OK, there aren’t actually any cars to count in this post, but there could be quite a few. Mechu333‘s thoroughly excellent Mercedes-Benz articulated car transporter can hold seven by our count, and it’s got some decent Technic functions too.
There’s working steering, lowering ramps and top decks, LED head and tail lights and lots more to see at Mechu’s Brickshelf gallery – click the link above to make the jump.
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.
TLCB opens the batting in 2016 with a suggestion from one of our readers. Found on his Facebook page, Crowkillers has returned with a tribute to the late George Barris, one of the greatest custom car designers of all time, who sadly passed away in November of last year.
Barris was a pioneer of the hot rod scene and created some of television’s most famous and outlandish vehicles, including the Munster Koach, and the Batmobile.
Crowkillers’ Technic homage is nearly as crazy as George’s best works, and features two supercharged V8 engines, a four-speed gearbox, working steering and suspension, a deployable wheelie-bar, and opening scissor doors.
You can see all the images of Crowkillers’ latest build on Brickshelf, and you can read our interview with him in the Master MOCers Series by clicking here.
There’s just time to squeeze in one more for 2015! This a) allows us to make a ‘Your Mom’ joke, and b) segways neatly into the build itself, a Suzuki Super Carry*-esque pick-up, with working lights, two Large Power Functions motors for drive, a Servo for steering and a Power Functions IR receiver for remote control.
Previous bloggee Chade is the builder, and there’s more to see on either MOCpages or Eurobricks, including a video of the pick-up in action.
*Probably the most optimistically named vehicle of all time.
‘Tis the season of cutting down trees, dressing them in tinsel and watching them… er, slowly die. But mankind’s appetite for timber is year-round, and it is machines like this that keep the supply of wood coming.
This is a Scania R620 logging truck, complete with centrally-mounted crane and 4-axle trailer. Built by Zbiczasty of Brickshelf it has a huge array of LEGO’s most trick parts squeezed inside it. Working lights, remote control steering and all-wheel-drive all feature, plus – much like LEGO’s own flagship models – Zbiczasty has combined these with a pneumatics system for even more realism.
A Power Functions motor compresses air for the pneumatic cylinders, which power the stabilising feet, crane boom and the wood-handling grab. These are all mid-mounted between the tractor unit and the trailer, thus allowing logs to be loaded seamlessly onto both structures.
There’s a large gallery of excellent images, including some close-up photographs of some of the more intricate parts of the build, available via Brickshelf – click the link above to see more of Zbiczasty’s superb build.
This impressive looking vehicle is the latest creation from Eurobricks’ builder and previous bloggee Lipko.
Underneath the striking bodywork Lipko has built a Technic Supercar chassis of old-school brilliance; and that means there’s not a single Power Functions motor to be found anywhere. Instead of remote control Lipko’s Supercar returns to the classic formula (and one which we very much like here at TLCB) of mechanical functionality, including a rear-wheel-driven V8 engine, independent (pushrod) suspension, functioning transmission, working steering and a mechanically deployed rear wing. Lego Community – we’d like more Supercars like this please!
There are more images and further details available on Lipko’s build at the Eurobricks forum; click the link above to join the discussion.
This ultra-lightweight 4×4 Technic crawler is not a looker. But is is very capable. With just one XL motor for drive, White Shapes‘ ‘4-Links Mini-Crawler’ can climb almost anything. Suggested by a reader you can see more on MOCpages at the link above, and via the video below.
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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.
With working steering, bouncy independent suspension, a mid-mounted V8 engine, a two-speed transmission and all-wheel-drive, this replica of the 1967 off road racer ‘Baja Boot’ (once owned by Hollywood legend Steve McQueen) looks as fun as the real thing.
Built by newcomer Erix there’s lots more to see on both Eurobricks and Brickshelf – click the links to take a look.
The LEGO Company make almost everything you could ever need when building your own creation. From electric motors to infrared receivers to suspension components, there is a huge back-catalogue of parts available to allow your model to do nearly anything you wish it to. Nearly…
We’re breaking our own house rules with this post, as today’s creation is not quite entirely LEGO, but it shows the level of awesomeness that our favourite Danish toy can achieve when combined with a few well-chosen third-party products.
So, let’s get them out of the way; this monstrous replica of Tim Cameron’s 700bhp rock crawler ‘Showtime’ by the brilliant SevenStuds is fitted with non-LEGO tyres, a non-LEGO control system and (technically) non-LEGO bodywork.
Those tyres are Interco IROK 1.55s – as found in the RC 4×4 racing scene – mounted on official LEGO Technic wheels, and they give SevenStuds’ Showtime incredible traction. This traction is needed because the chassis contains four LEGO Power Functions XL motors, one for each wheel, and a servo motor that provides all-wheel-steering.
These five motors are controlled by two third-party SBrick units, allowing Showtime to be driven and steered with moderation; The motors aren’t limited to being ‘on’ or ‘off’ as per LEGO’s own IR receiver, but can be graduated between the two via bluetooth to a mobile device.
Lastly, the bodywork is made from non-LEGO pneumatic hosing, but only because LEGO’s own offering is not available in red.
These additions compliment a fully LEGO chassis complete with four-wheel-drive, four-wheel-steering, four-link suspension and portal hubs, and make Showtime one of the most capable off-road creations that this site has ever featured.
You can read all the details on SevenStuds’ build at the Eurobricks discussion forum here, plus you can see what it can do via the superbly produced video below.*
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*After watching this TLCB office is immeasurably relieved that we got hold of this creation before the Elves did. Imagine the carnage…
This little 1970s Hong Kong style truck comes from previous bloggee shineyu of Eurobricks. There’s a remote control drivetrain hidden inside the neat Technic body and you can see more at the Eurobricks discussion forum via the link above.
He’s making a list, he’s checking it twice, he’s got a hot rod for crossing the ice, Santa Claus is coming to town!
When Santa isn’t commanding his magic sleigh he’s still got to get around, and – looking as he does like the missing member of ZZ Top – we think he’s probably got a pretty cool ride.
Previous bloggee sm 01 thinks so too, and he’s built Mr. Claus the perfect vehicle for a rockin’ journey across the frozen wastes of the North Pole. You can see more of Santa’s Hot Rod on Flickr at the link above.
It’s been an uneventful few days here at TLCB Towers, as not a single Elf has returned with anything of note. Out of patience, we summoned Mr. Airhorn and chased any remaining Elves out of the office. When they’re hungry enough (which won’t take long) we’ll have some more models to blog…
In the meantime we can keep the cars coming thanks to some of your suggestions.
From left to right; Previous bloggee Alexander Paschoaletto‘s tidy Model Team Koenigsegg CCX, previous bloggee Rage Hobbit‘s remote control Technic Lotus Elise S, and newcomer Ben Smith‘s lovely Model Team Dodge Viper GTS.
You can see more of each of today’s submitted creations via the hyperlinks in the text above, and if you’d like to suggest a creation too you can do so via the Feedback page found in the main menu.
Following the launch of LEGO’s 42043 Mercedes-Benz Arocs set earlier in the year the online Lego community has been churning our new variants at a prolific rate.
The latest to feature here comes fitted with a giant piece of Agrar agricultural equipment on the back which is remotely controlled by a Power Functions motor, with another powering its all-wheel-drive, a third controlling the steering, and a fourth operating the transmission.
Eric Trax is the builder behind it and there’s more to see on Brickshelf, the Eurobricks discussion forum here, and in the YouTube video below.
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Nope, we don’t know what this is either, but somewhere inside this beetle-like creature is a mini-figure who’s having the time of his life.
You can see more of newcomer Hugolin‘s remote controlled ‘Hexapod’ mech via Eurobricks, and you can see what it can do via the video below.
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