L@go Posted January 3, 2015 (edited) Hello, fellow Eurobrickers! (Alert! The title says 12. For now, there's only eleven - but the remaining one will be added in the coming weeks. It's built, but not yet photographed!) It's been a while since I've stopped by this part of the EB forum, mainly because it's so popular that if you stay away for more than a week it just takes too long to page through all the new content - and then when you don't feel up for it, it just keeps on piling on. Today I was finally able to have a look through all the posts I've missed and there's still some amazing content here. You're brilliant builders! Some of you may remember my Updated Classics project (link goes to the project album on Flickr). Long story short: I grew up with the Classic Town sets of the late '70s to early '90s, and when I came back to LEGO a few years ago I discovered that the game had moved on quite a bit since then - the modern vehicles and buildings were a bit bigger, more streamlined and simply more detailed and realistic. I liked the way the new sets looked, but at the same time I felt a strong connection to the sets I grew up with, and when put side by side the scale was just completely off. So I thought: Can I take the essence of those old sets that I love so much, and update them into what I think they could have looked like today - with LEGO's current parts selection? I started off with this one: Modern 6624 1 by L@go, on Flickr ...which proved quite popular, and so I continued building modern versions of the classic sets, 16 of them, to be specific, and I even updated some of the smaller buildings, like this one: Snack Bar 21 by L@go, on Flickr ...which was also very well-received when I posted it here on EB in June - it was even frontpaged, to my utter delight! I've displayed these, along with their classic counterparts - rescued from the dark confines of the closets back at my parents' place, complete with genuine Norwegian dust - at conventions in Norway, Denmark, Germany, Portugal, and the UK, and they have generally been quite popular, undoubtedly partly because the original ones are so instantly recognisable to so many people - some of those sets must have sold in the tens of thousands. Hopefully, some people are also drawn to my builds, even though there are always somebody who will just point at the old stuff and go 'those are so much better'. Never underestimate the power of nostalgia... :) Anyway: I was invited to show my Updated Classics at BRICK 2014 in London, and I felt that to justify having Warren and Kitty and their excellent organising team cover most of our travel expenses, driving 2700 km from Bergen, Norway all the way to London, I should probably expand the project a bit. So I did: Over the past few months leading up to BRICK, the number of sets I'd updated went from 16... to 32. In this thread I'll post the 12 new vehicles I've added to the project, as soon as I get the pictures shot and edited. The other four are quite substantial buildings, and I'll be posting thosse in their own separate threads. So, on to the MOCs! 1. Town Runabout, a modern interpretation of set #6501, Sport Convertible, from 1987. Source material: A very basic design, so the updated one needed to be the same. I wanted to use the modern mudguards, while still being able to have openable doors, so it would necessarily have to grow a bit in length. I ended up with this (which really isn't particularly special, it's just a compact convertible): Town Runabout 6 by L@go, on Flickr Town Runabout 4 by L@go, on Flickr These updates are all about keeping the iconic details of the original sets. So I've kept the colours, obviously, the grey stripes below the doors and the grey grille, and I've added a roll bar, albeit a bit lower because the windscreen is lower on the modern one. I chose to omit the tile on top of the windscreen - it just wouldn't look right. And I went with an updated minifigure that still somewhat resembles the original one, although the modern minifig apparently doesn't like sharing the limelight with some old hag driving a 27-year-old classic car: Town Runabout 8 by L@go, on Flickr 2. Patrol Car, a modern interpretation of set #6506, Precinct Cruiser, from 1989. Source material: As you can see, it's very similar to the slightly older Sport Convertible. Which means my updated version also shares a lot of DNA with the Town Runabout: Patrol Car 1 by L@go, on Flickr Patrol Car 6 by L@go, on Flickr The main difference between my version and the original is, obviously, that I've added a roof. Seeing as one of the features of this project is to add realism, it felt like the right thing to do - after all, when did you last see a convertible police car? Apart from that, it's a very basic design. It has flashlights mounted in the rear window, and also features concealed flashlights behind the grille. All the stickers come from original LEGO sets, and they add a splash of blue to the design, which is practical considering most of the LEGO police sets from recent years have blue accents. Patrol Car 9 by L@go, on Flickr Here's police officer Mehmet, the cousin of a slightly more famous construction worker with a similar hairdo, checking out the classic Precinct Cruiser, while his retired colleague tells him what life on the force was like back in the day. 3. Jeep, a modern interpretation of set #6514, Trail Ranger, from 1994. Source material: Another very basic design, which I decided to try to beef up quite a bit, so I turned it into a six-wide Jeep: Jeep 7 by L@go, on Flickr Jeep 4 by L@go, on Flickr Again, I've kept the colours: Yellow body, grey bumper, and a white roll bar - I even kept the same piece for further recognition. The windscreen... ah. Yes. More on that later. But the windscreen is also the same colour, and I've kept it low, like on the original. The increased width meant I had room for a Jeep-style grille between the headlight, which makes the car look less cross-eyed and more realistic. And again, all the stickers are official LEGO stickers. Here's the mandatory comparison picture, complete with the updated driver, who has sunglasses, like his older counterpart, and a very nice torso from a SpongeBob set. He does appear to have shaved, though. 20 years separate these two builds: Jeep 10 by L@go, on Flickr So... about that windscreen... Jeep 8 by L@go, on Flickr Yes. I did. A major oversight in LEGO's current parts selection is the lack of proper six-wide windscreens - and this one seems like such a logical addition. But since it doesn't exist, I cranked out my saw and made one, from two perfectly good four-wide windscreens. I know some of you don't like that kind of thing, but hey - it's my bricks and I'll treat them as I like :) I've camouflaged the cut by using residue from a white sticker sheet. Jeep 12 by L@go, on Flickr Just for the fun of it, I added an optional hardtop for the Jeep as well, complete with a pair of (covered) searchlights. The more eagle-eyed of you may have noticed that the driver seems to be wearing a cap when driving with the top off, which is actually for two very practical reasons: a) driving a convertible without a hat does mean things to your hair - trust me, I speak from experience - and b) that cap is actually too tall for the driver to fit underneath the hardtop when he's wearing it... So, there you have it: Three of the 16 new additions to my Updated Classics project. More pictures in (the bottom of) this folder on Flickr - and even more pictures and, not least, my trademark excessive amount of words, will soon follow, with more updates. Thanks for watching (and maybe even reading?) - hope you like it! L@go Edited February 3, 2015 by L@go Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sasbury Posted January 3, 2015 (edited) Awesome! I really like these. Can't say I'm a fan of the cut windscreen. That said, I agree Lego definitely needs a better selection of six-wide windscreens. In addition to the one you mention, a 2 x 6 x 2 non-sloping one would be good. Similar to this http://www.bricklink...Item.asp?P=4594 . Edited January 3, 2015 by sasbury Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Braunsfeld Posted January 3, 2015 This is a great project. Very inspiring. I remember some of the old sets, the new ones look just perfect! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
badboytje88 Posted January 3, 2015 Very nice project indeed. Keep up the good work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lightningtiger Posted January 3, 2015 The snack bar takes me back to a kid when I had the original set and that new yellow jeep is just the awesome machine that it is ! Brick On 'ER0L' ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Loves Houses Posted January 3, 2015 Wow, what a nice idea! Gives me some ideas too - I'm going to look through some old houses sets!... Nice work - and a good showcase of how Lego got sooooo much cooler over the years. ... and by the way - I saw your Bergen houses on Flickr only today - soo way after I built my Amsterdam studies... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScotNick Posted January 3, 2015 Hahaha, I like that windshield, and as you said it is just logical; I for myself thought about cutting two of these, cause as I can see here the result is perfect. Also like the overall ideas of updating old sets Keep'em coming Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lankygit Posted January 3, 2015 I believe I spoke to you at length at the London Brick Show in November? I saw all your builds and they were awesome. The TV van bought back some memories. Can't wait to see them all on here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chilis Posted January 3, 2015 Very nice builds as usual L@go! The snackbar is my favourite ;) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CityBuilder Posted January 3, 2015 Those are awesome! I love seeing classic sets updated, I like the little black convertible best. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
L@go Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) Thank you for all your kind words, guys, I appreciate it! Brick On 'ER0L' ! ...? ;) ... and by the way - I saw your Bergen houses on Flickr only today - soo way after I built my Amsterdam studies... Thanks, the Bryggen buildings certainly have quite a bit of the same vibe to them as the ones you can find in Amsterdam. But then they are from roughly the same period, when there was a lot of trading going on between Bergen and the German towns - which also traded with the Dutch ones. So there was quite a lot of culture exchange going on. I believe I spoke to you at length at the London Brick Show in November? I saw all your builds and they were awesome. The TV van bought back some memories. Can't wait to see them all on here. That is more than likely - I was certainly there, and I talked to a lot of people, so you were probably one of them, although I can't specifically recall a lanky git :) I won't be posting the TV van in this thread, as I've already posted that before, but you can find pictures of all my updated classics in this album on Flickr. I managed to get one more batch of pictures done tonight (it's 5am here...) so here's number four: 4. Auto Service, a modern interpretation of set #646, with the same name, from 1979. Source material: This is probably one of the first LEGO sets I got, seeing as it's only two years younger than I am. And even though I do have a few sets from the year before, 1978, as well, this is certainly the first one that featured those doors and could have a minifigure properly seated inside, which made a big impression on me. I based this update on a similarly-scaled minivan I built three years ago, with some modifications to make it communicate more of the original set's design cues: Auto Service 2 by L@go, on Flickr Auto Service 6 by L@go, on Flickr The details I've kept from the original, 35-year-old set are obviously the colours and basic shape - except for the roof that I added - and those very characteristic stickers. Normally I say 'all stickers are official LEGO stickers' but for the first time in the roughly three-year-long history of this project I had to give up on finding original, unused stickers. They just don't exist for a set this old. So I had to resort to reproduction stickers from MiniStickers.nl - for a second choice, it's certainly not a bad one. The colour is almost bang-on, and although they have a vinyl feel to them rather than the paper-y feel of the old stickers, the replacement ones are more than good enough for my use. I've also updated the minifigure to one with clothes in the same colour as the original - but, for the sake of gender equality, it's a woman :) The roof of the rear compartment comes off for better access: Auto Service 9 by L@go, on Flickr Auto Service 8 by L@go, on Flickr ...and, as you can see, there's quite a lot of stuff in that rear compartment. It all fits in there, with a bit of fiddling around, and it won't obstruct the doors, either. There's also a rear-mounted searchlight above the rear doors, so the mechanic can actually see what she's doing when she's called out to help stranded motorists in the middle of the night. The particular motorist in the picture above is driving a car which will soon feature in this thread - you can probably tell which old set that's an update of... Auto Service 10 by L@go, on Flickr Finally, a picture of the original set next to my updated version. 35 years separate these two designs. I have to admit that the stickers on my old set had taken a bit more of a beating than the ones you see in the picture - those were the best I could find on BrickLink. The old ones weren't really fit for displaying after the set having been extensively played with over more than a decade... Again, thanks for watching! More updates will follow soon, and as always: More pictures in this album on Flickr :) Edited January 14, 2015 by L@go Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lightningtiger Posted January 5, 2015 Neat update service van.......Brick On 'ER0L' ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
L@go Posted January 5, 2015 Neat update service van.......Brick On 'ER0L' ! Again? Had a sip of Cooper's, have we? ;) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KringlesBricks Posted January 5, 2015 Amazing re-creations of the classics! I really like the 6624 re-make. Nice work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Train 12 Volts Posted January 5, 2015 I love all your work ...but the 6514 trail ranger is absolutely outstanding! Gorgeous MOC! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GCO Posted January 5, 2015 Wow L@go, I am deeply impressed! I loved the Snack Bar as a kid and it's so cool to see your modern recreation! Very well done! 6694, the car with caravan, was also one of my favorites as a kid! And the Hot Rod garage... can't get enough of your builds! I am glad that your Flickr album only has 5 pages, because I really have to go back to work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3797 Posted January 5, 2015 I really like the idea and I'm looking forward to seeing more pictures. So far, the Snackbar is my favourite. A few years ago, I tried to upgrade some of my old 12V and 9V trains to 8 wide and make a bigger version of the Metro Station. I know that what you're trying to do isn't easy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Braunsfeld Posted January 5, 2015 Keep them coming! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Guy Bri Posted January 5, 2015 Wonderful work so far L@go, I really enjoy seeing modern versions of classic town sets. Can't wait to see the rest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bootz Posted January 5, 2015 Purists may cry foul, but sometimes you have to work around the limitations of the medium in your own way. I think we can all agree that TLG needs a better selection of 6-wide windshields, and what you have created is exactly what I've been looking for. I rarely work in 6-wide, but I'm currently building a 50s style American convertible to accompany the Detective's Office and I had to angle the 2x6x3 windshield to fit the design, and it's less than ideal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VintageLegoEra Posted January 5, 2015 The Classic always the best Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Superfunk Posted January 5, 2015 This might be one of my favourite topics ever on the forum - I love the classic sets and your modern interpretations are superb, L@go! Looking forward to see the other 12! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
L@go Posted January 6, 2015 The Classic always the best Thank you for your very constructive feedback. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
-zenn Posted January 8, 2015 (edited) Nice, I dig the concept of reimagined sets. Some of the sets of the 80/90's were awesome, at least, I've got good memories of them... I always got lots of Lego cause of being in/out the Hospital a lot... It certainly explains why I've got a softspot for cars... hotrods. Can't wait till you build some more... I'd like to see this turn into a new hype, or a contest or something, nice. Edited January 8, 2015 by -zenn Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vean Posted January 8, 2015 Your yellow jeep is perfect! I want it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
