Tag Archives: Lego

Alt’s Alright

‘Alternative’ can mean many things. It’s a category of music that’s really rather mainstream (but pretends otherwise because it’s cooler that way), it’s the self-awarded title of a group of far-right nationalist scumbags, and it’s used to describe girls who look slightly different yet somehow all look exactly the same.

We’re a Lego blog though, so here it means none of the above, instead being used to identify a creation built only from the parts found within an official LEGO set.

Somehow we’ve posted three such creations today, making this alternative Baja Bug – like alternative music and alternative girls – the opposite of its literal meaning. Nevertheless it fits within the brief, being constructed only from the pieces found within the 42122 Technic Jeep Wrangler Rubicon.

Builder “grohl” has not only managed to turn that resolutely square set into something rather more curvy, he’s equipped his model with both front and rear suspension, a 4-cylinder engine driven by the rear wheels, a working winch, functioning steering, plus opening doors, bonnet and engine cover.

This means this alternate somehow features more technical functions than the set that donated its parts, and there’s more to see – including a link to building instructions – at “grohl”‘s photostream. Click the link to go alternative.

One Round Tile

It’s as Easy as AC B

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We love receiving comments here at TLCB. It means people actually read this stuff. Well, when we say we love receiving them, it does depend a little upon what we receive.

Automated spam for various exciting sounding drugs, offers of ‘help’ to ‘grow our audience’ and ‘give me instruktions’ comments arrive in their hundreds, but in-between all of that nonsense we do get some gems. Such as this one.

Suggested by a reader this is Firas Abu-Jaber’s AC Cobra, built solely from the parts found in the official 10271 Fiat 500 set. So excellent does it look that we wouldn’t have guessed that it has been constructed from the pieces of a single LEGO set, with opening doors, hood and trunk, a detailed interior, and even a realistic engine bay.

There’s loads more to see of Firas’s fantastic 10271 AC Cobra B-Model at his Flickr album by clicking these words, and if you’d like to suggest a creation or leave feedback about anything else (preferably not exciting sounding drugs or offers to ‘help’ to ‘grow our audience’ though), you can get in touch via the Contact page here.

That’s No Ordinary Rabbit!

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This is not a car. But it does have wheels. Although not in this picture. OK, we’re not doing well here, but as this model features a decal of a harmless little bunny on the back it means we can publish this link to a killer rabbit, and that’s a good enough reason for us.

Ted Andes is the builder behind this ‘Nousagi Reconnaissance Think Tank’, which features a gatling gun, chainsaw, and grappling hook, for all that ‘reconnaissance’ it’ll be doing…

There’s more of Ted’s mech to see at his photostream, including an image of it in wheeled-mode, close-ups of the cockpit, and the varied weaponry it’s armed with. Click the link above to head into the cave of Caerbannog…

Dutch Rudder

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‘Rolling coal‘ is for idiots. Aside from blasting a load of carcinogenic particulates into the air as some sort of moronic ‘anti-environment’ protest, plumes of black smoke actually signify wasted fuel, ergo less power. Which is why we don’t use steam engines any more.

That said, we do still like a good steam engine (which is possibly the saddest sentence in the English language), and so too does TLCB debutant Jebbo, who has built three unfathomably beautiful Dutch steam tugs from our favourite plastic bricks.

Each model is an exquisitely detailed replica of a real steam tug boat, of which two are apparently still running on coal.

Amazing attention to detail and ingenious building techniques are in abundance and there’s more to see of Jebbo’s ‘Furie’, ‘Hercules’, and ‘Noordzee’ steam tug boats at the Eurobricks discussion forum. Click the link above to roll coal the right way.

Dog Vomit

The Third Way

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Volkswagen’s Type 1 (Beetle) and Type 2 (Transporter) are recreated in Lego bricks on a daily basis. They have been turned into official LEGO sets, built in life-size, and are recognised the world over. But there is a third way…

The Type 3 (or ‘Squareback’) is nowhere near as popular as its Type 1 and 2 siblings, and many people – even VW fans – don’t know it existed at all. And that for us makes it all the cooler.

This brilliant Speed Champions recreation of a modified Type 3 comes from previous bloggee PleaseYesPlease, and if it were a real classic Volkswagen it’d be the one we’d want! There’s more to see at Please’s photostream, where a raft of excellent imagery is available.

Cubist

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We were going to title this post ‘Square Heads’, but upon Googling it we learned it’s an offensive term for German, Dutch or Scandinavian persons. That was close. The perils of being an international blog we suppose! Anyway, these micro-scale bikers do have square heads, but we’re going to say they’re American, so we’re alright. They come from Flickr’s jarekwally (who might need to Google his title too…), whose inventive parts usage doesn’t stop at riders’ heads, but continues to both the motorcycles and the road upon which they’re travelling. (Square) head to jarekwally‘s photostream for more!

Pumping on Your Stereo

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We’re not sure who even uses the word ‘stereo’ any more. Meaning a sound coming from two places, Liebherr have applied it to their L518 wheel loader because – weirdly – it has two steering mechanisms.

Cleverly combining both a steered rear axle and an articulated centre pivot, the L518 Stereo can swivel about in small spaces like a pair of Elves on a hoverboard.

This neat Technic recreation of the L518 Stereo comes from Jundis of Eurobricks, who has replicated not only the cunning ‘stereo’ steering but also a mechanically controlled arm with an interchangeable fork/bucket, pendular rear suspension, and a working piston engine.

It’s the kind of good old-fashioned mechanical engineering that we love, and there’s more to see of Jundis’ Liebherr L518 wheel loader at the Eurobricks forum. Click the link above to pump on your stereo.

*Today’s title song. Obviously.

C3-R2

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This post title refers not to some Star Warsy droid (we’re not Bricknerd), but rather this; the spectacular-looking Citroen C3 ‘Rally2’.

‘Rally2’ is the second tier of the World Rally Championship, with cars a little less powerful (and less expensive) than the WRC top class, and a little closer to production spec.

Confusingly these ‘R2’ cars are classified as ‘R5’ in the regulations, which makes no sense to us at all, but whilst they tend to be a bit slower than the full-fat WRC machines they nevertheless compete on the same stages over the same distances, occasionally beating a few WRC cars in the process.

This is Citroen’s latest ‘Rally2’ entrant, based upon their new C3 road car. Powered by a 1600cc turbocharged engine driving all four wheels, the C3 will face similarly-specified entrants from Skoda, Volkswagen, Peugeot, Ford, and sister-brand DS.

The incredible Lego replica of the C3 R2 pictured here was commissioned by Citroen themselves, coming from Martin Vala, who has recreated their latest ‘Rally2’ car in astonishing detail.

Opening doors reveal a remarkably life-like interior, complete with a full cage, realistic dashboard, pedals, and seats, whilst the superbly replicated exterior is enhanced by some brilliant decals that accurately recreate the real car’s livery.

Martin’s model has been photographed and presented beautifully too, and there’s more of the build to see at his ‘Citroen C3 Rally2’ album on Flickr. Click the link above to make the jump to the complete gallery of immaculate images.

My Other Car’s a Jeep

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LEGO’s 42122 Technic Jeep Wrangler Rubicon set seems to have only been on sale for about fifteen minutes, yet already the online Lego Community are successfully repurposing its pieces in new and interesting ways. Which is exactly what Lego building should be about! This 42122 alternate comes from Dyen’s Creations of Flickr, and there’s more to see of this excellent B-Model quad bike via the link above.

Escape to Sea

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OK, this is clearly not a car, but this TLCB Writer is doing anything he can to avoid the Harry & Meghan Oprah Interview (aka ‘Posh Jerry Springer’), which is everywhere as he types this. And thus, here’s a boat.

It’s a rather lovely boat too, being an Intrepid 375 by previous bloggee Edwin Korstanje, and featuring a fiendishly complicated brick-built hull, a pair of Yamaha outboards, and some rather neat custom decals.

There’s more of Edwin’s creation to see at the Eurobricks forum, which has got to be more worthwhile than watching two of the world’s most privileged persons badmouthing their own family on international television. Join us in escaping to the sea via the link above.

Desert Storm

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Saddam Hussein didn’t have the best record during his leadership. Despite his relative religious tolerance, creating world class healthcare and high quality education systems, and being an advocate for womens’ rights, Saddam still falls within TLCB’s unofficial ‘brutal scumbag dictator’ category.

Gassing his own people, crushing opposition, and numerous human rights abuses make sure the scales tip towards the negative, as does invading a neighbour in a despite over oil and effectively sending 50,000 Iraqi troops to their deaths, knowing full well the world would respond.

And respond it did, with a coalition led by the US of over thirty countries formed to liberate Kuwait from the Iraqi invasion. And it got a really cool name.

Operation Desert Storm restored Kuwaiti independence around seven months after the Iraqi invasion, with the final push into Kuwaiti City by coalition forces depicted here by Nicholas Goodman, in which a US tank and Humvee are cruising through a perfectly generic middle-eastern street.

Custom mini-figures, decals and weaponry add to the realism and there’s more to see of Nicholas’s recreation of Kuwaiti City in February 27th 1991 via both Flickr and the Eurobricks discussion forum.

Delightful Sedan

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We’re not sure what ‘DS’ stands for these days, as Stellantis (what?) seems be using the brand solely in an attempt to charge 50% more for some extra chrome attached to decidedly average Citroens.

‘Deeply Cynical’? Wait, that’s not an ‘S’. ‘Dollar Signs’ perhaps? ‘Devoid of Substance’? Whatever it is, it isn’t working.

However a long time ago Citroen did used to produce the world’s best luxury cars, leading the way with hugely advanced technology, styling, and comfort.

This is one such car, the magnificent 1950s-1960s DS19, a car with front-wheel drive, hydro-pneumatic self-levelling suspension (with variable ride-height), power steering, a clutch-less gearbox, and disc brakes. All in 1955.

This beautifully presented Speed Champions recreation of the DS19 comes from Jonathan Elliott of Flickr, who has replicated the iconic French design wonderfully, even tapering the bodywork from 7 to 6 studs wide along the model’s length.

Jump to ’50s French luxury via the link above, and for comparison you can find one of DS’s current offerings here, where you can mutter dejectedly at it. Because they’re Depressingly Sardonic. Ah, that’s it!

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Tag Archives: Lego

Alt’s Alright

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One Round Tile

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It’s as Easy as AC B

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That’s No Ordinary Rabbit!

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Dutch Rudder

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Dog Vomit

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The Third Way

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Cubist

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Pumping on Your Stereo

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C3-R2

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My Other Car’s a Jeep

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Escape to Sea

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Desert Storm

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