evank

I build exclusively in 1970s-1980s parts. I'm 48 and find it enjoyable to see what my adult brain can imagine from childhood toys. I built a life-size Chevy 454 and transmission. http://www.brickhacks.com/v8.php

I used the free version of ChatGPT and told it, "Design a new Lego car from the Expert Builder series." It replied: Certainly! Here's a design for a new Lego car from the Expert Builder series: Model Name: Turbo Racer Theme: Sports Car Size: Medium/Large Features and Functions: Sleek Exterior: The Turbo Racer will have a streamlined and aerodynamic design, with a low-slung body, curved lines, and sporty details like a spoiler and air vents. Opening Doors: The car will feature functional doors that can be opened and closed, allowing mini-figures to easily enter and exit the vehicle. Detailed Interior: The interior will be carefully designed with a dashboard, steering wheel, adjustable seats, and a gear shift. Additional details like a stereo system and speedometer can also be included. Working Suspension: The Turbo Racer can incorporate a working suspension system, allowing the wheels to move up and down, providing a realistic and smoother driving experience. Functional Steering: The car will have a functional steering mechanism that enables the front wheels to turn left and right, allowing for more precise control during play. Removable Engine Cover: The model can include a removable engine cover, showcasing a detailed engine block with visible pistons and other mechanical components. Convertible Roof: Optionally, the Turbo Racer can feature a removable or foldable roof, allowing for both open-top and closed-top driving experiences. Customizable Decals: The set can include a variety of stickers or printed elements to add personalized decals, such as racing stripes, numbers, and logos, giving builders the option to customize their Turbo Racer. Additional Accessories: The set can also include extra accessories like a toolbox, a fuel canister, and a spare tire to enhance the playability and realism of the model. Piece Count: The piece count for this Expert Builder set could range from approximately 800 to 1200 pieces, depending on the level of detail and complexity desired. Please note that this is a conceptual design, and the actual availability and inclusion of specific features would be subject to the manufacturing and design processes undertaken by the Lego Group. I tried the same query in Dall-E. It failed miserably.

My favorite set of all time is 8860 Auto Chassis.

Some good suggestions in this thread! My channel is brand new and has less than 200 subscribers. Please check it out. I'm "@TechnicallyEvan" on Youtube.

I'd love to see a return of the classic theme "Expert Builder" from the 1970s-1980s. It was the predecessor to Technic, known for creative use of square parts and awesome packaging.

I use small parts bins from Harbor Freight (a chain store here in the US). They only cost five dollars.

There's more info about the early history on my website at http://www.brickhacks.com/0.php.

It's a Laser 128. It has one card slot, with a replica doubler card from A2heaven.com. There is one real 9767 card and a homemade replica card by Jonathan Chapman a.k.a. "Glitch" in the retrocomputing hobby. I programmed it in Applesoft BASIC.

Here's the latest video of my giant V8 engine, controlled by guess which computer system. :) https://youtu.be/F-x7YFMWnBQ

Thanks @Toastie I will check out the video. >> has also the Apple II and IBM PC cards. Not sure about the C64 cable only connection I have all three of those. :) Update: I watched the video, and that's definitely what I need! I emailed him just now. Thanks again for the tip.

I'm skeptical that they would help, but I left a message through their web chat system.

Does anyone have a scan of the original instructions for connecting a BBC Micro (B, B+, Master) to Interface A? I know it's just the 20-pin ribbon cable, but I am curious to see how Lego documented it for BBC computers. I have the Apple II, Commodore 64, and IBM PC instructions.

@BatteryPoweredBricks: Nice find! I have another VHS that's about the Dacta series in general, with Control Lab mentioned around the 12:00 mark. https://archive.org/details/legodactavideo

@BatteryPoweredBricks: Thanks for letting me know about this thread. @Toastie: BrickHacks.com is my website. I used to prefer the domain MindsBeforeTheStorm.com, but that's too long to say. :) Originally it was LegoRobotMuseum.com, but Lego attorneys sent me a cease-and-desist letter. Oh well. BrickHacks sounds cool. The website is in drastic need of an overhaul. I'm hoping to work on it later this month. I need to add BBC and Commodore sections, Lego Lines, etc. Anyway, a bit of a re-introduction: I'm a hobbyist in New Jersey, USA. I used to be known as the guy in charge of the Vintage Computer Festival shows here. I grew up on an Apple II, but I love everything from Babbage to Univac to Zilog. I'm a science writer at NJIT, where I also teach CS-485, History of Computing. This semester I became the faculty advisor to our student Lego club. As for my collection: I've got two 9767 Apple II cards, a third (replica) 9767, a fourth (bad replica) 9767), and one 9771 PC card. I also have the insanely-rare Commodore 64 cable. (There is one left on Bricklink, not my ad, if anyone wants to grab it!) I've got three 9750 Interface A units, and I think a complete collection of manuals, including the rare teacher's editions, of all the 8-bit and Control Lab stuff. Last year I put it all onto Archive.org in the Vintage Lego Robotics folder: https://archive.org/details/vintagelegorobotics. Finally, as BPP mentioned, there's my pandemic project: a life-size (1:1 scale) Chevy 454 Big Block, built 100% from 1970s-1980s parts, with its distributor and spark plugs controlled by my BASIC code on an Apple II through dual 9750 interfaces. I'll post a video here when ready.

Most of the Lego software for the 8-bit and 16-bit systems (TC Logo, Lego Lines, Control Lab, etc.) is in the "Vintage Lego Robotics" collection at Archive.org. Most of the manuals are there too.

Thanks! I checked out your Youtube channel -- your creations are amazing.

I used Dacta software (set 9700, with an Apple II clone and programmed in BASIC) to control the spark plugs on my life-size Lego V8 engine. Just finished it today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0tipi42d5k&ab_channel=EvanKoblentz

I posted here a couple of months ago. Two updates: I replaced the rubber bands with proper springs, and I doubled the power! https://youtu.be/_91beNB1CFU

Thanks very much. PS. I clicked the link in your signature but it does not work.

I made a life-sized V-8 car engine. :) It's exclusively from 1970s-1980s parts. Some of them I had already from childhood and many of them I had to acquire, but there's nothing that was not available back then. Obviously the rubber bands (serving as valve springs) and the rubber hoses are not Lego, but my justification is that plenty of official Lego sets in the 80s included rubber bands and rubber hoses, so the company made a precedent. (I tried the 1980s shocks for valve springs, but they are too firm.) An earlier version brought me the "Best Technic" award at Brickfest (Philadelphia) last fall; this version is improved in several ways. I would like to make directions and sell them on Rebrickable. First I have to learn how to use Studio! I estimate there are somewhere around 1,500-2,000 pieces. Maybe more. https://youtu.be/F-x7YFMWnBQ?feature=shared

I would like to know what programming language is inside the Code Pilot hardware for reading barcodes, and whether anyone has hacked it in interesting ways.

It is pretty cool that your post worked out this way! There is a lot more technical information that I hope to get online soon. I will post about it here.

There are 13 manuals at https://archive.org/details/@magicratandbarefootgirl now. I found that it's easiest to select the list view, not the default grid view, and then to sort by title, not by the default of date uploaded. More to come.

Just realized my request for the Lego Engineer software duplicates the fourth message of this entire thread from 2012. :) I sure would like to find that software.

A link to 1.3 was already shared. What is "Let's Go"...? Everyone: who's got a copy of Lego Engineer? Links to it across the web are all broken. :(