A number of competition entries have been Mad Max or post-apoc related, but this is definitely the first to mix the madness with LEGO’s own recently launched ‘Elves’ theme. In case you’re unsure, LEGO’s Elves are nothing like our own. Like, at all.
TLCB newcomer Lego Warboys‘ mini-figure scale recreation of the ‘Gigahorse’ from Mad Max – Fury Road is almost everything the Elves could want in a vehicle. The ‘Elven’ iteration on the right is… less so.
Oddly though, we think we prefer the pastel coloured flowery version, and it could be the start of a glorious new sub-theme! You can see more of both models by visiting Lego Warboys’ Flickr photostream via the link above.
…or the Elves go Technic. Regular readers of this blog will remember that the Elves have “helped” us to build some of sets that we have reviewed, including some of the 3-in-1 Creator series. We decided that it was time to let them go solo with the smallest, cheapest Lego set that we have ever reviewed (we have to buy this stuff you know!).
After the usual explosive opening of the two bags of parts in this set, we helped the Elves to gather the pieces up into a pile and then realised that there were no tyres. These are packed loose in the box and had all rolled under The Lego Car Blog executive beer fridge and champagne chiller. Fortunately a skinny Elf fitted under the fridge. He was soon forced into the gap by his colleagues poking him with the axles from the kit. He reappeared a few seconds later with all four tyres and a Malteser that had rolled under there two months ago.
The Elves then set to work on book one of the two instruction books that come with the kit. “What?!?!” we hear you cry, “Two instruction books for a set with just 100 pieces?”. LEGO have come up with a new concept for this model. The first booklet builds a common chassis and then the second booklet has instructions for two alternative bodies to fit onto the chassis. A novel, fun concept, with lots of play and re-building potential.
The instructions are in the usual clear, LEGO format, with just a couple of parts per stage. This is slow for a Technic set but remember the starting age for this kit is just 7 years old. By stage 6, a 5-wide frame has taken shape, with swing arms for each wheel. The Elves had to resist the temptation to bash each part down hard and tight, so that the suspension would work on the finished buggy. The first Elf-fight broke out at stage 8, with the adding of the two elastic bands which make the “springs” of the suspension. The temptation to flick the bands at each other was too great to resist and order was only restored when both bands had vanished under the beer fridge. Annoyingly, for a set aimed at kids, LEGO provide the usual spares for some of the smaller, cheaper parts but don’t give you a spare elastic band. The skinny Elf was sent under the fridge again and this time returned with the elastic bands and something blue and furry: possibly left-over cheese nibble from the office Christmas party. The last stage of the instructions is to turn the chassis the right way up, though even the Elves didn’t really need a page of instructions for this.
The first body quickly builds up in typical Technic style, with some 1×1 round trans plates for front and rear lights. Stages 3 & 4 have a bit where you have to do things in the right order or pieces won’t connect but that’s the trickiest part of the build. Stage 12 requires strong fingers to insert a 2 stud-long axle and we had to do this for the Elves. After 22 short stages the Elves were left with a nice-looking, orange and grey, short-wheelbase off-roader. It rolls across carpets and desks and its long-travel suspension bounces really well. There’s space inside for a few of the smaller Elves and they had great fun zooming around the office until two of them were car-sick into the jacuzzi (again!).
The seven stud long axle, which pins the body to the chassis makes a very handy tool for disassembling the body to build the second version. As this set is aimed at younger builders, the instructions could perhaps be improved by including some pictures showing tips and techniques for pulling the model apart. Continue reading →
The festive holidays approacheth! As such we’ll be winding back our posts for a little bit. Each Elf that has returned to TLCB HQ over the last few weeks has been re-caged ready for re-release after Santa visits. Being Elves, they’re actually ‘happy’ to work over Christmas of course. However, we intend to spend the next two weeks being drunk*, so we won’t be able to process their finds. There are a few Elves yet to return though, so you can expect the odd post and review in the run up to the Christmas. In the meantime, thanks for your readership during 2012 and happy holidays!
Merry Christmas from all of The Lego Car Blog Team!
*The Lego Car Blog Team does not condone alcohol misuse. Unless you’re over 16/18/21/whatever the legal age is where you are. If you’re under said age; Alcohol is bad. Tasty tasty bad.
A year ago yesterday, the bolts on some small nondescript metal cages were quietly slid back. As the doors of the cages swung silently open, the little figures previously contained within them stepped tentatively out, and began cautiously wandering towards the light slicing through the gloom from the open door at the end of the room.
We watched proudly from the shadows as the creatures made their way across the floor, then in perplexion as they paused and began shuffling around anxiously, and finally in annoyance as the little sods started pushing one another towards the exit and a fight broke out. The blast from an air-horn soon emptied the room, and thus The Lego Car Blog Elves were released into the world to start their unending search for the best Lego vehicles the web has to offer.
In the year that’s passed since that first day we’ve posted over 230 of the Elves’ finds. Creations, news stories and community updates have all found their way onto these pages, earning us 130,000 views, 300 comments (plus nearly 4,000 in spam) and recognition from The LEGO Group.
We’ve lost a few Elves along the way, through canine intervention mostly, and we’ve had to diffuse more than one riot, but in the main it’s been a complete joy publishing the works of some of the best vehicle builders in the LEGO community.
So, from all at The Lego Car Blog, a massive thank you to every one of you that’s visited, commented, or seen their creation featured on these pages. Here’s to our second year!
