardware using his own significant Lego off-roading experience.

Power Functions motors control the drive and steering whilst tough all-wheel-drive and suspension systems allow this little Lego Defender to go anywhere the real car can (if it were really small).

Egor’s presentation is top notch stuff too, with both studio and on-location shots taken superbly, and he’s created several excellent videos showing how the Land Rover was built and what it can do outside in the rough stuff.

There’s lots more to see at the Eurobricks discussion forum, Egor’s MOCpages account, and via the YouTube video below, plus you can see more of Egor’s rival in-house designed Technic off-roader (which coincidentally was the real Land Rover’s key rival too) by clicking here.

YouTube Video:

LeGoGo

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We’ve heard of the Toyota Hiace here at TLCB (because whilst the Hiace isn’t sold here, they are ubiquitous pretty much everywhere else in the world), but we hadn’t heard of GoGoVan. A straw poll in the office returned some fairly detailed knowledge of another word with ‘GoGo’ in front of it, but we can’t share that here.

Anyway, a bit of research later and it turns out that GoGoVan are an app-driven Hong Kong based logistics company, sort of like Uber for boxes, and their vehicle of choice is of course Toyota’s trusty Hiace.

Previous bloggee Shineyu has recreated the boldly-painted Toyota used by GoGoVan across Hong Kong perfectly in Technic form, and he’s packed it with working functions too. LEGO’s versatile Power Functions components are employed giving the Hiace remote control drive, steering and sliding doors.

There’s more to see at the Eurobricks discussion forum – click the link above to book a delivery.

Smushery

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It’s been quite a peaceful few weeks here at TLCB Towers, with the Elves quietly going about their business hunting for the best Lego vehicles that the web has to offer. Too quietly…

Today, thanks to this epic-looking remote control off-road buggy by Flickr’s Hajdekr, days of pent-up Elven aggression came spilling out as a dozen Elves were mown down in the corridors of the office. With twin motors driving the rear wheels and the mightiest suspension we’ve ever seen fitted to a Lego creation, Hajdekr’s buggy is a seriously effective Elf-squashing weapon. The non-LEGO tyres help too, as the deep tread is the perfect size to embed Elven body-parts.

With the buggy crashed into the water-cooler, and with a trail of Elven hit-and-runs the length of the corridor, the joyous victor abandoned the controls and ran off out into the sunshine. We have a fair bit of clearing up to do, although we are getting quite skilled at glueing bits of Elf back on (mostly to the correct owners too), so we suggest heading over to Flickr to see all the images of Hajdekr’s build via the link above, and we’ll be back later…

Trolleyed

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Looking like a normal bus, but powered by electricity via overhead cables (just like a dodgem), the Trolleybus is a very smart solution for emissions-free urban transport. With the current focus on air quality and global warming it seems very strange that the humble trolleybus is now completely extinct in TLCB’s home nation.

However trolleybuses do still exist in other parts of the world, and in Ukraine amongst other countries they’re still a reasonably common sight. This ZiU-9, a remnant from the extensive Soviet trolleybus system constructed in the 1960s, is the work of previous bloggee paave, and it’s packed with functionality.

Hidden within the realistic bodywork are three Power Functions motors, five linear actuators, a LiPo battery, two IR receivers, and a set of LED lights. An XL motor takes care of the drive whilst a Medium motor controls the steering, and a Large motor completes the set providing power to each of the automatic opening doors. All of this is remotely controlled via LEGO’s excellent Power Functions infrared system.

There’s lots more to see, including a video of the trolleybus in action, at several of the key creation-sharing platforms; click on a link to climb on-board: MOCpages, Brickshelf, Eurobricks.

Size 12

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Paul Boratko aka Crowkillers is back at TLCB, thanks to an eagle-eyed reader. This is his latest creation, and you might have noticed that it’s quite a lot smaller than his previous builds. However, somewhat remarkably Paul has still squeezed in a range of Technic Supercar functions, including working steering, opening hood, engine cover and butterfly doors, and a mid-mounted miniature V12 piston engine.

There’s lots more to see via Paul’s MOCpages account, and you can check out our interview with him via the Master MOCers interview page here.

Guess Who’s Back

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Back again. Shineyu’s back. Tell a friend.

It’s seem like only yesterday that Shineyu featured here at TLCB with an incredible Technic truck, and that’s because it was. His newest creation is a stunning Mercedes-Benz Actros 8×4, and like his previous build it’s fully remote controlled. There’s lots more to see at MOCpages and Eurobricks – click the links for all the images.

Top of the Line

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This magnificent Scania R730 V8 Topline comes from TLCB favourite Shineyu of Eurobricks. Brilliantly blending Technic and Model Team style construction, Shineyu’s Scania looks superbly accurate and yet also manages to include good functionality, with remote control drive courtesy of two XL motors and a Medium motor for the steering. There’s more to see at the Eurobricks discussion forum – click the link above to make the jump.

Busiest Bus

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Lego Technic buses are becoming a more common occurrence here at TLCB. It’s easy to understand why, as they are the perfect shape to fit a wide variety of LEGO’s Power Functions components. This one, a Solaris Urbino 12 IV by Porsche96, has taken the lead in the ‘I’ve Got More Motors Than You’ competition with no less than seven.

Powering the drive, steering, a 2-speed gearbox, the opening and closing of the doors, and the bus’s ‘kneel’ system – where the suspension lowers to assist passengers as they step on and off – it’s an great bit of kit. There’s lots more to see, including a video of all the above, at both Brickshelf and Eurobricks.

Cruiser Crawler

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Toyota’s FJ40 Land Cruiser is something of an automotive legend, and it’s been well represented by the Lego Community over the years. Regular bloggee Madoca 1977’s latest build expands on one of these previous Land Cruiser creations and takes the classic Japanese 4×4 into the Crawler / Truck Trial arena.

With 4-wheel-drive powered by a single XL Motor, Servo Motor steering, a remotely operated 2-speed gearbox, working headlights, a powered winch, an on-board rechargeable battery, and SBrick mobile-device control, Madoca’s creation is a throughly capable off-road machine. It also looks – as you can see above – absolutely brilliant.

There are more details and images available at the Eurobricks forum here, plus you can see Madoca’s FJ40 Crawler in action via the video below.

YouTube Video:

Busy Bus

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This neat Technic bus was found by one of our Elves today, and being remotely controlled you would expect the usual Elven carnage to have occurred in the office. However, as it’s very low and quite slow the targeted Elves simply climbed on board and enjoyed the ride, much to the annoyance of the Elf at the controls.

Slow it may be, but there’s much clever packaging going on inside. Both the front and rear axels steer giving the model reasonable agility, and each of the three doors can be opened and closed remotely. You can see how it all works in the video below, and you can check out all the images and build details via damianple’s Brickshelf gallery and the Eurobricks discussion forum.

YouTube Video:

Iveco Trakker 8×8 – Picture Special

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It’s time for something very very special. This incredible Technic creation is the latest build from the brilliant Lucio Switch, and it’s one of the finest examples of Technic engineering that you will find anywhere on the ‘net.

Based on the Iveco Trakker 8×8 dump truck Lucio’s creation is packed full of magnificent technical wizardry. The extensive list of functions includes a working 8×8 remote control drivetrain, with four XL Motors providing the drive whilst another two Servo Motors steer the first and second axles. Each axle is suspended, with Technic shock absorbers damping the front two axles and working leaf springs managing the rearmost two.

A fifth motor powers a pneumatic pump that supplies pressure to three cylinders and valves which tilt the cab, raise and lower the load bed, and allow pneumatic pressure to reach a rear trailer hitch. Four sets of LEDs illuminate the front and rear lights, a sixth motor controls a working winch, and there’s a realistic inline 6-cylinder piston engine mounted under the cab. All of these functions can be controlled via a bluetooth device thanks two two third-party SBricks linked to twin on-board LiPo batteries.

Full specification details, images and chassis shots are available at the Eurobricks discussion forum, Lucio’s Flickr photstream, and MOCpages – plus you can see everything this astonishing creation can do via the excellent video below.

YouTube Video:

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Category Archives: Technic

Pipe Service*

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Not A Review

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Army Ant

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G63 AMG

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Land Rover Defender Camel Trophy – Picture Special

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LeGoGo

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Smushery

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Trolleyed

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Size 12

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Guess Who’s Back

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Top of the Line

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Iveco Trakker 8×8 – Picture Special

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