If there’s one scene that stands out from Stranger Things, this has got to be it. In a plot twist where one would have thought that the bicycles would take flight, instead we had a lovely surprise. With this, the Duffer Brothers wrote the 80s Chevy Van right into movie-making history books by making it fly in this epic escape scene. I’ve got to hand it to Andrea Lattanzio in showing that a great scene can be brought to life with the simplest builds, just with LEGO parts on hand.
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.
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
In American car culture, the rat rod has come to symbolize rugged individualism. You might think of it as the automotive equivalent of a cowboy. Over the course of seven months, Manuel Nascimento built a LEGO Ford Model A rat rod. Manuel’s Model A oozes personality, with its “rust brown” patina, chrome trim and chopped, lowriding body. His model captures the subtle curves and angles of the real car. I’m particularly impressed with how the sides slightly slant upward.
Manuel’s rat rod is as impressive mechanically as it is visually. The car is equipped with power functions motors for moving, steering, and the ability to raise and lower the rear. Because the engine is exposed, you can also see it in action. Manuel chose to highlight these features in the following video.
See this gorgeous Model A rat rod in action
The first pictures are available online for the new LEGO Batman 76116 Batman™ Batsub and the Underwater Clash set which is expected to be released early in 2019. Featuring 3 minifigures, Batman, Aquaman, and Ocean Master, a shark and a propelling Bat-Submarine shown taking a dive. A new change has the box art has dropped the Superheroes template that we’ve been used to and only shows the Batman insignia and the DC logo.
76116 Batman Batsub and the Underwater Clash
Click to see more images from the Batman set
When it comes to 1950s cars, the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is especially popular. Plenty of LEGO fans have made examples of this classic car, but few come with a personal story. Builder 1saac W. decided to build the 1957 Bel Air that his girlfriend’s father has owned since high school. The real car is being restored, so 1saac W. decided to build the car in its current state. By his own account, this is why his LEGO car lacks whitewall tires. The minfigure-scale Chevy looks superb, with curves in all the right places and some intricate-looking geometry forming the fins.
The gas pump makes for a nice prop and was inspired by an example built by Norton74. Finishing off the car is the grille’s beaming “smile.”
Pixeljunkie continues to delight with his series of LEGO cars. This time, he turned to the Brass Era with a tiny 1915 Ford Model T roadster pickup. The Model T was the car that made driving more accessible to the general public, and Pixeljunkie’s model is a sharp-looking replica that conceals an amazing feature.
The thing that makes his car especially impressive is the incorporation of a working folding top. A stop-motion video showcases how smooth this feature is.
Just like his 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air, Pixeljunkie documents his Model T as if it were a restoration. Over the past few weeks, he has teased us with images leading up to the finished product. It all started with this group of mechanics carefully looking over a set of plans. Look carefully, and you’ll notice the one minifigure has a Ford tattoo on his arm. You might say it is a “FORDshadowing” of things to come!
Click to see the amazing photos documenting this car’s build in a brick-built mechanic’s shop
Post-Apocalypse or “ApocaLEGO” is a LEGO building theme which can see more dull brown and grey creations than the most boilerplate of steampunk. Here’s a glorious exception to the rule by Rat Dude: an imaginative take on the genre which sees enterprising survivors build a moveable dwelling out of transport containers and a truck — like some mobile version of the stacks from Ready Player One. Revelling in its central idea, this model is gloriously detailed, festooned with every likely requirement of the wasteland warrior catered for — solar power, fresh water, air con, a vegetable garden, and even an outhouse for the effective disposal of waste!
This thing is well worth a closer look, and the builder has provided some imagery of various angles. Great attention to detail on the model — just look at all the little touches that have been crammed into it. This layer upon layer of detail has created an engaging model within a building theme that usually leaves me cold. I can’t imagine a better ride in which to tour our dystopian future.
This skillfully built pod by Anthony Wilson combines Technic panels with system elements to create a stylish vehicle that would look equally at home deep underwater, as it would in space. One of my favorite details is the gently curving collection of steering handlebars peeking out behind the cockpit. Bright colored trim and tubes also lend a Tron vibe to this single pilot pod. And speaking of pilots, I tip my hat to Anthony for the excellent condition of his Technic figure which is 20 years old, but looks like he’s fresh off the assembly line.
2018 has been a big year for the LEGO Technic Bugatti Chiron. While the Chiron represents modern elegance, the Bugatti name has been associated with opulent luxury since 1909. One of the most coveted Bugatti automobiles is the Type 41 Royale, with only seven examples having been built between 1927 and 1933. ER0L has taken the Royale, shrinking it down into an adorable LEGO model. Erol has successfully captured the incredible length of the real vehicle, along with the iconic two-tone Bugatti color scheme. This particular version is the Coupe Deville with coachwork by Binder. During World War II, it was hidden in the sewers of Paris to escape confiscation by Nazi Germany.
Described as the “biggest, baddest, most bulbous speeder bike”, by builder David Roberts, the Turbinia certainly lives up to its name. I’ve admired David’s work for a long time now, especially the way he mixes his humorous narratives with the knowledge of an engineering graduate. In this case the turbine element creates both the quirky nautilus-like shape of the vehicle, as well as hinting at the real-life mechanics of a centrifugal processor. Whichever way you look at it, this colourful model is a whole heap of gyroscopic fun.
We’ve seen our fair share of LEGO Transformers models (notably the collection of brick-built robots by Alex Jones and Joachim Klang). But here’s a smart little version of Bumblebee in his Camaro iteration by Jerry Builds Bricks. The model is a neat design — not only does the car look sleek and smooth, it transforms into the robot without the addition of any more parts. I particularly like the use of the textured Technic part for Bumblebee’s face — it adds a level of detail beyond what you might expect at this scale.
