Tag Archives: 1980s

Pass the Jeep

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Jeep, that most recognisable of American brands, has been passed around like a bottle of Jack at an underage beach party. From their creators Willys-Overland, the company has passed through five pair of hands before landing with current owners Stellantis, with each taking a swig on the way leaving ever less for the next person. Plus a bit of spit.

Which means we want something from Jeep’s current line-up like we want a venereal disease, but at a push we would take something from fifty years ago, like this marvellous Jeep CJ5.

It comes from Flickr’s Rick Brick making his TLCB Debut, there’s working steering and suspension, and much more to see of this superbly smooth Model Team Jeep CJ at his photostream. Click the link above to take a drink from the bottle whilst there’s still something good in it.

Grazing Bizon

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We’re not just about cars here at… er, The Lego Car Blog. No, we like all sorts of machinery, even weird 1970’s Polish agricultural equipment. And that’s what we have today courtesy of previous bloggee damianPLE (aka damjan97PL).

This is a Bizon Z056 combine harvester, produced from the mid-’70s to the early-’90s, during which time it held 80% of the Polish combine harvester market.

Following the collapse of communism and its sale from state ownership, the Bizon factory was bought by New Holland for their own production, but Bizon combines are still harvesting countless fields today.

This one captures the 1970s original beautifully in brick-form, and includes a fully functioning header (rotation, elevation and disconnect, and which can be also be removed and towed behind on a trailer), an inline-6 piston engine, plus working rear-wheel-steering.

Building instructions are available and there’s more of Damian’s Bizon Z056 to see at both Eurobricks and Bricksafe. Click on the links to bring in the harvest.

Top Gun

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Di-neeoy neeoy di-ni-ni-ni-ni-neeoy… Yes we’re reminiscing about the greatest and gayest straight movie ever made today, courtesy of JuliusZ D. and his spectacular Grumman F-14D Super Tomcat.

The variable-sweep carrier-capable fighter was a mainstay of the United States Airforce from the mid-’70s until the mid-’00s, serving in multiple conflicts across (mostly) the Middle East, and also being operated by Iran, which is perhaps a bit awkward today…

But it is of course most famous for carrying Maverick to victory over whatever undefined-vaguely-Soviet-allied-enemy the U.S were fighting in ‘Top Gun’, and ensured a generation of kids wanted to be beach-volleyball playing fighter pilots when they grew up.

Juliusz’s incredible Model Team replica of the iconic multirole fighter is one of the finest aircraft that this site has ever featured, and you can see much more of his astonishing creation at his ‘Grumman F-14D Super Tomcat’ album, where over three-dozen stunning images are available to view.

Click the link above to join us playing beach-volleyball in far-too-tight shorts before shooting down a few MiGs.

Flying Buttress

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The Jaguar XJS is a rare sight these days (away from the banger track at least), and as a result is looking ever more beautiful, especially from this angle. Those are ‘flying buttresses’ and – as is often the way with unique designs – they weren’t appreciated in their own time. They look awesome now though, and Stefan Eekman (aka Sebeus I) has captured them beautifully in brick form as a gift for a colleague. Fly over to Flickr or Eurobricks for more.

Past Master

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TLCB staff do not like the modern Volkswagen Golf GTI. Too heavy, too powerful, too expensive, too automatic, and with cabin controls that even VW themselves acknowledge are total crap, what with them being invisible in the dark. But hey the front grille lights up! Sigh.

Yes we’re grumpy old men today, because we much prefer this, the mid-‘80s Mark II Golf GTI. Low power, low weight, and not a touch sensitive unlit temperature slider in sight. Although they aren’t ’in sight’ in the modern Golf either, which is the problem.

This splendid Speed Champions recreation of probably the best Golf GTI of them all comes from regular bloggee SFH_Bricks, who has nailed the brief.

Just over 300 pieces, instructions are available, and you can head back to when hot hatches didn’t need three sub-menus to change the stereo volume via the link above.

My Other Car’s a Ferrari

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No really! Because this fabulous recreation of the wild Hoonigan Big-Block Chevrolet Camaro is constructed only from the parts of the official LEGO Technic 42143 Ferrari Daytona SP3. Which has lead to some inspired parts usage – just look at those tail-lights! Finally a positive to LEGO’s baffling decision to use multi-coloured pins.

Eurobricks’ paave is the builder behind it, and with working suspension, steering, V8 engine, and 4+R gearbox, his 42143 B-Model is as features-packed as its donor set.

Building instructions are available and you can find out more – and maybe swap your own Ferrari for a rather unique Camaro – at the Eurobricks forum via the link above.

Stranger Blazer

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Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ may have concluded, but its vehicular legacy continues, with the cars, trucks and vans from the show still inspiring builders.

One such builder is Eurobricks’ paave, who has recreated Hawkins’ police chief Jim Hopper’s 1985 Chevrolet Blazer, complete with a working V8, high/low gearbox, steering, and suspension.

Building instructions are available and there’s more to see at the Eurobricks forum. Click the link above to visit Hawkins one more time.

Cor-Off-Roada

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As the world’s best selling car, the Toyota Corolla has been many things, but not often a 4×4 desert racer. Cue Randy Wilmenta, who has built his 1989 Corolla GT-S into an awesome all-wheel-drive off-roader, which Eurobricks’ 2GodBDGlory has faithfully recreated in Technic form.

With working all-wheel drive courtesy of two Power Functions L Motors (hooked up to both a transverse inline-4 piston engine and a remotely-operable 6+R gearbox), remote control steering, an electronic hand-brake, motorised clutch, pop-up headlights and differential lock, plus suspension, and opening doors, hood and trunk, 2God’s recreation of the unique Toyota packs in as much as its real-world counterpart.

3D-printed wheels and an excellent classic Toyota livery complete a superb build, and you can find out more about the model and the real off-road Corolla it replicates via the Eurobricks forum. Take a look via the link, where you can also watch a video of 2God’s brilliant build in action.

I Ain’t Afraid of No Ghost

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The Lego Car Blog Elves are very happy today, seeing as they’re in their cage room watching Ghostbusters on an old TV.

They (and we – because it’s very peaceful) have Flickr’s Alex Jones to thank, and his brilliant ‘Ecto-1’ Cadillac Miller Meteor from the movie.

Four appropriately-‘80s LEGO 9V light bricks and a scary quantity of chrome pieces bring the classic Caddy to life, and you can call Ghostbusters via the link!

Old Money

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We’re feeling so fancy today. This is a Bentley Mulsanne / Turbo R, and as we type this from TLCB Executive Washroom & Sauna, luxuriating in our blogging riches, we can think of few places we’d rather be. And that applies to both the Bentley and the Executive Washroom & Sauna.

Constructed by MP LEGO Technic Creations, this exquisite creation recreates the late-‘80s Bentley in quite fantastic detail. There’s working suspension, steering, opening doors and trunk, and a complete drivetrain, but the true magic is the interior – yes that really is a winged Bentley logo mosaic in the headlining.

‘Wood’ trim, cream everything, and even an LED light in the opening glovebox perfectly encapsulate late-‘80s British luxury. And that’s the best kind there is.

There are more images to peruse at your leisure via MP’s photostream, and we’ll join you there shortly once our butler returns with the towels.

Star Quality

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We love an unpretentious workhorse here at The Lego Car Blog, and things don’t come more unpretentious and workhorsey than an FSC Star 200. In white.

This wonderful Model Team recreation of the humble ‘80s lorry comes from previous bloggee damjan97PL / damianPLE, whose model captures the truck from his native Poland beautifully.

Damian’s model includes a mechanical tipper with a locking tailgate, a working inline-6 engine under a tilting cab, opening doors, and steering by both the wheel and ‘HOG’.

Building instructions are available and you can follow the Star on both Eurobricks and Bricksafe, where there’s lots more to see.

B is for BuWizz

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TLCB Elves are running for their lives today, because this tremendous Technic remote control Group B rally car is roaring up and down the office corridor. TLCB staff may or may not be at the controls…

Constructed by TLCB Master MOCer Nico71, entered into last year’s BuWizz Gathering, and inspired by a number of ‘80s rally machines, it shows the best of what can be achieved with LEGO Technic and compatible third-party electronics.


Twin LEGO Buggy Motors, Servo steering, all-wheel double-wishbone suspension, a mid-mounted V6 engine, opening doors, hood and tailgate, and BuWizz 2.0 Bluetooth control all feature, as do building instructions so you can create Nico’s model for yourself to terrorise the animals in your own house.

There’s loads more to see at the Eurobricks forum and you can make a beeline there via the link above, plus you can watch Nico’s creation in action via the video below.

YouTube Video

Marlboro Men

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We’re heading back to the turn of the decade today. No the one before that. And the one before that. Yes it’s the late ‘80s, when greed was good and cigarettes were cool.

Cue this glorious pair of classic Formula 1 cars, each made by TLCB Master MOCer Carl Greatrix and each sponsored by the world’s favourite cancer sticks.

Featuring superb custom decals and 3D-printed wheels, Carl has perfectly replicated the McLaren Honda MP4/4 that dominated the 1988 season (winning fifteen of the sixteen races), and the V12-powered Ferrari 641 that came second in the 1990 F1 Championship.

Wonderful detailing abounds and there’s much more to see of both the McLaren and Ferrari on Flickr. Buy a forty-pack of Marlboros via the links above.

Double Head

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This bizarre machine is a 1984 DAF ‘Double-Head’, built to compete in the Paris-Dakar rally by Dutch driver Jan de Rooy, who wanted more power than one DAF truck could provide. So he used two.

Joining two 11.6 litre DAF 3300s back-to-back behind the cabs, Jan created a twin-engined all-wheel-drive 13-ton behemoth, and one of the strangest Dakar competitors to ever enter.

Sadly the DAF ‘Double-Head’ failed to finish, but it set the template for Jan de Rooy to refine the idea and return with a vehicle that would go on to become a Dakar legend…

But we’ll stay in 1984 for now, courtesy of this spectacular recreation of the DAF ‘Double-Head’ by Flickr’s p.vanderloo, who has replicated not just the truck’s mad exterior but its drivetrain too.

A beautifully replicated livery and full LED lights complete the build, and you can head to the desert in 1984 – twice – via the link above.

Turbo Twin

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The early years of turbocharging – characterised by  chronic lag and spiky handling – were dominated by a few companies; BMW, Porsche, and – more weirdly – Renault.

Weirdly, because Renault didn’t have a sports sedan or sports car to put a turbo into, so they put one into their dinky 5 supermini. And it was mega.

Mid-rear engined, rear-wheel-drive, and powered by a turbocharged 1.4 litre making 160bhp, the R5 Turbo was a smash hit, and now you can create one for yourself if you own another ‘80s turbocharged icon, LEGO’s excellent 10295 Porsche 911 set.

Featuring working steering, a detailed interior and engine, plus opening doors and hood, Firas Abu-Jaber’s Renault 5 Turbo alternate is the perfect turbocharged twin to the 10295 donor.

Building instructions are available and you can find a link to them, plus all of the superb imagery, at Firas’ photostream. Click the link above to boost on over, or here to learn more about how Firas does it.