My Other Car’s a Mustang

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The Ford Mustang and Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia are two iconic ’60s coupes. However, whilst one was (in its day) a powerful, large-engined muscle car for the masses, the other… wasn’t.

With the air-cooled engine from a Beetle, but a larger heavier body, the Karman-Ghia was quite fantastically slow. But it was also gorgeous.

So too is this marvellous Model Team version, which previous bloggee monstermatou has built only from the parts found within the official LEGO 10265 Ford Mustang set.

Opening doors, a detailed interior and a lifelike engine are all included, and there’s more to see at monster’s photostream via the link above, where a link to building instructions will also appear shortly.

Vintage Erection

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If the content of TLCB’s spam folder is to be believed, we’re in for a future of certain erectile disfunction. However, not all old things have trouble getting it up, as this unusual GAZ-AA ‘Tower Wagon’ by Kent Kashiwabara proves.

The GAZ-AA was effectively a Ford Model A constructed under license in Russia, long before the two countries hated one another and the Soviet Union began buying everything from Fiat.

This particular GAZ-AA is based on the Model-A pick-up, but features an extending platform tower mounted behind the cab that can whir skywards, in Kent’s model thanks to some cunningly concealed Power Functions motors.

Remote control drive and steering also feature and there’s more to see of Kent’s erection at his ‘GAZ’ album on Flickr. Click the link above to get it up.

Bean’s Nemesis

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Superman and Lex Luther. Batman and Joker. Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote. Peter Griffin and the Giant Chicken. There are some very famous nemesis, but – in this writer’s opinion – none more so than Mr. Bean and the mystery driver a blue Reliant Regal van. We don’t know why the aforementioned anonymous van-driver enraged our hero so, but we’re willing to go with it for scenes like this one.

Recreating Bean’s arch-rival, along with his own Mini from probably the most famous Mr. Bean scene of them all, is Rob of Flickr – who has encapsulated both cars brilliantly in brick form. The Mini probably deserves to give a nod of thanks (or several) to designs by previous bloggees _Tyler and Lasse Deleuran, but it’s still worth your click. Take a look via the link above!

A Steaming Log

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It’s the late 1920s and steam powered road vehicles are pretty much over and done. There are a still a few being built though, primarily for applications where their monstrous torque was required; usually for pulling things along, pulling things over, or pulling things that powered other things.

Cue the Foden D-Type, a steam-powered logging tractor that enabled us to write a poo-based title, which is pretty much the main reason it’s appearing here. We’re not a classy blog.

The model is though, coming from previous bloggee Nikolaus Lowe, and it featuring a variety of technical functions including steering, a working ‘steam’ piston engine, and chain drive to the rear differential.

A extensive gallery of excellent imagery is available and there’s more to see of Nikolaus’s huge steamer on Flickr – click the link above to lay a log.

The Best 5-wide 4x4xFar

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This most excellent Land Rover Defender was discovered by one of our Elves on Flickr today, and it might be the best 5-wide recreation of the iconic 4×4 that we’ve seen yet. Newcomer Jan Woznica is the builder and he’s equipped his model with a winch, roof cage, and snorkel for added off-road prowess. Check out the best 5-wide 4x4xFar via the link.

Back in the Dnepr

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This wonderful creation is a KMZ-Dnepr K650, a Soviet Ukrainian motorcycle based on the 1930’s BMW R71. Whilst this version is 650cc, early bikes were fitted with a 98cc Wanderer engine design taken from Germany as part of reparations for World War 2, before KMZ’s own much larger 650cc was used for the rest of the design’s long production run.

Of course the BMW bit of the KMZ-Dnepr pre-dates war reparations, as the Soviet Union officially licensed the design from Germany before the two countries later went to war. In fact Germany and Russia held talks about becoming allies, with only Hitler’s ideological greed preventing Stalin from agreeing. Had they found common ground then this TLCB Writer would probably be typing this in German.

Fortunately Hitler and Stalin didn’t team up, and Germany invaded the Soviet Union just a year after the deal to license the BMW R71 was signed. This led – rather oddly – to the bike fighting on both sides of the conflict; the BMW version for the Axis Powers and the Soviet IMZ-Ural copy for Russia.

Production of the KMZ-Dnepr version shown here commenced in Ukraine in 1946, and continued right up to the fall of the Soviet Union, with both civilian and military versions produced. This beautifully presented replica of the KMZ-Dnepr K650 comes from KMbricklab, making their TLCB debut, and depicts the German-Russian-Ukrainian bike in both civilian and (awesome) military two-wheel-drive sidecar variants.

Gorgeous detailing and clever building techniques are evident in abundance and there’s lots more of KMbricklab’s superb build to see at their ‘KMZ-Dnepr K650’ album on Flickr. Click the link above to make the jump to Soviet-era Ukraine.

*Today’s lightly butchered title song.

Super Size Me

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The Ford F150 is as American as a clown-based burger joint. However, unlike Ronald McDonald’s finest slices of cow*, it’s so enormous it isn’t available in TLCB’s home nation. It just wouldn’t fit.

Of course America can go one size larger than even the F150, or rather, a few hundred sizes…

This is the Ford F550, which by TLCB maths is 267% bigger than the already massive F150 pick-up. This is so it can tow boats, camper-trailers, and four-wheelers, although we suspect most F550s are used to drive to, well… a McDonalds, with absolutely nothing in the back beyond a ‘Keep America Great!’ bumper sticker.

The Technic recreation of the super-sized F150 you can see here is rather smaller than the real deal, but it’s still packed with functions. These include a working V8 engine, steering by both ‘Hand of God’ and the steering wheel, plus opening doors, hood and tailgate.

Flickr’s LoMaC is the builder, there are building instructions available, and lots more to see at LoMaC’s ‘Ford F550 Heavy Duty’ album. Click the link above to go super size.

*Even our regular Big Macs are much smaller than the American versions. That’s why fat kids buy two.

6-Wide Speed

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Building an instantly recognisable vehicle from Lego bricks isn’t always easy, and it becomes increasingly difficult the smaller the scale becomes. That’s why LEGO have recently upped the size of their Speed Champions sets, to better capture the real-world cars they aim to imitate (with varying degrees of success).

Cue previous bloggee RGB900, who has not only constructed this immediately identifiable Honda NSX, he’s even managed to do so in the ‘old’ 6-wide Speed Champions scale. A few of the building techniques probably wouldn’t pass LEGO’s requirements for an official set, but there are no sticker-based cheats here!

There’s more to see of RGB’s excellent NSX on Flickr, and you can do just that via the link above.

My Other Car’s a Land Rover

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If – like this TLCB Writer – you think that Land Rover’s new Defender is just another version of the Range Rover to be bought by wealthy but unimaginative financiers for driving between the electric gates of their mock-tudor house and the golf club, then this post if for you.

You see, underneath the utter madness of this build is the new Land Rover Defender, or rather the official LEGO 42110 set, and we know which we’d rather have.

It’s the work of previous bloggee “grohl”, who had clearly had a lot of sugar, turning the 42110 set into the wild ‘Claw Car #2′ from the Elves’ favourite post-apocalyptic wreck-fest, ‘Mad Max – Fury Road’.

Loosely based on a late ’60s Plymouth Barracuda, “grohl”‘s 42110 alternate replicates the movie car superbly, and it’s packed with Technical functions too. Some of which the Elves have found very amusing.

Four-wheel-drive, a four-speed gearbox, a mid-mounted V8 engine, and working steering and suspension make this a qualified ‘Technic Supercar’, plus there are a few items of additional equipment that Land Rover didn’t see fit to include with their Defender…

Firstly there’s a roof mounted gun with two axis of movement, followed by a working harpoon gun mounted inside the engine bay. Said harpoon gun fires a Technic axle around two metres, which the Elves have found particularly fun today. Finally there’s the rear-mounted plough; a huge ratchet-operated claw for slowing down harpooned tanker trucks.

If that’s hard to picture in action then check out “grohl”‘s excellent video below, and you can see full details, imagery, and find a link to building instructions by clicking here.

YouTube Video

 

HEMTT

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A military truck loaded with mystery green canisters can’t be good. Well, the model is good, but you know what we mean. Regular bloggee Ralph Savelsberg is the builder of this ’80s M985 ‘Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck’ loaded with the rocket launcher cargo used in Operation Desert Storm. Blow up something in Iraq circa-1991 via the link above.

My Other Car is a Ferrari

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Today’s title is the bumper sticker equivalent of a ‘You don’t have to be mad to work here, but it helps!’ mug. In this case it fits though, as this ace Technic Meyers Manx beach buggy is built only out of the parts from the LEGO Technic 42125 Ferrari 488 GTE set.

Previous bloggee paave is the builder, whose 42125 B-Model includes working steering, all-wheel suspension, opening front trunk and engine cover, and a flat-4 engine. Building instructions are available and there’s more to see at Bricksafe and the Eurobricks forum.

Speed Champions 2021 H2 | Set Previews

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The Elves have been busy! A crack team of ‘volunteers’, sent into the bowels of The LEGO Company’s HQ, have returned, some of them without any German Shepherd teeth marks at all! The fruits of their mission are six new Speed Champions sets for 2021, and – more excitingly – two brand new manufacturer partnerships.

76900 Koenigsegg Jesko

The first of the two new manufacturer partnerships is the hardest to spell. Swedish hypercar maker Koenigsegg have been a bedroom wall staple for years, and 76900 will bring Koenigsegg’s 1,300bhp (and rumoured 300+mph top speed) Jesko to bedroom floors too when it arrives alter this year. The Speed Champions version includes 280 pieces and – to our eyes – really looks the part. Expect it to cost around $20/£15 when it hits stores, and for bedroom floors to be a much faster place.

76901 Toyota GR Supra

The second new partnership is the one we’re most excited about, although perhaps not the first model to come from it. 76901 marks the first officially licensed Toyota set, and brings their spectacularly styled fifth generation Supra into the Speed Champions line-up. It’s a shame then that the resulting model looks so awkward, in particular the dodgy-looking stickered headlights. Still, LEGO know what sells, and we suspect that 76901 will be mighty popular. Plus, if it opens the door to a Technic or Creator Toyota Land Cruiser, Le Mans racer, or Yaris WRC car, we’re all for it. Aimed at ages 7+, expect 299 parts and the usual $20/£15 price-tag.

76902 McLaren Elva

The third new set in the 2021 Speed Champions line-up recreates yet another McLaren in brick form. The near $2million Elva is one of far too many real-world McLaren special editions, giving LEGO a vast range of McLaren cars to turn into sets. It’s not one of our favourites this one, although the wing-mirror looks cool. Less stickers (good), less parts (bad), and likely the same price-tag as the sets above.

76903 Chevrolet C8.R & ’68 Chevrolet Corvette

This is more like it! The first double-car set of the 2021 Speed Champions range, 76903 brings the Chevrolet Corvette C8.R racing car and ’68 Corvette C3 to the line-up, and they both look fantastic. The modern C8.R shows how stickers should be applied (i.e. to create a livery, not as a substitute for the brick-built basics), whilst the classic C3 might be one of the nicest Speed Champions road cars ever. 76903 includes 512 parts, two mini-figures, and is expected to cost around $40/£35 when it arrives later this year.

76904 Mopar Dodge Top Fuel Dragster & ’70 Dodge Challenger

The American road and racing car combo continues with 76904; Dodge’s iconic ’70 Challenger (in their excellent ’70s purple!) alongside an enormous Mopar Top Fuel dragster. Unlike the larger sets from previous years no gantry or starting lights are included (which is fine by us as they always look a bit rubbish), but the size of the dragster alone increases the piece count to 627. Two mini-figures and a lot of stickers for the dragster are included, and we expect 76904 to cost around $60/£55.

76905 Ford GT Heritage Edition & Bronco R

The final new set in the 2021 H2 Speed Champions range continues LEGO’s successful partnership with Ford, recreating the Ford GT in Heritage Edition spec and the brand new Ford Bronco. The GT features as many stickers as the rest, although they do work well here, whilst the Bronco R is covered in even more. They kind of suit the Bronco though, which also includes a very cool looking blue roll cage, sump guard, and spare tyre cage too. Like the other double vehicle sets, 76905 is aimed at ages 8+, and actually includes the most parts at 660 (although many are small pieces). Expect 76905 to cost around $55/£50, and for that Bronco to be used to jump over all manner of household objects after it goes on sale later in the year.

Not a Car

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But we rather like boats. They fetch tasty things out of the sea, take us to exotic places, and bring us pretty much everything from where it’s made to where it needs to be.

This one is a research vessel, itself the noblest of purposes, Luis Pena is the builder, and there’s more to see on Flickr. Click the link above to take a look.

Trade it in for a Newer Model

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This is not the best Lego Porsche 911 model ever made. In fact, it’s not even the best Porsche 911 model made by this builder. However, what it is, is the best Porsche 911 model built from another Porsche 911 model. By miles.

LEGO’s ace official 10295 Porsche 911 set is a wonderful addition to the line-up, particularly as it features a classic version of Porsche’s iconic sports car. However what if you like your 911s a little newer?

TLCB Master MOCer Firas Abu-Jaber has the answer, constructing this 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S only from the parts found within the official LEGO 10295 classic 911 set.

Now the usual 911 joke here would be ‘well, all 911s look the same anyway’, but the proportions of the modern iteration (and any new car) are actually drastically different to those from 40 yers ago.

Firas’s B-Model somehow manages to convey these superbly, even if the outcome is a little squashed, and best of all he’s made building instructions available via his excellent Bricks Garage website so that you can swap your classic 911 for the latest model too.

There’s more to see of Firas’ 10295 911-alternate-911 by clicking these words, plus you can see an ex-LEGO set designer’s take on a 10295 B-Model by clicking here.

Truckasaurus REXX

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Whiiiir, crunch. Whiiiir, crunch. That’s not a good noise thought this TLCB Writer. A weary and well-worn trudge out of the office revealed the source, and more Elven carnage than we’ve experienced for some time.

Stampeding down the corridor was a troop of Elves, being chased by the most enormous, and enormously fast, truck that this writer had ever seen. Behind it, squashed thoroughly into the carpet, were those that had failed to keep up the pace, or – more likely – those that had been tripped by one of their colleagues.

With the driver apprehended we can take a look at this astonishing 1 metre long machine, which turns out to be a fully working replica of the enormous 160-ton Australian REXX mining truck.

It comes from previous bloggee Kirill Mazurov (aka Desert Eagle/desert752), and it is a phenomenal bit of kit.

No less than fifteen motors and four third-party BuWizz bluetooth batteries power the REXX, with five Buggy Motors delivering power to all ten fully-suspended wheels. That explains the almost implausible speed.

Three Servo Motors drive the steering, the vast tipping bed is powered by both an XL and L Motor, whilst five Medium Motors operate the cab’s motorised ladders, doors, and even the windscreen wipers.

It’s a truly astounding build and one that is definitely worth a closer look via Kirill’s ‘REXX Truck’ Flickr album, the Eurobricks discussion forum, and via the excellent video showing the model in action below.

Click the links above to make the jump, and you can check out the BuWizz bluetooth bricks that provide Kirill’s REXX with all that power by clicking here.

YouTube Video