Tag Archives: Isaac Wilder

What a long, strange trip it’s been for this VW T1 Kastenwagen

LEGO builder Isaac Wilder is sort of a master at creating patinaed vehicles, but he didn’t perfect the technique instantly. He tells us that way back in August of 2020, he approached legendary builder Simon Liu about patina techniques and he gave him some sage advice. This turned into a small “patina collaboration” of sorts, and, speaking from experience, it’s kind of magical when that happens. Isaac is also an admirer of VW Life on YouTube so, over time, he kept up with his inspirations and practiced the patina look and now we have this.

Volkswagen T1 Kastenwagen

In a vehicle with this much character, it makes you think of the adventures it may have had. Perhaps it had a fresh, psychedelic paint job during the Summer of Love; maybe its occupants made tofu and granola in it for years at a time; or maybe it was involved in a medium-speed chase from the fuzz in the 80s. Oh, the stories this VW could tell! Just be prepared for deep introspection and the munchies because I’m pretty sure Kastenwagen translates to “contact high”.

Just an old car – no retro-futurism here, no sirree...

It’s been a while since we featured a proper old-fashioned LEGO car from Isaac Wilder. He’s been on a bit of a retro-futurism kick lately – which, don’t get us wrong, we’re all here for. That’s fine if you like that sort of thing. But nothing beats the simplicity of a good ol’ 50s sedan. This one would not look out of place in a film noir movie, or a British 60s police flick.

Anonymous black sedan

It’s always nice to see a builder play their hits, instead of messing around with this new-old-fangled retro-futurism nonsense. No crazy engines, no flyi- er… Oh. I guess old habits die hard.

Anonymous black hovercar

Who are we kidding – we love Isaac’s work, retro-futurist or otherwise! See for yourself why he’s a regular feature in our archives.

A Gillig CNG bus just for the heck of it

The last time I did something just for the heck of it I ended up getting banned for life from Sizzler. But when LEGO builder Isaac Wilder does something for the heck of it you get this sweet little Gillig CNG bus. Admittedly his approach to doing things for the heck of it is far more constructive than mine. Hah-constructive, get it? Anyway, I’m enjoying all the build techniques here and the photography and wet look turn a nice little build into something amazing indeed. It’s such a relatable thing because it reminds me of all the times I’ve waited for a bus in the rain. That’s all in the past now because, for reasons unrelated to the Sizzler incident, I’m also banned from city buses.

Gillig CNG Bus

Upgrade-o to the ‘Bago

When the future eventually gets here, I have to imagine the car modding community will go nuts. They already do mad match-ups with cars and engines that have no business being in the same package. Unfortunately, the future isn’t here yet, but that hasn’t stopped LEGO builder Isaac Wilder from adding some crazy machinery to the humble Winnebago. No way this thing is holding up traffic on the highway with that massive rocket on the back. It’s an authentic upgrade as well, rather than being a completely new build. We featured the original caravan nearly two years ago!

Hover-Bago

As fast as a mechanic snail

I love it when a really specific LEGO part gets used in an original way. The part I am talking about is the ‘Drone Charge Station’ disk from the Overwatch theme. To me, it is a piece that looks so specific it would be hard to imagine another use for it. For Isaac Wilder however this isn’t a limitation. Turning it into the home of a mechanic snail isn’t just smart, it is also cute as a button. Using minifigure spoons for eyes adds a lot to the cuteness factor. However, this still has me wondering if this cutie is as slow as its real-life counterparts.

Mechanical snail

Did someone say charcuterie board...

Some LEGO fan creations we feature over at TBB, consist of hundreds of different little parts. Some creations are a bit less part intensive, but that doesn’t mean they are less clever. This creation by Isaac Wilder. is a great example. Isaac is known for his brick-built vehicles but sometimes draws inspiration from different sources. This time the inspiration might have come from the egg part or it might have come from a very nice charcuterie board enjoyed with friends over the weekend. I think we can all agree that the use of green eggs for grapes is absolutely perfect. Pairing it with a great flavoursome cheese is no more than logical.

Grapes and cheese

Back when the future wasn’t quite so futuristic.

LEGO builder Isaac Wilder is known for retro automotive creations. But this time Isaac is bringing us a vision of the future – or, at least, the way the future was envisioned back when the cars he normally builds were new. Does that all make sense? Isaac’s hover car is all old-school curves up top, while the bottom is a gaggle of technological greebles keeping it aloft. And it’s getting gassed up by what looks like the love child of a Star Wars droid and a Radiator Springs gas pump. The full effect is a scene from a future we all remember, but haven’t quite reached, yet.

Refueling

Whether day or night, these vans are arockin’ so don’t come aknockin’!

My childhood self in the 70s and 80s saw plenty of elaborately painted street vans, a phenomenon that has been sadly lost to time. But LEGO vehicle builder Isaac Wilder has kept the beautiful dream alive with this retro pair of Dodge street vans. Here’s a fiery sunrise van that I can attest was a common theme back in the 70s. That front bumper is totally sick!

Dodge Street Van (Sun)

For emissions more nocturnal we have a dark moonlit Dodge street van counterpart. The magic of these is, without even mentioning it, one can imagine the plush shag interiors and the not-quite-lawful activities going on inside. Also the sticker on the rear window that declares; gas, grass, or ass nobody rides for free. While all three may be enticing, clicking the Isaac Wilder link is a free trip so give it a gander.

Dodge Street Van (Moon)

Tree of the dragon

Bonsai has been done in LEGO before but this wonderful take by Isaac Wilder gives it new life with this stunning dragon shape! At first glance this could just be another bonsai tree but closer inspection reveals it’s true nature. Isaac uses some fantastic techniques to create the dragon head shaping like the use of the rubber band to hold various bars to keep the organic design. And the simple transparent green stud blends in well while still serving as the eye. The base is the same as the official bonsai set so this will look right at home on any fantasy bookshelf!

Dracaena Marginata (Dragon Tree)

Isaac is a ray of Sunshine

Based on all of his LEGO creations we’ve seen lately it might be safe to assume that Isaac Wilder is having the best week ever! The dude is prolific, that’s for sure. Now, thanks to Isaac your day can be just a little brighter, too. Here’s a sunny little ’32 Coupe he calls Sunshine. You feel that? That’s your day getting just a little brighter. This might be the best thing I’ve seen all day and I’ve seen someone try to gas up a Tesla. Still not convinced? Then check out our archives to see why we think Isaac lights up our lives with sunshine.

'32 Ford Coupe "Sunshine" (slight changes)

A surfin’ rat rod suitable for Pooh

No, I didn’t resort to using kindergarten potty humor as inspiration for this title. That would be every last one of my other articles, except this one. Instead I’m talking about this slammed little LEGO surfin’ rat rod built by Isaac Wilder. He took inspiration from Jack Dick’s Surf Wagon. The stickers, now that’s where the Pooh reference comes from. They were pilfered from the Winnie the Pooh set that came out a few months back. Pretty sweet, right?

Surf Rat

Rusty rat rod ready to rumble

Are six-stud-wide LEGO cars considered historical vehicles yet? Builder Isaac Wilder. may find it hard to step away from this style but his execution definitely sets him apart from older Speed Champion sets. What the builder gives up in space for minifigures, he makes up in shaping and scale. Fantastic building techniques balanced through nice parts usage gives us a greebly, exposed engine suitable for such a reinvention of a hot rod. Its worn-down, rusty body is an aesthetic choice classifying it as a “rat rod” which is meant to show off the builder’s personality through the worn-down, rusty parts. The nicely executed transition to five-studs wide near the engine also helps give the hoses (used as the exhaust) a nice angle away from the body.

Rusty

The main thing I’m unsure of is the tires. There aren’t many examples of actual white-walled LEGO tires so most builders usually make their own by wedging parts together or pairing white wheels with black tires. Though it’s possible 1saac made his own, or that I couldn’t find these exact parts while writing, it is also possible these are from a diecast model that just happened to have tires that fit around the silver discs. Even if it isn’t a “purest” model, this is still quite a satisfying example of proper six-stud LEGO cars.