Collecting old sets #2
Posted by Huw,
The first article on this subject that I wrote a couple of weeks ago seems to have been well received so for this second article I've chosen another selection of sets that I coveted when I emerged from my dark ages in 1995: Town vehicles from the early 1990s.
The period 1990-1995 was something of a golden era for LEGO Town and some of the best Town/City sets ever made were released in those years, e.g. 6542 Launch and Load Seaport from 1991, 6543 Sail and Fly Marina from 1994 and, perhaps the best Town set ever, 6399 Airport Shuttle from 1990.
However it wasn't those particular sets that appealed to me when I first flicked through old catalogues, it was what today would be called 'Great vehicles': detailed and functional trucks and utility vehicles that every LEGO town needs.
I've picked six of my favourites, tell you why I like them and also survey those available in eBay right now should you wish to add them to your collection.
6594 Gas Transit
If you're not familiar with vehicles from the Town era the first thing that you'll notice is that they are 4-wide and not 6-wide like today's City ones. To be honest they look totally out of proportion as a result but nevertheless have a certain charm. It's interesting to compare it to 2010's 3180 Tank Truck which has double the number of pieces yet costs just 50% more. Who says LEGO is getting more expensive??
This set 6594 Gas Transit, and 6397 Gas and Wash Express, both released in 1992, introduced the Octan branding. Prior to this many gasoline/petrol-related models carried Shell branding. Who'd have thought back then that the Octan company would have top billing in a Hollywood movie one day...
There are quite a few on eBay: used with instructions from about $20, to MISB examples for £200+
6668 Recycle Truck
This recycling truck, also from 1992, is an excellent model in many respects. Not only does it look great but it's also very functional with a clever mechanism for loading and unloading the container that doesn't interfere with the aesthetic of the truck.
Again, used ones can be had for about $20 on eBay and for those with deep pockets a MISB example is available for $250. Personally I think the seller is pushing his luck a bit, particularly as a MISB one sold recently for $22.
6667 Pothole Patcher
There hasn't been a vehicle like this 6667 Pothole Patcher from 1993 before or since. It's a great idea for a utility vehicle and something every Town needs, particularly after the recent storms, right?
There isn't a whole lot of playability but it looks great and is packed full of interesting and realistic details.
It can be yours for $28 used, or just $125 MISB on eBay.
6670 Rescue Rig
This is the 1993 equivalent of this year's 60056 Tow Truck. It looks tiny by comparison, doesn't it. It's small but perfectly formed, realistic, and probably more to scale with City cars than 60056.
Once again, $20 seems to be the going rate on eBay for a used example. I can't see any MISB ones at the moment.
1831 Maersk Truck
LEGO has been producing models of Maersk vehicles and ships since the 1970s. This was the third truck to be made and, like all other Maersk sets made until that point, it was hard to get hold of.
One place it was available was New Zealand as part of a LEGO truck tour (according to my post on Lugnet in 2004) so I suspect I got mine from fellow Brickset admin Grahame.
Like all the other vehicles in this list it looks tiny to today's standards but the designers still managed to pack in a good level of detail.
The version shown here is the first release with Maersk stickers on the containers. A later version was produced with Maersk Sealand stickers.
There's a MISB one of the latter on eBay at the moment for an eye-watering $400. Clearly this is a set that I should have stocked up on at the time!
6649 Street Sweeper
Finally, I've chosen another utility vehicle that every LEGO town needs, a street sweeper.
This particular one was released in 1995, just 4 years after a very similar one, 6645. I guess we can conclude that 6645 was a popular model. The last street sweeper to be made was in 2005, 7242, so we are long overdue another. I wonder if one will be made like my own 'Great Vehicles' version, which is modelled on a typical UK street sweeper design.
A 6649 on eBay will set you back $15 or so used, or $60 MISB. A bargain!
That's it for this selection, then. It's by no means a comprehensive list of classic Town vehicles and I'm sure you have your own favourites that I haven't included. Let us know in the comments.
Would you like to contribute to a future article in this series? If so, get in touch!
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35 comments on this article
6668 and 6667 were two sets I always always always wanted when I was a kid, but never got around to finding.
Sweet! Too bad I have only two of those sets: 6649 and 6594 (my favourite!)
Cool.. I own 6668, 6667, 6670 & 6649 from when i was a kid :)
Don't forget there was a street sweeper included in 2010's Public Transport Station (8404) and a small one in 2013's Town Square (60026).
nice pick Huw, and proud to say I got all of them. To add to your description, wasn't the 1831 also available on a Norwegian ferry (Christianssand)? [correct myself, that was the one with ColorLine colours and style] I recall I bought my set from a Norwegian on brickshelf. Concerning the four studs vs. six studs wide vehicles, I discontinued my collection when the latter was introduced. It fits the new building better but the vehicles are bulky on the old street plates. Our city still is on scale with all the old stuff.
^^ Thank you for that, I had forgotten about them. The one in 60026 is a bit odd, isn't it: more like a tractor with an attachment on the front. Looks more like a snow groomer :-)
I still have the garbage truck and the street sweeper, love the 4 stud wide cars myself :) recently recompleted all of these sets, a lot of pieces have gone missing in my childhood :P
Another nice review Huw, love these articles!
(I just hope they will not inspire too much interest, as that will drive the price up before I can get my hands on then!)
I recently bought a lot of lego that included the 6649 Street Sweeper and 6668 Recycle Truck - the mechanism on that truck is truly impresive.
Also whilst my son and myself were sorting out the lego he chucked the sweeper brushes into our non lego pile claiming they were for hair (they had hair on them) :) - luckily I had come across them on another set otherwise I might have made the same mistake.
Too bad i don't have them :(
It may be nostalgia, but I've always preferred the 4 wide stuff to this newer 6 wide trend. LEGO scale is always off, it's just a case of making something look right. The newer stuff is nice in it's ability to be detailed, but just too big for putting in a town layout (IMO).
I would love to have a Lego Street Sweeper.
OP: Sail N' Fly Marina is actually set 6543.
I love collecting early Town homes from the '80s. A couple of my favorites are 6349 'Holiday Vila' and 1484 'Houses'.
That Octan truck just gave me a huge rush if nostalgia... Thank you Huw!
Interesting trip down memory lane. I had about half of these. I did have quite the town collection, but I was more into historical themes.
With that said, I do prefer the 4-wide vehicles. The new versions look really nice, but my childhood will always reign supreme with 4-wide. I remember my face contorting into a weird expression when I first saw the new great vehicles after coming out of the box (my name for dark ages). Just didn't seem right from what I was used to. But then again, all of the new colors was vastly different from when I was a kid too.
I got the street sweeper in a bundle of parts once...I still have instructions somewhere!
Can't wait until next week's installment!
Loved my 6670 Rescue Rig as a kid. Great printed parts on that one.
Just joined so I could comment on how great the site and articles these are. Brings back great memories!
^^ Welcome aboard and thanks for sharing your story.
6649 was the first LEGO set I owned!
I am tempted to get my boxes full of 80s bricks and assemble a part of my castle collection ... I fear I have to do it, if Huws next article is about castles.
If we're going with great city trucks of the '90s, my absolute favorite has to be 6335 Indy Transport. Not only does the truck look great, but it comes with 3 full-sized Indy/F1 race cars and a ton of accessories for them.
It's such a great toy that if it was die-cast instead of Lego, it would sell like crazy!
I had one, and during a momentary lapse of reason, I sold it.
I've been kicking myself ever since.
I have them all! So great to see them, a lot of beautiful memories come to my mind :-)
These really are some of the best sets. Together with 6534 Beach Bandit and 6351Surf N' Sail Camper they have so much playability!!
Love these articles Huw - Brings me back to my childhood. I've been trying to get 6668 for years. Luckily I own 6353 Coastal Cutter which has the hook arm so I was able to MOC my own recycling truck. 6667 is also one of my top favorite sets and I don't think it's ever been disassembled since I managed to score one off eBay years ago.
Only really one for me and I hope it counts as 'Great Vehicle': 6357 Stunt 'Copter. I was relatively young when I got it and it's not very often I've beaten the excitement of the first time I bought two vehicles in one set. Nothing comes close for me. Huw's choices come from just after the golden age for me - I didn't like the change to a wider tyre and they also started suddenly raising the chassis from the wheels, (or at least it felt like it,) which made a lot of the vehicles look wrong. The Pothole Patcher would be one of those. Runners up - by a distance - 6698, 6653, and 6674.
An interesting description of classic Lego. I love old sets. They have a soul. That is why I collect them. My first was 6659. I have this TV camera crew in good condition even now. Few days ago I put all my collection of 80's and 90's sets in one place and take some photos. All in my page (non EN) http://legosoul.wordpress.com/ . Anyway thanks for reminding old classic sets for Lego fans.
Being a 90's kid I had some experience with lego town. My first actual lego set I belive was 6665-1 river runner. I would have been 6 at the time. Its certainly the first one I remember having Minifigs and Minifig utensils to play with. Looking though the data base it seems a lot of my classic town experiences were mid to late 90's. I also had 6483 Coastal Patrol. Funny story about this one, I ended up getting two of them at the same time because I asked for it for either my birthday or Christmas, I can't remember which, and both my Mom and dad, who were divorced got it for me. So I had one to play with at either house. Hooray for split up parents with bad communication. LOL
Thinking back on it, 90's classic town makes up my earliest memories of getting and playing with Lego Sets as opposed to just the bricks.
Thanks for yet another Nostalgia fest Huw. :)
The early 1990'ies were the darkest of my dark age, but I've recently acquired most of these sets. The recycle truck is truly ingenious, the mechanism is the same as in 8052, but built with just two very special parts and a rubber band.
I recommend these sets for all fans of nostalgic collectors, but beware, you are going to want more!
6-wide vehicles... What a strange idea :)
I remember playing with my brother's 6649 Street Sweeper when I was a kid, loved that thing. I wish I'd have bought 7242 back in '05, I remember looking at it in the catalog.
Awhh mahh gawwd! I freaking LOVE Town. And really everything from the 90's that Lego made. Back to a simpler time with non-specific minifigures and simple parts that made up great sets, unlike the newer sets nowadays where you'd get a bunch of large pieces you can't use for anything else. I'm off to buy some more Town, cya!
Love the 6668, bought it from ebay a couple of years ago. 6667 have I never seen before(!), guess I have to buy that one too.. Love these cars and sets from the era, especially 1985 - 1992.
^WoutStopmotion, Love the Town-era too. Really, really good memories. -Born in 1979.
Haha, what a great selection. I own and love 4 out of the 6 sets.
Oh, the memories the first two entries on this list brought back. Gas Transit was the first tractor trailer set I had to use a ball joint to attach the trailer. The only other tractor trailer I had at the time was brickset.com/sets/107-2/Mail-Truck, which used a 2x2 turntable plate. Nowhere near as study a connection. Although the Mail Truck at least had a "kickstand" (or whatever those things on trailers are called) for when the trailer came off. I also loved the SNOT work to attach the hose and the control panel. (Come to think of it, I think this set contained my first printed inverted slope, as well.)
As for the Recycle Truck, I always wished I had more of that hook piece used to pull the bin up onto the truck. That particular mechanism didn't get used very much at all, only four sets over a period of three years had it. Shame, really, as it was a nifty little mechanism.
These articles are great! Talk about a walk down memory lane. Please keep them coming!
"2010's 3180 Tank Truck which has double the number of pieces yet costs just 50% more. Who says LEGO is getting more expensive??"
It's not about piece count, but about piece weight. Lots of really small pieces to bloat piece count is the new LEGO strategy for "value".