Past Master

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TLCB staff do not like the modern Volkswagen Golf GTI. Too heavy, too powerful, too expensive, too automatic, and with cabin controls that even VW themselves acknowledge are total crap, what with them being invisible in the dark. But hey the front grille lights up! Sigh.

Yes we’re grumpy old men today, because we much prefer this, the mid-‘80s Mark II Golf GTI. Low power, low weight, and not a touch sensitive unlit temperature slider in sight. Although they aren’t ’in sight’ in the modern Golf either, which is the problem.

This splendid Speed Champions recreation of probably the best Golf GTI of them all comes from regular bloggee SFH_Bricks, who has nailed the brief.

Just over 300 pieces, instructions are available, and you can head back to when hot hatches didn’t need three sub-menus to change the stereo volume via the link above.

Make-a-Mecha

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Italian concept artist Marco Marozzi has appeared here (and better sites) numerous times with his incredible mecha creations.

Complex mechanical characters “that belong to plausible industrial, military and science-fiction worlds”, Marco’s models blend all manner of styles, themes and LEGO pieces into remarkably cohesive builds that look unnervingly real, if only such contraptions existed in full size.

Now after several years gracing the pages of sites such as this one, Marco has released design dossiers for some of his stunning concept models.

These are not instructional books (although as many of the models’ components are photographed individually they will undoubtedly give a helping hand to builders looking to recreate Marco’s works), rather they explore “the design thinking, evolution, construction choices and visual identity behind an original brick-built mecha”.

At the time of writing three are available (or will soon be), with TLCB having been given early access to the first, and you can find each – and discover more about the artist behind them – via the link below.

Click here to view the Marco Marozzi Design Dossiers

Cyberbricks

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We’re often recommended models hosted on Instagram by our readers here at The Lego Car Blog. And many are awesome. However we unfortunately can’t feature them, because – in most cases – Instagram forces account creation just to view them. Not that Meta is desperate.

So we decided to create our own Instagram account, to at least start publicising the creations we write about there. And…. we can’t. Not unless we create a Facebook business account as well. Not that Meta is desperate.

So we’re still not on Insta. But one reader (and previous bloggee themselves) reached out to an Instagram-based builder and suggested that they upload their creations to a free-to-view platform too. And they have. And they’re awesome.

These are the works of mocbyendo, who’s now on Flickr, and we suspect you’ll be seeing rather more of in future…

Inspired by various Japanese car sub-cultures, concept art, and the modified car scene, Endo has created an array of outlandish creations including this cyberpunk Mazda RX-7, wide-arch Toyota Mark II, and… um, whatever the car below is. Mechanical components such as turbos, exhausts, roll cages, intercoolers and batteries are all superbly replicated in brick form, with many models further enhanced by custom decals, wheels and tyres.

Endo is still adding more creations from Instagram to Flickr and you can check out the three pictured here, plus lots more besides, via the link above.

Delivery Details

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Recent bloggee Fukku Guen has appeared here a few times of late, thanks to some rather wonderful detailing. Even the most humble of vehicles, like this simple 7-wide box truck, are packed with lifelike additions, in this case including a full tank, exhaust (complete with cab cut-out), mirrors, side reflectors, and rear under-guard. Building instructions are available too and you can head to Fukku’s photostream via the link above to see more models like this one.

The Streets of San Francisco

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Is there anything more 1970s than a brown police car crashing through some gratuitously placed boxes? Of course not, and Flickr’s SvenJ. takes us straight to ‘The Streets of San Francisco’ with this fabulous early-’70s Ford Galaxie as driven by Lieutenant Mike Stone and Inspector Steve Keller. Usually through some gratuitously placed boxes.

Clever building techniques and wonderful detailing match the top quality presentation, and there’s lots more of Sven’s seventies Galaxie to see via the link above. Plus you can hear tyres squealing on gravel and watch a few shots used twice in the hope TV audiences wouldn’t notice in this glorious ‘The Streets of San Francisco’ montage!

Keep on Tumblin’

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The Tumbler is – and no arguments here – the best Batmobile bar far. Which is probably why it has both appeared here at The Lego Car Blog and been turned into an official LEGO set more times than any other of Batman’s rides.

Despite the proliferation however, there’s always room for more Tumblers, particularly when they are as accomplished as this.

Constructed by Eurobricks’ MAP Tec, this enormous Technic Tumbler is fully remote controlled, with twin XL-Motor drive and Servo steering, plus shooting rockets, an opening roof, and moving aero wings via an M-Motor each.

There’s also suspension from and rear, a working steering yoke linked to the aforementioned Servo, and a full suite of LED lights.

Building instructions are available, and you can head to the Eurobricks forum to find them, all the imagery, plus videos of MAP’s model in action.

Small Scenes

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We like vehicular models here at The Lego Car Blog. Which might be stating the obvious somewhat. But we also like it when they’re placed in a brick-built environment to match, as both of today’s creations have been by their respective builders. Martin Spunkt has positioned his early-’70s GMC Sierra Grande (itself based on the design of another TLCB bloggee) inside a workshop, whilst Fukku Guen has created a lovely autumnal street scene for his JDM kei truck. Both vignettes include a range of details to add to the visual narrative and you can step into each via the links above.

Flipping Dominant

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Le Mans is currently in a golden age, with multiple major manufacturers building wild bespoke racers for the top class. Three decades ago, things were just as good.

The top GT1 class led to the creation of some incredible cars, with one of the most famous being this, the spectacular 1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK LM.

Powered by a 5-litre 600bhp naturally-aspirated V8, the CLK LM was designed to dominate GT1. And it did, winning every single ‘98 race bar one, with only Le Mans eluding Mercedes due to a double retirement.

This superb Speed Champions recreation of the ‘98 CLK LM comes from previous bloggee SFH_Bricks, who has replicated not just the amazing proportions of Mercedes’ GT1 racer but the famous ‘D2’ livery too.

Beautifully presented, there’s lots more to see (including a link to building instructions) at SFH’s photostream, and you can dominate the ‘98 GT1 Championship via the link above.

1999 would not go so well…

Space Saturday

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It’s been ages since we’ve featured something sci-fi related, and there’s a very good reason for that; we’re crap at it. But no matter, because today we have no fewer than four spacey builds, and each will be as poorly explained as the last!

So here’s the first (above), this Neo-Classic Space fighter thingumy from Flickr’s bradk918. Pictured dashing over a lunar landscape there’s some clever SNOTery going on in its creation, and there’s more to see at Brad’s photostream.

Next we’re going all asymmetrical, like a first generation Mini Clubman or Nissan Cube, with this  Star Wars-adjacent fighter. A single aircraft tail forms the one-sided wing and there’s more to see of this unusually-shaped ship courtesy of Paul Nicholson on Flickr.

Next we’re swapping fighters for freighters, as the mini-figures of space need their Amazon deliveries too. This neat modular cargo ship comes from previous bloggee David Roberts, and there’s also a matching ground-based drone for loading purposes. Order your space goods with next-day-delivery via the link.

And finally, we stick with sci-fi but change thrusters for legs, thanks to this mad ‘Type-R Monkey Mech’ by Flickr’s Marco Marozzi. We assume when VTEC kick it runs like a mechanical Usain Bolt.

There’s more to see of all four space-based creations on Flickr, and you can head to each builder’s page for all their respective images via the links in the text above.

Golden Nugget

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Proving that you can race anything – no matter how inappropriate – Flickr’s Fukku Guen has taken a Japanese Kei truck, fitted a V6 in the cargo bed, wide arches, and the sort of rear wing and front splitter you’d normally expect to find at Pikes Peak. Inspired by the LEGO 77262 Speed Champions Ken Block Hoonicorn set (and utilising a few of its pieces), building instructions are available, and you can take a closer look at Fukku’s black-and-gold Kei monster on Flickr via the link above.

LEGO Ideas 21371 Wallace & Gromit | Set Preview

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Now that’s a cracking set LEGO! This – in all of its wonderful likeness – is the brand new LEGO Ideas 21371 Wallace & Gromit!

Based on a fan suggestion via the LEGO Ideas platform, 21371 recaptures the world’s favourite plasticine stop-motion duo in their magnificent motorcycle-and-sidecar from the 1995 short film masterpiece ‘A Close Shave’.

Constructed from just over 1,000 pieces, 21371 doesn’t feature the sidecar’s optional extras, but it does include several easter eggs from the movie franchise including crackers, wool, and a diamond, plus two posable figures which are perhaps the most wonderful LEGO have ever created, even if being British we’re legally obliged to say that.

Expected to cost $99.99 / €99.99 / £89.99 21371 is perhaps our favourite movie-licensed set of all time, and you can get hold of Wallace and Gromit from October 1st.

Green Death

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What’s small, green, and incredibly deadly? Yes, it’s the quad bike (or ATV to some), a vehicle that despite having twice the number of wheels as a motorbike is even more likely to fall over.

This one comes from TLCB Master MOCer TLCB Master MOCer Kyle Wigboldy (aka thirdwigg), features working steering and suspension, and it’s just waiting to strike.

There’s more of model to see – including a link to instructions – at Kyle’s Flickr album, and you can power around a field until the quad inevitably flips over on top of you via the link above.

Supernova

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Some cars are just cool. And this is one of them, the tremendous 1969 Chevrolet Nova SS, equipped with a near 400bhp V8 and – in the case of PleaseYesPlease’s brick-built example – dropped to the floor under bulging arches. Never has the office Rover 200 looked more upright. Or slower. Join us imagining we’re cool at Please’s ‘Nova SS 1969’ album via the link.

We’ve Got Gas

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TLCB Team went out for a curry last night and consequently quite a lot of gas has been released in the office today. Which leads us seamlessly – if childishly – to this, a Kenworth C500K 6×6 ‘Frack Pump’; effectively a 40-ton water-jet used to blast apart rock deep underground to release the gas within.

It comes from previous bloggee Sseven Bricks who was inspired to build it by his PhD. Which is presumably geophysical rather than flatulence related.

Working steering, a two-seat cab, and an opening control box all feature, and you can float on over to Sseven’s photostream via the link above for more.

Ramshackle

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The Dodge Viper was famous for having a truck engine. Thus in the early-’00s Dodge decided to take the truck engine out of the Viper and put it back in, well… a truck. And the result was one of the post pointless vehicles ever created.

Based on the Dodge Ram 1500, the Dodge Ram SRT10 featured the Viper’s 500bhp 8.3 litre V10, with Bilstein shock absorbers, performance-tuned springs, and an extra shock on the rear axle to prevent wheel hop during wheel-spin, in an attempt to make it drive less… well, like a Dodge Ram.

The Ram SRT10 was immediately the fastest pick-up truck in the world, reaching a top speed of 154mph. Which must’ve been terrifying as it still definitely drove like a Dodge Ram.

This brilliant Model Team version of what was once the world’s fastest truck comes from previous bloggee Szunyogh Balázs (aka gnat.bricks), who has captured the Dodge Ram SRT10 superbly. There’s a detailed engine under the opening hood, a suitably black-plastic interior behind the opening doors, a raising rear load deck, and even a life-like brick-built drivetrain under the chassis too.

There’s much more of Szunogh’s model to see at his ‘Dodge Ram SRT10’ album on Flickr, and you can do 154mph in an early-’00s pick-up truck via the link above.