Tag Archives: ford

Survive the Fire

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Ford’s Transit was an emphatic success when it launched in the 1960s. By the late ’70s almost every van on British and European roads was a Transit, with vans called ‘Transits’ regardless of their actual make and model.

But the Transit was also disposable. Built as a tool, rarely looked after, and thrown away afterwards, the attrition of the Transit was almost total. Almost.

In 1960s-70s Germany, the Transit Mk.1 was a popular fire response vehicle, carrying ladders on the roof, pumping equipment inside, and with a siren and an upturned plant-pot blue light mounted above the cab.

Unlike their invariably white workhorse brethren, Transits in the fire service were well looked after, meticulously maintained, and travelled relatively low mileage. They were also kept for decades, and thus by the time they retired they were the only surviving examples of the Mk1 left. Which means that today if you see a Ford Transit Mk1 in Germany, it’ll probably be red, and once have carried ladders on the roof.

Cue Versteinert‘s lovely 7-wide German fire service Ford Transit Mk1, constructed following his more humdrum version that appeared here last month. Beautiful attention to detail matches the presentation, and there’s more to see of his fantastic fire service Ford at his photostream.

Click the first link in the text above for one of the few Transit Mk1 survivors, or the second for one that almost certainly didn’t.

In Transit

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In the late ’60s Ford were massive in Britain. With dozens of models produced in dozens of factories, they were the best selling car brand by miles. But we’re not here for their cars today, we’re here for something much more important. The Transit.

Launched in 1965 and built not far from TLCB Towers, the Ford Transit immediately became the best-selling van in Europe, and with the Mark 1 in production for twenty years it became so ubiquitous that even today many Brits still call vans ‘Transit-Vans’ regardless of the make or model.

In fact the Mark 1 Transit’s dominance was so great that by the early ’70s London’s Metropolitan Police estimated that 95% of all bank raids used one, as of course did the police themselves.

The Transit’s legacy continues today, with the fourth generation being the best selling vehicle of any type in the UK, and since its release in America, its the best selling van there too.

But back to 1965, and this fantastic 7-wide Speed Champions homage to Ford’s most important post-war vehicle. Constructed by Flickr’s Versteinert it captures the classic van’s aesthetics beautifully, and Vernsteinert’s superbly presented model looks the best way to move stuff about in the late-’60s that we can think of. Of course in the late-’60s, the Transit was pretty much the only way to move stuff about.

There’s more to see at Vernsteinert’s photostream, and you can join every other ’60s van driver from florists to bank robbers via the link in the text above.

Digitally Dinky

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Britain’s new car market was once filled with light, nimble, rear-wheel-drive sports cars. Dozens of different models were produced, and there was room for all of them… until the arrival of the hot hatchback.

Killing off the sports car in just a few short years, the hot hatchback became the affordable driver’s car of choice, and – to some extent – still is, despite the seemingly unending march of the SUV. Thus here are three of them (although one isn’t technically a hatchback), all created digitally by Flickr’s Peter Blackert, and each was another nail in the sports car coffin.

First up (above) was Ford’s Fiesta XR2. Released in 1981, the XR2 added a 1.6 litre crossflow engine (and some black plastic, stripes, and extra lights) to Ford’s humble supermini, creating a car that could out perform any comparable sports car of the day, and yet could seat four and their luggage.

Of course small quick cars didn’t start with the Fiesta XR2, having been around since the Mini Cooper of the early ’60s. Austin and Morris – now morphed (along with many other brands) into the dysfunctional behemoth British Leyland – continued with their own sporty offering, the Mini Clubman 1275 GT. Effectively the same car as the decade-old Mini Cooper, the Clubman wore a squared off front end to make it, um… marginally uglier. The ’70s were weird.

Our last hot hatchback comes from one of the genre’s giants; Peugeot. But this isn’t their iconic 205 GTI. The 104 arrived a decade earlier, with this example being the strangely truncated three-door ‘Coupe’ version (which was some rather optimistic marketing on Peugeot’s part). A 205 GTI it was not, but it set the scene for what was to come, and you can see more of it plus Peter’s other virtual recreations of sporty seventies’ superminis at his photostream via the link above.

Interception

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TLCB Elves love Mad Max. V8s engines, extreme violence, and everything blows up. Cue much excitement today therefore, when one of their number returned to TLCB with this excellent mostly-LEGO recreation of the 1973 Ford Falcon-based ‘V8 Interceptor’ from the original movie, which they’re now delightedly watching. They have Flickr’s GolPlaysWithLego to thank and you can see more of this superbly-presented homage to post-apoc vehicular violence via the link above.

The Last of the V8 Interceptors

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Law and order is breaking down. Fuel is ruinously expensive. And the land is turning into a scorching desert. But enough about today, let’s indulge in some dystopian movie-based escapism. 1979’s ‘Mad Max’ depicted a future in which law and order has broken down, fuel is ruinously expensive, and the land is a scorching dese… oh.

One movie plot difference is that Max did get to drive a V8, whereas here it won’t be long before they’re a remnant of history. Which means we’d probably take the ‘Mad Max’ post-apocalyptic dystopian future over whatever hell-scape is actually on the horizon.

Helping us imagine it is Peter Blackert (aka Lego911), who has recreated Max’s modified ’73 Ford Falcon XB Interceptor brilliantly in brick form. An enormous supercharger, eight side pipes, and roof and boot spoilers accurately capture the film Falcon, and you can hit the highway across a post-apocalyptic wasteland via the link above.

Brickin’ Bronco B-Model

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LEGO’s brand new Technic 42177 Mercedes-Benz G 500 Professional Line set is proving to be a veritable goldmine of parts. Despite only launching a few weeks ago, several superb 42177 B-Models have appeared here at The Lego Car Blog already, and today we have another; this fantastic Ford Bronco by Eurobricks’ Alex Ilea.

Featuring four-wheel-drive with three locking differentials, working steering via the wheel or HOG, independent front and live-axle rear suspension, a high/low range gearbox, a V6 engine, opening doors, hood, and tailgate, a folding bench, plus removable body panels and roof, Alex’s Bronco is as packed with functionality as the official G-Wagen set on which it’s based.

91% (2,625) of the donor set’s pieces are used in the Bronco’s creation, and if you prefer your 4x4s with American fun rather than German assertiveness you too can turn your 42177 Mercedes-Benz G 500 into a Ford Bronco, as Alex has also produced building instructions for his alternate design. See more at both the Eurobricks forum and Bricksafe, plus you can also click here to watch a video of Alex’s Bronco B-Model in action.

Moving Boxes

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Here at The Lego Car Blog most of the models we publish are supercars, sports cars, and giant off-roaders. Because we’re six. But if we were a vehicle, we’d probably be a crappy old van.

In our home nation that would most likely mean a Ford Transit, which isn’t just the best-selling van, but the best selling vehicle. However despite the massive numbers almost none survive beyond about fifteen years old (with many dying much younger), thanks to the disposable nature of vehicles used as tools, high repair costs, and a very robust annual inspection process.

In many parts of America though, there is no such inspection (leading to some truly terrifying vehicle conditions unthinkable in our home nation), and thus battered vans from decades past can are still a common sight.

This is one such van, a 1997 Ford Econoline, as built by newcomer yellowsquadron, who has utilised some sun-yellowed white bricks to superb effect to recreate the knackered exterior.

Posable steering, opening doors (including the sliding side door), a detailed engine under an opening hood, a realistic under-chassis drivetrain, and a wonderfully life-like interior all feature, and you can check out all the imagery (plus a link to building instructions) at yellow’s ‘Ford Econoline 1997’ album. Move some boxes via the link above.

#MorePatriotism

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The misplaced patriotism continues here at The Lego Car Blog, with another American automotive icon. The Ford Bronco first appeared in the 1960s, and now – after a twenty-five year absence – the new sixth-generation model has reignited Ford’s rugged go-anywhere reputation.

Powered by a range of turbocharged engines with up to 400bhp, the 2021 Bronco continues the nameplate’s legacy, with body-on-frame construction, two and four-door variants, a removable roof and doors, and about two hundred different trims named after various outdoorsy-things.

This phenomenal Model Team/Technic replica of Ford’s most sought-after 4×4 comes from previous bloggee DamianPLE, who has recreated the off-road icon brilliantly in brick form.

Underneath the superbly recreated exterior Damian’s model features four-wheel-drive, a high/low gearbox, locking centre and rear differentials, working suspension and steering, a highly detailed V6 engine, folding seats, and – like the real thing – easily removable doors and roof.

A huge gallery of stunning imagery is available to view at Damian’s Bricksafe gallery, which includes close-up photos of the chassis as well as on-location shots, plus you can find the model’s discussion topic and further details at the Eurobricks form, where an excellent video of the Bronco’s working features can also be found.

Take a closer look via the links above, whilst we try to remember our own automotive heritage and post a model of a Morris Marina or something…

Four-in-a-Fiesta

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Ford’s Fiesta might recently have (inexplicably) ceased production, but it remains one of the most popular cars on the World Rally Circuit.

Cue Zerobricks’ fantastic Technic recreation of the Fiesta WRC, based on a real car run by the Slovenian ‘GM’ racing team.

Underneath the remarkably well-replicated bodywork, Zerobrick’s creation packs in a seriously impressive remote control drivetrain, centre of which are four (yes four!) BuWizz motors, one powering each wheel. A LEGO Powered-Up L Motor operates the steering, with twin BuWizz 3.0s controlling all five motors via bluetooth.

Long-travel suspension, a transverse inline-4 engine (powered via the aforementioned BuWizz drive motors), plus opening doors, hood and rear hatch also feature, with the visual realism enhanced by superb 3D-printed wheels and custom graphics.

It’s every bit as impressive as the real Fiesta WRC car, and if you’re interested in seeing what four BuWizz motors and all-wheel-drive can do (a lot!), you can check out Zerobricks’ incredible Technic rally car at the Eurobricks forum and via the video from the official BuWizz YouTube channel below.

Hauling Lumber Off-Road. Definitely

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The most popular vehicle in the U.S is not a Camry, CR-V, or RAV4. No, it’s a pick-up truck, specifically the Ford F-150, now in its fourteenth generation.

With ¾ million sales in the U.S. last year, Ford sold 50% more F-150s than the next best-selling vehicle in America (also a pick-up). That’s a lot of people hauling boats, working on building sites, or carrying lumber.

Perhaps just one or two are used for nothing more than driving to Walmart of course, but we’re sure that 99% are absolutely used for pick-upy things. Definitely.

This F-150 is the work of previous bloggee gyenesvi, who has packed his 1:14 Technic version with working functions. Four-wheel-drive comes courtesy of a BuWizz bluetooth battery and twin Powered-up Motors, steering is driven via a third motor, and a high/low gearbox by a fourth, all of which can be operated remotely.

Realistic five-link suspension, opening doors, hood and tailgate, and a detailed interior also feature, and you can check out full details – including a link to free building instructions – at Eurobricks. You can also watch the model in action via the video below, plus you can find the complete image gallery via Bricksafe, where gyenesvi has photgraphed his creation on location off-road, where almost all real Ford F-150s also spend their time. Definitely.

YouTube Video

[Insert Inevitable Crash]

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Regular readers of this site will be well aware of the Ford Mustang’s ability to stack it into a bus stop when leaving a car meet. There’s something about the combination of a V8 and a low entry price that draws in knuckle-dragging morons for owners.

LEGO, keen to target said demographic, have introduced their own officially-licensed Ford Mustang Dark Horse set to the Speed Champions line for 2024, so you can recreate your very own Mustang crashes at home.

But what if you’d like a slightly larger crash? Well then you’ll need a slightly larger Mustang, and previous bloggee Szunyogh Balázs (aka gnat.bricks) has just the car!

50% wider than the 76920 Speed Champions set at 12-studs, Szunyogh’s Mustang Dark Horse features a corresponding increase in detail, with a beautifully executed exterior including opening doors and hood, and some very clever SNOT-work to replicate the latest Mustang’s creases. Before the owner inevitably adds some more.

Better yet, the model includes fully-detailed running-gear too, with a brick-built engine, drivetrain, suspension, exhaust, steering, and even brakes (not that the average Mustang owner will use the last two).

There’s loads more to see at Szunyogh’s ‘Mustang Dark Horse’ album on Flickr, and you can head to the side of the road outside a car meet to await the inexorable accident via the link above.

Brickin’ Bronco

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Ford have decided to stop selling anything that’s not an SUV. Or a Mustang. Which is both a shame and very possibly a mistake. However their renewed SUV-focus has brought about the return of one of the brand’s most famous 4×4 nameplates; the Bronco.

Aimed squarely at the Jeep Wrangler, the new Ford Bronco looks pretty cool, in the blocky-retro way that is in-vogue with car designers at present. It also looks pretty cool when made from actual blocks, as today’s Technic example proves.

Built by newcomer GoldenBrickDesign, and suggested by a reader, this superbly-engineered recreation of the latest Bronco is packed with functionality. There’s remote control all-wheel-drive, steering, winch, sequential gearbox, and locking differentials, removable (and opening) doors and roof, a 4-cylinder piston engine (which is also motorised and can even ‘idle’) under the opening hood, and seriously capable all-wheel-suspension.

It’s a technical tour-de-force and you can check all of that out at GoldenBrickDesign’s ‘Ford Bronco Everglades’ Bricksafe album and via Youtube, where a link to building instructions can also be found.

It almost makes us think the Bronco makes up for losing the Fiesta and Focus. Click the links above to take a look.

My Other Car’s a Truck

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LEGO’s 10290 Creator Expert Pickup Truck set has spawned several excellent alternates thus far, and today we have another.

Built by FanisLego, 825 of the original set’s 1,677 pieces have been repurposed to create this lovely early Ford Bronco, complete with steering (ish), opening hood, doors and tailgate, a detailed engine, and superbly accessible interior.

Building instructions are available and you can convert your own 10290 Pickup set into the first iteration of Ford’s recently re-born icon at Bricksafe via the link above.

Speed Champions 2024 | Set Previews

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It’s that time of year again, when a special group of Lego Car Blog Elves, chosen due to their expendability… er, we mean ‘bravery’, are selected for a top secret mission.

That mission is to infiltrate The LEGO Company’s HQ, avoid being eaten by the German Shepherds, and return triumphant / mildly chewed to TLCB Towers having scooped the brand new Speed Champions sets joining the line-up.

But why risk our mythical workers for a few LEGO sets? Partly because we never seem to run out of them, but mostly it’s because the Speed Champions theme is the best decision LEGO have made since they invented the LEGO brick. Real-world cars for pocket money prices? What’s not to love. And here are the new ones…

76920 Ford Mustang Dark Horse

LEGO will never run out of real-world Mustangs to recreate in brick form. Ford’s seemingly endless supply of special edition ‘stangs – all stupidly named and all equally likely to stack it leaving a car meet – culminated in 2023* with this, the 500bhp ‘Dark Horse’.

Created from 344 pieces, the Speed Champions 76920 Ford Mustang Dark Horse looks right on the money – although inevitably with a few more stickers than we’d like to see – and features some surprisingly complex SNOT techniques, particularly to create the hood and rear window.

A female mini-figure driver is included and we expect 76902 to cost around £20/$26 from March next year, when you’ll be able to recreate your very favourite Mustang crashes at home.

*Until Ford release the next Mustang special edition in a few weeks.

…

76921 Audi S1 e-tron quattro

The second new entry to the 2024 Speed Champions range brings a prototype all-electric racing car to the line-up; this is the Audi S1 e-tron quattro, using all lower-case because that’s cooler, and as deployed brilliantly in the last ever Ken Block ‘Gymkhana’ film.

Aimed at ages 9+, the new Speed Champions 76921 Audi S1 e-tron quattro is constructed from 274 pieces, of which about half of them wear a sticker.

The result looks as wild as the real thing, and whilst we bemoan the uses of decals to create every single detail, they are at least individual to each part, allowing the model to be deconstructed and the pieces re-purposed, as LEGO should be.

Priced identically to the 76920 Mustang Dark Horse above, 76921 will reach store shelves in March 2024 where for us, it’ll stay. Bricks beat stickers, every time.

…

76922 BMW M4 GT3 & BMW M-Hybrid V8

The final new addition to the H1 2024 Speed Champions range is a racing car double, the Speed Champions 76922 BMW M4 GT3 & BMW M-Hybrid V8.

Featuring 676 pieces, 76922 includes new wheels and a racing driver mini-figure for each of the real-world BMW racers, with plenty of SNOT techniques and even more plentiful stickers doing a great job of recreating BMW Motorsport’s mega four-colour livery.

We expect 76922 to cost around 60% more than the single car Speed Champions sets when it races into stores next year, and it could be the pick of the bunch.

…

That’s the brand new LEGO Speed Champions line-up for 2024; three new sets, four new cars, and about a million stickers. They do look good though.

Each will be available from March next year, with prices expected between £20/$26 and £35/$45. Great stuff.

Fresh Donuts

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2023 sadly saw the loss of one of the motoring world’s greats, when Ken Block was killed at the start of the year, when his snowmobile landed atop him.

One of the founders of DC Shoes, Ken raced in motocross, rallycross, rallying, and the X-Games. The top step of each of those championships eluded him, despite some moderate successes, but where Block became a household name to millions was via his utterly brilliant ‘Gymkhana’ videos.

Perfectly designed for the viral-video age, Ken’s ‘Gymkhana’ series took increasingly outrageous one-off vehicles, astonishing car control, and a whole load of sponsorship money, to create some of the most tyre-shredding back-to-back stunt scenes ever recorded, racking up hundreds of millions of views in the process.

Following his death there is only one more of Ken’s ‘Gymkhana’ films to be (posthumously) released, after which we may never see his like again. However Flickr’s Clemens Schneider has created his own ‘Gymkhana’ of sorts, with his unique motorised donuting Mustang vignette, in which Block’s ‘Hoonicorn’ drifts around a donut shop car park.

There’s more to see of Clemens’ tribute – including a video of the motorised Mustang circulating the donut car park in a cloud of brick-built tyre smoke – by clicking here, plus you can see the trailer for Ken Block’s last ever movie via the link in the text above.