Tag Archives: Off-Road

LEGO Technic 42126 Ford F-150 Raptor | Set Preview

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The Ford F-150 Raptor is the Mustang of off-roaders. By which we mean it’s a vehicle usually seen doing stuff like this. Or this. Or this. But enough gratuitous footage of Raptor driver incompetence, because now you can crash your very own Ford F-150 Raptor at home!

Yup, LEGO have added the be-stickered off-road ready version of America’s best-selling vehicle to the Technic line-up, and it looks absolutely fantastic!

Constructed from 1,379 pieces (many of which are in Porsche 911 GT3 RS orange), the new LEGO Technic 42126 Ford F-150 Raptor set faithfully recreates the crashiest of pick-ups in Technic form, with working suspension, a V6 engine, all-wheel drive, opening doors and hood, and functioning steering.

Continuing the trend for increased visual realism of Technic sets, 42126 includes a few System parts, a wealth of stickers (much like the full-size Raptor), delightfully knobbly tyres, and even the ‘HOG’ steering device is removable, so as not to affect the set’s aesthetics when it’s parked on a shelf.

Not that it should be parked on a shelf. It is a Raptor after all…

The new LEGO Technic 42126 Ford F-150 Raptor set is expected to cost around $100 when it reaches stores later this year, and is – for reasons of which we’re little unclear – aimed at ages 18+. Perhaps it’s because LEGO know it’s going to spend much of its time doing things like this…

Mechanical ‘Mog

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LEGO’s official Technic 8110 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U400 set earned a stellar 9/10 rating here at The Lego Car Blog when it was reviewed way back in 2011. Fantastic functional realism, excellent use of motorisation, and an on-board pneumatic compressor make 8110 one of the finest sets we’ve ever reviewed. However, whilst expensive then, 8110 is ludicrously pricey now.

Cue previous bloggee thirdwigg, who has created his own superbly engineered Technic Unimog U400, only all-mechanical.

The loss of Power Functions components hasn’t reduced the functional realism though, with thirdwigg’s U400 equipped with all-wheel suspension, four-wheel-drive connected to an inline-4 engine under a tipping cab, working steering, a front and rear PTO, three-way tipping bed, and a pneumatic take-off too.

It’s a brilliantly simplified (but in no way simple) take on the original 8110 set, and one that you can build for yourself, as thirdwigg has released instructions for his model alongside the excellent imagery you see here.

If you missed out on the official LEGO Technic 8110 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U400 set a decade ago, and baulk at the price of them today, check out thirdwigg’s wonderfully engineered 4/5ths version at his ‘U400’ album via the link above, plus you can watch all of the model’s features in action via the video below.

YouTube Video

Call the Emergency Serv… Oh

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It’d been a peaceful week here at TLCB Towers. Sure there was an Elf fight to break up after one of them found an almost empty (but evidently still delicious) glue stick in the bin, but otherwise creations have been found, meal tokens have been awarded, and no-one has been squashed. Until today.

This is a GAZ 66 fire truck, an all-wheel-drive Soviet water tank on wheels that is still used in Russia today. Well, this one isn’t, being rather smaller, but it’s just as impressive as the real thing.

Built by Danifill of Eurobricks, this fully RC Technic recreation of the Soviet-era fire truck proved to be a throughly capably Elf-smushing machine.

Lured in by the functioning flashing blue lights and the fact that, well – it’s a fire engine, the Elf at the controls drew in a crowd of Elven admirers, before promptly squashing them thanks to the GAZ’s genuinely surprising turn of speed.

An RC Buggy Motor, Servo steering, a BuWizz bluetooth battery, live-axle suspension, and four-wheel-drive deliver equip Danifill’s creation with impressive Elf-smushing performance, whilst a tilting cab, V8 engine, opening and locking doors, and detailed fire apparatus add nothing to that, but do look most excellent.

There’s lots more of Danifill’s remote control Technic GAZ 66 Fire Truck to see at the Eurobricks discussion forum, including further imagery and a link to a video of the model in action, plus you can see one of the builder’s earlier fire engines to feature here by clicking this bonus link.

Take a look via the links above whilst we apply some Elven first aid…

Enjoy the Journey

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Today travel is so fast, and the view out the window (endless lanes of traffic, concrete, litter, and street lights) so unattractive, that the journey itself is literally a means to an end.

The seismic shift towards self-driving cars that will occur in the next decade will do little to help, as the journey will then be spent scrolling through Instagram and TikTok. Although many American drivers somehow seem to manage that already.

Cue Grant Davis‘ antidote to modern transport; a giant tortoise, outfitted to carry a mini-figure under a shady canopy, and everything he needs for a long trip. A crate of apples keeps the reptile motivated, and there’s more to see of Grant’s delightfully unhurried transportation at his photostream.

Slow down and enjoy the journey via the link above, or alternatively check out how this guy took it upon himself to find the joy in his otherwise boring commute.

FJ40

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If there’s one 4×4 cooler than the Land Rover Defender, this is it. The Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 is an off-roading icon, and thus – like all things old and Japanese – it’s now worth about a million pounds.

However with the news that Toyota have become the latest auto manufacturer to partner with LEGO, we may one day see an official Land Cruiser set, which will be a far more attainable way to FJ40 ownership for this TLCB Writer, even with immense fame, glory and groupies that working for this site brings…

Until then though, regular bloggee Jonathan Elliott has created a Speed Champions scale Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 so good we doubt LEGO will do any better should they decide to produce one. And it’s yellow.

Glorious attention to detail and ingenious building techniques are in evidence everywhere you look, and there’s more to see of Jonathan’s brilliant FJ40 at his photostream via the link.

My Other Truck’s a Jeep

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The Jeep Wrangler is one of the best off-roaders available, but what if even it isn’t quite off-roady enough? There aren’t many vehicles more capable than a Wrangler in the dirt, but one of them is the Mercedes-Benz Unimog, which will drive right over a stranded Wrangler and carry on without noticing.

Cue mpj of Brickshelf, who has turned LEGO’s 42122 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon set into a mighty Unimog tow-truck, complete with a working winch and functioning steering. Further images and instructions are available and there’s more to see of mpj’s 42122 alternate via the link above.

Bug(gy) Squash

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The Lego Car Blog Elves, as regular readers of this crumbling ruin of the internet will know, are not a peaceful bunch.

If they find a vehicle that is capable of running over their colleagues, they will do it. It’s as certain as Russian athletic doping, Fox News bias, or your Mom putting out.

And so, with absolute inevitability, this (rather excellent) RC buggy was today used to squash dozens of our smelly little workers.

They didn’t stand much of chance in today’s mass smushing event, as this model by A_C of Eurobricks is one of the fastest, nimblest, and most agile remote control creations that we’ve ever seen.

At less than 400 parts LEGO’s enormously powerful Buggy Motor has an easy time of it, and – when hooked up to a third party BuWizz bluetooth battery delivering up to eight times the power of LEGO’s own – you can see why even the fastest Elf couldn’t escape it.

All-wheel-suspension and Servo steering also feature, and there’s more to see of A_C’s brilliant ‘RC Buggy’ at the Eurobricks forum, where a link to building instructions can also be found.

Check it out via the link above, and watch it in action in an empty tennis court below!

YouTube Video

The Best 5-wide 4x4xFar

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This most excellent Land Rover Defender was discovered by one of our Elves on Flickr today, and it might be the best 5-wide recreation of the iconic 4×4 that we’ve seen yet. Newcomer Jan Woznica is the builder and he’s equipped his model with a winch, roof cage, and snorkel for added off-road prowess. Check out the best 5-wide 4x4xFar via the link.

My Other Car’s a Land Rover

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If – like this TLCB Writer – you think that Land Rover’s new Defender is just another version of the Range Rover to be bought by wealthy but unimaginative financiers for driving between the electric gates of their mock-tudor house and the golf club, then this post if for you.

You see, underneath the utter madness of this build is the new Land Rover Defender, or rather the official LEGO 42110 set, and we know which we’d rather have.

It’s the work of previous bloggee “grohl”, who had clearly had a lot of sugar, turning the 42110 set into the wild ‘Claw Car #2′ from the Elves’ favourite post-apocalyptic wreck-fest, ‘Mad Max – Fury Road’.

Loosely based on a late ’60s Plymouth Barracuda, “grohl”‘s 42110 alternate replicates the movie car superbly, and it’s packed with Technical functions too. Some of which the Elves have found very amusing.

Four-wheel-drive, a four-speed gearbox, a mid-mounted V8 engine, and working steering and suspension make this a qualified ‘Technic Supercar’, plus there are a few items of additional equipment that Land Rover didn’t see fit to include with their Defender…

Firstly there’s a roof mounted gun with two axis of movement, followed by a working harpoon gun mounted inside the engine bay. Said harpoon gun fires a Technic axle around two metres, which the Elves have found particularly fun today. Finally there’s the rear-mounted plough; a huge ratchet-operated claw for slowing down harpooned tanker trucks.

If that’s hard to picture in action then check out “grohl”‘s excellent video below, and you can see full details, imagery, and find a link to building instructions by clicking here.

YouTube Video

 

HEMTT

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A military truck loaded with mystery green canisters can’t be good. Well, the model is good, but you know what we mean. Regular bloggee Ralph Savelsberg is the builder of this ’80s M985 ‘Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck’ loaded with the rocket launcher cargo used in Operation Desert Storm. Blow up something in Iraq circa-1991 via the link above.

My Other Car is a Ferrari

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Today’s title is the bumper sticker equivalent of a ‘You don’t have to be mad to work here, but it helps!’ mug. In this case it fits though, as this ace Technic Meyers Manx beach buggy is built only out of the parts from the LEGO Technic 42125 Ferrari 488 GTE set.

Previous bloggee paave is the builder, whose 42125 B-Model includes working steering, all-wheel suspension, opening front trunk and engine cover, and a flat-4 engine. Building instructions are available and there’s more to see at Bricksafe and the Eurobricks forum.

Truckasaurus REXX

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Whiiiir, crunch. Whiiiir, crunch. That’s not a good noise thought this TLCB Writer. A weary and well-worn trudge out of the office revealed the source, and more Elven carnage than we’ve experienced for some time.

Stampeding down the corridor was a troop of Elves, being chased by the most enormous, and enormously fast, truck that this writer had ever seen. Behind it, squashed thoroughly into the carpet, were those that had failed to keep up the pace, or – more likely – those that had been tripped by one of their colleagues.

With the driver apprehended we can take a look at this astonishing 1 metre long machine, which turns out to be a fully working replica of the enormous 160-ton Australian REXX mining truck.

It comes from previous bloggee Kirill Mazurov (aka Desert Eagle/desert752), and it is a phenomenal bit of kit.

No less than fifteen motors and four third-party BuWizz bluetooth batteries power the REXX, with five Buggy Motors delivering power to all ten fully-suspended wheels. That explains the almost implausible speed.

Three Servo Motors drive the steering, the vast tipping bed is powered by both an XL and L Motor, whilst five Medium Motors operate the cab’s motorised ladders, doors, and even the windscreen wipers.

It’s a truly astounding build and one that is definitely worth a closer look via Kirill’s ‘REXX Truck’ Flickr album, the Eurobricks discussion forum, and via the excellent video showing the model in action below.

Click the links above to make the jump, and you can check out the BuWizz bluetooth bricks that provide Kirill’s REXX with all that power by clicking here.

YouTube Video

Nice Niva

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We often mock Communist-era Eastern European cars for being slow, highly polluting, ageing designs built for far longer than they should have been. Because we’re so much better in the West…

So here’s a Communist-era Eastern European car that’s a slow, highly polluting, ageing design that’s been built for far longer than it should have been. And we absolutely love it.

No, we’re not consistent.

Anyway, this is the Lada Niva / VAZ-2121, a wonderful compact off-roader that was not only more advanced than the famous Western offerings of the time (cough Land Rover Defender cough), it’s still in production without becoming just another enormous luxury SUV (cough Land Rover Defender cough).

This lovely Model Team recreation of the Niva captures the real car brilliantly, with opening doors, hood and tailgate, a detailed interior and engine bay, plus some suitable over-landing accompaniments mounted on the roof.

Flickr’s Legostalgie is the builder and there’s more of this superb Soviet 4×4 to see at his ‘Lada Niva / VAZ-2121’ album – take a look via the link above!

Thunder’s Toyota

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Indiana Jones, er… we mean ‘Johnny Thunder’ is one of our favourite ever mini-figures. He’s one of 1saac W.‘s too, who has built this gorgeous riverside jungle scene for our plastic hero to explore as an entry into a mini-figure-based competition. Star of the show isn’t Johnny though, rather the fantastic tan Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 which he has used to take him into the jungle. A variety of animals are busy stealing Johnny’s equipment and there’s more to see of him and his FJ on Flickr via the link.

Slowly Sovieting

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Some might think today’s title could refer to Russia’s creeping direction under its definitely fairly  democratically elected President, but – fortunately for us as we don’t want to experience Novichok poisoning – it also relates perfectly to this; Sariel’s amazing fully remote controlled pneumatic and motorised Ural 375D 6×6 truck.

Sariel‘s latest astonishing creation is a spectacularly engineered replica of the mighty Soviet military truck, built entirely from Lego pieces, plus a few choice third-party-supplied enhancements.

The first of these is an SBrick bluetooth controller, which allows the four-motor 6×6 drive, steering, servo-powered 3-speed gearbox, three pneumatically locking differentials, and Brickstuff LED lights to all be controlled remotely via a mobile phone or other bluetooth device.

Sariel has further enhanced his model with RC4WD ‘Rock Crusher’ tyres, fitted to Lego rims and mounted to live axle suspension on axles 1 and 3, with pendular suspension on axle 2. A motorised rear winch, working V8 engine, opening doors and hood, and a canvas load cover complete the build, and make Sariel’s Ural one of the most realistic and technically accurate trucks of the year so far.

There’s a whole lot more of this incredible creation to see at the Eurobricks forum, plus the complete gallery of stunning imagery is available to view on Flickr, where there are even a few images that seem to depict a TLCB Elf in shot, but we might be imagining that.

You can also check out a video of the Ural 375D 6×6 in action below, in which the working functions, bare chassis, and a pug named Muffin can all be viewed.

YouTube Video