Random set of the day: Formula 1 Racer
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 6604 Formula 1 Racer, released during 1985. It's one of 24 Town sets produced that year. It contains 31 pieces and 1 minifig.
It's owned by 4,369 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you should find it for sale at BrickLink, where new ones sell for around $80.00, or eBay.
80 likes
33 comments on this article
I thought this was a police set at first glance.
At closer inspection: looks like that torso's already cracking.
Man formula 1 cars look so different nowadays!
Petition to make this the shape of modern F1 cars?
From back when F1 was simpler. And back when Lego was simpler. A LOT simpler.
@BlackFalconBirdman said:
"I thought this was a police set at first glance.
At closer inspection: looks like that torso's already cracking."
What you're seeing is the weld line. It's present there on every articulated minifig torso (so, excluding stuff like the miniquin torso, and the Minecraft Villager torso). As the plastic flows down from the neck post, it splits to go around the arm holes, and has to rejoin below them. When it does, the two flows are supposed to fuse back together, but because ABS is a non-crystalline plastic, you get a visible "scar" where this happens. If the molding machine is improperly adjusted, and the weld line doesn't fuse correctly, it can crack along the weld lines.
Formula 1 Soapbox Derby
The new collectible F1 cars are a nice new alternative to this set.
Does anyone know what retail was on this set? Was it the same as the new F1 sets?
@Miyakan said:
"The new collectible F1 cars are a nice new alternative to this set.
Does anyone know what retail was on this set? Was it the same as the new F1 sets?"
I had this one as a kid. I don’t remember the exact retail, but it was probably between 3 and 4 USD. I remember it being comparable to a GI Joe, which is why my mom got it, because the Joes at that store had been picked over already and there weren’t any I wanted, and there weren’t any similar sized Space sets available.
I remember really liking it because of the funky build angle.
Do you really want a spoiler like that when your car has that much forward rake? Feels like that’s counterintuitive or a recipe for flipping the car
Speed's...new baby brother?...:D
There's no doubt it beats all the new Speed Champions!
Got it....twice even!
If actual F1 cars were like this, I bet the Monaco race would be a lot more exciting....
I like how progressively race cars got better in town sets. After this it was 6503 in 1988, which was fine, then 1990 in 1993 with exposed engine and finally 6546 in 1996. We know what comes after, I cannot see them as continuation of town sets.
when you could use the name "F1" without have to pay the rights!
@peterlmorris said:
" @Miyakan said:
"The new collectible F1 cars are a nice new alternative to this set.
Does anyone know what retail was on this set? Was it the same as the new F1 sets?"
I had this one as a kid. I don’t remember the exact retail, but it was probably between 3 and 4 USD. I remember it being comparable to a GI Joe, which is why my mom got it, because the Joes at that store had been picked over already and there weren’t any I wanted, and there weren’t any similar sized Space sets available.
I remember really liking it because of the funky build angle. "
May have been cheaper, because I'm pretty sure that 6503, which came out three years later and has one more piece, was two dollars and change.
@Brickalili said:"Do you really want a spoiler like that when your car has that much forward rake? Feels like that’s counterintuitive or a recipe for flipping the car"
I think that assuming that this thing can get up to speeds where the angle of the spoiler could cause something like that to happen is being generous.
@pazza_inter said:"when you could use the name "F1" without have to pay the rights!"
It has nothing to do with Formula 1 Racing. "F1" is just always the driver's opening move in Battleship.
The typical birthday party gift from one of your classmates. Loved the proper stance of it, quite menacing for an F1 car.
@Miyakan said:
"The new collectible F1 cars are a nice new alternative to this set.
Does anyone know what retail was on this set? Was it the same as the new F1 sets?"
The 1987 UK catalogue (in the Brickset database) says it retailed for £1.40.
I like the red glow from the exhausts. Or rockets? Either way, this hing looks very fast and downright experimental.
I think you are allowed to use Formula 1 without any copyright problems, but not F1. With a leap of imagination this could be a white 1982 Williams fw08, driven by Keke Rosberg who won the F1 Championship with only 1 win!
@classicstylecastle said:
" @Miyakan said:
"The new collectible F1 cars are a nice new alternative to this set.
Does anyone know what retail was on this set? Was it the same as the new F1 sets?"
The 1987 UK catalogue (in the Brickset database) says it retailed for £1.40."
I checked my copy and the box has half of the price tag still on it.... But not the price lol. I think it was only like $1.45 or $1.50 in the US.
@Miyakan said:
"The new collectible F1 cars are a nice new alternative to this set.
Does anyone know what retail was on this set? Was it the same as the new F1 sets?"
In the 1985 Dutch catalog it was Hfl. 4,75, which would be €2,15.
@WideWonderfulWilliam said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
" @Miyakan said:
"The new collectible F1 cars are a nice new alternative to this set.
Does anyone know what retail was on this set? Was it the same as the new F1 sets?"
In the 1985 Dutch catalog it was Hfl. 4,75, which would be €2,15."
If you're using the Guilder -> Euro conversion rate of 2002 when we switched currencies, yes. Please bear in mind that the Euro itself has shifted since, so that old value has long since been deprecated.
Adjusting both currencies for inflation puts it closer to €3,00 - which is still a pretty great value, considering we've collectively decided that €5 is a good price for a single minifigure. Somehow."
The rate has never changed, and even today you can still exchange old gulden-bills to that same rate (€1 = Hfl. 2,20371.....I can still dream that number.....) at the DNB. Obviously there has been quite a bit of inflation, but that's a different story.
According to inflatiecalculator based on CBS numbers, that Hfl. 4,75 from 1985 would be €5,14 now.....not that great value compared to what you would now get from a €4 paperbag.
If you go experimental, the result isn't always satisfying. This set is proof. Not everything was better "back then".
@TheOtherMike said:
" @pazza_inter said:"when you could use the name "F1" without have to pay the rights!"
It has nothing to do with Formula 1 Racing. "F1" is just always the driver's opening move in Battleship."
If you had to pay rights for every occurrence of F1, you could sponsor a team on keyboard help key royalties alone.
IDK if he is running or stretching :P
@WideWonderfulWilliam said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
" @WideWonderfulWilliam said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
" @Miyakan said:
"The new collectible F1 cars are a nice new alternative to this set.
Does anyone know what retail was on this set? Was it the same as the new F1 sets?"
In the 1985 Dutch catalog it was Hfl. 4,75, which would be €2,15."
If you're using the Guilder -> Euro conversion rate of 2002 when we switched currencies, yes. Please bear in mind that the Euro itself has shifted since, so that old value has long since been deprecated.
Adjusting both currencies for inflation puts it closer to €3,00 - which is still a pretty great value, considering we've collectively decided that €5 is a good price for a single minifigure. Somehow."
The rate has never changed, and even today you can still exchange old gulden-bills to that same rate (€1 = Hfl. 2,20371.....I can still dream that number.....) at the DNB. Obviously there has been quite a bit of inflation, but that's a different story.
According to inflatiecalculator based on CBS numbers, that Hfl. 4,75 from 1985 would be €5,14 now.....not that great value compared to what you would now get from a €4 paperbag."
I used the wrong year for my initial post. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it was only at three Euros - but when recalculating, I also hit the five Euro mark. I'm not even disappointed, I guess I'm just used to these numbers now.
Which really isn't great, is it?"
Inflation is a b*tch....
The worst thing is, I've visited Japan 21 times since 2008......and whereas we had 49% inflation over that period, Japan only had 12%. And even when the country didn't feel that expensive during my first visits, most things have gotten downright dirt cheap by now, at least compared to European prices. And even more so because of the current exchange rate.....
(it doesn't make my vacations any cheaper though, it just makes me spend more money....)
As for Lego, it has obviously always been quite expensive. You won't hear me say everything was better back than. But looking over a shorter period, the price increases have been quite painful sometimes. Like Speed Champions going up 35% in price since 2022.....that has nothing to do with inflation anymore. And don't get me started on Technic.....considering the prices they better replace those blue pins with pure gold....
@WizardOfOss said:
"And don't get me started on Technic.....considering the prices they better replace those blue pins with pure gold...."
At least Technic can be relied on for pretty good discounts.... looking forward to an Amazon delivery of
42182 at 45% off RRP tomorrow!
@sjr60 said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
"And don't get me started on Technic.....considering the prices they better replace those blue pins with pure gold...."
At least Technic can be relied on for pretty good discounts.... looking forward to an Amazon delivery of
42182 at 45% off RRP tomorrow!"
That's a great price.....even with €14 shipping from the UK that's €15 cheaper than any other shop here....too bad it isn't the price that's preventing me from buying it, but rather the size....I'm running out of display space :-(
Too bad you kinda need discounts like that for prices to be reasonable...
@WizardOfOss said:
" @sjr60 said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
"And don't get me started on Technic.....considering the prices they better replace those blue pins with pure gold...."
At least Technic can be relied on for pretty good discounts.... looking forward to an Amazon delivery of
42182 at 45% off RRP tomorrow!"
That's a great price.....even with €14 shipping from the UK that's €15 cheaper than any other shop here....too bad it isn't the price that's preventing me from buying it, but rather the size....I'm running out of display space :-(
Too bad you kinda need discounts like that for prices to be reasonable..."
There must be plenty that will buy on day 1 irrespective of price, through to those who will wait until the last minute and risk missing out. The 'correct' RRP will always be whatever a certain percentage are willing to pay, and I'm sure Lego have countless spreadsheets forecasting that!
Huw bot…. Not you too!
I'm all for rose tinted nostalgia glasses, but even I have to admit that this set isn't one of the highlights from the Eighties - even just as far as small sets are concerned.
@AustinPowers said:
"I'm all for rose tinted nostalgia glasses, but even I have to admit that this set isn't one of the highlights from the Eighties - even just as far as small sets are concerned. "
Yeah, even if we're limiting ourselves to race cars with the number 1, I'd place 6503 (which actually uses the same printed slope) ahead of this one, although I'll freely admit that part of that *is* nostalgia. That was one of my favorite small Town sets, back in the day.
@TheOtherMike said:
" @AustinPowers said:
"I'm all for rose tinted nostalgia glasses, but even I have to admit that this set isn't one of the highlights from the Eighties - even just as far as small sets are concerned. "
Yeah, even if we're limiting ourselves to race cars with the number 1, I'd place 6503 (which actually uses the same printed slope) ahead of this one, although I'll freely admit that part of that *is* nostalgia. That was one of my favorite small Town sets, back in the day."
Uh...this is the Pike's Peak version, for racing up steep slopes.