#buslife

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#buslife. It’s like #vanlife, only harder to park. But with the end of civilisation a genuine possibility thanks to mankind’s continued CO2 output, perhaps now is the time to buy an old bus and park it in readiness for the arriving apocalypse.

Norton74 thinks so too, having equipped two of his mini-figures with this beautifully ramshackle bus for the post-apoc world, built while he (and we) sweltered in record 40°C heat. Thanks Climate Change.

A myriad of wonderful details make Norton’s heatwave-built bus an absolute delight, and you can take a closer look at his mini-figures’ post-apoc future (and perhaps ours too…) on Flickr. Click the link above to join dystopian #buslife.

The World’s Fastest Tractor

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This is the JCB Fastrac Two, a modified version of the company’s high-power all-wheel-drive Fastrac agricultural tractor, and it holds the Guinness World Record for world’s fastest tractor. Which could be a little like claiming to be the world’s tallest midget, but the Fastrac Two really is fast, reaching over 150mph. Sowing that barley will take minutes.

This Technic recreation of the record-breaking tractor comes from JLiu15 of Flickr, and is complete with remote control drive and steering, a six cylinder engine, and authentic decals from the record-setting run. There’s more of the build to see at JLui15’s ‘JCB Fastrac Two’ album and the Eurobricks forum, where further imagery and a link to building instructions can be found; take a look via the links above whilst this TLCB Writer registers to be the world’s smallest giant.

Seasprite

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This is a Kaman SH-2 Seasprite, a U.S Navy ship-based anti-submarine and search & rescue helicopter. Introduced in 1963, the Seasprite saw service in the Vietnam and Gulf Wars, and flew until 1993 with the U.S Navy, as well as being operated in small numbers by a several other nations.

This excellent (and rather wonderfully liveried) SH-2 Seasprite is the work of Robson M (aka BrickDesigners), who has captured both it and the rather exciting looking weaponry slung underneath beautifully.

Top quality building techniques and presentation abound, and there’s more to see of the SH-2, including its folding landing gear, opening doors, and cartoonesque missiles, at Robson’s photostream. Click the link above to get airborne.

EuroVan

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This is the Volkswagen EuroVan, or the T4 Transporter to most of the world, produced from the early-’90s to the early-’00s, and available as a van, passenger vehicle, kombi, chassis-cab, pick-up and camper.

This one, being called a ‘EuroVan’, is the North American version, where the T4 Transporter was sold from 1992 and 2003, almost exclusively with VR6-power. In Europe we could get a 1.9 naturally-aspirated diesel with 60bhp, so really we think the ‘states should’ve got that one…

Anyway, this EuroVan comes from previous bloggee Danifill, who has recreated the ’90s Volkswagen brilliantly in Technic form. There’s remote control drive and steering via a BuWizz bluetooth brick, independent front and live axle rear suspension, working head and tail lights, and brick built VR6 engine under the opening hood.

There’s more to see at the Eurobricks discussion forum – make the jump to all the details, imagery, and a video of the van in action via the link in the text above.

My Other John Deere is a Tractor

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We love B-Model building here at The Lego Car Blog. It’s LEGO in its purest form, as even a limited quantity of pieces can generate infinite creative possibilities. Cue Thirdwigg, who has repurposed the parts from the LEGO Technic 42136 John Deere 9620R Tractor set to create this articulated dump truck. Working steering and a tipping bucket provide the Technic functions, and there’s more to see of Thirdwigg’s alternate – including building instructions – on Flickr and at the Eurobricks forum.

Bean Machine

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Trucks transport all sorts of things. Cheddar, smoothie makers, edam, garden furniture, camembert, desk lamps, mozzarella, brie…

Sorry, we got stuck in an infinite cheese loop. But as you (usually) can’t see what most trucks are carrying, it could well be hardened cow juice as much as anything else.

Not today though, as despite the cheesy colouring of Vladimir Drozd’s excellent Scania T143 truck, we’re 99% certain it’s hauling beans. Because it says ‘Bean Cargo Inc.’ on the side. And there’s a picture of a bean.

Despite the lack of cheese, Vladimir’s Scania is lovely build, with top-quality detailing, life-like decals, and a beautifully hidden remote control drivetrain within, powering the drive, steering, and the trailer’s tipping body.

Up to to 2kgs of bulk cargo (in this case almost definitely beans) can be transported and tipped, and there’s lots more to see of Vladimir’s superb creation at his ‘Scania T143’ Flickr album and via the Eurobricks discussion forum.

Take a look via the links above, whilst we go and make a cheese sandwich.

Stick it to ’em

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The Lego Car Blog regularly chastises LEGO for their increasing and often unnecessary use of stickers in sets. Said sticky pictures have been dubiously deployed to create details that should be constructed from actual LEGO pieces, until that is, they inevitably peel off and you’re left with no details at all. We hate them.

So here’s a creation covered in a veritable butt-ton of stickers…

No, we’re not consistent. But nuno_g_teixeira’s be-stickered recreation of the 1981 Monte Carlo rally-winning Renault 5 Turbo is glorious.

Underneath the beautifully accurate decals, custom 3D-printed wheels, steering wheel and Recaro seats applied by Nuno is Lachlan Cameron’s brilliant Technic Renault 5 Turbo road car that appeared here last month.

Nuno’s fantastic rallyfication of Lachlan’s design replicates the rally-winning Renault in spectacular detail, largely thanks to the incredible period-correct livery of which you can see more at Lachlan’s photostream. Maybe stickers are alright after all…

Back in Black*

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It’s been a while since we featured a small scale car, but proof that we do like creations with less than a billion pieces – when they’re constructed and presented as beautifully as this – comes from previous bloggee RGB900, who returns to TLCB with this superb ‘6-wide black sports car.’ Not the catchiest title, but it is a brilliant build, and shows how good a creation can be even when it’s small. See more at RGB900’s photostream via the link.

*Today’s title song. Obviously.

Lift-Off!

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It’s Neo-Classic Space time here at The Lego Car Blog, and we know what you’re thinking; “Uh oh, here comes another failed attempt by TLCB to understand a sci-fi theme…”.

And you’d be right. We suck at sci-fi. Many other things too, but especially sci-fi.

Still, some builders absolutely do not, and Flickr’s OA KD is one of them. OA KD’s impressive back-catalogue includes enormous space bases, 6×6 rovers, lunar sheep, and whatever this is, all rendered beautifully in Neo-Classic Space style.

His latest is this Neo-Classic Space transport, a sort of spacey Sikorsky Skycrane, complete with three chunky swappable space containers. Yes we are just adding the word ‘space’ in front of things to cover our sci-fi ineptitude.

No matter, because you can check out all of OA KD’s space-based builds at his photostream, where sci-fi competence is immeasurably higher than it is here – click the link above to make the jump to Neo-Classic Space brilliance, whilst we get back to cars and stop embarrassing ourselves…

Super Thursday

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Technic Supercars have long been the pinnacle of the Technic line-up. Containing working steering, suspension, engine and gearbox, they’re as close as it’s possible to get to the engineering of real-world cars in Lego form.

They’re also a favourite build amongst advanced Lego car designers, and we’ve featured dozens of incredible Technic Supercars here at The Lego Car Blog over the years. Two more take their places in the Archives today, each being a fantastic example of the Technic Supercar form.

The first, in a rather splendid orange, is IA creations‘ ‘Apricus V8’, a fictional super sports car in the mould of the Dodge Viper, McLaren-Mercedes SLS and various Aston Martins according to the builder.

The slick bodywork certainly captures the aesthetic of the real-world cars that inspired the build, and under it lies a complete Technic Supercar chassis, with working steering, adjustable double-wishbone suspension, a paddle-shift sequential gearbox, and a V8 engine. There’s also a deployable rear wing, plus opening doors, hood and trunk, and there’s more to see of IA creations’ superb supercar concept on Eurobricks via the link above.

Our second Technic supercar comes from previous bloggee Pvdb, and replicates one of the greatest hypercars of recent times; the McLaren P1.

Launched in 2013, and sold out within two months, the P1 was McLaren’s first Hybrid hypercar, with over 900bhp and an electric-only range of… er, 6 miles. But still, that wasn’t exactly the point of the electric motor, which added 180bhp to the twin-turbo V8’s already substantial 737.

Constructed in 1:10 scale, Pvdb’s McLaren includes steering, adjustable suspension (complete with a ‘track’ model that also deploys the rear spoiler), scissor doors, and an eight-speed gearbox (one more than the real thing!), authentically operated via steering wheel paddles.

It’s a masterclass in Technic Supercars one of which can see more at the Eurobricks forum. Click the link above to take a closer look, and if you’re thinking of having a go at Technic Supercar building yourself, we might just have a competition later in the year that’ll be of interest…

Icons 10304 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 | Set Preview

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There’s a new name for the Creator Expert line, and it’s shifted gear a bit!

This is the brand new LEGO ‘Icons’ 10304 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, following the 10298 Vespa 125 revealed earlier this year. And if that set represented the default vehicular choice of pretty Italian girls, this one is more ‘shady-looking character with a handlebar moustache, chewing a toothpick and throwing dice in an alley’. The Icons range is nothing if not diverse!

Aimed at ages 18+ (or rather, the marketing is…), 10304 is constructed from nearly 1,500 pieces and brings the famous 1969 American muscle car into the LEGO’s burgeoning real-world vehicle line-up.

Like the recent 10295 Porsche 911 Turbo set, 10304 adopts a multiple-options approach, with no less than three stripe colour options, coupe or convertible body-styles, and hidden or exposed headlights, neatly matching the variants available on the real Camaro Z28 when it was new over fifty years ago.

Further features include working steering, opening doors, hood and trunk, a detailed V8 engine, and authentic decals for a dose of added realism.

The new Icons 10304 Chevrolet Camaro set is expected to cost around $170 / £150 when it reaches stores in August of this year, giving you plenty of time to grow a suitable handlebar moustache and practice your toothpick chewing in readiness.

Skytrain

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‘Skytrain’ might be a slightly ambitious title, but nothing moved as many troops about during the Second World War as the Douglas DC-3 / C-47. In fact so reliable is the DC-3 that many are still in use today, some eighty years on from when the plane first saw service, ferrying people and objects to and from the world’s most inhospitable places.

This lovely recreation of the iconic aircraft comes from SirLuftwaffles of Flickr, and – full disclosure – it’s digital. But you can’t tell, as SirLuftwaffles has used only readily available pieces, real-world construction methods, and produced a render that is really very good indeed.

There’s more to see including full build and digital design software details at SirLuftwaffles’ photostream – take to the skies with 27 other troops via the link in the text above.

Gascort

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A beige 1970s economy estate car might not be the most exciting genre of vehicle, but we do like the mundane here at The Lego Car Blog. TLCB Elves however, are more… er, ‘basic’ in what they like. Think ‘six year old’. Or the ‘Fast & Furious franchise’.

Cue Sergio Batista‘s Ford Escort Mk1 estate, somewhat repurposed as a ‘gasser’ style hot rod. Sergio has built an unmodified Escort estate too, in delightful ’70s tedium, but for some reason the Elves seem to prefer this one…

There’s more to see at his photostream, where you can find both the Elves’ preferred variant (this one) and ours (standard ’70s monotony). Click the link above to make the jump!

What’s the Matter?

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This funky looking device is a ‘Matterphase Neutrino Skimmer’ which – according to Flickr’s Rubblemaker – is “an experimental craft that can harness the power of neutrinos to pass through solid matter.” And just like adverts for shampoo, who are we to argue with infallible science like that!

A Neo-Classic Space aesthetic, which deploys some rather cunning usage of Bionicle pieces, surely helps with the aforementioned physics, and there’s more to see of Rubblemaker’s build on Flickr. Click the link above to harass the flower of albinos to gas through a squalid platter. Or something.

Dozing Cat

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Cats are best when they’re dozing. Because then they’re not scratching something, killing wildlife, or crapping on your lawn.

Dig at cats in general complete, we can tenuously link to this Cat ‘dozer, a Caterpillar D6N LGN as built by regular bloggee Damian Z. Building instructions are available and there’s more to see of his wonderfully detailed creation on Flickr via the link.