Tag Archives: Corvette

My Other Car’s a McLaren

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This astonishing Technic Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 was discovered on Eurobricks today, and – even more astonishingly – it’s built only from the parts of the 42172 Technic McLaren P1 set.

Shown here in render form (but also built for real, however with inadequate images), this 1:8 replica of the latest 1,000bhp Corvette comes from Timorzelorzworz, and is as packed with working functionality as its donor set.

A mid-mounted V8 engine is hooked up to a 7-speed gearbox, the steering is controlled from the steering wheel, suspension is independent front and rear, the front trunk, engine cover and doors open, whilst the entire bodywork aft of the b-pillar is removable too.

Building instructions are available and there’s much more to see including further renders, images of the brick-built model, and full build details at the Eurobricks forum. Take a look via the link above and convert your P1 into a ZR1.

Vice ‘Vette

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Things are not always what they seem. And not just in today’s terrifying world of AI, but in decades past too. Because the ‘Ferraris’ used in the famous TV series ‘Miami Vice’ were not actually Ferraris at all, but Chevrolet C3 Corvettes.

Cunning modifications transformed the then-ageing Stingrays into prancing horses, but we think we actually prefer the ‘Vettes to the Italian supercars they became. This one comes from previous bloggee Sseven Bricks and there’s more to see of his Speed Champions C3 on Flickr. Click the link above to take a look.

LEGO Technic 42205 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray | Set Preview

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It’s that time of year again, when a crack team of TLCB Elves is sent to sneak around The LEGO Company’s headquarters to find (and steal) the top secret imagery of next year’s Technic line-up.

Of course as with every year, we don’t publish said images here until they’re in the public domain, because we have integrity. But as this set has just been accidentally revealed by the Mexican arm of a famous online retailer, it matters not if we publish the images we’ve assuredly been sitting on for ages and definitely didn’t find leaked on the internet. So here it is, the brand new Technic 42205 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray!

Wait? Didn’t LEGO already do one of these? Well yes, back in 2019, with the last of the front-engined Corvettes, but this is the new mid-engined Corvette. The 42205 set also looks, to our eyes at least, rather more cohesive than the 2019 iteration, but as well it might, with around 25% more parts (at 732), and an expected $50 price tag.

It also features a tie-up with the ‘Asphalt Legends Unite’ video-game for some reason, and includes working steering, a V8 engine, opening doors, and stickers-for-everything.

On its own, the Technic 42205 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray looks nice enough. But perhaps we’ve been spoilt with LEGO’s explosion of officially-licensed real-world replicas because, well… the first mid-engined Corvette to become a LEGO set could perhaps have been a bit more interesting than a $50 Technic set with more stickers than working features.

However if you are excited by LEGO’s latest Corvette set you can get your hands on it when it lands in March of 2025, before which we’ll reveal of the rest of the brand new Technic line-up right here at The Lego Car Blog. Unless Amazon Mexico unwittingly leak it first…

C7 Corvette | Picture Special

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Retired dentists; this one’s for you!

The seventh-generation (C7) Chevrolet Corvette was the last to feature a front-mounted engine, with the latest eighth-generation Corvette finally adopting the mid-engined layout used by its European rivals.

But despite its layout disadvantage, the C7 Corvette was actually rather good, performing on par with many much more expensive supercars, and winning Le Mans’ GT category.

This fantastic Model Team recreation of the C7 ‘Vette comes from previous bloggee Rolands Kirpis, and includes a beautifully detailed interior, V8 LS1 engine and drivetrain, plus an opening hood, doors and rear hatch.

Presented beautifully, over a dozen superb images are available to view at Rolands’ ‘Chevrolet Corvette C7’ album on Flickr, and you can join the other retired dentists at a Florida golf course via the link above.

Summer of ’59

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As uninspired, dreary and monotonous as American cars have been since the late-’90s, they were spectacular, inventive, and pioneering in the late-’50s. Tail-fins, chrome, and delightful shapes abounded during America’s automotive golden years, with two high watermarks being Chevrolet’s gorgeous C1 Corvette and iconic Impala.

Recreating these icons of Americana is SFH_Bricks, who has begun a new series building the most famous ’50s cars in Speed Champions scale. Joining his previously blogged Cadillac El Dorado, the Corvette and Impala pictured here capture each classic Chevrolet beautifully in miniature (with the pieces used for the Impala’s tail-lights in particular perfectly formed for the task).

There’s more to see of SFH’s wonderfully presented classic Chevrolet Corvette and Impala models (including details on building instructions) on Flickr via the links, where we’re sure a fleet of ’50s American classic will be sure to join them.

#Patriotism

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America is in the news of TLCB home nation rather a lot at the moment. Whilst we’ve quietly called, held, and politely delivered the outcome of an election in six weeks, America’s year-long campaign season continues, and – with perhaps a depressing inevitability – the barrage of political slurs, plus an argument about golf handicaps for some reason, has spilled over into something far worse.

Thus to remember that America isn’t just gun violence and two old men insulting one another, today we have the most American thing we can think of short of chanting ‘Freedom!’ on loop or a Mustang crash; the Chevrolet Corvette C7.

Built by Eurobricks’ mihao, this stunning Technic recreation of the last front-engined Corvette is so realistic we can almost see the retired dentist behind the wheel. Working steering, adjustable suspension, a V8 engine connected to a paddle-shift gearbox, opening doors, hood and trunk, plus a removable targa-roof all feature, and the model can also be fully motorised, with remote control drive, steering, and LED head and tail lights.

Building instructions for both the mechanical and motorised versions of mihao’s model are available, and you can find them and lots more besides at the Eurobricks forum. Click the link above to take a look at mihao’s fantastic American icon, and whichever old man you vote for, neither the other one, nor his supporters, are your foe.

YouTube Video

My Other Le Mans Car’s a Peugeot

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The Technic 42156 Peugeot 9X8 Le Mans Hybrid Hypercar is a slightly weird, but nevertheless welcome, addition to LEGO’s officially-licensed line-up. First competing in 2022, before a full World Endurance Championship assault in 2023, the 9X8 has been… underwhelming.

A single podium all season and an 8th place at Peugeot’s home event of the 24 Heures de Mans is the best the car has achieved so far, but PeugeotSport are past race winners, so the results may come yet.

Until then though, if you own a 42156 Peugeot 9X8 and fancy swapping it for an endurance racer that’s more… winning, davidragon of Eurobricks has the answer!

Making his TLCB debut, davidragon has used the pieces from the 42156 Peugeot 9X8 to recreate a car from the other end of the World Endurance Classification, but one with rather more success.

The Chevrolet Corvette C8.R is the first mid-engined Corvette racing car, and placed second in the GTE-Pro class at Le Mans in 2021, before winning GTE-Am in 2023, finishing one place ahead of the second Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar that competed some three classes above it. Oof.

Davidragon’s incredible C8.R alternate features opening doors and hood, independent suspension, working steering, and a mid-mounted piston engine, and there’s lots more to see, including a link to building instructions, at the Eurobricks forum.

Click the link above to swap your Peugeot 9X8 for a Corvette C8.R, and improve your chances of winning some silverware.

Little Red Corvette*

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The Lego Car Blog archives are full of Chevrolet Corvettes. From official sets to large scale replicas, Corvettes of every generation have been replicated in LEGO. The C3 iteration, built from 1986 to 1982, appears a number of times too, yet we still like to see another little one. Particularly if it’s in Boogie Nights red.

Cue previous bloggee László Torma, who has constructed this lovely C3 ‘Vette in 8-wide Speed Champions scale. Despite the small size László’s model is instantly recognisable as the third generation of Chevrolet’s iconic sports car, and building instructions are available so you can create it for yourself.

There’s more of the model to see at László’s ‘Corvette C3 Stingray’ album on Flickr, and you can make the jump to his Little Red Corvette via the link above.

*Today’s title song.

Insert Balding Divorcee

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Whilst the Trans-Am is driven by shady gamblers, the Mustang by jocks who crash almost immediately, and the Challenger by morons, the Corvette has a rather different consumer base.

Despite on the face of it being a rather similar vehicle to the aforementioned threats to public safety, the Chevrolet Corvette is owned exclusively by balding recently-divorced golf enthusiasts, who spend more time polishing them than they do behind the wheel.

Which perhaps makes the Corvette, along with the Lexus ES, the safest car in America.

This splendid example is a 1970s ‘C3’ generation, as constructed beautifully by previous bloggee Szunyogh Balázs. There’s an opening hood, opening doors, and a detailed drivetrain, with much more to see on Flickr. Click here to get polishing before you head to the golf club.

IDisplayIt LEGO Display Case | Review

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Here at The Lego Car Blog, we – somewhat unsurprisingly – love LEGO cars. And trucks. And motorbikes. Which means we own rather a lot of them.

It also means that the LEGO fans foe – dust – plagues TLCB Team, with our sets and creations all gradually turning grey unless we get a paintbrush out or the bristly attachment thingy on the vacuum-cleaner.

However even then our LEGO models still face a grave peril, what with there apparently being “a ridiculous number” of them, and further partner complaints such as “Our living room is not looking like a toy shop”. But that’s not our fault. LEGO models take up loads of space. Or do they?…

Cue Official LEGO Affiliate IDisplayIt, and their huge range of LEGO display cases. Constructed from 3mm clear acrylic, IDisplayIt’s cases are strong, beautifully machined, and – best of all – stackable, allowing models can be placed on top of one another so that you have space for even more! er, we mean they’re less likely to annoy long-suffering partners.

IDisplayIt sent us two of their cases to review, the Display Case for the LEGO 10295 Porsche 911 (which is also the perfect size for several other sets), and a copy of their Display Case for the LEGO 10321 Corvette, complete with a period-appropriate pre-applied vinyl background.

Each case arrived flat-packed in a well-protected envelope, and – as per rivals BOXXCO – with all six sides covered in a protective film which is immensely satisfying to peel off. Unlike the previously reviewed BOXXCO offering though, iDisplayIt’s design uses twistable plastic connectors to join the sides together, instead of machined aluminium blocks.

Whilst we appreciated the engineering of those metal cubes, iDisplayIt’s method offers a number of advantages, with the connectors being less visible (matching the transparency of the case panels), requiring no tools (an allen key is provided), and taking mere minutes to construct with half the number of screws. Seriously, we spent longer removing the protective film. Although we did really enjoy that.

IDisplayIt’s cases are also beautifully engineered, with a superbly printed background in the case of the Corvette, and with tolerances that LEGO themselves would be proud of. The result is that IDisplayIt’s cases make the LEGO models within them look absolutely fantastic, so much so – and we don’t give such scores away lightly – that they earn the maximum TLCB rating. Yes, they really are that good.

Order in the next few days (if you’re reading this at the time of publication) and IDisplayIt will guarantee Christmas delivery, or if you’re reading this a little later they’ll do their best (just let them know).

You can check out the full range of IDisplayIt’s LEGO Display Cases via the region-specific links below. We recommend you do.

IDisplayIt Stores;

United Kingdom | Europe | United States / Rest of World

★★★★★

Crack Commando Corvette

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In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn’t commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground, whereupon they bought a GMC van and a C4 Corvette, painted a giant red stripe down the side of each, and were somehow completely untraceable to the government.

No, we don’t understand how that works either, but no matter, because it allows us to publish this brilliant brick-built Chevrolet Corvette C4 (complete with a giant red stripe), as driven by the ‘A-Team’s Arthur Templeton “Faceman” Peck. Or someone rather more visually appealing.

Flickr’s László Torma is the builder behind it, instructions are available, and you can head to the Los Angeles underground via the link in the text above.

Honey I Shrunk the 10321

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LEGO’s excellent new Icons 10321 Corvette set looks is a glorious addition to their officially-licensed line-up. However, at $150 and aimed at ages 18+ it is likely to be out of reach for many TLCB readers. No so today’s model, which has all the style of the 10321 set, yet uses 1,000 pieces less. Recent bloggee SFH_Bricks is the builder behind this superb Speed Champions Corvette C1, building instructions are available, and you can find them, and it, by clicking here.

It’s a Gas Gas Gas!

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You know how it goes, you wait ages for a Gasser and then three arrive at once. Or something like that.

Anyway, our third ‘gasser’-style hot rod in a week arrives courtesy of _Tiler, whose beautifully presented ’56 C1 Corvette has allowed to us to link to a brilliant title song, and which somehow sits in the centre of a Sacrilege/Inspired Venn diagram.

There’s more of the ‘vette to see on Flickr via the link above, you can jump to the aforementioned title song here, and you can check out the brand new official LEGO Icons 10321 Corvette set by clicking those final teal words.

LEGO Icons 10321 Corvette | Set Preview

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LEGO’s fantastic officially-licensed momentum continues… this is the brand new 1,210-piece LEGO Icons 10321 Corvette!

Interestingly forgoing ‘Chevrolet’ in the set title, the 10321 Corvette brings the second generation of Chevrolet’s iconic fibreglass sports car to the Icons (previously ‘Creator Expert’) range.

It’s a fine choice too, as – like the Ford Mustang – any generation of Corvette after the ’70s has more than a hint of ‘douchbag’ about it. Not so the ‘60s Corvettes however, which are perhaps the classiest – and most beautiful – American cars of all time.

The Icons 10321 Corvette set captures the early ’60s aesthetic of the real car beautifully, with a red-over-white colour-scheme, kinda whitewall tyres (via white rims behind grey caps), three sets of license plates, and a gorgeous curved windshield that is repeated at the rear on the hardtop version. Details are brick-built for the most part, with only a few well chosen badging decals enhancing the realism.

A convertible can also be constructed, with both versions featuring working tie-rod steering, opening hood, doors and trunk, and a detailed engine and interior.

The new Icons 10321 Corvette set will reach stores in August of ’23, costing around $150/£130 and aimed at ages 18+. Don’t worry if you’re not in LEGO’s ‘adult’ target demographic though – it’s a marketing ploy only, designed to make it more acceptable for Dad to bring one home claiming – as LEGO do – that it’s a “Mindful project for adults”.

Which this Dad is absolutely going to do. For his mindfulness obviously.

100 Ans du Mans

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The world’s greatest motor race celebrates its century this weekend. Founded in 1923 on a public road loop around the village of Le Mans, a route that would later become today’s ‘Circuit de la Sarthe’, the 24 Heures du Mans remains the pinnacle of endurance racing.

Of course due to some German expansionist policies in the late 1930s, the 2023 event is not the one hundredth running of the race, rather the 91st, but nevertheless it’s going to be a special year, with both a notable increase in Hypercar competition and the final year of the GTE class before it’s replaced by the more widely adopted GT3 regulations.

Flickr’s SpaceMan Nathan is celebrating Le Mans’ centenary, and the final year of GTE, with this lovely recreation of the Circuit de la Sarthe pitlane, complete with five Speed Champions GTE AM cars. Accurate liveries and trackside sponsorship add to the ambience, and you can enter the pitlane at Le Mans’ centenary year via the link above to watch the GTE finale.