There are not many things cooler than a Volkswagen Beetle hot rod. This one comes from Serge S of Flickr, and he’s made instructions available too. Click the link above to see more.
Bug Rod
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Spicy Beef Noodles
This classic Hong Kong style covered flatbed truck comes form Flickr’s Chak hei Mok, and it has one of the most intricately-built cabs that we’ve ever seen at this scale. It also has a cow standing in the back, and as we really like spicy Honk Kong beef we had to post this (sorry cow, we expect this may be your last truck ride…). Order no. 48 and some noodles with us via the link above.
Red Rod
Sorry about this post title, it sounds like something your Dad caught from the ’80s liaison mentioned earlier today. Anyway, this wonderfully nuts Model Team style hot rod comes from Flickr’s Nuno Taborda, and it’s as if he had the Elves in mind when he designed it. Enormous shiny engine? Check. Enormous shiny exhausts? Check. Enormous shiny rear wing? Check.
We must confess though that we like the resultant drag rod almost as much as the Elves do, especially as the bodywork can pivot at the rear to allow access to the faithfully detailed drag racing cockpit. There are more images to see at Nuno’s photostream – click here to make the jump and take a look.
Vice Vice Baby
Short of your Dad snorting coke from the bellybutton of a hooker, there is nothing that sums up the 1980s better than a Miami Vice-white Ferrari Testarossa. Each launched in 1984, the Testarossa and the Miami Vice TV show have become symbols of their decade.
Unusually for a successful American TV show though, it was actually the Ferrari that endured longer, with production of the design lasting until 1996, making the Testarossa platform one of Ferrari’s most-produced models.
It’s this particular Testarossa that we like the best, so gloriously and unashamedly ’80s is its appearance. It’s been built by Ciamoslaw Ciamek of Flickr, and there’s more to see of both the car and the characters from the hit TV show at his photostream. Grab yourself a rolled up $100 bill via the link above.
Cannonball Run
This is a Soviet Kirovets K-700A heavy duty tractor, and it’s a vehicle of which we know absolutely nothing. However our trusty friend Wikipedia has come to the rescue and let us know that, amongst other fun facts, Kirovets were once a foundry for cannonballs. Well there you go. That interesting factoid shows just how old the company is though, being established way back in 1789.
This particular Kirovets product was launched in 1962, finally ending production in 2000, and features a turbocharged V8 diesel engine and all-wheel-drive. The Kirovets factory now produces the hateful Dartz T-98 Kombat, so frankly we’d rather they were still making cannonballs, but you can see more of this impressive machine from their back-catalogue courtesy of previous bloggee Jakeof_ at both Brickshelf and his Flickr photostream here.
Make Like A Volkswagen…
…and split. This deeply cool Volkswagen split-screen barn-door camper van complete with canvas extending high-top comes from TLCB regular Redfern. Chrome detailing is in abundance and you can see more at Red’s photostream by clicking here.
Eruption*
This striking-looking supercar entitled ‘Volcano’ comes from Charbel of Flickr and Eurobricks, and it’s one of the coolest Technic creations we’ve seen in ages. Featuring all the prerequisites of a Technic Supercar Charbel’s creation includes all-wheel independent suspension, working steering, opening doors, hood and engine cover, a flat-6 engine and a 4-speed gearbox. There’s lots more to see of the Volcano at both Flickr and Eurobricks – click the links to make the jump.
*We’re still going with songs for post titles. We could’ve gone with this one, but it’s much too classy for this blog. Van Halen on the other hand…
Expensive Mistake
This is a Ferrari 250 GT California, one of the most valuable cars ever made (currently fetching around $20million), and this is one crashing backwards over a cliff.
Don’t worry, it wasn’t a real GT California used in ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’, and you can recreate the famous scene with your own plastic replica thanks to Flickr’s Peter Blackert, who has constructed the famous car beautifully in brick form.
Click the link above to see the full gallery, and where you’ll also find a link to Peter’s new book which explains how to build a Ferrari 250 GT California model yourself.
Chib-Chibiny, Chib-Chibiny, Chib-Chib, Cheree*
Chibiformers. Another weird internet-based trend of which we know absolutely nothing. Still, despite our ineptitude when it comes to any nerdy fad, we do rather like these two neat ‘Chibi’ Transformers from TLCB debutant Hoyin Lau. Each model cleverly transforms between truck and robot mode, and there’s more to see of each build in both modes at Hoyin’s photostream via the link in the text above.
*Yes, we’re still at the musical puns for blog post titles. This one was a bit of a stretch…
Go West
Come on, come on, come on, come on
(Together) we will go our way
(Together) we will leave someday
(Together) your hand in my hands
(Together) we will make our plans
(Together) we will fly so high
(Together) tell all our friends goodbye
(Together) we will start life new
(Together) this is what we’ll do
(Together) we will go our way
(Together) we will leave someday
(Together) your hand in my hands
(Together) we will make our plans
(Together) we will fly so high
(Together) tell all our friends goodbye
(Together) we will start life new
(Together) this is what we’ll do
life is peaceful there
(Go west) in the open air
(Go west) where the skies are blue
(Go west) this is what we’re gonna do
(Go west, this is what we’re gonna do, go west)
(Go west) in the open air
(Go west) where the skies are blue
(Go west) this is what we’re gonna do
(Go west, this is what we’re gonna do, go west)
…
Songs for Blog Titles continues here at TLCB, and today we have a song covered by this writer’s least favourite band. The Pet Shop Boys’ hateful do-over of Village People’s ‘Go West’ fills this writer with such inner rage that the only outlet he has is to slate the musical travesty in blog that isn’t even topically related. You can suffer too if you like, by watching quite possibly the Worst Music Video Ever Made. Ever.
Right, enough of that despicable ’80s synth-pop, this Volkswagen T3 Westfalia camper comes from TLCB regular Ralph Savelsberg aka Mad Physicist, and it’s absolutely packed with wonderful details. A working high-top roof, sliding rear door and a realistic interior are all included, as are a neat deckchair and cool-box for enjoying in the open air when the skies are blue. Go west in the Westfalia at Ralph’s photostream by clicking here.
Veneno
This is a Lamborghini Veneno Roadster, a car that – even by Lamborghini standards – is completely mad. Based on the Aventador supercar, the 740bhp V12-engined carbon-fibre Veneno celebrated the marque’s 50th birthday with a limited production run of fewer than 10 units, each costing over $4million, making the Veneno the most expensive production car in the world.
A bit pricy for us here at TLCB then, but fortunately Flickr’s Lachlan Cameron has the answer with this superb Technic recreation of the nutty Lamborghini. Featuring full remote control drive, inboard suspension, a V12 piston engine and working lights, Lachlan’s Technic Veneno is brilliantly engineered inside and out. An extensive gallery of images detailing the build is available to view on Flickr and you can take a closer look via the link in the text above.
Groundhog
As detailed in yesterday’s post, Ferrari are back on top after a few years in middle of the F1 pack, but there was a time when they barely won anything. And not because they had a bad car either.
Ferrari (and everyone else’s) woe was due to the utter dominance of one car, the pioneering Lotus 79, the first car to make full use of ground effect aerodynamics.
The first Formula 1 car designed using computer design aids, Lotus took downforce to an entirely new level, with the 79 producing 30% more of it than even their own car from the previous year. The suction generated by the 79 at speed was so strong that early cars suffered chassis fatigue and had to be strengthened to allow them to cope with race distances.
The strengthening worked, and the cars went even faster in testing. Upon the 79’s debut at the 1978 Belgium Grand Prix Mario Andretti took pole by over a second, and won the race ahead of the next Lotus in second place by ten seconds, with Ferrari in third almost half a minute behind. In fact, so fast were the new Lotuses that Ferrari could only win if the 79s retired.
Lotus finished the season with 50% more points than the next nearest team, securing the 79’s position amongst Formula 1’s most dominant ever designs.
This spectacular homage to one of Formula 1’s greats is the work of previous bloggee and TLCB Master MOCer Luca Rusconi aka RoscoPC. Built eleven years ago, Luca has recently uploaded his model to Flickr, and despite its age Luca’s 79 is still one of the finest Lego F1 replicas you’ll see. Accurate decals, a working V8 engine, steering and suspension are all included, and there’s lots more to see at Luca’s Lotus 79 Flickr album by clicking here.
Scuderia Ferrari SF70H – Picture Special
After a few years in some decidedly un-Ferrari-esque positions, Scuderia Ferrari are now back at the sharp end of Formula 1. Whether or not you’re a fan of the prancing horse, it is most definitely a Good Thing that F1 finally has a challenger to Mercedes-AMG.
This is the car that has returned Ferrari to the top step of the podium, the beautiful SF70H. With the aero rules relaxed a bit this year F1’s designers finally have a bit more freedom to create some interesting shapes, in doing so adding variety both to the grid and to the race results. The door has barely shut behind Bernie Ecclestone on his way out and the sport is already more interesting.
This wonderful Lego replica of the 2017 Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 car comes from previous bloggee Noah_L, one half of the duo ‘LegoBuilders’, and he’s recreated the complicated aero-channelling shape beautifully in brick form. The car also features removable front and rear wings and engine cover, under which is an accurate V6-Hybrid power-plant.
There’s are lots more stunning images to see at the Ferrari SF70H album at Noah’s photostream – make the jump via the link in the text above – and you can see the model on MOCpages by clicking here.
Dear John*
This neat John Deere 7930 complete with duel-axle trailer comes from Flickr’s keko007. Realistic on the outside, the inside is packed with functionality, including full Power Functions remote control and several mechanical features too. There’s more of keko’s creation to see on Flickr – click the link above to take a look.
*We’ve expanded into Taylor Swift songs for titles. Sorry.
Outlawed Electronics
This fantastic looking Technic Supercar ‘Outlaw’ comes from TLCB Master MOCer and serial bloggee Paul Boratko, better known as Crowkillers. His latest creation celebrates 40 years of LEGO Technic, and returns the theme to its mechanical roots. Paul’s model forgoes Power Functions motors and remote control for gears and levers, and we love it for that. Working steering, all-wheel suspension, a deployable rear wing, 4+R gearbox and a V8 engine are all included, and all must be powered manually by the human (or Elf) in control. There’s more to see of Paul’s build, including detailed images of the chassis, gearbox and suspension, on MOCpages – click the link above to make the jump to the full gallery and build specs.
