Happy 40th Technic !

[Seasider]

Was just reading Brick Fanatics during my lunch break at work and saw this ...

http://www.brickfanatics.co.uk/the-lego-group-celebrates-40-years-of-lego-technic-today/

Unfortunately I'll be at work then so won't be able to watch the stream, wonder if there will be a surprise for us ?

 

Happy 40th Technic !

[iv-tecman]

To think I was only 3 years old when the first set was released and it would only be 5 years before I got my first beloved Technic set. The at the time ultra cool 8860 car chassis. I kept all my childhood kits in a storage box in my parents attic, but they then split and I had no where to store them due to circumstances, so my bother took them, sold them all and I was bitterly upset - my childhood Technic sets sold, I have not had the funds to replace them all. 

But, anyhow, happy 40th Lego Technic. You have provided me years of enjoyment, even when I was unable to collect and build from 2001 - 2010 due to work and family, I have enjoyed what I have managed to buy. Hope the other 40 years are just as good. 

[Aleh]

Quote

 at 3pm today

Zero meridian time? Oh how to count ti,e in your country? Thanks!

[agrof]

For the lazy ones.

Till now nothing special happened (found footage style - so don't expect anything grandiose), just chit-chat about the history, a small talk with one original designer about the very beginning, than they went into the vault, and after 11 minutes the stream went dead. Maybe not the best idea (sarcasm ON: in the Idea house) to make live stream from a Faraday-cage... 

Edit: they are out and back, talking with the current chief designer about 8860. Current live stream is below:

 

Edited September 7, 2017 by agrof

[Seasider]

Nothing to see here ... just a load of chat :(

[rm8]

that was boring(

[brickphisto]

Just now, rm8 said:

that was boring(

I would say it was as exciting as this year's sets.

[teflon]

Well, I would like to hear a bit more from Mr. Jan, who designed 8860. And he was in Lego for 44 years. That is just great. I wouldn't mind listening to him about technic evolution over 40 years, more about the design process back there (I liked it when he told us that the idea for the 8860 set came from his bug) etc. The host was a bit overwhelming.

[Blakbird]

I thought some of the information was fascinating.  For example, one complaint about the suspension on 8860 (the first set to have suspension) is that it was swing arm type and therefore the wheel does not stay vertical during stroke.  However, we now find out that this was based on Jan's VW Beetle which actually has this type of suspension!  I don't think I've ever seen anyone build a Beetle body on 8860 before, but someone should.

[Jurss]

15 hours ago, iv-tecman said:

To think I was only 3 years old when the first set was released and it would only be 5 years before I got my first beloved Technic set.

I was only some 3 months,

and i got my first lego set only at age ~30 (suprise from brother), and first technic only some years later (set 42000) 

[paul_delahaye]

2nd video, 1:08 into the video......Lego historian says Technic is 30 years old..............maybe a slip of the tongue, but you would think she would get this right.

 

but more important.  Where can I get one of those Lego Technic 40 year posters from?

they look like they are ready to give away to fans...

 

 

[Jim]

24 minutes ago, paul_delahaye said:

2nd video, 1:08 into the video......Lego historian says Technic is 30 years old..............maybe a slip of the tongue, but you would think she would get this right.

With Technic she probably meant the name "Technic". First sets didn't use the term Technic.
(haven't checked the footage or the dates, so just a hunch)

Edit: I think they started the term Technic in 1986.

The English Wiki states 1984 :P

"The concept was introduced as the Expert Builder series and originally Technical Sets in 1977,^[1] and was renamed Technic in 1984."

[AOW]

Actually it was not so bad, as we got some history on the line of Technic, nice that the very first designer was there. Petty that they have not said anything about the incoming sets or the preparation to continue with the celebration of those 40 years. 

Originally the line was called Expert then as Jim wrote from 1986 it become Technic. In terms of legacy I think that 8860 is the most iconic set of them all and it was very interesting to find where the inspirations came from :) 

[iv-tecman]

8860 deserves a re-issue but I suspect they have lost the moulds - although is there anything in that model that isn't part of system in today's Lego sets? Maybe the wheels?

I don't recall 8860 having anything specialised looking at Lego system now. Back then it was, the linkage joints and pistons were extremely new, I remember the gearbox having a fault when I first built it where in 2nd I think it would snap a linkage , but 1st and 3rd worked just fine, memory is fuzzy.  

It was back in Christmas 1983 when i finally got my set. It had been out for 3 years but I was 7 when first released, I was 10 when I get mine. What a Christmas gift that was..

[LucyCol]

As someone who was there at the beginning (yes I am that old), it was interesting to hear from a designer, especially as 8860 has become an iconic set over the years. There was another shorter segment looking at the very early stuff but I can't find it on YouTube, you may find it on the facebook page.

[Boulderer]

2 hours ago, iv-tecman said:

8860 deserves a re-issue but I suspect they have lost the moulds - although is there anything in that model that isn't part of system in today's Lego sets? Maybe the wheels?

I don't recall 8860 having anything specialised looking at Lego system now. Back then it was, the linkage joints and pistons were extremely new, I remember the gearbox having a fault when I first built it where in 2nd I think it would snap a linkage , but 1st and 3rd worked just fine, memory is fuzzy.  

It was back in Christmas 1983 when i finally got my set. It had been out for 3 years but I was 7 when first released, I was 10 when I get mine. What a Christmas gift that was..

I recall that the 8860 used an old tap component for fixing the tubes around the engine.  I'm not sure that is still in production.

[iv-tecman]

12 minutes ago, Boulderer said:

I recall that the 8860 used an old tap component for fixing the tubes around the engine.  I'm not sure that is still in production.

It did yes , the hoses then went into a round element with a 3 axle I think, I do remember that. 

[AOW]

There was the diferencial been used for the first time in the 8860.

I still consider this set as the mile stone in the Technic Car line and most important of them all. The 8880 was the pinnacle of the serie. Even the 8070, Porsche or 8448 and 8466 are just another car in the Technic line. 

 

[TechnicRCRacer]

Just now, AOW said:

The 8880 was the pinnacle of the serie

+1

[Blakbird]

10 hours ago, Jim said:

With Technic she probably meant the name "Technic". First sets didn't use the term Technic.
(haven't checked the footage or the dates, so just a hunch)

Edit: I think they started the term Technic in 1986.

Based on my research, it was 1982.  The 8859 tractor still said "Expert Builder" on the box in 1981, but the 8050 Universal Set said "Technic" in 1982.  This makes some sense since the historian in the video said 1981 which is when the name would have been coined inside the company, then rolling out into products on the shelves in 1982.

Sadly, it does not look like I mentioned this on my 1982 Technicopedia page.  I'll have to fix that.

[Captainowie]

On 9/7/2017 at 6:09 PM, Blakbird said:

 I don't think I've ever seen anyone build a Beetle body on 8860 before, but someone should.

Rear-mounted, air-cooled engine; almost no room in the back; why did I not see this as a body-less Beetle before now?!

[Jim]

On 8-9-2017 at 8:10 PM, Blakbird said:

Based on my research, it was 1982.  The 8859 tractor still said "Expert Builder" on the box in 1981, but the 8050 Universal Set said "Technic" in 1982.  This makes some sense since the historian in the video said 1981 which is when the name would have been coined inside the company, then rolling out into products on the shelves in 1982.

Sadly, it does not look like I mentioned this on my 1982 Technicopedia page.  I'll have to fix that.

While you are at it, you might want to change the Wikipedia page too 

[Jim]

2 hours ago, LvdH said:

The Technicopedia is way better than the Wikipedia  

I never said it wasn't