You know how sometimes you’ll get a random, unbidden vision that pops into your head, often in the form of a demonic caterpillar that tells you to do terrible things or it will reveal all of your secret and shameful desires to the entire world via a series of paid Facebook ads? Or, if not that, sometimes just random memories, like what happened to me earlier, as I had a vivid visual and sensory memory of that Lego tow truck and car set up there. I got that when I was a little kid, and loved it, and used the basic way those cars were built as my general template for innumerable small Lego cars to follow. I did add one innovation, though, and I’m not certain if I came up with it on my own or saw it somewhere, but it was very cool. Let me show you.
These lego cars had a lot of important parts, like the 1×1 block with the stud on one side so you could stick a transparent block there to form a headlight or taillight – those were really valuable pieces. Same goes for the doors and windshields, which worked together very well to form an opening hinge for the door.
Speaking of hinges, let’s get to the innovation: by replacing the two 1/3 height 1×2 black Lego pieces that formed the grille of that sporty little car there with a lego hinge piece, you could make a little car with a front-hinged hood that would open!
The hinge face looked plenty grille-like, too – perhaps even more, because of the detailing of the hinge elements in there – and being able to open that hood added all kinds of extra fun when playing with little lego cars.
If I wasn’t so late getting this Cold Start cranked out I’d go dig through Otto’s big Lego bins and find the parts and make one – maybe I’ll update this if I get a chance later today. If not, I encourage you to give it a try, as it’s weirdly satisfying.
Also, regarding that set – I wonder why Lego felt the need to have actual Exxon branding on there? Actually, now that I think about it, Lego and Esso/Exxon partnerships go way way back – in fact, when I was a kid, I had a hand-me-down Lego set from the 1950s (!) that was an Esso station:
What was the story with Lego and Esso – which, I should add, was so named because of S.O., as in Standard Oil! Did you know that? When I learned that I had the same sort of shock when I realized Arby’s was R.B., as in roast beef. This world, she is full of wonders!
I hope your week was dazzling!
take a look at SP line up for custom lego kits
they sell digital instructions for lots of cars
https://splineup.com/
“I wonder why Lego felt the need to have actual Exxon branding on there”
I think kids of a certain age like having a bit of realism for their toys, including branding that they recognize but don’t know anything about, but also it might have been a marketing deal of some kind.
IIRC they were sold in gas stations.. I also recall that before you could get grass fed single sourced small batch elk jerky at every gas station, toys were available. Branded trucks at least.
Texaco, Esso, and Shell logos were prevalent on 80’s LEGO sets. Who knew they were in the pocket of big oil!!!!
/s
but maybe not?
I mean, their products are literally petroleum based… *dons tinfoil hat*
Now you’re speaking language! Fun fact: LEGO produces more rubber tires annually than any other tire producer on the planet… I’ve been hoping The Autopian would dive down the brick-built rabbit hole…
LEGO has made several really cool cars in their Technic series that help teach kids about how cars work:
https://brickset.com/sets/853-1/Car-Chassis
https://brickset.com/sets/8860-1/Car-Chassis
https://brickset.com/sets/8865-1/Test-Car
https://brickset.com/sets/8880-1/Super-Car
The more recent sets have featured more detailed and accurate models of actual cars like the Porsche 911 GT3 RS which features working paddle shifters for the transmission!
https://brickset.com/sets/42056-1/Porsche-911-GT3-RS
Thanks for the trip down memory lane with those links – I remember desperately wanting that Super Car kit (8880) but having to make-do with a second-hand Test Car kit instead. I tried to come up with my own bodywork to capture some of the cool-factor, but without the low-profile tyres it didn’t look good (those chunky solid rubber tires didn’t really lend themselves to a sports-car shape, and I think the huge spoiler I made for it was a fail).
It’s incredible how much engineering goes into a modern lego set, and how many engineers learned most basic principles using these toys.
And for the record, I think my very first lego set (that was actually bought for me, and not just a bucket of random bricks salvaged from a yard-sale) was that tow-truck and car. Since my dad owned a Skoda at the time, I was extremely familiar with the concept of waiting for a tow at a young age.
Oh, this is a dangerous path. If we keep talking about LEGO, I’m going to drive to my parents house, grab my LEGO bricks and spread them all over their living room floor while eating Dunkaroos, drinking Mondo and watching Knight Rider.
I can hear my dad now: “Will you clear a path so I can get to the front door?!”
LEGO eventually created their own petrochemical company called OCTAN for use in Town sets and others that required some sort of mega-corporation branding.
https://brickipedia.fandom.com/wiki/Octan
According to the History Channel, “Food that Built America,” R.B. does not stand for roast beef as in “America’s Roast Beef, Yes Sir!” It stands for the Raffel Brothers who founded the restaurant and is a phonetic spelling of RB’s.
HERESY!!
The jingle trumps fact!!!
“when I realized Arby’s was R.B., as in roast beef.”
Uh, I was today years old when I learned that!
I freaking LOVE Lego! Especially old Lego. My kids’ friends’ dad just gave me his bin of old Lego the other day. I haven’t had much time to dig through it, but I was pretty freaking excited to find two old Shell gas station pieces!
I was today years old when I learned that and then promptly unlearned it thanks to that joy kill @adamb who stated that it stands for Raffel Brothers.
Insert “Why not both?” meme.
Are hallucinations a symptom of accute lead exposure?
More likely from car lasagna.
If Jason was so obsessed with hinged things as a child, how did he wind up so unhinged as an adult?
OK, that did legit make me laugh out loud. Kudos.
Is this the long awaited beginning of The Legopian?
Since we’re talking about lego and cars, guess who produces the most tires yearly? Hint: It’s not Pirelli or Michelin
Where’s the guy chasing the tow truck drive as his ride is be repo’d
To add to the indignity, he’d appear to be a racer losing his ride, judging by the helmet in the back.
Did Maldonado license his likeness to Lego?
I am going to build that set for my kid.
Dangit… Now I have to go rummaging through the boxes in the basement. I have that Lego tow truck and car kit, and I must find it now!
Pfft. Back in ‘65 we only had red and white Lego bricks. And not the big ones! We made a wall and we liked it.
Did you tie an onion to your belt, too?
That was the style back then.
Liked just for the username.
Sorry Jason but I think you are not the creator of the lego hinged hood, I remember doing this too in the 80’s and there were lego set with “built in” hinged hood like this one :
https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6627-1.jpg
But thanks for the memories I had that set too as a kid.
Yep, I had a 4×4 tow truck set that had a similar hood hinge: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=6660-1
I don’t remember this one and I am of this age range. But I’m more curious of what part they used to get the suspension articulation, that is pretty neat
Ah, there it is. I figured it had to have existed in some official way.
This explains so much. Deep-seated childhood trauma from feverish rummaging for those scarce transparent Lego bricks–expressed today in a baffling obsession with automotive lighting. The overall fascination with early Volkswagens, so Lego-like in their modular concept. We understand you a little better now, Jason. And we’re here for you. Let it all out.
They could have combined their brands to make a rest area food stop type of thing in Germany: the Esso-Exxon-Essen.
Lego pieces are made of plastic, and plastic is made from petroleum. I have no idea if that is the connection but it sounds plausible.
Speaking of interesting company name origins, apparently Lego comes from combining the Danish words “leg got”, which means “let’s play”. Also, did you know that PEZ candy was invented in Austria and was originally a breath mint? The name comes from the first, middle and last letters of pfefferminz (peppermint in German).
Almost, it’s leg godt and it translates to play well/nice/good
And incidently in lego in latin translates to something like put together. Which was not of note when they where still making wooden toys but for the lego nowadays is’t pretty fitting
Pez dispensers at first were little elegant things, that would pair well with cigarette lighters. You were meant to carry a pez dispenser to freshen your breath after smoking. I’d love to have an early example someday.
If it ain’t Octan I don’t want it anywhere near my stud enveloped vehicle.
I always thought there should be a thin half red/half green brick that a minifig could hold & give to the station attendant.
You would however raise the hood with the height of a plate if you replace the 2 plates with one hinge.
(a hinge is as high as a normal brick, while 3 plates equal the height of a brick (or hinge))
That raised hood is a power bulge.
Sorry Torch… From Wikipedia, also as seen on The Food that Built America, “Instead, they chose the name “Arby’s,” based on R. B., the initials of Raffel Brothers; although often mistaken for Roast Beef.”
Yup, but then they ran with it for a while and they used the tag line America’s Roast Beef Yes Sir! for awhile.
I want to say Lego had Shell branding in Europe as well?
yes, it was in the US too (I have the set)
https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6378-1.jpg
And speaking of Standard Oil, I grew up in Ohio, where the gas to buy was Sohio! Really! Standard oil of Ohio! Get it?
And I understand the legal injunction against using “Esso” has expired, so ExxonMobil can actually use the name here (in the States I mean) again!
I’ve since seen it as a name for the diesel, but not for an entire station.
Those earlier sets were mostly about buildings and they came with those plastic cars, vans and trucks that fit surprisingly good on a HO scale layout.
More “real” cars should have front hinged hoods. So much easier to get at everything.
Rear engined Skodas have side opening frunks.