This is a 1950s Murray Torpedo Roadmaster, a pedal car based on the Buick design of the late ’40s-early ’50s, and it might be the vehicle that we want in real life more than anything else we’ve ever featured on this website. Although we’re probably a bit fat to get in one these days.
This utterly beautiful replica of the Torpedo Roadmaster comes from Jacob Sadovich, who has built and presented his brick-built recreation of the 1950s pedal car to absolute perfection. Custom chrome, working steering, and an accurate working pedal mechanism feature, and you can jump inside for a go at Jacob’s ‘Pedal Car’ album. Unless you’re a bit fat these days…
A footballer with a drinking problem, a guy in every pub in the Midlands, and a Soviet truck maker. GAZ (Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod) have produced vehicles for almost 90 years, mostly (as with everything in the times of the Soviet Union) for the military. These days they also produce vehicles for Volkswagen, Chevrolet, and others under license, but it’s their military trucks they remain most known for, like this excellent mini-figure GAZ-66 built by Flickr’s de-marco. Clever techniques abound and there’s more to see of de-marco’s truck at his photostream – click the link above to check it out.
The Space Race was an incredible time. Not only were the two world Superpowers spending millions on things to blow one another up and poison the earth for a hundred-thousand years, they were also spending millions sending things into space. Probably so they could use it to blow one another up and poison the earth for a hundred-thousand years, but still – it was pretty cool.
It was the U.S. that got to the moon first (and is still the only nation to have done so)*, but it was actually the Soviet Union that won pretty much every other race, sending the first satellite into space, the first man, the first woman, and conducting the first EVA (extra-vehicular activity); or spacewalk to us non-astronaut types.
Of course getting there was only half the battle, as getting home again (unless you were a Soviet dog) was just as tricky. To that end the Soviets developed this in the 1970s; the remarkable Zil 4906. They may have won the Race for Space but the Americans had a much better Naming Department.
The ZIL 4906’s boring title hid its remarkable ability, being a 6×6 amphibious off-road crane designed to fit aboard a transport plane and recover the Soyuz astronaut capsules from the vast Russian wilderness.
Powered by a standard Zil 150bhp V8 the 4906’s weren’t fast, but they could go literally anywhere, with six-wheel-drive, four-wheel-steering, and two propellors with rudders for water recoveries.
This amazing Technic recreation of one of the Soviet Union’s coolest designs comes from previous bloggee Samolot, who has replicated the 4906’s incredible drivetrain brilliantly in Lego form. Two Control+ XL Motors power all six wheels, with a separate driveshaft for each side. This allows a gearbox to transfer power to the propellors when in water, whilst the L Motor that steers the front and rear axles also turns the two rudders.
A second L Motor controls the differential locks, whilst a fourth powers a compressor that builds pressure for the pneumatic crane, which the real Zil 4906 used to fish the Soyuz capsules from watery landings. A LEGO Education WeDo motor winds the crane winches and all of the above is controlled via bluetooth courtesy of LEGO’s new Powered Up Control+ system.
It’s a remarkable build and one that is definitely worth a closer look, which you can do at Eurobricks – where full build details are available, Bricksafe – which houses a complete image gallery of both Samolot’s Technic Zil 4906 and the real deal, and via the excellent video below.
YouTube Video
*Unless you believe it was filmed in a studio, the Earth is flat, and that climate change is a hoax invented by Al Gore. In which case go back to school.
This is a Ferrari F12, built by Lachlan Cameron (aka LoxLego), a TLCB Master MOCer and pioneer of designing and releasing incredible Technic Supercars for other Lego fans to build at home.
Lachlan has published instructions for dozens of his sensational creations via the Rebrickable platform, where we fully expect this Ferrari F12 to be before long. Our Elves couldn’t wait though, so we have Lachlan’s creation here at TLCB Towers for a full Elven assessment (which usually mean sitting in it, fighting over it, and occasionally trying to eat bits of it). Don’t worry, we’re here too, so we’ll try to write something useful…
Faithfully replicating Ferrari’s V12-engined grand tourer, Lachlan has included a wealth of Technic Supercar functions packaged inside the beautifully accurate exterior. There’s a front/mid-mounted V12 engine of course, with fully independent suspension and working steering, plus the doors, hood and hatchback trunk all open, revealing a brilliantly lifelike interior and engine bay.
Lachlan has also included LEDs to illuminate the front and rear lights, with a battery box hidden neatly inside.
A huge gallery of stunning imagery is available to view at Lachlan’s ‘Ferrari F12’ album on Flickr by clicking here, you can read his interview here at TLCB as part of the Master MOCers Series by clicking here, and you can see all of Lachlan’s amazing models with building instructions available by clicking here, where the F12 should appear in the near future.
LEGO’s huge 42082 Rough Terrain Crane is one the largest Technic sets the company has ever created, with over four thousand pieces. That’s a whole, lot of bricks that can be, in the very best traditions of Lego-building, repurposed.
And that is exactly was previous Master MOCer Nico71 has done with this incredible 4×4 Crane Truck, constructed only from the parts found within the 42082 set. Nico’s B-Model (in fact for Nico this is an ‘E-Model’, as he’s constructed several alternate vehicles (and all of this) from the Rough Terrain Crane set already) deploys the set’s single motor to perform a scarcely believable six separate functions, thanks to a pair of gearboxes that multiply the motor’s outputs.
Before we get onto those though, there are a host of mechanical functions too, including leaf-spring suspension, a V8 engine driven by all four wheels, opening doors, functioning steering, and the boom’s final extension.
The single motor delivers just as much on its own, thanks to those two gearboxes, powering the crane’s two-fold unfurling and rotation, the outriggers, and the truck’s tipper, which can tip both to rear and side of the vehicle depending upon which gear is selected.
It’s a brilliant feat of engineering and one that you can explore for yourself if you own a Technic 42082 Rough Terrain Crane set, as Nico has made instructions for this unbelievable B-Model available via his excellent website. Click this link to head over and take a look at the complete build description, the full gallery of images, and to find a link to the building instructions so you can build this amazing model for yourself.
The current Eurobricks ‘small car’ competition is delivering our Elves some brilliant Technic creations. This is one of their favourites, because… well, it’s an orange Lamborghini with a racing stripe down the middle of it.
More for our benefit, it’s also got some neat working features squeezed inside it, including a miniature V10 engine driven by the rear wheels, functioning steering via a ‘Hand of God’ mechanism, plus opening doors and engine cover.
Nico Lego (aka Levihathan) is the Lamborghini’s maker and you can see more of his contest entry at both Flickr and at the Eurobricks discussion forum.
We receive a lot of requests to promote LEGO Ideas entries (the platform whereby fan designs can become real LEGO sets) here at TLCB, which we must decline every time (so please don’t send us them!). However occasionally our Elves find a creation that’s so well engineered it could be an official LEGO set. This is one of those times, and even though this model is not on LEGO Ideas, if someone told us this was a set due out later this year, we wouldn’t question it.
Built by Krall of Eurobricks and Flickr, this top-quality crane truck looks every inch a Technic set (it fact it’s inspired by the official and much larger 8258 Crane Truck), adopting LEGO’s newer more detailed style and packing it with superb functionality.
Power Functions motors give Krall’s truck remote control drive and four-wheel steering, there’s a tilting cab, and then our favourite feature; a gearbox that enables one hand-operated cog to control three separate functions; the truck’s four outriggers, the crane’s rotation, and the first of its three boom extensions.
A flatbed trailer with working support legs is thrown in too and you can see more of Krall’s superbly store-worthy creation at both Eurobricks and Flickr via the links above.
This phenomenal Peterbilt 379 was discovered by one of our Elves on Flickr today, and it comes from Vladimir Drozd making his TLCB debut. Vladimir’s model features some spectacular attention to detail, including a superbly replicated engine under the tilting hood, an accurate interior behind opening doors, and even air lines for the trailer hook-up.
It’s a properly good demonstration of how to build and photograph a Model Team creation and there’s lots more to see, including a pair of trailers with some equally well-detailed loads, at Vladimir’s ‘Peterbilt 379’ album. Click the link above to make the jump to Flickr for the complete image gallery.
What to do when you’re stuck at home thanks to Coronavirus-induced social distancing? Well you could build a (rather awesome) classic van courtesy of TLCB regular and Master MOCer Andrea Lattanzio (aka Norton74).
Andrea’s 6-wide classic Chevy-ish van has featured in a few of his builds that have appeared here, and he’s now produced pictorial building instructions so that you can create your own at home.
The complete parts list can be found below, and you can see more of Andrea’s excellent classic van on Flickr at his ‘Build your own Classic Van’ album – take a look via the link above and bust out those bricks!
Is there anything more Model Teamy than a big red and black truck? LEGO have made several over the years, and continue to now that Model Team has morphed into the Creator line.
Flickr’s Martin Nespor adds another to the list with his excellent truck and trailer in Model Team’s quintessential style and most favoured colour scheme. Head to Martin’s photostream via the link above for all the imagery.
Batman’s job has got a lot easier lately. Gone are the days of people holding up banks (they’re closed), robbing stores (closed), even walking out of a restaurant without paying (closed). Instead the Dark Knight is enforcing social distancing rules and breaking up groups of teens in the park. Still, at least he’s still got the Tumbler, which means he remains unbelievably cool. This brilliant Lego version comes from Riskjockey, there are instructions available, and you can see more on Flickr. Click the link above to order that old lady to stop hoarding toilet paper.
This is a Fritz Riemerschmid Gleiskettenkrad (which we can assure you that we pronounced flawlessly in TLCB Office so you can too as you’re reading this), a 1930s BMW R12-based tracked motorcycle that was designed to drive on snow. In straight lines only presumably.
Built by previous bloggee Nikolaus Lowe, who seems to have a penchant for odd vintage machinery, this marvellous Model Team recreation includes a sidecar, a working two-cylinder engine with functioning gearbox, and something purporting to be steering.
There’s much more to see at Nikolaus’ ‘Fritz Riemerschmid Gleiskettenkrad’ album – click the link above to head over. In a straight line.
Volkswagen’s T1 ‘Transporter’ has been many things. Hippy camper, fire engine, pick-up, and covered van, the versatile VW has been used for all manner of tasks, however not – to our knowledge at least – as a medium duty dropside truck.
Thank the miserable 1200cc-1600cc air-cooled engine for that. Still, if you’re going to turn a T1 into a truck, you’re going to need to move the rear-mounted engine anyway, so upgrading it is going to be the least of your problems.
Flickr’s Tony Bovkoon has done just that though, with his lime green wooden drop-sided T1 hot rod truck, complete with a mid-mounted engine that is presumably somewhat beefier than the tiny flat four that originally hung out the back.
We’re not sure what to make of Tony’s VW T1 hot rod truck arrangement but you join us in pondering its existence at his Flickr album by clicking here.
Following yesterday‘s superb small supercar, here’s another, also built for the ongoing Eurobricks contest. Built by osterum / Matthew Terentev, this one is a beautifully clean sports car complete with working steering (by the wheel and ‘Hand of God’), opening doors (revealing an interior of almost Model Team levels of detail), and a working miniature 6-cylinder engine under the opening engine cover. There’s more of Matthew’s creation to see at the Eurobricks forum and on Flickr, where a link to building instructions can also be found – click the links to make the jump!
