The late ’20s and early ’30s are a much romanticised time. Art deco architecture, wild opulence, delightful dancing, extravagant hats, tuberculosis, fascism, the Great Depression…
Anyway, the vehicles and buildings from the time really were marvellous, and it’s these (rather than tuberculosis and unemployment) that Andrew Tate (no, not that one) has chosen to capture in brick form.
Andrew’s wonderful ‘Streamliner Van’ pictured above is part of a much larger – and absolutely stunning – ‘Metropolitan Club’ scene, and there’s much more to see of both it and the club at his photostream.
Put on your best hat and click the link above to join in.
There isn’t an Elf in sight here at The Lego Car Blog Towers. Our mythical workers are easily spooked, and to be fair to them, we don’t think we’ve ever seen a car that looks as evil as this one*. Built by previous bloggee Redfern1950s this ‘Art Deco Cruiser’ looks absolutely terrifying, with a V8 up front for running you down and a tommy-gun in the trunk for when it catches you. There’s more to see at Redfern’s photostream – take a look via the link above whilst we try to coax the Elves out of hiding. Or we might just enjoy the peace.
This is the ‘SL20 Streamliner’, and it’s gloriously, utterly, mad. Built from deep within the mind of Vince_Toulouse it contains some the very finest art deco styling details that we’ve ever seen. And some Duplo wheels. One of the proper Lego blogs claims it looks like a Batmobile, but that’s clearly nonsense, as the Streamliner is absolutely a cross between the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’s ‘Nautilus’ and, er… Peter Griffin’s Penis Car. Yup, we know our design icons. No matter, there’s more to see of this retro manhood-enlarging brilliance at Vince’s photostream – click the link above to make the trip.
Large, old, and full of a flammable liquid. Nope, it’s not your Mom, but this absolutely wonderful art deco gas tanker from Flickr’s Redfern1950s. Based on a real Dodge Airflow used by Texaco in the 1930s, Redfern’s beautiful model captures the spirit of the original brilliantly in Lego form.
With opening doors, hood, side hatches plus a variety of pumping paraphernalia there’s loads to see at Redfern’s photostream. Head over to Flickr via the link above for the full gallery of top-quality imagery.
We regularly post beautiful Lego creations here at The Lego Car Blog. From sports cars to trucks and motorcycles to fighter jets, the produce of the online Lego community is often jaw-droppingly good, and it is of course the very reason that this website exists.
Today though we think we may be publishing the most beautiful vehicle-related creation that we’ve found in our five years of blogging. This is Andrea Lattanzio’s ‘Art Deco Gas Station’, and it is unbelievably perfect.
Based on a real-life gas station in Tucson, Arizona, Andrea’s incredible creation returns to the golden age of pumping gas, when stations such as this one were meeting places in their own right, rather than simply tools enabling people to get to the place they want to go.
With two period-correct Shell gas pumps underneath a wonderful curved awning, a fully equipped store, diner, and workshop, Andrea’s build offers more than just a fill up.
Three lovely Town scale vehicles feature in the build too; a neat step-side pick-up truck, a gorgeous tan-coloured hot rod coupe, and a brown hot rod roadster receiving some attention in the garage.
There’s a lot more to see of Andrea’s spell-binding build at his Flickr photostream, plus you can read our interview with the builder as part of the Master MOCers series by clicking this link.
France probably lays claim to our least favourite car in the looks department. The first generation Peugeot 308 was built at the very lowest point of French automobile design, being both painfully dull and yet somehow also managing to resemble a deep-sea fish that’s washed up on the shore.
Thankfully those dark days have passed as the French have re-discovered some of their joy de vivre, so we’re holding out hope that French car design can come full circle, and give us something like this again.
The fantastically luxurious 1939 Delahaye 136 was an utterly gorgeous machine, and probably took the art deco school of design further than any other car has ever managed. Sadly production was cut short by Hitler being a dick, and unfortunately post-war France then had no place for a vehicle manufacturer as opulent as Delahaye, with the brand quietly slipping away in the 1950s.
We remember when French design ruled the roads thanks to previous bloggee Lino Martins, who has recreated the Delayhaye 136’s incredible art deco shape beautifully in standard LEGO bricks. There’s more of his spellbinding creation to see at his photostream – click the link above to visit France circa 1939.