Will Lego ever re-introduce iconic old sets?

[AndroTech]

..... 8880 and 8480 were the innovative designs, 8043 and 8070 is the lazy lack of progress since then......

O really, and VW Golf Mk6 from 2012, has so much different gearbox than the VW Golf Mk1 from 1974 ....... actually, Golf 6 has 5th gear, and the concept is the same. So much for the improvement.

[allanp]

Regaurding the practicality of a 7 speed sequencial gearbox, and models with gearboxes moving at a snails pace, these issues are very good points and are due to the lack of improvements to the system since it was first released. A compact 7 speed sequncial gearbox that has very little internal friction (meaning most of the power from the motor goes to the wheels enableing high speeds) is deffinately possible in a technic set. It could even be simpler than the current ratio changing gearboxes. Real gearboxes have multiple different sized gears running on two shafts (an input shaft and an output shaft). To make it sequencial they use a single cam moving the driving rings and simple ratchet mechanism to move the cam. I can see that in a future technic set with a very reasonable piece count. The current gearboxes in Technic have many gears on many shafts and is not that easy for a kid to see where the different gear ratios are actually coming from and generate lots of internal friction leaving little power from the motor to actually move the car, which gives you many MOCs that move very slowly.

[Rikus]

Sheepo's stuff is brilliant and thank God for his amazing ideas, but Lego models are not built in his style of building.

I know, let's say I like both of the two style of building...

I started building Technic since they where sold... I still own an 853 and 8860 Car Chassis and even a 8851 Pneumatic Excavator, and I can say that they seemed to me "plenty of tech" over 30 years ago...

But the new parts and new studless tecnique are far above.

I adore some "pure technic", manual TLG sets (8455; 8265; 8466), but I like PF sets, too (8043, with the 6 functions driven by 3 motors +1, is a good set and very playable).

Sets from last 2-3 years are a little bit disappointing looking at tech functions, I agree, but there are some very good exceptions (8110, 8265, 8043, 8053, 8258) the problem is the modern market: IMHO, TLG has to sell a lot of small & medium, low on tech but high on coolness, models, to afford the production (and engineering) of new pieces and the design and production of the flagship models (that, probably, have limited sales because of the high price).

BTW, I think TLG introduced quite a lot news in the last years: new PF system, Linear Actuators, Turntables, New connector types; they all give us much more opportunities to build the complex devices and to stuff many functions in our MOCs.

Just my 2cts.

Edited March 6, 2012 by Rikus

[allanp]

O really, and VW Golf Mk6 from 2012, has so much different gearbox than the VW Golf Mk1 from 1974 ....... actually, Golf 6 has 5th gear, and the concept is the same. So much for the improvement.

Are you saying the gearbox from a 2012 golf is no better than a gearbox from a 1974 golf? If so, then yeah, so much for the improvements, and I won't be buying one!

[Meatman]

Allanp, I most certainly do agree about new gearboxes, but do you think this will also require new parts to be designed? I also don't know how much more stress that the plastic gears can take before failing.

[KEvron]

gear boxes, shmear boxes! when used as a transmission, they're invariably redundant. they're fascinating to observe, but pretty much any model employing a transmission box will proceed from stop in any gear; 1st through 7th, the things move froward, regardless. they're much like a lego "engine block": the model moves it, it doesn't move the model.

KEvron

Edited March 6, 2012 by KEvron

[AndroTech]

Are you saying the gearbox from a 2012 golf is no better than a gearbox from a 1974 golf? If so, then yeah, so much for the improvements, and I won't be buying one!

... or Astra, or Focus, or 308, doesn't mater which model, the point is, that the concept of the gearbox is actually the same. They all have gears and shafts, mounted into the casings. Yes, the gears inside are smaller, the friction is reduced, ratio's are optimized, but the result is the same. They all shift gears.

So how would you 8480 design, significantly improve in 8070?

No offence, just my 2c.

Regards

[mobi]

I asked Lego whether they would ever consider re-introducing old sets. They said it is not impossible and if enough people ask about particular set being resurrected they would seriously consider re-releasing it. But any limited edition set won't be re-released.

Of course, it might be a standard reply to anyone who ask the same question.

[allanp]

None taken

Yes, I would design some new parts. I have described them here before so forgive me if I sound like an old record. I would have something like these gears.....

picture by GuiliuG

.....in various different sizes, for example, 16, 20, 24, 28 and 32 teeth. I would also redesign it so that 2 gears plus a driving ring takes up no more than 3 units in length, instead of 4 like it is now. This would move the shifing lever inline with the standard hole spacing (instead of having to do that annoying 1/2 unit offset) and make the gearbox more compact, something like this perhaps:

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/radbot/custom-parts/new_gear_box_desing_explanaition.bmp

[Wiseman_2]

To be perfectly honest, you've got to be looking through a plane of rose-tinted nostalgia to think that modern Technic is not as complex as the sets of the so-called "Golden Age". Don't get me wrong, some of those sets are still amongst the best TLG have done, but that's not to say modern sets couldn't be placed anywhere up there. Could you have built 8110 with the parts available in the early 90's? I don't think so.

It's not just about gear systems either (which are also generally more complex), but also the structure of the models themselves; beams, pins, angle connectors going in all directions is much more complex than just stacking bricks and plates on top of each other.

And for what it's worth, I rather like the gearboxes with multiple outputs (1 motor to 4 functions)

Just my $0.02.

[skylinedan]

To be perfectly honest, you've got to be looking through a plane of rose-tinted nostalgia to think that modern Technic is not as complex as the sets of the so-called "Golden Age". Don't get me wrong, some of those sets are still amongst the best TLG have done, but that's not to say modern sets couldn't be placed anywhere up there. Could you have built 8110 with the parts available in the early 90's? I don't think so.

It's not just about gear systems either (which are also generally more complex), but also the structure of the models themselves; beams, pins, angle connectors going in all directions is much more complex than just stacking bricks and plates on top of each other.

And for what it's worth, I rather like the gearboxes with multiple outputs (1 motor to 4 functions)

Just my $0.02.

[Paul Boratko]

I haven't built any new sets myself, but from what I've seen, they seemed to have evolved rather nicely as far as being as complex as they have in the past...

I can also vividly remember building every large scale car model going the whole way back to the 853, and for as great as those memories were, I certainly wouldn't want to revisit them...

[tduby]

I really don't wish TLG would re-release any of the older Lego sets unless they are going to reuse the older building techniques and pieces but I suspect a lot of the molds for the studded bricks and angled connectors are no longer available so it would be VERY expensive to and I'd rather see that money go towards new parts others have suggested. Also the reintroduction of studless version of studded models seems silly since most models today are much more complex and ingenious in design. And if you really wanted them it is always possible to get the old instructions and come up with your own remake.

What I truly wish Lego would do is the old Idea of selling part packs I know it is possible to buy parts but it is not widely know and it isn’t the easiest process to do.

And as far as the great gear box debate I think Lego’s gear design works pretty good they will never be low friction gear boxes till Lego comes up with a proper bearings and tightens up the tolerances and I think that is beyond the scope of what they are trying to do. I do like Allanp Idea of different size gears that would mesh with the gear synchronizer something along the range of 3:1 2.5:1 2:1 1.5:1 and 1:1

[Blakbird]

I asked Lego whether they would ever consider re-introducing old sets. They said it is not impossible and if enough people ask about particular set being resurrected they would seriously consider re-releasing it. But any limited edition set won't be re-released.

Sets like 8880 use unique parts (wheels, hubs, shift lever) which either don't exist in any other set or very few. Most of those parts have been out of circulation for decades. I don't see any chance of TLG resurrecting the molds for those parts, even assuming they still exist. Even some of the sets which actually were reissued like the pneumatic crane were slightly different the second time around. For example, the toothed half bushings were replaced with modern smooth bushings. Any re-release at this point would have to be buildable with current parts. 8880 is not.

However, a couple of people have done studless versions of classic sets including 8868 and they are really well done. I think SeTechnic even had a contest along those lines. I think a "modernized" classic is a much more likely request to be granted.

Personally, the top of my wish list is still an "ultimate collectors" Technic set with ~4000-5000 parts.

[Lyichir]

I think it's unlikely that LEGO would rerelease Technic sets from that long ago. Outside of this forum, old Technic doesn't have nearly the nostalgia factor of old LEGO. And LEGO rarely does any rereleases for System, either: I think that was a failed effort to recoup some of their losses during their difficult period in the late '90s/early '00s. Not to mention that many of the parts in these older sets have been phased out (some of them, like the toothed bushings, for very good reasons).

And I disagree that Technic sets of that era were better than those of today. I've been nothing but astounded at recent Technic offerings, particularly the Unimog or this year's helicopter.

[Saberwing40k]

I hope you are joking. Lego has advanced far beyond where they were 20 years ago as far as Technic goes.

Are you sure? 8110 is arguably not any more advanced then 8868. but at the same time, 8110 looks far better. and while now we have power functions, back in 2002 we had a rf remote control system, whereas power functions is only ir but other than that, the only time i can think of that lego models of the present that are inferior to models of the past are 8070 and 8297, both of which were successors to 8448 and 8466, respectively, and had inferior features.but to be fair, both of the former look a lot more like actual vehicles than there predecessors, and had power functions. i miss when lego technic was stylized, rather than hyper realistic like it is now.

[tduby]

Personally, the top of my wish list is still an "ultimate collectors" Technic set with ~4000-5000 parts.

what is your idea for the ultimate collectors set?

[sama]

I here people arguing about functions and gearboxes and very old sets, but can't they re-release sets such as 8421 or 8455 (which may be very expensive)? Anyways, isn't 8258 a very complex set? Who says Technic isn't as complex as it used to be?

[sama]

Oh, to add to my post, TLG would need to reconsider the gearbox of 8421 as the high speed rc motor does not exist anymore.

[skylinedan]

I have some old sets, 952,955, 951 I even have the famous 8860. Those sets don't compare to the currant ones on the market, or anything made in the last 10 to 15 years. I agree with Blakbird, a ultimate set for the die hard Lego fans that would have a 4 to 5000 piece count could be interesting, but the price would be a concern. It would have too be a limited production set. The uni mog is 2000 pieces, and 200 dollars, so we would be looking at a 400 to 5, 550 price tag.

Dan.

[dr_spock]

If Lego Star Wars has UCS, why can't Technic have an ultimate collectors series? Is the market too small to be worthwhile?

[KEvron]

If Lego Star Wars has UCS, why can't Technic have an ultimate collectors series? Is the market too small to be worthwhile?

i would think the flagship models would constitute the line's ucs equivalent.

KEvron

[Anio]

I think SeTechnic even had a contest along those lines.

Indeed.

http://www.setechnic.com/Forum/topic3138.html

[Paul Boratko]

I remember seeing pictures of the 853 set completely redone in new style studless by someone, but I cannot find the pictures anymore... It was pretty cool...

[allanp]

I'm not saying todays sets arn't as complex as the sets from years ago, they are. I consider the unimog to be the best set EVER RELEASED. But on the whole I just don't feel that modern sets use the modern system of technic parts to their full potencial whereas the sets from some time ago certainly did. Sure the modern sets are good, they have been getting better. But there is potencial for a new golden age that has not been tapped yet.