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Outside the Box

LEGO’s vintage Technic sets may not have the visual or mechanical sophistication of today’s products, but their basic pieces and simple studs-up construction make them wonderfully playable.

Brickshelf’s tab models demonstrates this vintage versatility beautifully with his gallery of alternative builds, all built using the pieces from the ancient 851 Tractor set.

Amongst his creations are a motorcycle, road-roller, dragster, helicopter and lawn-mower, with many more available to view at his Brickshelf gallery. All include working features, and all prove you don’t need a Bricklink account to build a range of quality creations from our favourite brick-based toy.

Check out the full gallery of 851 Alternates on Brickshelf via the link above.

42048 Race Kart Review

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New for 2016, and looking like it means business….

Lego Technic 42048 Go Kart

…meet the LEGO Technic 42048 Race Kart in all its orange-and-purple glory.

First impressions are very positive – this is, by a long way, the most realistic and best looking Go-Kart style set there’s been in the Technic line. Price is pretty reasonable too, at £25 for 345 pieces.

Being a smaller set, it has an instruction book for the B-model as well, which is always a plus.

Building it is not too taxing but there’s some interesting stuff here. For the first time in a long time, there’s a proper gearbox, doing what a gearbox is supposed to do; bringing the noise! (a bit). It’s usefully compact as well; the input shaft being the rear axle itself. This does mean there’s no diff and the rear wheels are locked together though. Elsewhere, those new curved panels do a great job of styling it and, in a highly radical change from the norm, it’s got a proper floor. Whatever next!

Lots of those newish ‘pin with pin hole’ connectors, that’s what’s next. The designer is clearly very fond of these. Can’t say I blame him; whatever did we do way back in 2014 without them?

Moving forward from the superbly detailed single cylinder engine atop its 2-speed gearbox, we have a brilliantly designed seat, nice chunky steering wheel, a novel steering system that you actually operate with the actual steering wheel(!), all riding on four well chosen wheels with the lowest profile tyres I’ve seen in LEGO.

Clearly, unlike last year’s 42022 Hot Rod, the designer has seen a real Go-Kart rather than having it described to him over the ‘phone…

This set is looking more and more like a winner….

And then you steer it. On full lock, the front wheels will deviate a maximum of 11 degrees from the straight ahead. 11 degrees. The mechanism is compact, quick-acting, strong and precise, but seriously…. 11 degrees. Most cars will turn around in about 2 times their own length. A little thing like this; maybe 3 or so. Or in this case, 7. It needs 7 times it’s own length to turn around. Sheesh. With that and the solid axle, oversteer is right off the menu. Understeer is all you’ll get; something this can ill afford…

It’s not all bad news. There’s that gearbox; the lower gear of which allows the engine to spin at 2x wheel speed, the styling is superb, but if there is ONE thing you want a Go-Kart to do, it’s to steer properly. And this just doesn’t. For comparison purposes, I measured the angle of the ancient 854’s front wheels on full lock – a realistic 35 degrees. In every other respect 42048 is a better model, but because of this one flaw 854 is still a better Go-Kart.

Maybe we’ll have better luck with the B-model :

images

Eurgh! Maybe not. It’s a ‘track car’ apparently. Perhaps the designer had a KTM X-Bow described to him over the ‘phone… It does steer better than the main model, though. Slightly.

There are many good things about this set. The styling. The engine detailing. A proper gearbox. That seat. The fact that it looks good with or without the stickers. Everything in its rightful place and looking all Go-Karty. It’s good value for money. It’s a superb looking model. If it steered like 854 it would get a 10. It barely steers at all. 7/10

Buy the LEGO Technic 42048 Race Kart set

Investing in Bricks

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It’s Boxing Day, when the meaning of Christmas is promptly forgotten to make way for the scourge of the Boxing Day Sales. So what better time is there to focus on the money associated with our favourite building toy, which has been picked up by the major newspapers this week for being a better investment than gold. And property. And stocks…

This is of course something that the online Lego community has known for ages, and that’s been mentioned here at TLCB a few times too. Prices for some discontinued LEGO sets are ridiculous; the most valuable set in the current listings is the Ultimate Collector’s Millennium Falcon set shown below, released in 2007 for £342, and now worth a staggering £2,712!

Even the Millennium Falcon doesn’t offer the highest return though. That honour goes to the Cafe Corner modular Town set, which sold 8 years ago for £89.99. Today the Cafe Corner sells for an average of £2,096, meaning it’s currently making a return on investment of 2,230%!

So, how can you maximise your investment in LEGO? According to Ed Maciorowski of BrickPicker, sets released after 1999 are generating the highest returns, whether they are big or small, but they must be kept unopened in their box, away from sunlight and moisture. Once the set is out of production its value to collectors could start to skyrocket.

However, The Lego Car Blog would like offer some different Lego investment advice; 1. Open the box, empty the contents, and then put it in the recycling. 2. Build the set. 3. Play with the completed set, as often as you can, and in as much direct sunlight as possible. Because that is when a LEGO set is at its most valuable.

You can read the full Daily Telegraph article on how LEGO has become the investment of choice by clicking here, but whatever investors claim their sets are worth, we’ll still be taking ours out of the box…

2016 LEGO Technic Sets Preview

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It’s that time of year again! A crack team of Elves was dispatched a couple of weeks ago into LEGO’s closely guarded HQ, and those successful at avoiding German shepherds have been returning to TLCB Towers over the past few days. We now have the complete range of Technic sets for the first half of 2016, so without further ado, we can bring you the brand new 2016 LEGO Technic line-up!

42048 Go Kart

An interesting colour choice for LEGO’s first 2016 set, and also one that sets the tone for 2016’s use of stickers; 42048 uses a lot of them. Underneath that be-stickered body is a model that we rather like, and one with some excellent proper Technic functions too. Working steering and a rear-wheel driven single-cylinder engine feature in 42048, which contains approximately 350 parts and will retail for an estimated price of £25/$30. A thumbs up from TLCB.

42044 Display Team Jet

On to the smallest set in the 2016 line-up; the circa-115 piece Display Team Jet. Again there are lots of stickers in evidence, but this time there’s not much substance underneath them. Retractable landing gear is the only working function here. Still, 42044 will be cheap at around $15. Next…

42045 Hydroplane Racer

There hasn’t been a Technic boat for some time (that we can remember anyway), so the 2016 Hydroplane Racer is a welcome return for anyone into water-borne vehicles. 42045 features even more stickers than its entry-level counterparts, although they do look rather nice to this reviewer’s eyes, and includes just under 200 pieces. Amongst these are a working straight-4 engine which is turned by a pair of hidden wheels underneath the bodywork. Expect 42045 to retail for around £15/$20 when it’s launched next year.

42046 Getaway Racer & 42047 Police Intercepter

We’ve not much to say about LEGO’s new pull-back racers because, well – they look like this. More stickers and nothing else to see, although 42046 and 42047 can be combined to create something that is – somewhat unbelievably – even more hideous than the two individual models above. Each will have an RRP of £15/$20 and contain 170-ish pieces. Moving swiftly on…

42049 Mine Loader

On to the bigger stuff… This peculiar looking device is a mining loader, built for travelling the subterranean roads in the world’s deep mines. 42049 contains nearly 500 pieces, including a huge turntable for central articulation, a two-cylinder engine (which seems rather small), and a manually controlled grasping clamp, meaning it has both adequate mechanical functionality and play value. Expect 42049 to cost around £30/$40 when it reaches stores early in 2016.

42050 Drag Racer

If TLCB seems a little underwhelmed by LEGO’s 2016 Technic offerings so far it’s because, er… we are. But our mood changes a bit with this; the brilliant-looking 42050 Drag Racer! Designed to resemble the ‘Funny Car’ silhouette drag racers that light up the tarmac at strips across the U.S, 42050 is the most exciting mid-size Technic set to be launched in ages. With circa-650 pieces – including some lovely new blue panels – a huge working V8 engine, lifting bodywork and working steering, 42050 is something of a supercar-lite. There’s a traditional drag racer B-Model too, which is actually rather good itself. £60/$70 is our estimate, and this is one model we hope to add to our Set Review Library next year!

42052 Heavy Lift Helicopter

The final set for 2016 sits at the top of the Technic tree; the 1,042 piece Heavy Lift Helicopter. Featuring Power Functions motorisation, co-axial rotors, a working winch and retractible landing gear, 42052 leads the 2016 range with functionality. The orange and white colour scheme looks rather nice we think, and is further enhanced with (you’ve guessed it) lots of stickerage. The new Heavy Lift Helicopter will reach stores in early 2016, with a heavy price to match; you’ll need to save up over £100/$120 to lift this set home.

Overall 2016 looks a bit of a mixed bag, much like 2015, but just like this year we can expect the really cool stuff to arrive in the second half of the year… did someone say ‘new supercar?’…

You can read our reviews of some of the sets in 2015 Technic line-up by visiting the Set Review Library – click here to see what our experts made of this year’s official LEGO Technic products.

Brick-Bean

42022 Technic Hot Rod Review

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We’re donning TLCB Reviewing Anorak today, as it’s time for another official set review!

We revealed LEGO’s 42022 Technic Hot Rod quite a while ago now, and we finally have a copy of the set in the office. Sitting in the middle of the 2015 Technic range, 42022 proudly flies the flag for mechanical engineering against a tide of sets boasting electrically operated functions. Electricity has its place of course, but sometimes we like to see how things work, and that is something that 42022 does brilliantly.

So, those mechanical functions; 42022 features a working V6 piston engine, functioning steering, and a beautifully engineered folding roof. The big V6 is turned by one (and only one) of the rear wheels, whilst the steering is operated by a vertical axel protruding from the rear of the car. It’s also quite possibly the single most abysmal example of steering that LEGO has ever had the audacity to put into a Technic model. Regular readers of this site will know we often moan about the poor steering on Technic sets, but 42022’s is so comically dreadful it’s like LEGO did it on purpose just to annoy us.

Luckily the folding roof is the complete opposite, being an absolute delight to operate. A small cog on the passenger side of the car raises the rear deck as the roof simultaneously folds down under it. It’s a wonderfully elegant solution, but sadly it also highlights the main problem with 42022: It isn’t really like an actual hot rod.

When you look at 42022 it is of course, unmistakably, a hot rod. But it also sort of isn’t, because it seems as if it’s been designed by someone that knows the key ingredients to make a hod rod, but doesn’t have a recipe for how to cook them.

It is far too low, or long – depending on your view, and many of the details, like that brilliant roof, are totally out of place on a vehicle such as this. A mid-00s sports car would be the perfect fit, but not a modified vintage car.

The odd proportions can actually be solved quite easily; simply doubling (or more) the height of the windscreen re-balances the whole car and makes it far more life-like. But of course then the roof doesn’t work…

The rest of the bodywork itself is OK in a minimalist sort of way – there are in fact only six blue pieces in total – and the funky stickers are quite a fun inclusion.

Besides a slight error in one of the sub-assemblies (which shows pieces present on the model which are yet to be placed in reality) the instructions are typical of LEGO – clear, fun to use, and beautifully laid out. 42022 also comes with digital instructions too, which gives an insight into where LEGO sets will probably head over the next few years.

Overall 42022 is a bit of a mixed bag. Whilst the proportions and detailing are a mile away from accurate (the online Lego Community does it so much better), the mechanical functions – even the terrible steering – are fantastic learning aids for any young builder; all are highly visible within the model and are easy enough to replicate with spare pieces. And that is what Technic should be all about.

42022 is currently on offer for around £20 instead of the usual £30 at a few well-known online retailers. At that price, it’s a worthwhile purchase. 7/10

42043 Mercedes-Benz Arocs Review

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It’s time for another TLCB Set Review! But this time it’s one of our readers – the winner of TLCB Summer Building Competition – Thomas Graafland, who has picked up the Reviewer’s Pen. Thomas has got his hands on LEGO’s 2015 Technic flagship set, the 42043 Mercedes-Benz Arocs, and he’s joined us to explain all…

Browsing on Flickr a while ago I noticed this neat looking Mercedes truck displayed at a Lego fair.
Thinking at first that this was a MOC I was quite shocked that this was actually an official set. The second big shock was the €170 price tag. Normally there would be no chance of me spending that much on a single set, but being a fan of both trucks and LEGO, I knew this was THE set for me.

The box is as per usual with big Technic sets: large and decorated showing the model and the systems used; in this case both Power Functions and Pneumatics V2, and the cover folds open to reveal the model’s functions and some specifications of the real truck.

The box feels heavy, which is always a good sign. Inside are lots of plastic bags, each numbered from 1 to 6, except the one containing the pneumatic parts. The battery box is not in a bag and just slides around in the box between the plastic bags. Instructions are in a single book of 470 pages and the instructions booklet is packed in plastic too, so no folded pages.

The building process is lots of fun. You start off with the chassis, working from the front to the rear. Then comes the cabin, next the crane, and you finish with the bed. The building is very straight-forward, until you reach the crane, which requires some intensive studying of the instructions to get the tubing through the turntable right. It’s not like the instructions give you no clues on how to do it, but it does require a bit of extra attention. The finished truck is not huge, being similar to the 8285/8258 in terms of size. It is heavier, though!

The trucks cabin looks very neat and it definitely looks just like the real deal. The overall shape of the cabin is very smooth, and the cab doesn’t lack detail either. All mirrors, lights, horns and whatnot are present, showing that LEGO went quite some attention to getting the cabin right. I personally really am a fan of the way they did the front grill. I do think it would’ve looked better if the middle part of the grill would’ve been angled too, though, because it just looks a little odd to have only angled the lowest part. The doors open up, to reveal a very, very basic interior. The white colour of the cab looks very clean, but it doesn’t really stand out, which is quite a shame – it doesn’t do justice to that good looking cabin. The ever-boring dark bluish grey doesn’t help making it exciting either.

Steering is done with the two orange beacons on top of the cabin. The steering system works very well, but you have exactly zero grip on those slippery round beacons. There is some slack with the gears too, which only makes steering more difficult. The two front axles steer and turning feels very smooth thanks to the different steering locks on the two axles.

The truck features live-axle suspension all-around. The suspension is a bit on the hard side, but it works very well apart from that. One big downside of the suspension is that the truck sits really high on its wheels. This would’ve been no problem if the suspension travel was as big the gap between the wheels and fenders, but unfortunately it isn’t. Even when fully compressed, there is still about 2 studs room above the wheels and I feel that lowering the truck would actually have been quite possible. However, the suspension will be a very good base to re-use for Model Team MOCs.

The drivetrain is simple and smooth. The two rear axles drive the engine, which is hidden underneath the cabin. The inline six turns at reasonable speed and especially at higher speeds it makes that nice rattling sound. It’s bit of a pity that it can’t be seen from outside while driving it around, because it is completely hidden by the cab. The cabin folds forward neatly, but even then you can only see the first four cylinders. With some effort you can see the fifth one under the battery box, but the sixth cylinder is completely invisible underneath the crane.

The battery box is hidden very neatly in the rear part of the cabin and is easily replaced. The Power Functions L-motor that drives all the functions resides somewhere in the middle of the chassis and has no trouble driving any of the functions. The gearbox that is driven by the L-motor uses the new driving rings and gears and it drives four functions in total; Continue reading →

Lego Creator 10248 Ferrari F40 Set Preview

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Today might have been Clarkson, Hammond and May’s last episode of Top Gear, but LEGO have gone a very long way to cheering up TLCB office…

This is the new 10248 Creator set, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Following on from the 10220 Volkswagen Camper and 10242 Mini Cooper sets, LEGO have teamed up with Ferrari once more to bring us a stunning brick-built recreation of possibly the greatest car ever made.

Ferrari’s F40 was launched way back in the late 1980s to triumphant acclaim and it became the definitive supercar of the era. Powered by a small 2.9 litre twin turbo-charged V8 shrouded within kevlar and carbon fibre bodywork, the 201mph F40 was the fastest and most expensive Ferrari ever built.

Production lasted just 5 years, during which time around 1,300 units were manufactured. This means that today the F40 is a little too pricey for most of us, but luckily LEGO have the answer…

LEGO’s 10248 Ferrari F40 Creator set arrives in August of 2015 and contains over 1,150 pieces, a few of which are new and unique to the set, including the wheels, tyres and windshield. There’s an opening engine cover to reveal a detailed V8 engine, opening doors, clamshell front section, pop-up headlights and a detailed interior.

Aimed at ages 14+ the LEGO Creator Ferrari F40 won’t be cheap (RRP is estimated to be around $90/£70), but that’s quite a lot cheaper than the real car. Plus you can park it on your desk.

As is often the way a Set Review for 10248 may follow – in the meantime you can remind yourself of the previous iconic vehicles in the Creator line-up by clicking on the links in the text above.

Technic 42043 – Mercedes-Benz Arocs – Set Preview

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There’s been much excitement here at TLCB Towers today. Following our preview of the 2015 Technic line-up some time ago, the final piece of the 2015 jigsaw has been found! We’ve had a few images of the missing 42043 set sitting in the office for a while, but unfortunately they weren’t of sufficient quality for us to share here. And we forgot. But let’s go with the quality control aspect as it makes us look more professional.

Anyway, thanks to an intrepid troop of Elves we now do have images of a high enough quality to publish! So this is it – LEGO’s new 2015 Technic flagship, building further on their partnership with Mercedes-Benz, the 2,800 piece 42043 Arcos crane truck.

Based on Mercedes’ real 4-axle tractor unit 42043 surpasses even the previous standards set by the incredible 8110 Unimog set. Featuring both Power Functions electric motors and the next generation pneumatic system (containing all-new components), 42043 features a huge range of functionality.

Three new pneumatic cylinders are used to move the crane arm and grab, with a fourth employed as a pneumatic compressor. A gearbox allows the Power Functions system to perform a variety of tasks, including powering the aforementioned compressor and tipping the bucket, whilst unpowered mechanics take care of the steering, piston engine and suspension.

We expect the new 42043 flagship set to cost upwards £165 when it arrives towards the end of the summer, and if one of TLCB Team saves really hard we’ll be able to bring you a set review. In the meantime you can read our reviews of LEGO’s previous releases, including the Arocs’ predecessor – the 8110 Unimog – by clicking here.

Accessorise My Set

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This enormous Technic rig was discovered by an Elf on Flickr. It starts of course with the official LEGO 8258 Crane Truck set behind which Ingmar Spijkhoven has constructed a matching Power Functions controlled steered-axel trailer (complete with excavator set load). The set-up features a huge variety of working functions, both from the official LEGO sets and Ingmar’s complimenting creation – it’s definitely something we’d like to see more builders attempt.

If you own an 8258 set Ingmar has released instructions for his creation so that you can add your own trailer too – click the link above to see more.

Das Auto

Twice as Nice

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This beautiful Technic motorcycle with sidecar comes from TLCB debutant hirnlego, and it looks a fine way to reuse two of LEGO’s 42036 Sports Motorbike sets. You can see more of this creation via the first link, and you can read our review of the official Technic set on which it’s based via the second.

Half a Ton

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With no Elves returning to TLCB Towers over the past few days we’ve been enjoying the peace by flicking back through our past set reviews.

As with almost all of the milestones this blog has reached, we weren’t paying attention and missed our fiftieth addition to the Set Review Library, so instead we’re celebrating no. fifty-three…

Yup, that’s over fifty of LEGO’s vehicle sets reviewed, from their latest line-up all the way back to the 1970s! To see them all (and maybe read what our anoraks think of your favourite set), click on the link below.

TLCB Set Review Library

Green Speed

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If ever a Technic set could polarise opinion, it’s this one…

It is of course the new for 2015 42039 24 hours race car.

Some say it’s ugly, others say it doesn’t do enough, or what it does do is gimmicky, or there’s the sticker haters (can’t say I blame them..). Time to confuse the issue further with TLCB’s two pence worth…

I rather like it.

Let me explain, since the above four word review might not be what you came here for. First of all, to these eyes it looks nicer without stickers, and it’ll certainly look nicer than one with peeling stickers a few years down the line…

The bright green and white panels work pretty well. Not flawlessly (there’s a few awkward gaps here and there) but the overall effect leaves you in no doubt about what it is. It was differently designed in the preliminary images (I won’t put one here because they’re all watermarked, but you’ve probably seen them) and most people seem to prefer the way it was in prototype form.

The main changes made before the production version concern the headlight design, wheelarches, cockpit design and the loss of the rear central fin. This last point is a bit of of a pity since it hurts the model’s authenticity but I actually agree with Lego’s decision about the other aspects. While the headlight design we got isn’t as sleek, it’s more realistic and actually looks better. This change was probably made to facilitate the installation of PF lights. The original, rounder, wheelarch pieces, while individually more attractive than what we were given, didn’t blend as well with the side profile and look too narrow from above. I’ll take the too-square wheel wells of the production version, just. I find the changes made to the cockpit and door design to be an improvement as well.

So there. That’s settled that. Now, time to see what this beauty (?) does…

It’s an enjoyable build, working from the single, large square-bound instruction book. Still no sign of another one for the B-model… At 1200 pieces or so, this set is on the large side for one without numbered bags but I encountered no problems finding anything in the large pile of bits. After a few hours I had an engaging toy to play with. It’s a lot like the old 8461 Williams from 2002 in that respect…

Anyone hoping for an all-singing-and-dancing Technic Supercar is in for a bit of a disappointment. 8880 this ain’t, but it does have a V8, working steering and suspension as well as opening gullwing doors and engine cover. These last two functions are controlled via the machine’s only gearbox using an unobtrusive black gear on the side. It is a bit gimmicky although the system works well. The new gearbox parts used here do make assembly more foolproof (no more putting free-wheeling gears on the wrong way round…) and operation feels slightly more positive than before. The difference is small, but noticeable. I’d still prefer the transmission to vary the speed of the engine relative to the wheels though…

…Mostly because the engine is (again!) very nearly silent. This is a race car! Give it some noise! It could do with a bit more detailing as well. While it’s nice to be able to raise the engine cover, there’s not a lot to see when you do.

Suspension works well, with about the right travel, stiffness and ride height. The design is fairly standard double wishbones all round. A pushrod set-up like that in the aforementioned Williams might have been nice, but what we get does it least work properly.

Steering is fine; again a fairly standard HOG system, but the hub parts used here do allow a decent amount of lock and it works smoothly and well. There’s nothing for me to complain about, then… apart from the completely vertical and unconnected in-cab wheel, perhaps.

Like many recent models, it’s designed to be easy to motorize, although in this case there’s not much point. It might be fun to watch the doors or engine cover whirr up once, but that’ll be it. The electrics are well hidden however, with plenty of space under the opening front panel for the battery box to hide in.

The B-model is a Paris-Dakar style rally raid truck, and it looks pretty good. The very low profile tyres that suit the main model perfectly do look odd on it though. Still, a fine effort. The Le Mans car is a fine effort too. Good looking, thoughtfully designed, fun to build, and something Lego Technic hasn’t done before in a colour that’s new to Technic and very attractive. We’re still waiting for that all-singing-and-dancing Technic Supercar, however.

In many ways, this is more like the old Racers line than a true Supercar, and if you can accept it on those terms and like the look of it, you’ll enjoy it. 8/10.

Buy the LEGO Technic 42039 24 Hours Race Car

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Tag Archives: set

Outside the Box

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42048 Race Kart Review

Buy the LEGO Technic 42048 Race Kart set

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Investing in Bricks

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2016 LEGO Technic Sets Preview

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Brick-Bean

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42022 Technic Hot Rod Review

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42043 Mercedes-Benz Arocs Review

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Lego Creator 10248 Ferrari F40 Set Preview

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Technic 42043 – Mercedes-Benz Arocs – Set Preview

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Accessorise My Set

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Das Auto

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Twice as Nice

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Half a Ton

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Green Speed

Buy the LEGO Technic 42039 24 Hours Race Car

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Become a Lego Professional!

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