The LEGO Company likes an ultralight helicopter. Like this one. And this one. And this one. Which were all slightly tragic.
However today’s example of the diet helicopter looks actually rather cool, particularly in this clever upwards shot. Flickr’s atp357 is the builder, there are cunning techniques in abundance, and you can take to the air via the link above.
From a truck-based flight of whimsy to a hauler altogether more real-world. Ralph Savelsberg’s Scania T730 with stepframe trailer is an exact miniaturisation of one of the trucks in use by Hodge’s of Scotland, pictured here with a Volvo excavator in tow. A replica livery adds to the realism and there’s more of the models to see at Ralph’s album by clicking here.
Today’s post is a Minion-coloured MAN with a mobile banana lab. Because shut up, that’s why.
The highest grossing animated movie franchise of all time, the Minions certainly have the resources, if not the intellect, for a giant mobile banana research centre. But seeing as mankind has genuinely conducted studies to determine that ‘Electric Fans have a Beneficial Effect in Extreme Heat’, ‘All Mammals above 3kg in Weight Empty their Bladders in Between 8 and 34 Seconds’, and – our favourite – ‘People Would be Able to Run Across a Pond if it was on the Moon and They were Wearing Flippers’, who are we to argue with the Minions’ choice of research?
Flickr’s Stefan is the unseen supervillain in command of this arrangement, and there’s more of his MANion to see at his photostream. Click the link above take a look, or here to learn that, shockingly, ‘People Adjust their Clothing Choices Depending Upon the Temperature‘. Thanks Scientists.
Once seen as a knock-off Ferrari, yet now revered more than the Maranello products it sought to take on, Honda’s NSX is often regarded as the pinnacle of driver’s cars.
It’s fitting then, that this stunning Technic recreation of the first generation Honda NSX is built only from the parts found within an official Ferrari product, the LEGO Technic 42143 Ferrari Daytona SP3.
Built by Eurobricks’ Romanista, who is making not just their TLCB debut but also posting their first ever creation online, this amazing alternate includes all-wheel double-wishbone suspension with positive caster, working steering with Ackermann geometry, a V6 engine linked to a functional gearbox, pop-up headlights, and opening doors, front trunk and engine cover.
Full details and further imagery of Romanista’s spectacular 42143 alternative can be found at the Eurobricks discussion forum via the link above, and if you’d like to check out TLCB’s huge archive of brilliant B-Models that have appeared here over the years – many of which have building instructions available – you can start your search by clicking here.
The Toyota Corporation owns many, many things. From shares in well known brands including Subaru, Daihatsu, Isuzu, Mazda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Panasonic, to telecommunications, housing, steel manufacture, and even broadcasting networks.
Since the 1960s they’ve also invested in trucks, via Japanese commercial vehicle and engine maker Hino, and now wholly own the company.
This is one of the brand’s products from those early years, the Hino HE, as constructed beautifully in Model Team scale by TLCB newcomer TsungNing Lee.
Featuring working steering, a tilting cab, opening doors, a superbly detailed chassis, and some really inventive parts choices to recreate the HE’s curvy shape, TsungNing’s Hino is well worth a closer look, and you can do just that via their ‘HINO HE’ album on Flickr. Click the link above make the jump to all the images.
Whilst the ‘pony car’ revolution was sweeping America in the ’60s, pioneered by the Ford Mustang bringing affordable power to the masses, here in the UK we decided we wanted a piece of the action too.
Thus Ford of Europe decided to create its own sporty car for the common man, and the rather excellent looking Capri was born. Produced with twelve different engines ranging from 1.3 to >3.0 litres, there was a Capri for everyone, and it showed in the wildly successful sales figures.
Two generations of Capri followed the 1968 original, with the model name finally retired in the mid-’80s as buyers switched to hot hatchbacks. It’s the first generation we have pictured here, as built by previous bloggee Szunyogh Balázs (aka gnat.bricks) entirely from the parts found within the official LEGO Icons 10304 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 set.
Opening doors, hood and tailgate all feature, as does a detailed engine and a life-like interior, and there’s more of Szunyogh’s Ford Capri 10304 B-Model to see on Flickr. Click the link above to take a look at the UK’s equivalent of the Ford Mustang, built only from the parts of its fiercest rival.
It’s been a while since we let TLCB Elves watch Transformers cartoons, but today a number are happily crowded round an ancient TV thanks to one of their number and this; Angus MacLane‘s OR-ANJ G1 Transformer.
A normal-looking orange coupe (apart from the roof-mounted rocket launcher, which – let’s face it – we’ve all wanted as an optional extra at times), Angus’ creation can niftily transform from car to rocket-wielding robot via a few swivels, and there’s more to see at his photostream, where a range of other brick-built robotic contraptions can also be found.
Uh oh, more sci-fi incompetence from TLCB Writers. But it is ‘SHIPtember’, the annual month-based bandwagon wherein builders create science fiction builds one-hundred studs or more in length, so at least the creations are impressive even if our descriptions are not.
This one is the ‘USS Alliance’, a ‘United States Space Navy (USSN) Potomac-Class guided missile frigate’, according to the immensely talented Ryan Olsen, and measures 106 studs in length.
Constructed from over 4,000 pieces, Ryan has presented his creation just as beautifully as he’s built it, with the model pictured here ascending into orbit alongside another one of his other brick built behemoths.
There’s more of the build to see at Ryan’s ‘USS Alliance’ album, and you can make the jump to orbit alongside 106 studs of ‘SHIPtember’ brilliance via the link above.
This supposedly being a ‘car’ blog, TLCB Staff struggle somewhat when it comes to things without wheels and an engine. Whilst that’s our own fault for not sticking to the brief, we suspect even The Brothers Brick will fail to do this ‘Swamp Walker’ by Flickr’s Mountain Hobbit justice, so spellbinding is its construction.
A wooden house atop four Salvador Dali-esque legs, Hobbit’s creation is pictured beautifully, wading through an etherial other-worldly swamp. Obsolete remnants of a prior world hint at the relative recentness of the owner’s survival adaptation, and you can view this single image up close to find all the spectacular details at Hobbit’s photostream.
Click the link above to investigate possibly the most beautiful and intriguing creation of 2023. Even if it doesn’t have wheels and an engine.
After a few car-less days we have a trio of vehicular creations to showcase today. None are cars mind…
Still, they are excellent, hence their appearance here, and each proves you don’t need a million pieces or to know The Brothers Brick secret handshake to see your creation blogged.
First up is a vehicle from way back at the very beginning of the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise, Brian’s Ford F-150 Lightning, complete with ‘The Racers Edge’ decals and a bed full of rather easily stolen car parts. Previous bloggee IBrickItUp is the builder and you can drive to Toretto’s to order a ‘tuna on white with no crust‘ via the link above.
Today’s second small-scale vehicle comes from Justus M., whose classic RV is quite magnificently beige. It also features some simply ingenious suspension, deploying your Mom’s recently blogged ‘golden handcuff’ pieces to brilliant effect. You can see how Justus has done it via the link to his photostream above, where you can also find a video of the springy ‘cuffs in action.
Today’s third and final creation is two really, with Thomas Gion‘s ace 1969 Dodge A100 van and BBQ smoker trailer in tow. As Thomas also goes by the moniker ‘HotDogSandwiches’ it’s a rather appropriate pairing, and you can grab a bun and tuck in to a perfectly smoked sausage via the link in the text above.
LEGO’s first large-scale highly detailed models arrived between 1988 and 1990, when the Model Team line launched with three new sets. The 5580 Highway Rig was one of them, and has become something of a cult set three decades on.
Cue this marvellous half-size redux of the 1988 set, constructed by brickphisto, and capturing not just the detailed exterior of the original, but also the opening hood and cab doors, whilst adding a working V8 engine too.
There’s more to see at both Flickr and Eurobricks, where a link to free building instructions can be found (100 TLCB Points brickphisto!), plus you can check out our review of the original 5580 set via the first link in the text above.
The coolest remote control car of the 1990s was, by far, the TYCO Rebound. Just take a look at the commercial, which is very probably the most ’90s thing ever filmed.
It sure worked on this TLCB Writer, but – alas – not his parents, who never did oblige. Now, decades later, Daniel Church has reawakened this writer’s unfulfilled longing with this stupendous brick-built replica of the indestructible two-sided RC car.
With a suite of Powered-Up components hidden inside, you can even drive Daniel’s creation off a small cliff just like the real thing. Probably.
There’s more of the model to see (including images showing it alongside the ’90s original) at Daniel’s ‘TYCO Rebound 4×4’ album on Flickr, and you can make the jump whilst asking your parents repeatedly for something they could never afford via the link in the text above.
If there’s a model that goes ‘Pew Pew!’ more than this one, we haven’t seen it. Making his TLCB debut, Joe (jnj_bricks) hasn’t just encapsulated our default science-fiction noise beautifully in brick-form, he’s included no less than twenty-eight golden handcuffs in the build, which is even more than your Mom has at her ‘special parties’. Take a look, make some ‘Pew Pew!’ noises, and ponder why your Mom says you have to be out of the house every second Friday night via the link in the text above.
There aren’t many Japanese cars that can challenge bona fide supercars, however the Toyota Supra Mark IV did just that, being faster and having more power than 1990s supercar exotica.
Cue this splendid Technic example, which is constructed only out of the parts from a genuine supercar; the LEGO Technic 42154 Ford GT.
Built by Eurobricks’ Alex Ilea, the Supra features working steering and suspension, a piston engine under an opening hood, and opening doors too.
There’s more to see at the Eurobricks forum and at Alex’s Bricksafe gallery, where links to building instructions can also be found, and you can convert your 52154 set from Detroit to JDM via the links above.
This is a DAF 95.500 Super Space Cab truck, complete with a trailer full of tasty… er, we mean delicious… um, flaverous… no – let’s just say ‘wholesome’ – animals. See, vegans are welcome here too!
Built by Arian Janssens, there’s more to see of the DAF and the livestock trailer it’s pulling at his photostream.
Click the link above and make ours a medium-rare.