Chilly

I just love these. Why don't Lego sell GBC sets? This is real learning for kids (and us grown-ups too.) Talking of which, does anyone know if the original poster will be allowed back? He used to post links to some amazing stuff, and I miss his posts.

OK, sorted it. http://www.readypedalgo.co.uk/9398.C.Model%20-%20white%20background.pdf. Smaller file than original (21 vs 32mb), with white background. @jono.rocky Have a look, see what you think, feel free to put it on your own website. And thanks for the MOC, it's great, can't wait for the winter to have a go at building this one. (My crawler is still untouched in it's box. I don't play with lego when I can be sitting/playing outside, but I do lurk here, especially in the middle of the night when insomnia is keeping me up!.)

I've deleted the blue background, and now have a .pdf file with a white background. Only trouble is, the file is huge, really huge, 30 times bigger than the original. So, until I can shrink it, I won't post a link to it. Watch this space...............

@Alasdair. No, opening the .pdf file is fine, but every page has a blue background, and to print 64 pages would be a lot of wasted blue ink. (It wouldn't have bothered me when I was employed and using the office printer, but now it's my ink I'd be wasting !) Can't be asked to look at a screen while building, I like paper copies. I've started to modify each individual page in PhotoShop, deleting the background and saving as .jpg. When done, I'll join them back together into a "background-less" .pdf file and put a link to it if anyone else wants to print it out.

A lovely MOC, and the instructions look great, but there will be a lot of blue ink wasted if they are printed! Anyone got an easy, simple, quick solution to change a pdf file ??

Cool. And so nice to see a post that isn't construction vehicles or that other thing that's taking over. I'm going to have to try some of these, but it's too nice to be indoors in the summer. Have to wait for cold weather and a roaring log fire. Not to self - buy some balls/beads before winter.....

With my latest purchase - Control Centre II, I've now got all the Technic sets I ever wanted. Had fun building the hovercraft last week while staying with my dad. The odd way it moves really made him laugh - which was good to see as he had been in and out of hospital for a couple of weeks, and my mum had to go into care as he was struggling to cope with her. So, Lego lightens the spirit once again And I got it really cheap off that well-known auction site.

Don't forget all the previous models, most available second-hand, some cheaper than when new, some dearer: 8865 - Test car - prequel to 8880 8880 - Supercar, amazing build 8455 - TLB - good for pneumatics 8466 - off-roader with power puller wheels 8094 and 8485 - Control Centres I and II - some amazing gearing and function changing with gears - not vehicles 8480 - Space shuttle and many more, available from auction sites, car boot sales, local paper...........

@allanp The maths works, but no model uses all the flex wires, and I've got the two black ends, just one of the dark gray is missing, and counting through the dino instructions, I can't see where I'd need to use them all. Unless I can't count properly!!

Hi all Thanks for your comments, you echo most of my thoughts on this. I've looked and looked through the instructions, and quite clearly need three tyres for the helicopter, but as it doesn't need to roll along the floor, the "odd" tyre isn't really a problem. I also cannot see why I'd need 12 flex ends. I've counted and counted through the dino instructions and can't get that high a number. There are seven of the flex wires, which are the rare and expensive part of this set, so as for the rest, I really can't be asked to check. I priced up the missing pieces from BL, and they'd cost less than £2 plus postage. Trouble is, you can't get them all from one shop, so postage costs would mount up higher than the value/worth. I know I've got all the rest of the pieces at home - if I needed them all. I also got it for a really good price, so generally I'm happy with it. (I know a good auction price shouldn't mean missing parts but.........life's too short, and I'm wasting good building time ) I have contacted the vendor to see if he's got any bits lying around, depending on his level of reply I probably won't take it any further.

Hi all, I need your advice please. I've just bought, and received, the Control Centre II 8485, as a "complete" set from an online auction!. After checking the contents against the Peeron (http://www.peeron.com/inv/sets/8485-1) and Rebrickable (http://rebrickable.c...ilding-set-1995) inventories, the following items are missing. 3023 black 1 x 2 plate - missing 2 3023 oldgray 1x2 plate - missing 1 x89 black rubber belt large - missing 2 3704 black axle 2 - missing 1 4519 black axle 3 - missing 3 6587 olddkgray axle 3 with stud - missing 1 3706 black axle 6 - missing 3 3708 black axle 12 - missing 2 3700 oldgray 1x2 brick with hole - missing 2 or 8 3713 oldgray bush - missing 1 4265b oldgray bush 1/2 - missing 10 3651 oldgray connector - missing 1 6643 olddkgray flex end - missing 1 4274 oldgray pin 1/2 - missing 2 6558 pin, long friction - missing 1 4442 oldgray plate 1x8 with holes - missing 1 6578 black tyre - missing 1 3483 black tyre small - missing 1 There is one odd tyre present that is not on the inventory, it was on the wheel that is really missing a proper tyre. Before I complain to the vendor, I'd like to know if anyone has a different inventory that shows different quantities of these items, as I don't know what the vendor has checked the contents against - if anything. There isn't one printed in the instruction book, and I want to savour the build not rush it so I can complain if there are crucial parts missing. I've been looking forward to getting this set for a long time. Apart from the tyre and the flex-end, I have all of the missing items in my collection already, but as I am away from home and have had my new toy delivered to my current location, I can't borrow from my collection.

Anyone know why Peeron rarely prints the second page of an Inventory? Or can anyone suggest a different web-site for printing inventories. I like the ease of use and layout of Peeron, but I'm getting fed-up having to "screen-shot" to print the second page. Thanks

Supported. Cute, neat and playable.

Unless you really need the money, as others have already said: DON'T sell. How many times have you read on this forum "I wish I stil had....." or "I had that when I was young, and now I can't find/afford it". If you live in a country with cold winters, it's a better way to spend an evening than watching mindless TV.

One of my favourites, complex and yet satisfying, playable and it works well. But why does everything have to be a "vehicle". I want to see something different, along the lines of the dinosaur from the Control Centre II, the pick'n'place robot from Control Centre I, or a whole series of GBC modules. Lots of gears and moving parts, playable and appealing to all ages and girls too!!

Finally made some, and got round to taking photos.....

That was one of the Ideas books - 8888/89/90/91 (I'm on the train and about to run out of battery.......) You mean all the others don't use this gear changer. It's so slick why didn't they keep re-using it?

The opening and closing of the jaws in the pick'n'place robot of 8094, and the last model of that set, not sure what to call it, but it also has a clever feature that changes when you reverse the motor. And the cable car reverse function from the Ideas book 8891. I can sit and watch it reverse itself all-day-long.

OK, I know I'm 200 miles from my 8466at the mo, but despite my very vivid imagination, I'm stumped as to what you'd use the pneumatics pack for with this off-roader.

None. Because then I'd have to dust them. And for me, it's the building that is the fun, not the looking at.

I'll have to try that - makes a mental note

8462 is the "big blue tow truck from 1998" mentioned by allanp. I've got it and 8455 and much prefer 8455. The blue tow truck does have the air tanks, but the pneumatics are just ordinary, and the build is too. 8455 is much more fun to build and to play with. I've also got 8110, but by the time I bought it, the winter was over (well, supposed to be), so I'm saving it till it gets cold and I need to sit in front of the fire and play, so can't comment on it. Although I love the idea of the compressor instead of having to pump pump pump. Whatever you get, I'm sure you will have fun building and learning from, and playing with. The air tanks save you having to pump everytime you want to operate a valve as they store air. You still have to pump as many times, but you can do lots of pumping and then lots of playing, as opposed to pump play, pump play, pump play.

*Like*. You've summarised it most eloquently.

Oh wow, I'm not really into cars, but I want to build this one. I can't see the video either - it's just not there.

No, too many things with wheels. Wish they'd bring back/re-visit sets like: the dinosaur (8485), pick and place robot thingy and drawing machine (8094), GBC sets, clocks, walking things - like cosmodog http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=42307 , anthing that's real Technic, with lots of functions and gears and switches and IR, but not cranes, cars or other vehicles. There must be so many other things they could do, but they seem to just repeat the same themes every few years.