Retired/Replaced Parts

[Aanchir]

Because they are now outdated and look plain in comparison. Also any interest in them will be stolen by the newer piece. Knowing him though I doubt he'll get any of the new ones so I don't know why he's so bothered...

If you aren't using the two varieties side-by-side then I don't think it should make a difference. Personally, I like that even with the updates to the shark, LEGO used a lot of the same design language for the new one as they used for the old one.

Overall, this kind of thing is pretty normal when an older mold or color is being phased out in favor of a new one: clearing out the old stock typically happens before the new stock starts to appear in sets. Typically, though, there is no functional difference within the context of the set itself. Some exceptions exist: I've heard of instances where instead of this part, copies of the Grand Emporium came with this part which cannot be attached to the model in the intended fashion (it is supposed to be attached via the hole in the stud). Typically the LEGO Group avoids these kinds of errors though.

[paul_delahaye]

I'm noticing on some newer city sets, on identical parts from the same set, the Lego Logo on the studs is sometimes rotated 90 degrees,

No I'm not holding brick a different way to the other one.....

[caperberry]

Exciting new mould variation - another for the jumper plate, but this time it's an improvement! A normal stud can now be centred underneath.

[Infernum]

Ooh! That is a good update! What sets is it in? All the summer sets?

[caperberry]

It will just start slowly appearing in any sets with jumpers from now on. So far only LBG have been seen but there should be white ones too. Might take years before the old style disappears.

Mine came in Minecraft The Village, but there is no guarantee all copies have them.

[LEGO Historian]

One of the more interesting part variations happened in the 10152 Maersk Ship sets of 2006.

This set comes in a 2004, 2005 and 2006 version. These 3 nearly identical sets each come with four 2x4 Maersk blue bricks. In 2006, TLG was running low on Maersk blue 2x4 bricks towards the end of the production run of these sets, and they contacted the model shops to obtain more inventory, rather than produce another large batch of these, especially since it was assumed that there might be no more Maersk sets, and therefore no longer a need for that part in that color.

So at least one of the model shops (not sure which one?)... had these in the 3001old part variation (pre 1983) without the cross supports on the central tube on the underside. So many of the 2006 10152 sets had these old rare Maersk blue 2x4 bricks, which were never used in any other set.

These are still available in Bricklink, and make for a very interesting variation... (mentioned in my LEGO DVD collectors guide)...

http://www.bricklink...7923&colorID=72

Gary Istok

Edited September 9, 2013 by LEGO Historian

[antp]

Interesting info :)

If it wasn't used in other older sets, how come they had these, though? Were there Maersk builds in Legoland parks?

[LEGO Historian]

Interesting info :)

If it wasn't used in other older sets, how come they had these, though? Were there Maersk builds in Legoland parks?

Yes, not sure if the Maersk blue bricks are stricktly Maersk related buildings/transport in LEGOLAND parts, but there are other Maersk blue parts that have not been found in any set, but have made it to Bricklink. For example, the 1x1 round bricks in Maersk blue have never been found in any set. The only known source of these was the Windsor England LEGOLAND model shop (the Bricklink supply is slowly drying up). A few years ago I purchased 200 of these NEW from a UK seller.

[antp]

For the 2x4 bricks it may have been test batches. But that does not explain the case of the 1x1 rounds then...

[Paperballpark]

The case with the flower part in Grand Emporium happened to me. I had to contact CS twice before I got the correct piece, and even then I had to carefully explain what was wrong and what the difference was. To be fair to them, they sent me 3 of them!

I've also contacted CS the other day about getting the old shark mold in a Coastguard set, when the new mold was shown on the box.

[Superkalle]

Yes, not sure if the Maersk blue bricks are stricktly Maersk related buildings/transport in LEGOLAND parts, but there are other Maersk blue parts that have not been found in any set, but have made it to Bricklink. For example, the 1x1 round bricks in Maersk blue have never been found in any set. The only known source of these was the Windsor England LEGOLAND model shop (the Bricklink supply is slowly drying up). A few years ago I purchased 200 of these NEW from a UK seller.

Yeah, it seems many of the rare/unofficial colors turn up at seller in Germany, Denmark and UK

[jimoakley666]

I bought two sets the other day, The Spider-Man & SHIELD car and the DeLorean. Both have the same wheels but on closer examination the DeLorean's wheels are a slightly different mold. They're more smoothed off and 'realistic' looking. They actually look much better without looking too different.

I looked on bricklink and here is their picture of the variation in the two molds http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemPic.asp?P=13971

[antp]

Indeed the DeLorean has the right ones, which look better. I didn't even notice that!

[DrJB]

This came up in a different thread, and thought it deserves its own. The question is: What parts are 'apparently' identical, but really, once you look closer, they are not. I am after very subtle differences, yet very different part numbers. Parts such as 1234a vs. 1234b v. 1234c are rather obvious. Here is one to get started: The large Technic wheels in 32020 vs. 86652 that came in recent sets.

How I stumbled upon this: I anted to know how many of such parts I had in my collection, so I simply went to bricklink and tallied up the various sets I had, that included such wheel. The total from Bricklink was lower than was I actually had at home. Upon closer examination, I realized there were in fact two 'flavors' to such parts and the only difference I could note was simply the shape of the axle hole.

So, what other parts have you found that, are seemingly identical .... but not once you take a closer look?

[Rick]

This came up in a different thread, and thought it deserves its own. The question is: What parts are 'apparently' identical, but really, once you look closer, they are not.

This isn't really a topic that belongs (exclusively) in Technic. I have merged your question with a very similar thread in the General subforum.

[Leewan]

(I hope it hadn't been already reported)

I recently bought a Ferrari FXX in a Shell gas station, and found there a new variation of the Tile, Modified 1 x 1 with Clip, with some kind of a C-shaped clip :

[Junpei]

What is this madness? I hope Lego doesn't permanently replace the normal clip piece with that...

[jimmynick]

Wait, what? That's bonkers! I bet the new clip's weaker than the old one.

But other clip parts (e.g. plates) have the c-shaped clips and they seem to do all right.

[L@go]

If you ask me, this is a welcome improvement. It might not look quite as smooth as the old one, but the old clip has too much grip (remember, these parts are intended for kids who don't have as strong hands as adults) and I know the parts designers have been looking for a solution for this for a while. This is obviously what they've come up with.

[Blondie-Wan]

I'm noticing on some newer city sets, on identical parts from the same set, the Lego Logo on the studs is sometimes rotated 90 degrees,

No I'm not holding brick a different way to the other one.....

This might be more of a "production oddity" / "error" than a regular part variation, but since your post reminded me of it...

A couple years ago I saw some large green baseplates (32 x32) in a store that had the LEGO logos on some of the studs rotated at odd angles. I'm not sure how this could even have happened; it was as if each stud was individually molded, and some of the molds were rotated in place rather than being perfectly aligned. The text on all the studs I looked at was still perfectly legible and all, but it wasn't all going in the same direction.

[Gnac]

(I hope it hadn't been already reported)

I recently bought a Ferrari FXX in a Shell gas station, and found there a new variation of the Tile, Modified 1 x 1 with Clip, with some kind of a C-shaped clip :

http://i58.servimg.com/u/f58/11/38/62/55/tilecl10.jpg

http://i58.servimg.com/u/f58/11/38/62/55/tilecl11.jpg

Interesting find! Is the item ID the same?

I agree with L@go that this part can be difficult to attach and detach, and it can result in too much friction, depending on its usage. I used 4 of them in a sports car MOC to make a hinged rear window, and it was so stiff that I had to reduce it to just two. I wince every time I have to clip these onto something, since I have already cracked three of them.

[LEGO Historian]

This might be more of a "production oddity" / "error" than a regular part variation, but since your post reminded me of it...

A couple years ago I saw some large green baseplates (32 x32) in a store that had the LEGO logos on some of the studs rotated at odd angles. I'm not sure how this could even have happened; it was as if each stud was individually molded, and some of the molds were rotated in place rather than being perfectly aligned. The text on all the studs I looked at was still perfectly legible and all, but it wasn't all going in the same direction.

Thanks for sharing that Blondie-Wan!!

That is so 1960s Deja Vu!! USA Samsonite LEGO was NOTORIOUS for doing just that. Many of the Samsonite LEGO parts from back then appear to have taken worn molds, and had the logos "re-punched" into them... but taken no care at which angle that the re-punch was done at!! What made that even more unusual was that Samsonite had it's own "open O" stud LEGO logo used on parts... while TLG Denmark had a variation on the new modern stud LEGO logo (still in production today in a slightly different way). So there were all sorts of different possibilities... most of which made the parts look like factory seconds....

[TheLegoDr]

In regards to the light bley jumper tile, I did an online pick a brick and received the new mold, so they must have them separated in the factory somewhere. Just to give a heads up. I want more jumpers that don't have the groove on the bottom.

[Lordofdragonss]

The clip looks exactly like COBI part! And they had this brick since 2000! Now Lego is copying others, huh? :D

[brickbuilder711]

Exciting new mould variation - another for the jumper plate, but this time it's an improvement! A normal stud can now be centred underneath.

Not the only change I noticed, before this, some runs of older 1x2 jumper would have grooves underneath it. I got a mixed bunch of yellow ones, old style non-grooved, and old style grooved from PAB in summer '12, and I remembered a GFLUG member building Winter Village, with green incarnations of the grooved style.