Tag Archives: Cars

A perfect pair of Porsches

Legendary car builder George Panteleon tells us that one of the most iconic and beautiful generation of Porsche 911 is the 1973 Carrera RSR. I consulted the records of all things beautiful and iconic and that statement checks out. He started with the yellow one about a year ago but has not photographed it until recently. Later he wanted another with a more striking color scheme so he went with the white with blue and red racing stripes.

Each consists of 779 pieces and features a fully detailed interior and opening trunk, hood and doors.

George’s prowess with car building doesn’t end with this perfect pair of Porsches so be sure to check out his other automotive wonders on his photostream. If you are inclined to build a few dream cars of your own, his book How to Build Dream Cars with LEGO Bricks may help with that.

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Not your grandpa’s Cadillac (or is it?)

Back in 1989 the late car building legend Boyd Coddington built a very special custom car for ZZ Top’s guitarist Billy Gibbons. It started with a 1948 Cadillac Series 62 Sedanette but nearly a million dollars later it had become a custom showstopper like no other. Now in 2019 LEGO car building legend Tim Inman has produced his own version. It is unusual for us to feature a three-quarter rear view of anything as the primary photo but in the case of CadZZilla, its low-slung roof line easing into the rear bumper and its signature taillights are what gives even the seasoned custom car enthusiast heart palpitations.

No less impressive up front, this model replicates CadZZilla’s famous grille and expansive hood. A mark of a good builder is if they can imagine a LEGO piece not for its intended purpose. Tim has utilized upside-down minifigure legs as part of the front bumper detail. A posh tan adorns the interior while the stance is that of a crouching aggressive animal. Of course, there is enough dark purple LEGO here to please any Prince impersonator. While Billy Gibbons is of grandparent age, he seemed to have bucked the rock star stereotype of siring multiple kids. So CadZZilla truly is not your grandpa’s Cadillac.

Sports cars for everyone

It’s always impressive when a LEGO builder packs lots of details into a small-scale vehicle, doubly-so if the model also features interior detailing and an engine. So it must be “triply-impressive” when that interior provides a chassis for modular designs to be popped on top. That’s what Angka Utama has done with this latest LEGO creation, putting together a backbone under-chassis which — with a few minor modifications — can take a variety of shells on the top, radically altering the external styling.

For a tiny “seven wide” model this is pretty smart, with smooth curves and opening doors on the external shell, and a chunky engine and sweet bucket seats for the interior. But the star of show here has to be the modularity — here’s the same internal chassis, slightly tweaked to take a brash yellow Italian supercar look…

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, our fine four-fendered friend!

One look at GunnBuilding‘s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and you’ll be transported back to your childhood toot sweet! Many of us hold fond memories of the 1968 movie version (the Child Catcher notwithstanding) about a wacky inventor and his fantastic flying car. A bit of trivia for you: The original novel was written by Ian Fleming. Fleming is probably best known as the creator of James Bond, the owner of another iconic car, the Aston Martin DB5.

Almost all of Chitty’s details are represented here including the red spoked wheels, silver dash and boat-like passenger area. I love the inclusion of the old time bulb horn made from a potion bottle and of course, the red and yellow wings cleverly created from folded minifigure capes. It even includes a minifig version of the car’s fictional inventor, Caractacus Potts. The only things missing are the wing propellers and the front and back fins which GunnBuilding plans to add in the future. His original plan was to create the fins using minifig flippers, but since they don’t come in a red and yellow striped version, he is still searching for another solution. But even without them, this car is still perfect for flying away to Hushabye Mountain in style.

A rustic barn with a classic Ford Mustang

Some LEGO builders say that architecture and scenery merely exist to serve as backdrops for cars or trains. Looking at this display built by Andrea Lattanzio, I beg to differ. While the classic first-series Mustang Hardtop is beautiful on its own, the barn behind it is equally delightful. Andrea achieved the barn’s dilapidated look through effective use of brown and dark grey tiles, which are not pressed down all the way. Personally, I find it difficult to ignore the satisfying feeling of pressing two LEGO pieces together but, when they’re tilted just a little and with varying degrees, the rustic charm is undeniable.

Other highlights include the rusty broken gas pump and an American flag, which is cleverly formed out of plates with clips in such a way that makes it look as if it’s waving in a light breeze. The car itself cannot be overlooked; the lines are sleek and the construction is smooth. Curved slopes on the hood are ideal parts in creating the perfect angle, and the use of clear slopes for the windshield is simple but feels representative of a real Mustang.

Nothing says adventure like this rig

I’m not super familiar with car models. All I know is that I love anything that looks like a Jeep. And this sand blue SUV is my kind of fun. The rig, loaded with supplies, is the work of Koala Yummies, and it has me itching for an adventure!

I really like the body shape, which is smooth and cohesive from front to back. All the bits really work together to create a fun addition to any outdoorsy scene.

If you like this build, be sure to also check out Koala Yummies’ mini Ecto 1!

Zoom zoom through Tokyo with the RX-8 patrol car

Japanese cars well-engineered and sometimes innovative, but in my opinion they are often not all that exciting. However, Japanese manufacturers do have a history of building some pretty neat sports cars, like the 240Z /Fairlady or Nissan GT-R or the Honda CRX.

A little more than a year ago, during a work trip, I was lucky to spend a day in Tokyo. It is an amazing city and ever since I’ve been thinking about building some Japan-themed LEGO models. I already have a collection of LEGO emergency vehicles, so adding a Japanese police car seemed like a good idea. Their typical vehicle is the Toyota Crown, which certainly fits the not-all-that-exciting category. However, a bit of internet research revealed that, until a few years ago, the Tokyo Police department also had Mazda RX-8 patrol cars. It’s a curvy coupé with suicide doors that was mainly used for traffic duties. Building one of those was a much more interesting prospect. I simply had to have one.

A lovingly built Italian classic

Formula-1 cars of the 1960s are things of beauty. They represent an earlier age where form and function seemed to balance perfectly. André Pinto’s model of a Ferrari 312 F1-67 is a beauty, glistening in its familiar red livery, bedecked with chrome.

Despite the vehicle being one of the racing team’s less successful models, primarily remembered for the tragic death of Lorenzo Bandini in Monte Carlo, it still pulls at the racing enthusiast’s heartstrings. André has lavished care throughout his build, from the sculpted bodywork through to the detailed V12 engine; it’s clearly a true labour of love.

LEGO Landrover is technically brilliant

LEGO Technic is a fantastic system for creating functional models with working mechanisms. However, it’s less often that we see Technic parts (particularly panels) integrated brilliantly into a “regular bricks” creation. However, this fabulous model of a Landrover Defender by ianying616 goes to show that the best builders select the best pieces for the job, regardless of which branch of the LEGO parts family they may originally come from. The shaping here is excellent — a good combination of regular System bricks and Technic axles, joints, and panels — perfectly capturing the recognisable lines of the Defender.

This thing is a BEAST — bulky and beautiful, with a striking black and red colour scheme. Beyond the overall styling, the details deserve appreciation: a rooftop lamp rack, a detailed interior, working suspension and steering, and opening doors, boot, and bonnet. And lurking beneath that bonnet? A gleaming engine block, ready to propel this bad boy through any obstacle in its path. Great stuff.

You can’t kill something that isn’t alive [Instructions]

A red 1958 Plymouth Fury triggers memories of the movie adaption of Stephen King’s book Christine, and the car has a cult following for that reason. I’m not sure you’d want to keep this tiny version around any more than you’d want the living car from the movie — you might just find it in pieces on the floor when you wake in the morning, there to torture you with the pain of stepping on LEGO pieces. We’re pretty sure that builder hachiroku24 made it safe for us by performing an exorcism in advance, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

If you’re willing to take the risk, here are the video instructions and parts list to build your very own tiny sinister vehicle.

Click here to see the parts and video instructions

The restoration of a hot rod

Builder Pixeljunkie’s latest creation is a charming old auto shop where a group of builders works to restore a classic car to from its barn-fresh state to a splendid showpiece. A series of images transcribe the journey, beginning with the mottled and rusted car and a simple blueprint of what might be.

Throughout the scenes, the workshop is packed full to bursting with intricate details that bring the scene to life. Surrounding the crew is all the detritus common to a mechanic, from tools and dusty equipment to overflowing waste bins and parts shelves. This shop truly feels lived in. Continue reading →

This shiny LEGO Mercedes Benz W196 is ready to win the race

The Mercedes Benz W196 was built for the Formula 1 circuit in 1954, and famously carried a very simple livery of silver paint with big red and white numeral badges. A tiny car with the narrow, bulbous body of yesteryear’s racecars, the W196 is a difficult car to capture in LEGO at any scale, let alone minifigure scale. And yet that’s exactly what Pixeljunkie has done, and boy does it look great. Featuring a very large percentage of LEGO’s metallic silver pallette (plus some custom chromed wheels), this remarkable little car looks ready to win the world championship one more time.

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