This International Harvester Metro van is America’s equivalent of the UK’s ‘milk float‘, except not as slow. Because nothing is as slow as milk float. Regular Bloggee 1saac W. is its creator, and an absolutely wonderful job he’s done too, with some of the finest shaping and lettering we’ve seen this year. Grab yourself a bottle of the white stuff at the link above.
This TLCB writer prefers the planting of trees to the harvesting of them (seriously, why the heck aren’t we planting trees everywhere? There is literally no downside, only cleaner air, more wildlife, and less CO2), but if they must be ‘harvested’ there are some pretty cool vehicles with which to do it. This is one example, a Timberjack 1010B as built by previous bloggee Keko007. With an articulated middle, rear tracks, and a giant grabby claw thing, it does look rather fun. See more of Keko’s beautifully presented model on Flickr via the link.
In April of 1992 a young man by the name Christopher McCandless set out across Alaska on foot. With minimal supplies, a rifle, and a new alter ego (Alex Supertramp), McCandless left civilisation behind to live simply off the land in Alaska’s remote wilderness.
After hiking along the snow-covered ‘Stampede Trail’, McCandless discovered the old Fairbanks Bus 142, a 1946 International Harvester K-5 that was one of several that had been outfitted as shelters for a construction crew repairing the trail in the early 1960s.
When the mine that used the trail closed in the 1970s the buses were removed, all apart from Bus 142 which – thanks to a broken axle – was left behind in the wilderness. Already fitted with beds and a wood burning stove, it became McCandless’s new home.
McCandless attempted to leave the area in which the bus was abandoned several times, but the thick Alaskan undergrowth and swollen rivers made progress impossible, and so he returned, trapped in the shelter.
After 113 days, and weighing just 30kg, McCandless died of starvation and poisoning from wild potato seeds, his final diary entry on day 107 simply reading “Beautiful Blue Berries”. Days 108 to 112 contained only unintelligible slashes, whilst day 113 contained nothing at all.
Two weeks later a group of hunters entered Bus 142 looking for shelter, and discovered McCandless’ decomposing body inside a sleeping bag.
McCandless’ tragic story has since become a book and a movie, and the bus – deteriorating more each year – is now an attraction for Alaskan tourists. This beautiful recreation of the International Harvester that became Chris McCandless’ tomb comes from TLCB favourite and Master MOCer Andrea Lattanzio (aka Norton74), of which there is more to see at his ‘Into the Wild’ album on Flickr. Click the link above to take a trip to the wilderness around Fairbanks Bus 142. Just don’t eat the wild potato seeds.
The other Lego blogs may have beaten us to this creation, but we’ve got the best title! This International Harvester ice cream truck (see – we’re geniuses!) comes from TLCB favourite, previous Master MOCer, and all-round Lego-building legend Firas Abu-Jaber. Featuring a fully accessible and highly detailed interior, Firas’ Harvester is as cool on the inside as it is on the outside. Give it a lick at the link above.
This Komatsu PC210LL-10 loves munching on wood.* With a 365 harvester head it can strip a tree of its branches in seconds, enabling the trunk to be neatly stacked on the back of a waiting truck. Flickr’s Mathijs Bongers is the builder and he’s replicated the tracked forest harvester brilliantly in mini-figure scale. See more on Flickr via the link.
*Just like your Mom.
The Lino Martins‘ bakery knows how to deliver in style. This is a 1940s International Harvester Metro van… with one or two subtle modifications. Pick up a loaf at Lino’s photostream via the link above.
This strange looking contraption is a Komatsu 895 harvester, and it’s been built (beautifully we might add) by newcomer LegoMathijs. His recreation of the giant Japanese forwarder features a detailed telescopic boom, cabin and engine, and working suspension with central pivot. There’s more to see on Flickr and at the Eurobricks discussion forum – click the links to swing your axe.
The Lego Car Blog staff seem to be a bit portlier than they were before Christmas. Blame this on decadence of the TLCB Christmas party food and the fact that, well, someone had to eat the Smarties usually designated to the Elves whilst they were incarcerated.
With normal service resumed here at TLCB Towers it seems fitting that one of the creations uploaded over the Christmas break is a machine that enabled our mass sugar consumption, Eric Trax’ incredible Holmer Terra Dos T3 sugar beet harvester.
Powered by no less than eleven LEGO Power Functions motors and containing over 6,000 pieces, Eric’s harvester is a fiendishly complicated piece of kit. Watch the video below to get a flavour, and you can see all Eric’s photos on either Flickr or Brickshelf.
YouTube Video: