Tag Archives: Classic Space

Keeping the space classic, then and now

LEGO builder Monty Matte gave himself a challenge with some simple rules. On the left, he tickles our nostalgia bone with a layout straight out of a Classic Space set from the 1970’s. To the right, the same theme but using an array of modern parts and techniques. Each sits on a 16×16 plate while between them resides some sort of time portal linking the two worlds. Together, you have an interesting composition that highlights progression in LEGO history and offers what looks like some fun playability. The minifigure on the right appears to be an adult building an environment that reflects his childhood. This holds a sweet spot in the hearts of any grown-ass adult with a LEGO room- so basically, everyone in my contact list.

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LEGO debuts Creator 1-of-3 line with upscaled Classic Space Minifig spread over three sets [April Fool’s!]

Acknowledging that the size and complexity of sets has become overwhelming for many builders, LEGO announced today the Creator 1-of-3 line that promises to let fans build at their own pace. The first wave features a scaled-up Classic Space Minifigure serialized over 3 separate sets. Together the sets contain an intimidating 694 pieces, but don’t sweat it! With the 1-of-3 line, the model is split into more manageable stand-alone kits with modest piece counts designed to lower anxiety. LEGO Creator 1-of-3 40125 Classic Space Torso, the largest of the wave, consists of an up-scaled Minifigure torso containing 274 parts and features the iconic Classic Space logo and posable arms and hands. Set 40126 Classic Space Legs trails its torso counterpart with 231 pieces and features movable legs, while set 40127 Classic Space Head rounds out the trio with 189 pieces, comprising of a blue helmet and the iconic smiling yellow Minifigure face. While it’s possible to collect them all to build a fully posable up-scaled Minifigure that stands 10 inches tall (25.5 cm), there’s no pressure to do so. Each section makes a wonderful display piece on its own. We can expect all these sets to hit store shelves on May 15th. Read on for info and pictures for each specific set.

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Go beyond the edge of Classic Space box art with the MBL-34

I thought today would be the day I buckle down and get stuff done. But I took one of those what kind of dog are you? online quizzes and they determined I’m a basset hound when I fancy myself as a boxer and now I have that to deal with. While I’m wasting time online, I’m compelled to show you this LEGO rover built by The Neighborhood Merchant. Merch begs the question; Have you ever wondered what lies beyond the horizon of all those treacherous dunes on Classic Space box art? And I’m like; no, I haven’t, but now I’m willing to take a deep dive into the subject. They go on to say that research beyond the dunes involved some beefy monster tires and now my interest is really piqued.

That massive mobile lab has a well-detailed interior and what looks to be enough playability to forego doing any important tasks for hours to come. In fact, everything I wanted to get done today are now all monster tire and Classic Space rover related. Thanks, Merch! If you’d like to join me down a couple of good rabbit holes, I can suggest our Febrovery archive as well as a deep dive into Classic Space.

Rocket, yeah, satellite of LEGO

For Classic Space fans, 6950 Mobile Rocket Transport is up there with 497 Galaxy Explorer as one of the all time great LEGO sets. It packed in rockets, radar, chonky wheels, a unique trans yellow cockpit, and loads of play potential for aspiring astronauts. Jan Schönherr-Wacker (with the amazing handle Fiftyshadesofbley) makes their debut with a stellar reimagining of the classic set, putting as much care into preserving the set’s character as LEGO did with the Galaxy Explorer update.

Like the best Neo-Classic Space builds, Jan sticks to classic colors while drawing on a much deeper bench of parts and adding plenty of greebles. The upgraded wheels come from Chima/Ninjago sets. The radar dish is replaced with a trio of hexagonal flags that can bloom into place. The simple hinge lift of the original is redesigned using Technic parts to support the much heavier rocket. Jan tops off the build with a custom-printed 6950 brick to pay tribute to the original’s serial number. It’s a great debut and we’re excited to see what Jan builds next!

Monorail Station celebrates Classic Space evolution

What could stir the heartstrings of LEGO Classic Space fans more than a motorized monorail? How about TWO monorails and an epic station bustling with intergalactic travelers? That’s just what Martin.with.bricks delivers in this stunning diorama that combines Classic Space with modern techniques and minifigs at a truly epic scale.

All aboard the monorail for more pics of this epic space diorama!

A Bohemian Brick-sody Bash

If you ever wondered what goes on inside your speakers, have I got a LEGO build for you! This retro speaker cut-away by Martin K. spills the secrets of making minifigure music. In this scene, a singer and drummer are in the studio recording their new hit single as a producer and his adorable assistant manage the mixing console. Martin has done a fantastic job with that drum kit. They’re difficult to design authentically at this scale, but Martin makes it look easy! The drummer’s colors mean they side with the Space Police over the dastardly Blacktron, while the singer has ties to the Futuron faction. All I know for sure is they’ll have the out of this world sound of a space oddity!

Just an itsy-bitsy taste of nostalgia

If you need a little more nostalgia in your life, you can get some teeny-tiny doses from these LEGO builds by Rick Brickham! Rick has taken on the challenge of miniaturizing a number of classic LEGO sets from years past. Not only are these great representations of the larger sets, they are examples of great building techniques in their own right. Let’s take a look at each build individually!

Click here for some close-ups!

One of the classic space blunders

Feeding wildlife is generally frowned upon, even at your local park, but more so on alien worlds where lifeforms have too many legs, teeth, or tentacles and where the only thing protecting your body from asphyxiation or worse is a brightly colored space suit. I’m not sure if the happy-go-lucky LEGO spacefarers in Dicken Liu‘s playful scene are taunting the local fauna for science or just for kicks, but I sure hope they brought enough gems to share with all the locals. Last year we named Dicken Liu Builder of the Year for his clever parts usage and joyful models and this vignette lives up to that reputation. For the surface of the alien world, he uses hexagonal rotors from the Nexo Knights line, which tessellate nicely with 2×4 wedge plates. Red crowbars make for convincing legs for the insectoid aliens, while Nexo Knights make a return for the larger alien’s half-dome head. Liu titled this build Scavengers Reign, perhaps in reference to the creepy cool animated series which offers many clear reminders of what can happen when you get up close and personal with strange lifeforms.

Aren’t you a little young to be collecting alien flower goo?

The classic LEGO Space theme gets an adorable update with this diorama by Joel Short, who provides some quick lore behind the expedition: “These giant flowers are a great source of energy, but must be approached with caution!” Much of the cause for caution, I assume, comes from the fact that those harvesting the flowers are infants who surely lack the necessary qualifications to operate such heavy equipment on unforgiving terrain … but hey, look how cute they are! Speaking of small things worth ooohing and awwwing over, check out all the great little details: the crocodile tails standing in for spiny plant tendrils, the full and empty bottles of pollen, and of course the Space logo itself at the front of the build, lovingly rendered in all its minimalist glory.

A “train”-ing spaceship in blue and yellow!

If you need a space fighter to hunt bogies with, this LEGO ship by Linus Bohman might be just the thing you need. Linus built this fighter around a skeleton of railroad track parts including curves and straights from the 4.5V era and six Duplo curve sections. I’d argue that this build is all horsepower, no ballast, with huge engines embedded in each wing. All-in-all, the grey details between the rails provide a nice buffer, while the rails themselves couple everything together!

The builder of this spaceship is no mug

What does it take to succeed in the Iron Forge? Well, I don’t exactly have any experience to draw on, but you can be sure that a bit of ingenuity and outside-the-box thinking will go a long way. Exhibit A: Nate Chiles‘ latest effort. In this early phase of the contest, the seed parts are not always as prescriptive as in the Iron Builder finals, so the ongoing second round challenges builders to use any LEGO piece tagged as a cup or goblet. And that does technically include the actual LEGO mug that forms the engine of this spaceship. Or at least, we’re assuming that’s what’s going on here. The alternative explanation is that this is a standard minifigure mug, and Nate has a shrink ray. Are they even allowed in this competition? Can we get a ruling on this please?!

A Classic Space swoosh and a slam dunk!

Swooshable is a word thrown around in the LEGO community that means the model is easily picked up and swooshed around the room without parts breaking off and probably while making fun spaceship noises. Don’t act like you haven’t done it! Martin.with.bricks gets extra kudos points from us for not only making this craft look awesome but also highly “swooshable.” The two are not always obtainable together. I mean; go ahead and try to swoosh your Hulkbuster set around the room and see what happens. Martin tells us the white with orange trim is his favorite color scheme and I’m inclined to think it’s mine too. Maybe it’s time to dust off my white leisure suit with orange belt and platform shoes. While you’re soaking in that mouth-watering visual check out our Martin.with.bricks archives for s’more LEGO goodness.