Introduction
Lego is probably the most famous toy manufacturer in the world. Throughout the ages, kids from all over the world adored Lego. Lego is very popular in Europe and North America. In other parts of the world, their penetration is low because of comparative high price and poor marketing.
Lego is company based in Denmark founded in early 70's. Lego builds mecanos. It helps kids to make cars, trucks, planes, houses etc. using small parts (known as bricks and studs in Lego terms).
Lego sets have various themes like trains, bionicle, duplo, technic etc. Among all these, Technic sets are the most sophisticated. In this article I shall discuss Technic sets only.
What makes Lego unique from most other toy manufacturers, is its excellence in providing features in its sets. Don't you feel amazed at 5-speed transmission in toy cars? How about a 4-wheel drive transmission, then?
Does Lego still build wonderful sets? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Though the company still makes toys, its quality has surprisingly fallen compared to past. Like many Lego fans, I don't know the reason. May be they are trying to capture a different market or so. That means, Lego has probably already made its best toys.
Lego has several technic sets. Not all of them are good. However, some are so good that they are more suitable to crazy adults than kids!
At the later part of this article, I have described all good Lego Technic sets in details.
Lego has sets of train models as well. However, I personally never liked Lego train models as Hornby (or similar manufacturer) trains are seemed far more realistic to me.
Features of Lego Technic sets
Please be aware that not all features are available in all sets! Most single sets have only two or three features available from the following list.
- Turn wheels using steering
- Differentials on transmission shaft
- Independent suspension on car/truck/bike wheels
- Air tank driven pneumatic cylinder movement (mostly in cranes & trucks)
- Multi-speed gearbox
- 4-wheels drive transmission
- Adjustable seats
- Opening doors, engine hood etc.
- Tilting truck container
- Engine mimicking cylinder movements (not real petrol engine!)
- Battery driven electric motors to move vehicle or cranes.
- Programmable movements (mostly on Mindstorm/RCX models)
- Rudder and aileron movement in planes
- Turntable movement in cranes
- Telescopic booms in cranes
- Rotor movements in helicopters
Lego resource on web
I am sure you are going to ask how you can get old Lego Technic sets now. Well, there are several shops who sell those old items but their prices are usually quite high. Following websites may help you.
www.lego.com (official Lego site only current modes available for sale)
www.bricklink.com (unofficial Lego market place for new/used sets)
www.lugnet.com (Lego fan site - see picture of any Lego set and read review)
www.brickset.com (Lego fan site - see picture of any Lego set and read review)
www.brickshelf.com (scanned pages of Lego instruction books)
www.ebay.co.uk, www.ebay.com etc. (for used Lego sets)
It is even possible to create virtual Lego models on computer. There are CAD like programs available for this. Fortunately, they are free. One such original program is LDRAW (www.ldraw.org). However, it is a DOS based program. But you can have several of its Window's GUI versions. One such popular GUI is MLCAD (www.lm-software.com/mlcad/). LDRAW is an open architecture program. That means you can even incorporate custom parts with it.
When buying used Lego, be careful about its completeness! Often seller claims items as 100% complete and which after purchase turns out to be not so. If some minor parts are missing, you can probably replenish them from your other Lego sets, however, if any critical part is missing, it might render your entire model incomplete! Also, battery operated motors tend to become faulty with older used models.
Lego in India
Unfortunately, very few shops sale Lego technic sets in India. Moreover, their price seems to be too high! (Rs 3,000 - 7,000 range). Moreover, you'll only get latest Lego sets in the market.. Also, it is highly difficult to get old Lego sets in India. My own Lego sets were all bought from Germany and UK mainly.
Lego Technic
Description of best Lego Technic sets (includes set number, year of release, brief description, indicative market price in £ GBP where possible - please note that price may vary widely between seller to seller).
A/RWD = All/Rear Wheel Drive
CARS
853 Car Chassis 1977 - V4 front engine, 2-speed gearbox, RWD £40
8880 Super Car 1994 - V8 rear mounted engine, 4-speed gearbox, AWD, all wheels independent suspension, all wheels steering, opening hood, pop up headlamps etc. £50
8448 Street Car Sensation 1999 - V8 front mounted engine, 6-speed gearbox, RWD, all wheels independent suspension, opening hood, opening doors etc. £70
8466 4x4 Off Roader 2001 - V8 front mounted engine, 6-speed gearbox, RWD, all wheels independent suspension, opening hood, opening doors etc. £60
8865 Test Car 1988 - rear V4 square cylinder engine, 3-speed gearbox, RWD, all wheels independent suspension, adjustable seats etc. £25
8860 Auto Chassis 1980 - V4 square cylinder engine, 2-speed gearbox, RWD, rear wheels suspension, adjustable seats etc. £35
8437 Future Car 1997 - V4 engine, RWD, rear wheels suspension, opening doors, hood etc. £6
8428/8432 Concept Car (with CD) 1998 - similar to 8437, front V4 engine £8
8461 Williams Racing Car 2002 - V10 engine, RWD, suspension, large scale car (65 cm length) £50
8458 Silver Champion Racing Car 2000 - V10 engine, RWD, suspension, large scale car £50
8386 Ferrari 2003 - V10 engine, RWD etc. £35
TRUCKS & CRANES
8479 Barcode Truck 1997 - motor, Code Pilot (barcode reader), several programmable movements and sound by reading barcode sheet, movable front clamps, tilting container with cogs, rack and pinion, electronic sensors, RWD £60
8868 Air tech Claw Rig Truck 1992 - V6 engine, RWD, pneumatic cylinders driven by motor, air tank compressor £60
8460/8438/8431 Pneumatic Truck 1995/2003/2002 - pneumatic cranes, several gear functions, crane boom movement, turntable etc. £40
8462 Tow Truck 1998 - air tank, pneumatic cylinders £30
8436 Truck chassis 2003 - V6 engine, RWD, pneumatic cylinders £40
8862 Backhoe Grader 1989 - several gears and pneumatic cylinder functions £30
8459/8464 Front end Loader 1997 - V6 engine, air tank, pneumatic cylinders £30
8455 Backhoe 2003 - pneumatic cylinders movement £50
8275 Motorized Bulldozer 2007 - remote controls, 4 motors, tracked wheels £100
8421 Mobile Crane 2005 - an version of 8460/8438 with motor and air pump £80
8258 Crane Truck - realistic truck with crane. Has mechanical stabilizers, tilted cab, V8 engine, power motor, pneumatics. £150
OTHERS
8480 Space Shuttle 1996 - 2 motors, fiber optics, multi-speed transmission etc. £65
8422 Circuit Racer Bike 1995 - V2 engine, suspension, chain drive etc. £5
8425 Black Hawk Plane 1996 - retractable landing gear, rudder, aileron, propellers movements through gears £25
8855 Sea Plane 1988 - V2 engine, big propeller, rudder, aileron movements etc. £12
8284 Tractor 2006 - engine, RWD, ploughing equipments £30
8274 Combine Harvester 2007 - rotating cylinder, detachable cutting and thrashing bars £50
HOUSES
Lego modular buildings. All are on mini fig scale.
10185 Green Grocer - A G+3 story building with floors and some interior details like windows, stairs, fireplace and furnitures. £100
4956 a house with ground floor only with gable roof and garage.
4954 town house with two floors and garage. But it has no interior or floors!
10197 Fire Brigade - replica of a fire brigade building. £100
10211 Grand Emporium - a 3-storied departmental store with flooring, figures, interior furniture, revolving door and several other details. £139
10190 Market Street - a somewhat narrower version of 10185 with good detail.
10182 Cafe Corner - G+3 building with interior detail.
5891 Apple Tree House - G+1 house with garage. Empty interior but ladder to upstairs. £33
6754 Family Home - a G+1 storied house with interior details £84
Note: Models released after 2001, mostly use stud less (non conventional technic) beams.
