Lego Technic Supercars

[Komisiripala]

well, what does one do when there are no more cars to build? i for one would admire the rhetoric of that question, and continue building cars! this time round tho, much smaller scale.

one of the core reasons as to why i'm such a car-nut were the toys i had as a child. i had a huge crate of hand-me-down legos from my brother and used to spend days on end building worlds with them. but it wasn't til i got my first technic set that i realised the potential of those little plasticky bricks! the set i had was a small one. the set i wanted was the equivalent of playboy's centrefold in the 1990 technic catalog.

naturally my parents turned a blind eye/deaf ear to my whining, and i realise now that's probably because this set would have cost the equivalent of 50,000 rupees then, and they were not about to buy me toys for 5000 even, let alone 50,000! in hindsight i do feel terribly, for bothering them like i did.

26 years down the line, i come to learn that the technics i pined for are indeed the best that lego ever came up with! so i thought why not... it wouldn't hurt to have a few showcased around the house.

these are the ones i've chosen to build:

1. technic 8865 from 1988.

my dream. known as the technic test car, this 900+ piece monster came with pop up headlights, fully independent double wishbone front and rear suspension, steering, functioning 3 speed gearbox with LSD, V4 engine, and fully adjustable seats. i'll be starting with this.

2. technic 8880 from 1994

lego took their test car further and pushed the limits of what's possible with this one. 1300+ pieces, 8880 came with pop up haedlights, 4WD with two LSD's, 4 speed gearbox with syncromesh, V8 engine, and fully independent suspension with 4 wheel steering.

3. technic 8070

4. technic 8448
5. technic 9038

6. technic unimog 8110

i'll elaborate on those as i proceed with the builds. these sets don't come cheap, and the older ones are rather rare. will be updating as time and money permits.

for starters i'll be working on 8865 and 8880. updates as soon as i receive the sets.

Edited March 3, 2014 by Komisiripala

[esdeez]

Saw your post on FB. This should be quite interesting; a break from the norm definitely! Awoken my need to start ordering some airfix kits... Hmmmm....

[Watchman]

<<nostalgic tears>>

[Hoonigan]

Scale models! The next best thing when you cannot afford to fiddle with the real thing!

I have never played with Lego kits or Plastic kits yet but these sure look challenging. I have been looking at a Revel kit which is a transparent plastic V8 block in which you can see the pistons, valves moving when you crank it by hand. Didn't buy it becuase I've been spilling over my card. Now that you've pulled this out, I have a sudden urge to buy it!

[Supra_Natural]

  On 3/3/2014 at 8:11 AM, esdeez said:

Saw your post on FB. This should be quite interesting; a break from the norm definitely! Awoken my need to start ordering some airfix kits... Hmmmm....

Had no idea you build airfix as well, was just thinking of ordering some myself actually.

And Doc, await updates, I drooled over these myself as a kid and my parents also couldnt stretch quite that far. (although i do recall having a smaller technic set of some sort)

[c1nder]

Damn man i remember building Technic 8865 when I was a kid about 15 odd years ago:D parents managed to grab this off a sale cause it's packaging was damaged a bit. Still have it!! Nostalgia!!

Edited March 3, 2014 by c1nder

[tiv]

My dad got me this back in 97' first time I saw a piston, alas was too little to understand its value..

brings back memories!

Edited March 3, 2014 by tiv

[Komisiripala]

  On 3/3/2014 at 9:29 AM, c1nder said:

Damn man i remember building Technic 8865 when I was a kid about 15 odd years ago:D parents managed to grab this off a sale cause it's packaging was damaged a bit. Still have it!! Nostalgia!!

you lucky bastard!! my god keep it! i had to go through hell to hunt this set down. in the end got really lucky. i didn't think there were any other 8865's in sri lanka. eswaran bros were the agents back then. when i (at the age of 8) called them to inquire about this, they said "sorry madam we don't bring the big ones down. there's no market"

i was more upset my balls hadn't dropped...

[Watchman]

  On 3/3/2014 at 11:42 AM, Komisiripala said:

you lucky bastard!! my god keep it! i had to go through hell to hunt this set down. in the end got really lucky. i didn't think there were any other 8865's in sri lanka. eswaran bros were the agents back then. when i (at the age of 8) called them to inquire about this, they said "sorry madam we don't bring the big ones down. there's no market"

i was more upset my balls hadn't dropped...

Was that the one at the Unity Plaza basement? I remember Nastas (in LP) also used to carry some.

My biggest set was this:

It was from 1992. Though after the initial build, it was converted into a hummer look-alike. I had to look up the model just now for an image, but in my mind i remember this truck having a looooot more detail.

I bought this late last year. It was 'supposed' to be a birthday gift for my GF, but guess who built the thing

Edited March 3, 2014 by Watchman

[Komisiripala]

wow didnt' expect such a rush of nostalgia from you guys! exactly men. these were the toys that defined us, right? so anyways, a few mroe details on the other sets. i'll get more info on them as i proceed to recieve and build them.

technic 8448

this was a move into the "studless" technics. where they made parts specific for these sets alone, aiming for aesthetics and aerodynamics. thus moving away from the studded lego pieces we know so well. nevertheless 8448 also came with a working V8 engine, although the transmission was scrapped, and a rear LSD with fully independent suspension.

technic 8070

this was the last supercar, and my god its quite a looker. oddly reminiscent of a dodge charger, this car has motorized scissor doors, a motorized BMW style front hinged bonnet, and a motorized hideaway rear spoiler. clearly, they gone more for the bling than the nerd factor here. a bit sad, but nevertheless quite a stunning set.

technic 9398

not really a supercar, but a feat of lego engineering well worthy of a spot on my cool wall. this one is a 4x4 rock crawler. need i saw more? just LOOK at that suspension travel! they've incorporated some insane suspension dynamics into this, along with 4wd and 4 wheel steering, and best of all, a remote control system, that has an ipad/iphone app! mother-of-coooool

technic 8110

the unimog. licensed to build this from mercedes benz, this is a pretty accurate replica of their legendary unimog. with 4wd and fully functioning portal axles (oh be still my heart) with adjustable gear ratios, this was beyond cool. it also has a working front winch, and a rear pneumatic loading claw.

[Komisiripala]

  On 3/3/2014 at 12:05 PM, Watchman said:

Was that the one at the Unity Plaza basement? I remember Nastas (in LP) also used to carry some.

yup that's them. they also had their head office in colpetty

[GTAm]

Nice stuff. Loved Lego but was outgrowing my childhood when technics were just coming out. So sadly had to make do with bricks. Was fascinated by "Legoland Space" though.

[Jaliya48]

  On 3/3/2014 at 9:20 AM, Supra_Natural said:

Had no idea you build airfix as well, was just thinking of ordering some myself actually.

And Doc, await updates, I drooled over these myself as a kid and my parents also couldnt stretch quite that far. (although i do recall having a smaller technic set of some sort)

Aha! Now we're talking! What kits do you build? Aeroplanes? Cars? War dioramas? I'm an avid aeroplane modeller in 1/72 scale.

And Komi; that 8880 was my dream as well. But what really caught my attention back in 1998 (among other sets) was this-

Lego Technic Competition 8257

(shamelessly borrowed from the internet)

Mum, being the thoughtful parent that she is, saw both my sister's and my enthusiasm for the kit in the catalogue and managed to get one down through a friend. We received it on the 1st of January 1999...What better way to start the year! I still have both and mine (the purple machine) is almost complete. Sadly, my late dog managed to get hold of the green machine's operator and chewed the helmet to a pulp. I'm looking at ordering the missing bits and making them complete again.

I also remember drooling over the LEGO Model Team planes and helicopters. The coolest was the big red flatbed with a red F14-ish jet loaded on the back. A quick search reveals that complete examples of this set sells for $200+..darn!

[Reckless]

wow nice thread! I had a red race car model when I was a kid, dont know the model number, but I found a pic of it on the net.

I still remember they day I finished assembling it.

Also had the model 8020. Never was able to complete all the possible models, but I remember finishing the van, jeep and the wind mill.

Also had some few other lego stuff with those tiny lego men, cant remember what exactly.

[Komisiripala]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Reckless" data-cid="258035" data-time="1393864043"><p>

wow nice thread! I had a red race car model when I was a kid, dont know the model number, but I found a pic of it on the net.<br />

<span rel='lightbox'><img src='http://i61.tinypic.com/21emgy.jpg' alt='Posted Image' class='bbc_img' /></span><br />

I still remember they day I finished assembling it.<br />

<br />

Also had the model 8020. Never was able to complete all the possible models, but I remember finishing the van, jeep and the wind mill.<br />

<span rel='lightbox'><img src='http://i62.tinypic.com/bjddtg.jpg' alt='Posted Image' class='bbc_img' /></span><br />

<br />

Also had some few other lego stuff with those tiny lego men, cant remember what exactly.</p></blockquote>

Holy crap reckless that's the same one I had!! The car! I couldn't remember the model number for the life of me! It also made a transport helicopter, a forklift and something else!

I remember my best friend from back then and neighbour (same guy who's identity was stolen on al recently. He's komisiripala on twitter) wanted a technic so bad and by some sheer coincidence his dad brought him the exact same set!

[Reckless]

Brings back old memories, with a bit of luck I still maybe able to find those sets at my parents place in Kandy. Should have a look when I go there.

My dream was to build a lego city back then. Had a lego catalog, I remember drooling over it..

Edited March 3, 2014 by Reckless

[Magnum]

A toy for 50,000? I dont think any parent in SL would buy one for their kid

[Reckless]

Found it, its the 8064 komi, I only manged to build the car.

Edited March 3, 2014 by Reckless

[Komisiripala]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Magnum" data-cid="258038" data-time="1393865362"><p>

A toy for 50,000? I dont think any parent in SL would buy one for their kid </p></blockquote>

Bro in a country where parents pay 30,000 + to go see a stupid Barney concert, I don't see why not a Lego. This is so much more education. And it lasts forever!

Thanks reckless. That made me gooey all over. That was my only technic set. I distinctly remember asking my brother (who was studying in Manchester) to bring 8865, and he came back with 8064 saying 8865 was out of stock.

Heart=broken that day

[Komisiripala]

4 sets of technic cranes were brought down in the last shipment. 49,000 each. Sold out. Over 10 numbers of 8070 set, at 33,000 each, sold out. Next shipment already has pre orders.

Surprised much, bro?

Edited March 3, 2014 by Komisiripala

[Watchman]

I don't mean to bum everyone out with socialism theories, but honestly right now in our countryt herich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer and the middled class is trying very hard to not fall into the 'poor'. A photographer friend was saying that some of these high-society kids even celebrate birthdays at the taj and hilton and what not.. So "50,000 for a toy? Sure son, but that means no partying allowance for this week for you!" said a father to a son.

[Jaliya48]

  On 3/3/2014 at 5:05 PM, Komisiripala said:

4 sets of technic cranes were brought down in the last shipment. 49,000 each. Sold out. Over 10 numbers of 8070 set, at 33,000 each, sold out. Next shipment already has pre orders.

Surprised much, bro?

Very surprised!

[Bracket]

WoW.

Car nut level: Komisiripala!

Second only to mark parisi...

[Reckless]

  On 3/3/2014 at 5:02 PM, Komisiripala said:

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Magnum" data-cid="258038" data-time="1393865362"><p>

A toy for 50,000? I dont think any parent in SL would buy one for their kid </p></blockquote>

Bro in a country where parents pay 30,000 + to go see a stupid Barney concert, I don't see why not a Lego. This is so much more education. And it lasts forever!

Very true, some sensible parents with some money would definitely consider to buy one of these for their kids, I mean would you not? hell if I had money I would buy one for my self!

[Watchman]

For those of you who have kids, you don't need to buy complete sets; There are sellers online who sell bags/boxes of loose random parts. And they sell pretty cheap too. If your kids were anything like most of us Lego fans, they don't need any instructions. Their imaginations would be more than enough.