Lost_In_Noise

8467 Future Car was released in 1997, contains 419 pieces, and features full suspension, two-point steering and a 4-cylinder engine powered by a rear differential. It was $50 on release, and I paid about $35 for mine. This set comes with a set of 2995 tires, which are the same ones seen in 8858, 8459, 8439, 8465, and 8829. This set is the only one to have a red engine crankshaft center piece, and rust colored piston and crankshaft pieces. The steering uses HOG via a flex cable system. Also, one of the first to have the trans cylinder element. We start off with the basic frame. To attach the wheelhubs, Long towball plates are used. A long axle with flex parts controls the steering, and leads to the HOG. The leftermost 12T bevel gear will lead to the steering wheel, and the right to the HOG. FInally, the flex system parts is placed on the front end, and attached to the crankshaft piece with a bush. The rear end of the car is made on its own, before it's placed on the back of the chassis. The HOG gear is placed on the top. A yellow thin liftarm 5 secured the steering rack, and a "Steering Arm Small" is fastened on each side. Tis axle will connect the differential to the engine in the next step. It holds a 16T and a 24T crown gear, giving a final drive ratio of 1: 1,5. The steering wheel is connected to the HOG, and the dashboard is comprised of white thin liftarms. The top of the mullion holds some yellow pin connectors which will be used to attach the engine. The rear differential sits on a double-bent liftarm, which connects to a shock absorber. A series of 16T gears then leads it to the main driveshaft, and another DB beam fixes it in place. Both axles and shock absorbers in place. The 8T gear serves no purpose. Some reinforcing liftarms on the sides. Now some seats. There are some very nice looking seats in this set. So nice in fact, that they resemble the seats of 8448 and 8880. Placed on the chassis: Now for the engine. A 4-cylinder V for this model. The engine compartment is made old-style with bricks. After the engine is placed, the rear body is made as a separate structure. The flex axles makes some nice curves here. The same goes for the windshield. Finished. Doors opened: And Bonnet: Comparison with the 8829 and 8048. I think this is a great looking set, although it's somewhat odd to have the same tire dimensions in front and back. It's more sturdy than the 8048, and actually managed to fall off my building table without anything breaking . The red cylinder heads are a nice touch, as well as the overall blue colour scheme. Thanks for watching/reading . For bigger pics, check my BrickShelf If you have any questions, just ask.

8860 Car Chassis was the second Technic/Expert Builder Car Chassis to be released. In 1980, three years after the original Auto Chassis, this ultimate model had suspension (gasp!), an engine and reclining seats. The average BrickLink price nowadays is about $90, I think I paid 60 for mine. The original retail price was $59, 10 dollar less than the 858 Auto Engines set. The engine was the first Technic engine to be rear mounted. It has two models, this and a dragster. The instruction booklet is of the really old type, with the "happy kid playing" picture and an explanation of what this really is: After the first 7(!) introduction pages, you will find the start of the set's instructions. The Parts This set has four of the early foam tires and rims. These were used primarily in the bigger Technic/Expert Builder sets of their early age, until they were phased out in 1989 with the 8862 Backhoe set. A notable non-Technic part of this era is the 2 x 2 Turntable, which is aiding the steering of this model. A total of 29 gears vs 668 pieces is not bad at all. This was the first Technic set to include a Differential, so the rear tires doesn't skid when turning. Also, it was the first to include Shock Absorbers Fun-fact: The 1/2 bush wasn't introduced yet, so it made this build somewhat bulky. The only axles which are connected are the ones in the differential, because the Axle and Pin Connector Toggle Joint Toothed wasn't availible until 1982. A model: Car Chassis This build starts with the adjustable seats, which recline and slides on some axles. This is a function which has been abandoned by the Technic designers, allowing them to focus more on mechanical functions. Note that everything is assembled with frictionless pins, because the black ones with friction weren't made until 1981. Here's the start of the build, with the differential on the base of the rear axle. Next the main part of the chassis is made primarily out of bricks. Then the two parts are put together like this: Note the 4 gear racks, which will be used later. Here you can see how the two parts of the chassis is reinforced by vertical bricks. This technique is widely used in the studless era. The steering rack uses the 2 x 2 Turntable, as mentioned earlier. The yellow bricks in the back is the support for the engine. Now for the driveshaft, which has three output gears; a 24T, 16T and 8T. The 14T spur gear meshes with the rear differential. This is what the steering setup looks like: The steering rack is placed along with the driveshaft. The three 8T gears will align with the gearbox made next. Finished gearbox. You can see how the gear shift takes place. 1st: 24:8=1:3 ratio 2nd: 16:16=1:1 ratio 3rd: 8:24=3:1 ratio Here you can see how is meshes with the driveshaft: When the shift stick is placed, it is locked by this brick. If you remove one of the three bushes, you will be able to shift to third gear. This is used with motorizing the car, but I wanted to keep it anyways. The engine is a 4-cylinder boxer, which is made of bricks. For more details about this engine, see my other 858 Auto Engines review. The crankshaft is made using the offset axle holes of 3 24t gears. Here is the support for the steering column. The steering is mostly finished by adding these plates and bricks. And the support for the shock absorbers. The spark plugs are also placed on top of the engine. In the second-to-last step, the fuel lines are connected to the distributor, the shock absorbers are placed, and the steering wheel is mounted on the dashboard. The car chassis is nearly complete. Still remember the seats? Now it's time to place them, along with the wheels to finish the model. Finished! Features Steering: Moving and reclining seats: Engine: Rear suspension: As you can see, the suspension is only hinged in one angle, causing the wheels to lean inwards when the springs are compressed. This would be fixed in the next model: 8865 Test Car. Comparison with 8880 Super Car: 8448 Super Street Sensation: 8070 Super Car: B model: Dragster The B-model doesn't have any piece call-outs, so you'll have to pay close attention to the instructions. This is step 3, and you can see the steering axle in the front. The support for the steering column is already in place. The driveshaft has a 14T spur gear on it, which meshes with the rear differential. No real drag racers has one, because it would have hindered the rear wheels from spinning. The driveshaft is routed around the steering column with some 8T gears. The final drive ratio is 2:1 for this model. The steering column is fixed in place, and the support for the driver's seat is made. Now the driver's seat is finished, and some mudguards are next. The engine is this model is a flat 4-cylinder boxer. The only difference from the main model's design is the cooling radiators for the distributor. The distributor itself cannot be seen. It's placed together with the front axle. The build is finished with the front wheel(hubs) and the gear rack for steering. Features Turning: Moving engine: Comparison 8847: 8205: 2129: The verdict This is an excellent set, filling the gap between 853 Car Chassis and 8865 Test Car. The mechanics work well, although the gear change is somewhat sluggish. The specialized pieces introduced in 1994 would change this, allowing for a synchronized gearbox. The main pro with this set is that you could make any body for it at your heart's desire, unlike the Test Car. The B-model is also well done, but I would like it better if it had made better use of the pieces. More than 200 (30%) parts are left after finishing the alternate build. This set taught me how a differential works. A must-have for any Technic car collector! Thanks for reading/looking, as always, pics are availible @ BrickShelf.

8865 was released in 1988 as the biggest Technic/Expert Builder set until that date. With 900 pieces, it included double wishbone suspension for all four wheels, a rear mounted v 4 engine powered by a differential, a 3 speed gearbox and popup headlights. This was also the first Technic set to bear the name "Car", since the previous sets had only been variants of the same chassis. The shape of the body is made by using pinned technic bricks at various angles, made possible by use of the new "pins with friction". It was the first set to include suspension on a steered axle, made possible with the new parts. The box The box is your average early Technic kind, with flip-top showing parts. There is also some pictures explaining the workings of the main model, and the alternate on the back. The parts This set introduced several new Technic elements which were to help making those sets stand out in a crowd. Anyone who has seen or built the successor, 8880, knows that hinges were essential to the shaping of a decent body. While this is merely a test car, the hinges are only used to create some nice seats. This was the first set to include specialized Technic pieces,other than bricks, bushes and axles: Wheelhubs Steering arms Steering links Ball joints Steering wheel Toggle joints Also, perhaps the most noteable improved parts of this set: the half-bush, and pin with friction ridges lenghtwise without center slots. Too much friction in fact. Numerous people complained to Lego about these new pins damaging their pieces. This led to the replacement "pin with friction ridges lenghtwise WITH center slots" being made. This didn't have the strong clutch power of the previous, thus, it was far easier to dismantle. I will be replacing all the old ones for this review. The axles were previously only to get in even lenghts. This would change in this set, because it was needed to get the steered, sprung front axle to work right. Only a 3 axle so far though. The wheels and rims are the same as the previous Car Chassis, only in an unusual color. This is the only set to have these in white. No new gears were included in this set, only 8T, 14T, 16T, 24T, a differential and some 1 x 4 gear racks. The instructions The usual "how to assemble" page: This is the set with most pieces per part ratio. The first step requires 35 pieces alone. 24 steps for the 900 parts gives an average of 37 parts per step. This is a shot of the notorious engine assembly, requiring 144 pieces alone. No parts callout is given for the alternate model, common in early Technic sets. Well, on with the building, starting with: A model: Test Car The main model is built from the bottom and upwards, common in the early sets. This is the frame of the chassis at step 2. The steering arms with support for the wheels are placed. Each layer of the chassis is reinforced by plates. The base is nearly complete. The axle which runs to the front will operate the front lights. A differential is placed in the center of the rear axle. Next is creating the driveshaft, with a 14T spur gear at the end which meshes with the differential. Some Universal joints are fixed at the end of the axles running from the differential. This allows the rear wheelbase to move without bending the driven axle. The suspension uses two springs per wheel, sufficient for the weight of the final vehicle. They are fitted to the lower arm of the wishbone setup. A custom steering rack is made by joining two 1 x 6 Technic plates with a towball axle and a link on each side. The seats bases are also placed. Here is the complete steering rack setup. The axle that drives it has a 1:2 gear reduction. The 12 axle is passed all the way through the rear wheelbase, connecting the springs and swingarms. Some custom made wheelhubs using Technic bricks and pins. The lever for the gearbox is placed. It has a 16T gear and a 24T on it. The Steering arms are used for the front wheelhubs, with an axle with towball connected to them. The front wheelbase is finished, and the gearbox is complete. It uses printed tiles rather than stickers. Yey! Now if it'd only been synchronized... The headlights are mounted on an axle wich has an axle connector at the end. They are placed on the chassis, and the axle with the red cone on it will operate the lights. Here is a front view of the lights with connectors. This is how they work: Now for the engine. This is the first Technic V-engine. It uses the old square piston heads, and a custom made cylinders. The trans-red bricks gives it a nice finishing touch. You can see more of this building process by reading my 858 Auto Engines review. The engine completes the transmission. Here is a cycle, showing the gear change. 1st: 1: 1,5 2nd: 1 : 2 3rd: 1,5 : 1 And neutral: From the other side, showing the driveshaft: In the next few steps the body of the car is made, using primarily pinned liftarms at various angles. The front grille is made of plates. A simple callout for 73 parts forms the front and dash. Now the model is nearly complete, missing seats and windshield. The seats are a bit cheaper than 8860's, missing the reclining mechanism with gears. In stead, they use hinge plates. The headlights are covered with plates, conceiling them when not in use. Some long Technic bricks finishes the windshield, and the wheels are placed, finishing the model. Features Steering with steering wheel. No HOG on this model: Changing gears: Pop-up lights: Reclining seats: Engine drive by rear differential: The double wishbone suspension is a major upgrade from its predecessor. The wheels will maintain the same angle no matter which state of compression the suspension is in. Comparison 8860, 8880, 8448, 8070 B model: Jeep This build starts with the front axle, which is steered and suspended the same way as the main model. The steering rack is a bit smaller. This model also uses double wishbone suspension for the front axle. Now the chassis is mostly finished. The red/blue levers doesn't have any function, besides aesthetics. The axle for the steering wheel uses two Universal Joints. Three 16T gears makes the wheels turn the same way at the steering wheel. A vertical 16L brick locks the parts together, before the dash is made. The car is nearly complete, all that's missing is hood, mudguards and the rear axle. The rear axle uses the same setup as the main model. These four elements are created separately, then joined to form the rear axle. It's mounted in a pendular matter, rather than the double wishbone. It only uses two of the remaining shock absorbers. From the rear you can see how the differential meshes with a 16T gear. This is used in the motorization of the car. The light grey vertical long bricks are mounts for the motor. The seats in this alternate is made the same way as the main model, only they don't retract or anything. The jeep is finished! Features: Suspension: Differential: Steering: Comparison: 8820: 8816: 8066: The verdict This set is what Technic evolution is all about. It clearly shows the advantages of the new availible parts, along with the cons of the soon-to-be phased out parts. Namely, the huge unsynchronized gearbox and engine. The next model would have new parts which would save some space for those functions. Although the body is almost non-existent, it was a dramatic change in the "car chassis" models. This sparked the interest of creating a truly sculpted car for the successor. The build process is a challenging one, at least for the targeted 11 year olds, as this set came with a very short instruction, and even worse for the alternate model. Thanks for reading. Questions and comments are always welcome!

It is to there to make the chassis stiffer. The axle connector hadn't been introduced yet, so universal connector is what they used.

8450 The mission was released in 1999, and contains 643 pieces. Although it was originally intended as an expansion set for the cybermaster series, it is mostly listed as a Technic set. Being part of the cybermaster, it is also the biggest set by far in the Competition subtheme. It was 60$ on release, and I ended up paying $300 for mine MISB. I have no idea what it's worth, because it's been such a long time since I saw any for sale. The box The box is of a theme similar to the 8448 and 8458 sets, with silver/grey and yellow colors. The front shows the main model, and the flip-top lid unveils the disc needed to see the instructions, as well as the features of the plane. The weird-looking guy in the upper picture is commander Jack. The boss tells him to get ready for his new, dangerous mission. I'm scared already. It takes me a while to dare to open the box. Once opened, the box has a plastic inlay which holds the disc with instructions. Here you can see all the brochures and various papers included. Maybe this was the reason for the lack of paper instructions. There is a value coupon, a 1999 service catalog with part numbers, a mindstorms booklet which presents all the sets of the year, and TWO sticker sheets. The instructions Well, what can I say. The main reason why I got into Technic was to get away from the computer. Then this happens. Not only are the instructions supplied on a compact disc which can only be run on a win98 machine, they are also with tiny, tiny steps just to make you watch the animated menu. 376(!) steps for the main model, and 195 for the alternate. I figured some people may get frustrated(like me) over this, so I've uploaded the whole instruction set to my Brickshelf folder. Additionally, when I was building this set I found a lot of errors in the instructions, misaligned pieces, wrongly oriented connectors and so forth. Even wrong pieces were rendered. Therefore I had to pay extra attention when building this set. Still, there is a small booklet included which contains axle measures and an introduction to the software. The parts The parts come in nicely numbered bags from 0-10. Once opened, these parts stand out from the rest of the friction pins, beams, axles and bricks: There is a dampened spring included. This is a 1 x 11 link in black. Only seen in this set, it fetches 2$. A lot of Dark Turqoise parts are seen here, and most of them are also featured in the other CyberMaster and ROBOLAB sets. This is a Technic Ball Joint 2 x 7 with 2 Ball Joints, which only comes in this Technic set. It is mostly seen in the Competition range. Tubes and flex axles helps forming the lines of the plane, and the 19L axles seen at the far right are unique to this set. If you're looking to buy some, they come at 15$ a piece. Probably one of the rarest parts availible. Okay, that's it for the parts. Moving on to the build, starting with... A model: The Mission The main model has four sub-assemblies which are combined into a big plane. The build starts with the front canopy, which is not a particularly interesting build. The yellow double pins in the back is for connecting it to the rest of the aircraft later. The Technic slope/wing is stickered with some handrests with controls. The canopy is made with axles and connectors. It has some stickered instrument panel in the roof. Two big panels are used to close up the sides. Now for the main part of the fuselage. The links are used to synchronize the landing gear. The landing gear is powered by a damped spring. Next is the mount for the canopy. You can see where the yellow double pins will fit. A set of 4 16T gears transfers the drive from the spring driven axle and forwards. The yellow thin liftarm with the axle and bush pushes the damped spring so that it expands and turns the two 16T gears.Here is the completed landing gear assembly. The wheels turn against eachother into the hull. The damped spring is nearly invisible when the landing gear is retracted. Some aesthetic details on the main bodyusing flex axles and ribbed hoses improves the models look. The rear wing is made of axle connectors and regular axles. Another part finished. The only thing remaining are the wings. The engine rotates freely in a rack which also supports the wing. The engine is hidden away behind a panel with a sticker showing the fuel intake and other features. The left wing is made the same way. This plane has several attachments; a winch, a drill, a bomb dropper and a claw. The bomb release mechanism works by turning the lever, which returns to its original position with aid of the rubber band. Next is the grab arm, drill and winch. The arm makes extensive use of the bionicle pieces to achieve full freedom of movement in all directions. The claw closes by use of 2 rubber bands. The drill is a worm gear on an axle driven by a knob. The winch is operated by cranking the yellow axle and pin connector, and the rubber band provides stopping power. The last thing to be done is combining all the different chassis parts into the finished plane. The finished model is a beauty! Features Opening canopy, which fits a technic figure. The wings are synchronized with the landing gear. This plane lands like a harrier. The different attachments can be mounted on the front of the plane: Winch Dropping bombs Drill and claw The claw is capable of lifting the 8209 Future F1, weighing 72 grams. Comparison 9394 Jet Plane: 8855 Prop Plane: 8480 Space Shuttle: B model: Chopper The chopper in this set consists of two smaller builds, which are combined near the end similar to the main model. We start with the bottom. An axle with two 3L axle and pin connectors runs through the centre. The landing wheels are placed, and a rubber band provides suspension. The canopy is made of axles and connectors like the main model. Sadly, it does not open. First part of the assembly is complete. The yellow Double pin allows it to be attached to the body later. The rear base starts with the input axle for the main prop. It has a 12T bevel gear on it. Next is the retractable landing gear, driven by a dampened spring. A set of cams pushes the spring so that it expands. Here is a pic of the function. As the axle with the cams pushes the spring away, it expands, turning the 4 16T gears. This assembly extends the prop driveshaft, and adds another connecting point for the canopy. The propeller itself is made of axle connectors and flex axles. Now that the rear part of the model is completed, we can join the two pieces. This is a very odd looking chopper. It has wheels in the front, but the claw in the back prohibits it from rolling. Features Turning either of the yellow knobs rotates the main propeller. Pushing the dampened spring activates the grabbing arm. The arm is very strong, and was able to lift this 8294 Excavator. It weighs about 1 kg. It is minifig compatible, and seats one in the cocpit. When he's tired of flying, he can disconnect the cabin, and drive around the area. The buggy has suspension, but no steering. Comparison 8068 Rescue Helicopter: 8412 Nighthawk: Conclusion As strange as it may look and function, this is my new favourite plane. It's swooshable, even by a kid's standards, and the various attachments makes for a nice selection of playing scenarios. A big bonus is that the landing gear works by a push of a button. The ability to seat a Technic minifig is always nice to see, and the attachments are a nice touch. I know this is suppose to fit in with the Cybermaster sets, but since I don't have any I'll just have to compare this to the other planes I have. I'm a bit puzzled by the bomb dropping feature, since Lego toys are almost never violent, except when it fits the certain theme. From a innovating perspective, the building is also an interesting one, making separate assemblies and combining them in the end. This is fairly common nowadays, but when this set came out, it wasn't. Too bad I can't say the same about the instructions. For the alternate model, it could have been its own set. Diving in and grabbing something with the claw is great fun, especially since it is able to lift something big. Comparing the looks to other Technic planes, this is definately one of the better looking of the bunch. Overall, it stands nicely out in my collection with the black/green/yellow color scheme. The functions aren't all that special, but the tilting rotors are better executed than the 8434 Aircraft. Overall you can say that these two sets are pretty much alike, but this one is better. Get it if you can. You wont regret it. Hope you enjoyed the read. As always, source pics are here. The instructions can also be found there. Look in the "misc" folder, you will find the pics and a PDF for the booklet and one for the instructions.

My 8466 currently looks like this, and the suspension is virtually non-functional. I bought it second-hand, but I've seen others mention this problem. It can either be that the springs are underdimensioned for the car, or that they have weared over time. To test this, I've decided to buy some new springs to tend to the problem. With these springs: The set originally contains 4 x "Technic, Shock Absorber 9.5L, Complete Assembly (Hard Spring)" (part no 2909c02), but I wanted to change it to four of these from the Unimog: "Technic, Shock Absorber 9.5L, Complete Assembly (Extra Hard Spring)" I've just ordered them yesterday, and will let you know as soon as they arrive with pics of the car. Here is some pics of the model per today: The main issue: Normal state of display: Front springs compressed, without any pressure applied: Front spring position (neutral) After a small bump: Rear spring position: After some pressure added, they return to this state: The chassis is lowered approximately three studs, and doesn't come back up. I'm hoping the new springs will fix this issue.

After being introduced to the wonder that is the Lego pneumatic system with sets like 8862 Backhoe, Universal Pneumatic Set and the Power Crane, this set raised the bar even further. 8868 was released in 1992 as the biggest set to that date.It was literally packed with pneumatics, featuring an electric air pump(no, the Unimog wasn't the first one to have this), working rotating claw with operator's cabin, and an engine of course. More on this in the conclusion of the review. It was 140$ on release according to Brickset, I paid 100$ for mine in excellent condition with box. The average used price on Bricklink is 100 as well. The box The box is the same size as last years 9397 Logging Truck, and the 8880 Super Car. The front shows the main model, along with an explanation of how the compressor works. The back shows the secondary model, which works along the ways of 8479 Bar Code Multi Sets main model. If you look at the bottom left image, the different steering angles for the front axles is indicated. The inside shows the rest of the features of the main model, along with a schematic outline of the pneumatic circuit. The parts This was the first Technic set to include a motor and a battery box, other than the 9V Motor set and the Set=8064-1'>Universal Motor set from 1990. The Electric Plate is also present in this set. It was only seen in this and the Space Shuttle. The tires is this set are the old 20x30 solid ones, and this is the only set that has got 6 of them. They sit on 20x30 rims. There are quite a few sets from the early days of Technic that uses these wheels, including 8862 Backhe Grader and 8848 Power Truck/Unimog. Nearly all of the pneumatic parts in this set are new this year; the smaller cylinder and the pump are all introduced with this set. The only common part, set aside the tubing and t-pieces, is the switch and the Pneumatic cylinder(pump). The turntable was present in no less than 4 sets this year, being a major improvement to its predecessor. There is also two differentials, and a Steering pulley to drive the compressor. A weight brick is also provided, only seen in one other (Technic) set, the 8862 Backhoe. It weighs 55 grams. These are Technic cylinders. They only serve aesthetic purposes in this set, but it is possible to upgrade the set with Air Tanks, availible as of 2008 with the 9641 Pneumatics Add-On Set. I didn't bother, because it'll cost me nearly 100 Euros. You can buy the tanks separately on Bricklink for about 7 Euros each. Last, but not least, the triangle was introduced this year to the family of thin liftarms. Well, on with building, starting with A model: Claw Rig The main model starts with the bottom of the chassis. The driveshaft connects with both the rear differentials. In a 6-wheeled vehicle, both rear axles needs a differential, since they turn at different speed through a sweeping turn. The diffs are mounted opposite ways, because of the connecting axle inbetween. Each diff holds 3 14t spur gears. Two universal joints are used to extend the driveshaft to the front. Axle connectors hadn't been invented yet. Here you can see the gears for the engine(24T), and the input axle for the steering(8T). It's time to start with pneumatics. The first two cylinders rotates the crane assembly. The inlet of the first is routed to the outlet of the other, making them turn in the opposite direction of each other. Still with me? I've labeled all the hoses to remember what color they are in the instructions. The next step will make it all easier. Ta-dah! That black brick holds all the hoses in the right place, no more need of marking each one. The transparent tubing is the heart of the system, and runs to all the switches soon to be placed. Here is a wonderful mechanic for you. The turntable in this model is actually pneumatic driven. As the two cylinders retract/expand, they push two gear racks which, in turn, rotates the center axle of the turntable. The switches are currently only held in place by the tubing underneath them. Some support will be built soon. The hoses are carefully routed through the turntable. Further ahead you can see how the switches are held in place by modified plates. A fake air tank is placed on each side. The transparent hose is the inlet hose for the pneumatic system. The frame for the crane is built as a separate unit, then placed on the turntable. The big black brick in the back(left) is the counterweight. When the crane chassis is placed, it's locked by a passing 12L axle, which goes through the axle and pin connector in the center of the turntable. It was hard to get a pic of this, so I had to up the contrast a bit. The crane is starting to take shape. You can see the operators seat in the back, and the electric motor contacts (black 2x4 plate) along with the inlet hose in the front. The operator's cabin is complete, and the compressor is taking shape. Now the compressor is complete. The Universal Joint to the left leads to the HOG steering. Nearly finished now, with the engine compartment and windshield forming. The crane boom is almost its full length. Rigid hoses with clips extends the tubing to the end. A V6 engine is fitted in the front boot, and the final piece of the boom is added. The claw utilizes a small cylinder to work. The sleeping unit of the cab is made out of bricks, and will also house the battery box later. Speaking of battery box, here it is. The roof has been completed with a HOG light, signal horns and exhaust pipes. The finished model looks stunning, and the functions work well too: 1) Mechanical 1: The two rear differentials drive the engine with fan. 2) Mechanical 2: Turning the trans-yellow HOG steers the truck. 3) Mechanical 3: Turning on the battery box drives the motor, and the compressor. 4) Pneumatic 1: Raising/lowering 1st arm section. 5) Pneumatic 2: Raising/lowering 2nd section of arm. 6) Pneumatic 3: Slewing by pushing the two gear racks underneath the turntable. 7) Pneumatic 4: Opening/closing claw. When the crane is not in used, it can grab the rear bumper like this: For additional playability, the truck is Technic fig compatible, and allows two in the cocpit and one in the crane. While testing it's strenght, I ended up grabbing a 8067 Mini Mobile Crane which it was able to lift, and stretch out. What amazing strenght! According to Brickset, the crane weighs 0,48 kgs. That's it for the features, now let's take a look at the size, compared to 8446 Crane Truck: 8436 Truck: That's it for the main model, moving on to the alternate: B-model: Materials Handler The secondary model also starts at the bottom, but it doesn't use the differential, making the drivetrain much simpler. The first cylinder is controlled by a switch at the right side. When I built this model, I realized how you have to cut the original tubing to fit. Glad I got some spare tubing from a previous order. Unfortunately this means the B-models trans tubing will be (mostly) of the grey kind. The white thin liftarms here will attached to the rear axle later on. An electrical extension wire runs all the way along the chassis. The compressor is made by using both rubber bands from the half-bush on the motor to a pulley wheel. An engine crankshaft piece is then fixed to the pulley, giving the pneumatic pump an input stroke of 1 stud . Next is attaching the cylinders for the front boom's elevation. The rear end of the chassis is locked by two vertical bricks, and the 4 smooth grey 1x2 plates are positioned where the steering racks will go. I know this image looks confusing, but the main part is quite simple; The grey tubing connects to the compressor, and provides input to the two switches. The black tubes connects all the cylinders to their respective outputs. Custom steering hubs are made for the two steered front axles. The rear end of the chassis is reinforced by bricks, and the steering rack is finished. Because the 2nd axle's connection point is further from the wheelhub, is turns at a lower angle. This contraption is attached to the control axle of the front pneumatic switch. It makes the switch turn when the motor has driven the mechanism to the end. The front is reinforced by multiple vertical bricks. The vertical axle serves as a HOG. The second long pneumatic hose will retract the front cylinders. Rather than having two "air tanks", this model combines four elements into one bigger, situated behind the drivers cabin. The bed is nearly finished, and you can see the battery box where the sleep cabin normally would be. Cab finished, moving on to the arm. The arm works similar to that of 8479 Barcode Multi-Set. The claw is very simple, like the one of the main model. Two axles are joined with a set of 14T bevel gears, with an intermeshing 14T gear on each side. The claw's teeth are fixed at an angle on each axle. As either one of the axles turns, the claw is closed. All done! The only feature is grabbing somehing, and tossing it in the bed, which doesn't tilt. This would be fixed in the next model, the 8479. Comparison 8479: 8110: The verdict The main model works fantastic, looks almost like a real truck, and is as solid as a brick. The pneumatic functions are a joy to use, and this remains as my most played-with set to date. The only thing I missed was the in-cab steering wheel, but I don't think there would be any room for it. The secondary model is somewhat of a letdown. It takes a lot of time to build, but doesn't have an engine, and lacks the number of functions the main model has. Still, it is a good looking truck, and the 4 wheel steering is a nice touch. Too bad you'll have to cut the tubing twice to make both models, but maybe pneumatic tubing was cheaper in 1992. What a fantastic way of demonstrating the possibilities of the Lego pneumatic system! All the features are used in these two models, utilizing piston expansion as well as contraction to power different functions. The way the main models compressor is made is widely used by todays AFOLs. This set ranks among my top 10, and is certainly worth the 100 bucks I paid. I would even say it would be worth an Unimog on its own! Thanks for reading/watching pics. As always, big pics are availible @ Brickshelf.

Me too, keep us posted!

8455 Backhoe was released in 2003, contains 704 pieces, and features steering via HOG inline 3-cylinder engine driven by rear differential, and a lot of pneumatics. A total of 10 cylinders powers the outriggers, lifting/tilting of the front bucket, and operation of the rear bucket. The sets is considered one of the best by AFOLs, and I agree for the most part. More on pros and cons in the conclusion of this review. The average Bricklink price is about 150 Euros, making it one of the most expensive Technic sets to buy second-hand. I paid about 130 Euro for mine, and it arrived in pristine condition with near-mint instructions and a nice box. Original retail was 80 Euros. The box The box itself is nothing too special, the front has a "Pneumatic" logo on it. The back shows the alternate model, a Wheel Loader, along with the functions of the backhoe. The parts The set rests on a pair of 81,6 x 38R tires and some 56 x 30's. Some 9L links helps with the pushrod steering. The Big Digger bucket was last seen in last years 8069, and 8043 A 4 x 4 x 9 Digger Bucket is used for the back scoop, same as the 8069. A total of 7 pneumatic switches are present in this set, along with 2 pumps and 10 cylinders. 13 T-pieces connects the maze of pneumatic tubing, which is 601 studs long. Not a lot of gears, but that really doesn't matter much in this set. An Old style differential drives the engine from the rear axle. Main model: Backhoe The build starts with the rear end of the chassis. The pneumatic cylinders for the outriggers are placed on the sides. The outriggers "feet" are made of thin triangle liftarms. They are attached with frictionless pins, and capable of lifting the finished model. Next is the pushrod steering mechanism. The front wheels aren't driven, but attached with frictionless pins. The rear boom is pivoted by a pneumatic cylinder, hinged on the vertical axle. The cylinders for retracting/extending the outriggers are connected to a single inlet. This makes them move simultaneously. The first switch controls the boom's pivot. The second raises and lowers the first section. A set of knobwheels and a 12T DB gear transfers motion from the HOG axle to the steering setup. The last switch in the back controls the rear boom's luffing/scooping mechanism. A set of 40cm tubes runs from it. Here you can see how the pushrod steering works. The knobwheel is connected to a set of 3L thin liftarms with a "Pin with towball". The rear wheelarch comes into place before the tubing for the pumps is fitted. This setup directs airflow from the pumps to the pneumatic switches. The two pumps powers all the functions. Here it is in place. The four black long hoses are for the rear boom operation. The pneumatic pumps are a part of the cocpits frame, making it convenient to operate the backhoe. Two pumps providing input makes the machine operate very fast. The top switch controls the outriggers. All switches has a toggle joint attached which makes them easier to operate. The differential sits a bit off-center, another pneumatic switch controls the scoop elevation. The inline 3-cylinder engine uses the Trans-Clear cylinders. These black hoses will operate the front bucket. This final knobwheel is the last link in the steering chain. Here you can see the three knobwheels pushing the links in opposite directions for the steering. The final pneumatic switch is placed to control the front boom lift. The cabin is finished. Note that the beam with lights is not connected to the sides. The right section of the front boom is made of liftarms, and lifted by a pneumatic cylinder. The second cylinder tilts the bucket. The mechanism for tilting is hinged with a crankshaft, which offsets the motion by a half stud. Now the front is finished, all that's missing is the scoop. And wheels, before the rear boom. The hoses are carefully routed with perpendicular axle connectors. Now the pneumatic circuit is complete, all that's left is adding the scoop. Finished! Features Lifting boom Tipping load The pneumatic system causes these features to be synchronized, so you can lower the bucket while keeping it level to the ground. Rear arm, and bucket movement. The rear arm swings approx. 165 degrees. The outriggers are quite powerful, and certainly capable of lifting the rear off the ground about 2 studs. Comparison 8862: 8069: Secondary model: Wheel loader This model starts with the drivetrain, which is similar to the main model. The engine setup is also the same; a straight-three. The steering is the same as the main model. A gear rack leads to the HOG. The back end, which usually has a counterweight, is made as a separate element, before it is placed on the chassis. The wheelhubs are made the same way as the main model, only situated in the back. Front loaders are unable to use the front wheels for turning, since they suffer from too much load for the servos. Some panels finishes the rear. A view from the front. Note the yellow bent liftarms in the back. Those acts as handlers for the pneumatic pumps. The boom support also has the front axle with a differential in it. The engine is quite fast, the final drive ratio with this configuration totals to 1:5,4. (Thanks Sariel) The front wheelhubs are made mostly the same way as the main model. They are the last mechanical part to be added before the pneumatic galore starts again. Ah, this reminds me of 8868, sheer pneumatic madness:-) The cocpit is made as two separate sides. The boom is made a a separate unit. Boom and bucket placed. routing the hoses takes about 5 minutes:S Placing the final switches finishes the model. Features 1) raising/lowering boom is notably slower than the main model, since only one cylinder is used per function. Also, the the pumps seems to strain more. 2) bucket tilt The buckets tilt to an extreme this way, dispersing of any contents. 3) boom extension 4) boom extension 2 Of course, all functions can be run at the same time, since they use different cylinders. You can raise, extend and tilt in one continous motion. It takes roughly five pushes on the pumps to go from the two extremes. Comparison 8265: 8828: 8235: Verdict Forget the 8880, forget the 8460, forget the Unimog! This is as good as it gets. The way it looks and works is unprecedented in any other set I've got my hands on. Eight different functions with just 700 pieces is a great achievement by the Technic team. Don't let the hefty price scary you off. If you can afford it, quickly get one and stop reading right now. As always, big pictures will be made public @BrickShelf. Any questions or comments are very welcome. Thanks for reading!

8421 Mobile crane was released as the ultimate Technic flagship in 2005, and is the second-most parts heavy set only surpassed by 8110 Unimog U400. It features 4 extending outriggers, six-wheel steering, and a fake 6-cylinder engine. An electric RC motor operates the crane winch and expansion, and two pneumatic cylinders lifts the boom. According to Brickset, this baby was 150$ on release, and I gave about 180$ for mine without box. The average used price on BrickLink is 200$. The stickers on mine was worn, but they don't make a big difference when building this set. Yellow is still yellow. 1884 pieces makes for a solid build, stretched over two instruction books, the first one for the chassis, and the second for the crane. Rather than having them named book #1 and #2, they have greyed out the part that's not present in each book. I have not seen this in any other set, and it indicates that you could build whichever module you want first. The instructions are a whooping 212 pages long, containing 126 steps. That makes for an average parts-per-step ratio of 15. In comparison, the 8110 has 618 steps for its 2048 pieces, giving a ratio of 3 pieces per step. I guess the kids have gotten dumber with time. I consider myself an experienced Technic builder, but this behemoth took me a solid day to complete. That of course includes taking pictures and so forth, but still... It also took me 4 hours to disassemble for this review:S Let's take a look at the parts... The special parts, containing motor, battery box, pneumatic cylinders , pump and switch. There is also some strings with 1 stud on each end, which will be used to extend the boom. The RC motor is able to drive two axles at the same time. Okay, let's start building, the chassis is first, comprised of liftarms and pins. This is the chassis at step 8. And this at step 14. The other side. No suprises here. A little gear rack for the back axle. Held in place by another double-bent liftarm. Next is making some wheelbases. These three are going to be placed in turn later on. Four out of five axles are steered in this model. These gears will control steering and outriggers from the back of the truck. The middle axle holds the differential which will power the engine. This is the only mobile crane I know of which have a differential. Here it is in place: Another gear rack is made to extend the driveshaft and steering rack. Placed here along with the second steered axle. two 8T gears are placed to allign the second and fourth axle. Two double-bent liftarms keeps the axle in place. Another gear rack to extend the steering to the first axle. To lock the steering axle in place, this contraption is made. Two 15L beams is the base for the drivers cabin. More beams are added to strenghten the body. These knobwheels are later connected to the outriggers. The axles for the outriggers are extended to the front side of the truck. These four are the attaching pins for the Crane superstructure. This cage will hold the turntable in place. Next is the outriggers- Two sets are made and placed in front and back. First outrigger placed. You can see the yellow 3L pins with stop bush that keeps it in place. The front fender is placed. Rear set of outriggers are placed, along with an extension of the HOG axle. This is the final lenght of the crane truck. Rear controls for outriggers and steering placed, here you can see how wide the truck is. The engine is a standard Technic 6-cylinder V. It's connected to the driveshaft differential via a 16T clutch gear. Next is the cocpit. The colour separation in the instructions are excellent. I was never in doubt during the build as of which color to use where (LBG/DBG). Nice comfy seats. Next is the sides, which do not open in this model. The roof is mainly made of axles and liftarms. Placed here along with some decorational "Vehicle Grilles". Finished windshield and lights. The cabin added to superstructure along with the front lights. Some decorational bricks along the sides before Wheels are added. Finished the base, it's quite big. The crane base requires some reinforcement to cope with all the weight of the crane itself. Some thin liftarms on each side ensures that it will not break. The changeover catch is connected to a 20T bevel gear. The driving ring sits on an axle with a 24T, a 16T clutch and a 12T DB gear. The DGB 5.5L axle with a bevel gear meshes with the 20T bevel to control the changeover catch. To elevate the boom, two pneumatic cylinders are attached, giving a total stroke of 8 studs. The "Pneumatic Cylinder Bracket" is only seen in this set and the motorized bulldozer, giving an average BL price of 14$ each. Two pneumatic hoses are joined to simultaneously apply pressure to both. A turntable is placed underneath, and locked with a 15L beam. The pneumatic switch is placed on the side of the base. The winch axle has a clutch gear on it to prevent the motor from stalling. It also prevents this crane from lifting anything weighing more than a few grams. The lower handle controls the changeover catch. Some worn stickers show what the levers are for. The motor is placed on the side of the crane. Some reinforcing beams and bricks. The base of the turntable consists of beams and "Pin Connector Perpendicular 3L with 4 Pins", and is locked by some 15L beams. The pneumatic cylinder inlet is fixed on the pump, and then on the superstructure. The crane has its own cabin. The primary boom is next. A "Black Bionicle Bohrok Shoulder" is used to keep the top and bottom from falling apart. A clutch gear connected to the worm screw prohibits the boom from extending too far. Here is the gear setup for the boom extension. Note the 32L axle. Some liftarms ties the back end together. And then some bricks in the front. Same setup on the other side. Note the 8T gear above the worm screw. This rack fixes the 32L axle in place, and a thin triangle liftarm secures the end of the boom. Two strings with studs are attached on the far side of the secondary boom. The crane head has two "Black Wheel Spoked 2 x 2 with Pin Hole"s, which will guide the winch line. Head complete. You can see how the winch line will go through the two perpendicular axle and pin connectors. The seconday boom is next. The tertiary boom is placed inside the secondary, and enclosed by another set of technic bricks. The gear rack for the secondary boom is added. Seconddary boom is then inserted into the primary, and the studded string is attached to two "Plate 1 x 5 with Smooth Ends, 4 Studs and Center Axle Hole"s. Two "Black Plate, Modified 2 x 2 with Pin Hole" are placed, and fastened with two yellow 9 beams to keep the boom from prying apart under pressure. Crane finished, now all that remains is the hook. The battery box serves as a counterweight in this set. Mounting the crane on the base completes the model. Comparison with 8053, 8446, 8067. I think this is a great model, with lots of functions and parts. At the current price @ BrickLink it's not exactly a bargain, but a considerable better model then the 8053 Mobile Crane. The pneumatic lifting of the boom is original, but doesn't work as well as you'd suspect, as the air leaks lowers the boom over the cause of a few minutes. At least on mine. The 6-wheel steering is really smooth for the size of the model, it almost seems weightless. The inclusion of a fake engine is a nice plus. I'll give it an overall score of 8.5/10. Thanks for reading/watching pics. If you liked the review, give me some feedback, otherwise, vote on the poll. Bigger pics @ Brickshelf

Formula Flash was released in 1995, contains 414 pieces, and features steering via in-cocpit wheel and a v6 engine driven by rear differential. The original retaill was $54 according to BrickSet, andI ended up paying $35 for my copy in used condition. This is one of the few Technic racecars, the others being the giant 8458 Silver Champion, and the latest addition 42011 Race Car. The parts Rather than wheelhubs made of standard thin liftarms, plates with towball are used in this set. The flex system is used here for steering, containing two Ball connections and one Flex Cable End Double. The thin flex cables used are 6 studs long. When I initially bought this model, it came with the wrong flex cables, thus, the steering didn't work. It cost me 12$ on BrickLink to buy the replacements. Not a whole lot of gears in this set, only an 8T, three 12T bevel and a crown gear are present, along with a differential. A standard Steering wheel is the last "special" part of this set, except the wheels. The wheels are fat racing tires in 49.6x28VR dimension, which are fitted to white wheelhubs. They are also used in 8286 3-in-1 Car and 8445 Indy Storm. Even the 8479 Barcode Multi-Set has a pair, but they are only for decoration. The stickers Okay, here's the problem. There are a lot of stickers, and most of them are even STAMPs. Although they greatly enhance the looks of the finished model, there should have been another way of doing it. I've used a knife to split the stickers, but the end result is not as good as it should have been. Enough facts, let's build! A model: Race Car The main model starts with the bottom, made of bricks. The hinge plates are used to fix the angle of the fuselage, giving the car the typical "race" look. The thin liftarms here will keep the car together once the body is placed. The first half of the body is complete. Note the flex cable running through the 16L brick. The thin liftarms in the back will keep the rear air intake manifold in place. The rear axle with the differential is place. The two thin liftarms (far right) with axle and pin connectors on them will later hold the wing in place. The V6 engine is made old-style; with bricks instead of Engine blocks. The engine is driven by the rear differential via the 8T idler gear. The wheelhubs are made the same way as 8455 Back-Hoe, which is easy and effective for the scale. Next is the body, which is shaped by using hinge plates. Now this is beginning to look like a real race car. Real race cars have some major-sized braking vents. This one even has adjustable(!) mirrors. Rear wing is made with half-pins and plates. A STAMP is placed on top. Adding wheels finishes the model. What a looker! Features Steering(horrible) via in cab steering wheel. No HOG here, waste of precious weight. Engine driven by rear differential: Comparison 8209 Future F1: 8216 Turbo 1: 8458 Silver Champion (Okay, at least some of it): B model: Hot Rod The secondary model also starts with the chassis frame. You can see the differential in the back, and the towball plates for the front wheelbase. This involves using the stickered 1x6 plates and the 1x3 bricks from the A-model. Let's hope those will glue on later. Rather than having a gear rack setup for the steering, it uses a technic cam at one end of an axle, with an crankshaft center piece on the other. As the set of thin liftarms are levered, the crankshaft center rotates. Some pneumatic tubing for exhaust pipes are placed for decoration, along with the upper part of what would have been a wishbone suspension setup. The engine is a standard Technic V6, same as the A model. The flex system is used for steering in this model also. The grille has been placed behind it. Here is a shot of the driveshaft. You can see how the differential drives the 8T gear via the crown gear on a free axle. The cocpit seats are made of black plates. It looks kinda dangerous to be sitting right next to the driveshaft. Let's hope the driver's insured. Lastly, placing the rear rollcage, windshield and wheels finishes the model. You'll notice I didn't apply the stickers. They're all STAMPs, and won't look good on the main model. Features Steering with in-cab steering wheel: Engine driven by rear differential: Lastly, an in-cocpit shot. The blue round bricks do look like instruments. Comparison 8815 Speedway Bandit: 8860 Car Chassis: Conclusion This is my favourite Technic race car, as I am yet to try the new one. It looks as the real deal, and works like one. The fast spinning engine is a nice feature. For playability, it isn't as good, but as they say, looks outdo function. It's certainly more playable than the Silver Champion. As for the B-model, it certainly looks good. The functions are the same as the main model, only the motor placement is the opposite. The only difference is the stickers. How on earth are you going to re-build the main model after removing the stickers? I guess you could glue them on, but that seems like missing the point. Thanks for reading/looking. As always, any questions or comments are most welcome!

Cool

I'm still here:)

VROOM! 8479 was released in 1997, contains 1280 pieces, and features remote controlled programmable driving arrangements via a barcode sheet. It was $164 on release, I paid $90 for mine. The set comes a booklet with two instructions for main and alternate model, a code pilot guide, and a barcode card: The code card is a printed piece of plastic which is quite large. This made shipping this set impossible from where I first ordered it, and very expensive once I got a hold onto it in my part of the world. The front has barcodes for different pre-programmed orders.... ...and the back has a piano outline, making it possible for the truck to make many different engine sounds. The additional Code Pilot booklet shows how to use the Code Pilot with the barcode sheet, and how to program your own movements with the truck. Last in the booklet is an example of how to queue up multiple orders: Interesting pieces The "Code Pilot" control box has two electric inputs at the front, and buttons to record, play, stop and change program. It houses 6x AA 1,5V batteries, and is exclusive to this set. The wheels in this set are 6 of the 32019s (left), and 2 6594s (right). Another special part is the older heavy 9V mini-motor, which is the same as the one in the Power Puller set. This is an Electric touch sensor, which is otherwise only seen in ROBOLAB and Robotic sets. There is a total of 65 gears in this set if you count the differential. I think it's the set with most gears. The ones in the front are two 24T clutch gears, which prevents the engine from stalling, and to the right is a Timing wheel from the NXT series. Well, enough facts, let's get started! As most pre-2000 Technic sets, this begins at the bottom. Multiple layers of plates makes the chassis strong. The first gear is placed at step 6 out of 50 total for this model. The differential along with the drive axle is placed at the rear of the chassis. Steering in place. Additional plates reinforces the top. These "Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Door Rail"s will keep the motor in place in the finished model. The steering rack for the front axle. You can see the touch sensor in the back. The function switching knobs utilizes the flex system. The knobs themselves are made of thin liftarms. This gear rack in the front will connect the steering wheel to the steered axis. An electric extension cable runs from the touch sensor. It will eventually be attached to the Code Pilot. Steering wheel is connected via a set of 8T gears. The shortest axle is for the HOG, and the longest is for the drive motor. The axle in the front is for the steering wheel. The front bumper is made of a blend of Technic and system bricks. The rear wheelbase has its own submodel assembly. The first green pieces are added. Rear end complete, now for the third axle, which is not driven. The axle is fastened to the rear end by a 10 axle, and then mounted on the main chassis. The tilting bed mechanism holds a lot of gears. An initial 24T clutch gear prevents the engine from stalling. A set of 8T gears drives a gear rack for the tilt. Ah, geary goodness. This contraption is placed on top of the chassis. An insane amount of gears between the tilt mechanism and the driving ring. Wheelwells finished. Tiles in the back insures that the tilting bed will operate smoothly. This gear rack is placed on top, along with an extension cable for the PF. Another gear rack for the tilting mechanism. Dual 8-24T gear setup insures the machanism can't be backdriven. Another layer of black Technic bricks are applied to the body. These tiles with 1 stud provides support for some Technic beams. The axle connectors here will... connect to the front arm of the truck. The base for the seats in place. These two racks provide the support for the RC unit. The 8T bevel gears meshes, connecting the drive axle to the Timing Wheel, making the vehicle able to measure how far it has driven. Note the "3 Axle with stud" locking the vertical bricks in place. The steering wheel base is made of thin liftarms. A HOG wheel is placed on top of the cabin. This rack will keep the windshield in place. The dashboard has some buttons, and says LT-97 on it. Placed along with the rear supports for the cabin. The front windshield is made the same way as 8880, making use of hinge plates to simulate a curved shape. And some exhaust pipes. This is starting to look like a real truck. Next is the grabbing arm, which uses the flex system to its full extent. Right side is made first. It's attached to the 8 axle which has a 16T gear on it. The power cord for the front touch sensor runs along the arm. The grabber holds the second touch sensor, making it able to sense when the load is in the grabber. Here it is attached to the arm. You get an idea of how it will work. The left side arm is made in exactly the same way. Both attached. You can see how the end of the flex cables are attached to the towball pins on each claw arm. Seats and mirrors. The roof is mostly made from plates. The "Pole Reverser Handle"s clicks onto the vertical 8L beams. Lastly, adding wheels before the bed will be made. The bed is essentially a simple cage put over a brick foundation. A total of 7 green 10 axles, 1 10 axle , and 4 of the 4's are present in this set. They help outlining the bed. It feels like the axles in different colors (other than black/grey) are lighter than the other. It may be I'm only imagining this. The sides of the bed are made the same way as 8480s cargo bay doors; using bent liftarms and axles. Both are made the same way, only mirrored on each side. The rear wall is hinged with frictionless pins at the top, which lets it swing open by itself when the bed is tilted. The finished bed is placed on the truck chassis. A 10 axle connects the gear rack for tilting in the middle of the bottom. Finished. It looks like your average garbage truck. Let's test the functions: "I order you to pick up this wheel!" "Very good. Now pick up two at a time! And fast!" "Turn around. Let me see how you do that again." "Very good! You may proceed to the next trash-filled area." "So this truck is really RC'ed? Well, I wouldn't rely on it." "We can't possibly carry more of these tires. We have to dump them, do you see any good spots?" "I can't see anything really, but what harm can a few tires do?" "So I was looking for a nice outfit in DBG, but they only had this fancy fireman suit." "Hey, at least you ain't wearing a White Top with White and Green Torso with Rescue Pattern, and have to carry a knife wherever you go. Even in the shower!" "Wait! Who turned off the light?" "Augh!" "Incoming!" "Aw!" "My..." "Articulated..." "Ball Joints." "Way to go thrashing the party guys! Thanks a lot! If I'd only had fingers, I would show you one." Conclusion I'm having a hard time comparing this with anything, it's just so unique. If I limit it to "Vehicle with loading abilities", I end up with the following: 8109: 8264: 8052: 8273: 8110: This is the hardest set I have ever constructed . There are so many errors to be made, and the chassis is extremely flimsy in the beginning. You can't really test if everything works before the model is finished, and the code pilot is placed. I'm a bit puzzled over this set. I can't get it working right. The engine seems to be either undersized or broken. It can barely lift the wheel loaded on the front claw. The command queue-up only works sometimes. It works well enough if you assign the different functions manually, but that wasn't the point of this model. Thanks for watching/viewing pics. Feel free to comment, critizise or ask any questions. High-rez pictures are availible @ BrickShelf.

Well done! Congrats. As long as it's low-count production, you won't have a problem with TLG i presume.

Photography, guitar, singing in a choir, downhill skiing, stand-up-paddling, sailing, reading a lot of books when I'm away somewhere, playing video games. That's probably it. During the uptake on guitar, my time devoted to lego building has faded away to almost nothing. I still have quite a collection, but mostly just gathering dust. Maybe my nephew will find some joy in it later on.

I've just finished building this, and I couldn't find any reviews. So why not create my own? The alternate build is a search sub. I'll have to that one later on. This is the hardest set I have ever constructed, but the end result is awesome. The set was released in 1996, two years after the legendary super car, and features fiber optics, two motors, and a size similar to the later flagships, 8258. Here is a comparison shot. Note the minifig and pulley wheel at the bottom. Yes! This is minifig compatible. Two of them can sit in the cockpit. They are not included, and I couldn't find any space minifigs, so empty for now. The set includes lights, motor and some rubber bands because the clutch gear wasn't released until 1997. As usual there are piece call-out for each step. If you've got some parts left, you've forgot something. I'll update this topic with new pics and story tomorrow.

Very nice looking truck. It works really well for the scale. For an idea of how to make the steering work, check out http://lego.brickinstructions.com/lego_instructions/set/9390/Mini_Tow_Truck on page 14. At least, that's almost the smallest steering setup I've seen.

Can't we just stop bashing, stick to the topic, and see just how far someone can push the current parts? It's like MythBusters, only with Lego instead of welding and stuff. Keep the pics and videos coming!

Good job, Jerry. Too bad about the RC motor. But still, it can't contain the power source, so no real lego flight yet...

Cool

Very nice work. I was surprised to see you've also included suspension:)

Very nicely done, and with such few parts. The only improvement I can think of would be to use a pullback motor for that all-technical feel.

Yeah, 8455 is the best overall set imo, but it's not very technical with is simple steering setup, no 4wd and no suspension. I understand they made these choices to keep parts count down, or to make it easier to build. The playability is 100%, so that's a huge plus.

Tommy: They showed an RC lego zeppeliner at the last Brickfair i think. But the point here is to make something that generates its own uplift, without being held up by an external force (hot air stream, hot air, or a lighter-than-air gas of some kind.