Classic Technic

[leafan]

Hi everybody,

I've never really been into Technic but I recently re-assembled a classic Technic set from a random brick lot that I got and I really enjoyed it.

It turned out to be 8810 Dirt Bike/Cafe Racer:

Front

Rear

Is classic Technic still relevant? I guess they're not as complicated as the newer stuff so I can see them not appealing to the modern audience.

I enjoyed it for what it is though.

Edited January 13, 2019 by leafan

[MajklSpajkl]

I think "Classic" Technic is still very relevant, especially to us who were kids back then and could only dream of getting those big Technic sets. So for me is more like nostalgia and I hope I'll manage to pick up some of those most desired one from my childhood like 8880 and 8868. I do have 8460 though. 

Edited January 13, 2019 by MajklSpajkl

[leafan]

I still have quite a few to build, so hopefully one of those you linked is among them.

[aeh5040]

Definitely still relevant to some of us!
I'll just mention the stunning 8480:

 

 

Edited January 13, 2019 by aeh5040

[allanp]

Yup, still relevant. A lot of love around here for the old brick based Technic sets. And for their piece counts they were very complex. 8480 has about 1400 parts. Is there a modern set with as many gears with 1400 parts? And motors without internal gear reduction? Belt drives being useful? Universal sets? Yes please! I know there is a lot more pins now but there was a lot more plates between beams back then so...And in terms of the build, while I prefer technic due to its mechanical nature, in terms of just the building experience alone brick based building feels very satisfying compared to the pin and beam based construction of today.

Edited January 13, 2019 by allanp

[leafan]

36 minutes ago, aeh5040 said:

Definitely still relevant to some of us!
I'll just mention the stunning 8480:

[Pictures removed to save space (pun intended)]

 

Wow I haven't seen that before; it's really cool!

[aeh5040]

15 minutes ago, leafan said:

Wow I haven't seen that before; it's really cool!

I have a special affinity for that set, as it was my out-of-the-dark-age experience.  But I think it's amazing even by objective standards.  I really like the way form and function come together, and every piece is important...

[dr_spock]

Great nostalgia trip. 

 

[Captainowie]

10 hours ago, aeh5040 said:

I have a special affinity for that set, as it was my out-of-the-dark-age experience.  But I think it's amazing even by objective standards.  I really like the way form and function come together, and every piece is important...

I particularly liked how the functions were put together in the instructions - you had to wait until each function was nearly complete before you could see how it worked - for example, there's one spot where you shift one 16t gear one stud along its axle, and all of a sudden two separate drivetrains become one function. There was no reason for the build to do that, other than creating suspense for the builder, and it was wonderful!

[allanp]

Of course the new style has its advantages as well. Things can be made more complex and so on. But there's enough to like about the old studded stuff that I think it'll always be relevant. 

[Maaboo the Witch]

Classic is always relevant. Look at 8459/64/39 (I own '39) - it's the best Technic wheel loader ever!

[Aleh]

Oh, I have been dreeming about T-Rex from old technic for a 20 years maybe))

And about 8880.

[pleegwat]

5 hours ago, Aleh said:

Oh, I have been dreeming about T-Rex from old technic for a 20 years maybe))

And about 8880.

Ah, yes, my favourite pre-dark-age model. It's a shame most of my 9V wires have decayed beyond usability.

[Erik Leppen]

Two sets I fondly remember are 8460 (mobile crane) and 8479 (Barcode truck). 8460 is my favorite because of the very high function density, large lifting capacity and cool outriggers. It also was the first Technic set I can still remember getting from my parents, along with a red motorbike set (my brother got the mighty 8688). And I think 8479 is one of the best-looking studded sets, and made good use of slopes and other system parts, as well as "studless" technic parts, for example in the construction of the cabin. And it had wonderful (motorized) gear systems, and a working steering wheel.

 

It would be really cool to try a "classic style" MOC one day. Really. But with the advantages of all the new elements. The brick-plate-studded construction felt great to do and was more varied than studless Technic. Unfortunately I have sold a lot of my old Lego, including many Technic bricks; and Technic bricks are quite expensive now on Bricklink.

[Captainowie]

12 hours ago, pleegwat said:

Ah, yes, my favourite pre-dark-age model. It's a shame most of my 9V wires have decayed beyond usability.

It's not terribly difficult to replace the wire in those cables. See here 

for example.

Owen.

[Seasider]

I've still got all my "Classic" Studded Technic. Unfortunately not the boxes but all the instructions and most of the parts, it was actually part of a plan that this year I was going to revisit them all and work out what is missing and hopefully complete them. And perhaps replace the bricks with teeth marks from when I took them apart as a kid ... Oh to have had a Brick Separator back then !

[allanp]

2 hours ago, Seasider said:

I've still got all my "Classic" Studded Technic. Unfortunately not the boxes but all the instructions and most of the parts, it was actually part of a plan that this year I was going to revisit them all and work out what is missing and hopefully complete them. And perhaps replace the bricks with teeth marks from when I took them apart as a kid ... Oh to have had a Brick Separator back then !

This, this and more this! I've replaced about half of what I needed to last year hope to complete it this year. I was horrified to see how sun damaged my control center 1 set was. Ended up buying a whole new set as it was cheaper.

[pleegwat]

3 hours ago, Seasider said:

 Oh to have had a Brick Separator back then ! 

I actually own a brick separator from that age. I'm pretty sure it was bought separately, probably in the early 90's. It's dark gray, different hue than DBG, and since it reads lego on the studs I'm quite sure it's a real lego piece. But they didn't come in every set back then.

[zoo]

5 minutes ago, pleegwat said:

I actually own a brick separator from that age. I'm pretty sure it was bought separately, probably in the early 90's. It's dark gray, different hue than DBG, and since it reads lego on the studs I'm quite sure it's a real lego piece. But they didn't come in every set back then.

Yes, they were available back in the 90s as well. Not sure when they were first introduced though.

[Maaboo the Witch]

Just now, pleegwat said:

I actually own a brick separator from that age. I'm pretty sure it was bought separately, probably in the early 90's. It's dark gray, different hue than DBG, and since it reads lego on the studs I'm quite sure it's a real lego piece. But they didn't come in every set back then.

I had one as well, don't know if I still have it. I remember not knowing what it was. 

Anyway, I do have a few classic sets on the wishlist, 8446 chief among them. Sometimes you do regret not getting a set back in the day when all you can get is used on Bricklink. 

[zoo]

44 minutes ago, Maaboo35 said:

Sometimes you do regret not getting a set back in the day when all you can get is used on Bricklink. 

Just make sure you don't make the same mistake again. Get everthing you want of what is released now, preferably two copies of each. Just in case. :)

[Seasider]

I think my Classic Collection runs to ... 854 Go-Kart, 8860 Car Chassis, 8844 Helicopter, 8845 Dune Buggy (love this model), 8848 PowerTruck (Tipper Lorry), 8841 Dune Buggy 8843 Fork-Lift Truck & 1972 Go-Kart ... and then I entered my first "Dark Age"

[1gor]

My collection of classic sets consists of following sets:

• 851
• 8860
• 8880
• 8448 (if I may include this set as classic because chassis is based on technic bricks)

 

[zoo]

• 8035
• 8835
• 8849
• 8853
• 8862
• 8868

First set I bought as an adult was the 42008 Service Truck.

[TeriXeri]

I made the 850 set a few years ago when I found the instruction sheet, 1977 is as classic as it's gets, older then myself.

It's the first Technic set that existed so a Classic as it gets.

 

Sets I can remember having in the house as well :

• 856
• 8223
• 8815
• 8825
• 8860
• Ideas Book 8888.

 

Not really Classic anymore but Slizers were my last technic sets before a dark age. I had all of them except the Millenium Slizer and Blaster.

 

Nexo Knights has a fair bit of Technic in some sets. including some studded, so that brought back some  technic feeling as well.

Edited January 16, 2019 by TeriXeri