LordGalewind

As some of you have suspected, 8041 is indeed in 1H2010 set to be released in february as indicated at Brickset.

Holy Megabloks its Megabloks! Nah, that isn't Bionicle's replacement...heck thats not even Lego. I believe thats the Blok Bots line from way back in the late 90's and early 00's...in fact I think I may still have a few of those parts hangin around. I have a good hunch the replacement line will still be Bionicle/Technicish in nature using the ball and socket / pins and beams build.

Your artwork always intrigues me (then again I am easily amused). I like how you are able to add a more organic look and feeling to bionicle characters all the while retaining that mechanical look you see in the sets. How long does it take in photoshop to create these pieces and how do you go about doing it? I don't have photoshop (though I wish I did), so a little insight on how to accomplish these things and where to get photoshop (cheap) would be nice.

I imply that from this statement that Ben 10 is meant to be marketed at the younger end of LEGO's targets audience. I am hoping that this means they'll be making sets aimed at kids somewhat older or in the similar range that Bionicle was in. And besides...Ben 10 will only be a one or two year thing, the sets are based off the show (which according to my five minutes of research) has a limited amount of characters thus a limited amount of sets, opposite of how Bionicle's sets were not dependent on some story.

Bidding on eBay has become nightmarish...people having crappy listings where you don't get enough info or you get an item that wasn't as described, those evil snipe bidders, and people paying ridiculous prices for sets they could get cheaper elsewhere (i.e. an 8258 Crane Truck sold for over $200 when it was available on lego.com and not on backorder). Bidding has become mad, rushing, and fearsome fight to get things anymore.

Possibly could there be a rebranding? Some themes change names but are the same thing. TECHNIC was expert builder for a while, then it changed to TECHNIC. I don't know, TECHNIC is a pretty long running and solid product line, it just wouldnt make sense.

If you are planning on selling this set I would very much like to buy it...and pay good money for it. If you don't wan't to do deals on here, then I highly recommend selling it on eBay...you would get some decent money out of it off there.

It seems preliminaries are popping up on the internet...TECHNIC being one of them. Many have been removed, lead to dead links, etc. But a tiny pic of 8047 Excavator is out there. Hard to tell from here, but it seems the set is using the smaller linked treads and may be using the same beam mechanism as 8419...but with that size picture its hard to tell what gearing is used, if any.

The power racers series (8649 Nitro Menace, 8682 Nitro Intimidator, 8146 Nitro Muscle) have 2 small NOS stickers on each set. I believe these sticker sets can be easily found on Bricklink if you go searching.

Seems they are continuing the trend of releasing some of their larger sets as mini sets. I expect the mini telescopic handler to be another entry level set as its name implies...and maybe rubber bands or worm gears won't be used for once as they have been with sets this size in the past. Nice to see a flying machine make a return in TECHNIC...8444 was the last non-rereleased copter that we had, and I'm guessing the new one will be of similar size and function. I'm interested to see what style excavator the compact excavator will be...as I recall we had 8419 in 2005 that might be on a similar scale. As for the buggy...well we can expect an engine, steering, and some form of suspension, so nothing special is expected here. With this years possible semester flagship, the forest crane, I am hoping for something akin to 8443, and hopefully it won't be another 8063/8284 with some attachments. I am hoping for the return of pneumatics, but I think it is too soon for that to happen...likely the linear actuators will be used in their place.

(First post to be updated when new information arrives) Credit to Whung for images. 1H2010 (Confirmed) 8045 Mini Telescopic Handler 8046 Helicopter 8047 Compact Excavator 8048 Buggy 8049 Forest Tractor with Crane 8041 Race Truck 2H2010 (Rumored) 8051 Motorcycle 8052 Container Truck 8053 Mobile Crane ???? {Power Function Excavator}

Albeit not in the TECHNIC, Racers, etc lines 7471 Exploration Rover deserves a mention since it all TECHNIC construction and has numerous TECHNIC functions. I understand you just want to get the main TECHNIC line done (which is time consuming)...but it would be nice to see other non-mainstream TECHNIC sets to be seen.

I am hoping it will be something like 8443...I don't want an 8284 or 8063 style tractor with those attachments...it would be a very bad move on LEGO's part.

For assembled models brushes, air, etc do get the dust and some dirt off the areas you can reach... However, if you've had a set that has sat out for well over a year I recommend the following: 1) Dissassemble your set 2) Put parts in ROOM TEMPERATURE water in some sort of container, bucket, whatever you prefer(any changes in temperature can cause pieces to become brittle or cracked) 3) Let sit in water, uses a soft brush tooth brush to remove any dirt/grime that wont dissolve by itself in the water 4) Remove the parts from the water, the lay on a towel and pat them down then apply a fan (no heat, no sunlight) for awhile until dry (this will prevent water spots and overall dries your sets in a good fashion) 5) Reassemble and show off your factory restored shine on your sets! I have used this on several of my sets and it works fantastic!

I've done this with around 30 or so sets and I have to say it makes them shine like new! There are a few problems I have run into: 1)Don't set the temperature of the water to far from room temperature...it can make your parts brittle and even crack 2) Water spots often appear, so have some air circulation going if you can 3) The suspension will be fine to put in the water, as long as you dry it off immediately after putting it in there. Good luck...make them shine!

For all those who are reading this - I am sorry for the crazy edits thus far, I keep hitting enter through the review and will need some more time to work on it. Also, can an admin add a poll to this set (I see you looking here Siegfried!).

As we are all waiting for the reviews of this years grand sets by a certain someone whose on vacation...I thought I would serve as an opening act, and resurrect one of my old sets. This set was at the beginning of the true studless sets, and serves as a great example of how well the new building system works. 4WD General Information Number: 8435 Year: 2004 Pieces: 763 Price: 49.99 USD Piece/Price Ratio: 6.55 Cents USD Set Dimensions: Length 26cm, Width 15cm, Height 18cm Build Time: Approximately 3 hours + or - 30 minutes. Preliminary Aspects Marketing LEGO relies on commercials, paper advertising, or word of mouth about its products. This set relies on the typical mediums of being in the LEGO catalogues, advertised on the back of instructions, can be bought off numerous places on the internet, and had "leaked" pictures out well before it was released. This set was average in terms of its exposure to the community, and LEGO did a good job of getting this sets existence out there. Score: 4/5 Presentation Box: The box says everything: its the attention grabber that captures your interests and reels you in. The box by modern standards is medium sized. Overall the box employs the new bland black frame and an uninteresting background...not as attractive as old sets as far as looks, but the larger size of modern boxes sure does the job. The box front and back shows varying views and functions of the main model, its accessories, and the alternate model. The newer boxes are bland...but they still serve their purpose to transport, protect, and help to sell the set. Score: 3.5/5 Packaging: This box has the perforated areas to punch open the side to reach the contents. This change over the flaps and tape on the old boxes is most likely to protect and hold in the parts. The box contains, well, more boxes to hold the packages, which I suppose are to protect some of the parts. The bags and boxes are all numbered to help in the ordering of construction to make things go a little faster, and these bags are not perforated making them less likely to rip open. Of course my way is always is to just dump all the parts into a pile on the floor, but lego makes it easier for anyone who wants to build this set. (note: not my image...my box has long gone to compost, credit to owner) Score: 3.5/5 Set Aspects Construction Instructions: These instructions really mark a progressive change from the old style instructions into the new style instructions. Today we have multiple booklets...back then they were all unabounded into something a little more organized. The steps were not intricate, yet were not too simple. Overall 25 steps over 93 pages isn't bad. The real problem I have with instructions during this period is that the shades of gray and black are very difficult to distinguish, making for easy mess ups in the build. Score: 4/5 Assembly: This set was easy, quick, and not too boring. The entire set uses modular construction all throughout the building process. The front module, housing the steering column, engine, and front winch. The addition of the chassis frame, reinforcements, and rear differential module. The addition of the towing winch. The seats, tires, and some final touches to complete the chassis. Just like a real car, the body is built separate then attached to the chassis. Now...in matrimony the two are united. Like many modern sets the modular build is used in this set. The build wasn't repetitive and was straightforward. The new studless design was just being explored, and many of the possible construction techniques were just being used. The separate body and chassis construction is a really unique and realistic feature that is used in many real vehicles. Score: 13/15 Aesthetics Style: The studless design was not fully explored at this point. The lack of panels and other designer parts left out any possibilty of losing some of the "holeyness" in the set and for them stupid stickers (fortunately). But this set was really elegant in the way the studless design allowed for a nice curved design that was very pleasing to the eyes. I have had the "blues" over set colors, since yellow, red, and some white have predominated TECHNIC decor and design. Luckily blue has been found here, for the first time in a large set since 8462, making the set look "cool" in a soothing and outstanding way. The mirrors, translucent red lights, winches, and colorization all in a compact functional set make it very pleasing to look at. Score: 14/15 Parts: The fun way to build...by throwing all your parts into a heaping jumbled mass! A few new parts in this set. A new large arc liftarm is used...for construction mostly. A new L shaped POOP piece with pin holes going in three different directions. A small gear table, some aesthetic windows, and an h-shaped part used to house gears and help transfer motion. A new shock was used this year, incoroporating tighter coils allowing for much stiffer suspension that doesn't go limp after the set has been standing awhile. This year began the introduction of many new colored pegs, pins, and axles into TECHNIC, something that looks nice but can sometimes mess with color scheme. Also the opaque engine block makes a reintroduction, albeit in this set it is much darker than most piston blocks. Score: 3/5 Functions Mechanisms: Mechanisms are the things that make an operation in a set happen (i.e. hydraulics, levers, etc). Here this set uses shocks, a differential, and a very clever winch stop/release design. I think these are all self explanatory. Score: 6.5/10 Operations: Operations are what the set actually does. Here a working V6 with a fan is driven by a real differential, and for a medium set the engine does spin quite fast. The stop/release action on the winches is just great...and it has two of them! The steering is via hand of god, and is rather weak having a turn radius of around 40cm. The front shocks are independent on each wheel, and very stiff! The rear wheels use a tilt action to simple ride over objects...kind of a cheap (and now common way in sets) to mimic suspension. Also the hood can open...although its simply a detail as the engine is quite visible Score: 8/10 Playability This set, as with many newer TECHNIC Models, are become more geared toward some play (something AFOLs don't like much since it sometimes throws out the detail and complexity of the sets). The winches, susupension, and various details make this set good for towing around other TECHNICS, going offroad over furniture, and the lights and engine make for cool effects when moving around, hell even your cat will enjoy the strings on this set. The construction of this set also makes it very strong and stiff, making it durable and able to survive falls and impacts. Score: 13/15 Preliminary Aspects Influence and Impact Sales: TECHNIC has gained some popularity in the past years, with the revamp to studless and more interactive play functions. This set had a typical lifespan of around a year to two years on sale at LEGO. The price was relatively cheap so many people could afford a set of this size. This set is fairly attractive and sells good, as evident by the amount of brickset owners having it, the high bricklink price, and it selling fairly high on Ebay. Score: 4/5 Imapact: This set was more of a test in what studless could do. It marked the transition in many ways from its modulat build to its styling that many other studless sets would furthre on. Although it has no great legacy, it served as a great highlight of studless sets. Score: 3.5/5 Conclusion Overall Score: 80/100 Above Average A nice set packed full on nice details, an interesting construction, its compact, and hey its blue! I recommend this set to any collector and it is well worth the money spent. This has been one of my favorite...and from the time I bought it I really can't figure out why...!? I hope everyone enjoys this set as much as I do...whether your a fan or not. Peace, LG

What used to be my collection...before it was liquidated into cash for TECHNIC, college, and my les paul.

Hello! I am a broke college student...therefore I am selling some of my larger TECHNIC sets for money. These flagship or large sets have only been built once, put on display in a container, then stowed away in storage. These sets are complete, have no dust, have all decals, are not discolored, and come from a smoke free home. I am offering these sets at retail prices of 129.99 each; however, I will consider any offers. I will provide pictures upon request and anwser your questions. Please contact my by sending me a pm or shoot me an email at LordGalewind@sbcglobal.net. Payment can be arranged via paypal, money order, or cash (at your own risk) and shippping is 11.99 via USPS. Thanks for looking! I will add some more large sets later on for you to see...if anyone takes interest.

Here 8063 Tractor with Trailer may be some proof that this relatively unknown set may be out there after all. I like the color, but the tractor is basically a clone of its predocessor 8284. The trailer does add some aesthetic and playability details, along with a plethora of some new panels. I think this is a bad move on part of lego to release something like this, unless they further modify the tractor before its release (if it is released).

This topic hasn't shown much life in awhile...so here's a new view of 8263 for you to look at. This image raises a few questions and interests: with the front differential shown, will this indicate 4WD like it predocessor; 3 linear actuators can be seen, along with possible motorization but there doesnt seem to be much room for that;the new square beam can be seen by the differential in the front; stickers oh noes...!; and lastly where is the drive ring and knob that will control the functions?

Probably one of the best TECHNIC models ever made. Like you said this thing is all guts and glory, the build is tough and the functions are as realistic as it gets. Its a shame I sold mine not to long ago...coincidentally to buy more new sets at a bargain. On another note, how did you get the set so clean? A toothbrush, a little mr. clean and water usually gets 95% of the gunk off of mine without ever harming the parts. Dust has become a major enemy to my collection, and I agree its better to keep your sets under some protection to avoid this problem.

Well as it seems 8263 is at my local toys r us! No sign of the other sets, but the shelves are becoming quite empty and many things are on sale...a good sign that more are to come! The snow groomer is 54.99 (of course five dollars more as always at their store) and has 590 pieces. Once I acquire some financial capital, I will be sure to nab it and any others when they show up, and a review or two won't be out of the question! If anyone is curious I'm sure I can take a few pictures in the meantime.

According to amazon (which isn't always accurate in pricing) heres what the prices are in Euros and a USD approximation... 8258 - 152,70 Euro or 160 USD 8263 - 42,90 Euro or 50 USD 8265 - 86,00 Euro or 90 USD My local toysrus seems to be clearing its shelves leaving them quite bare...if past experience applies then I can be expecting at least the snow groomer and front end loader by the end of may or beginning of June - there always seem to release them earlier.

I have plenty of sets dissassmebled and in storage...I would love to resurrect and enjoy them before they go into their six year slumber while I'm at college. Count me in this project!