Random set of the day: Surface Explorer
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 6880 Surface Explorer, released during 1982. It's one of 4 Space sets produced that year. It contains 82 pieces and 1 minifig, and its retail price was US$7.5, which equates to about US$25 in today's money.
It's owned by 4,829 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you should find it for sale at Brick Owl, BrickLink, where new ones sell for around $141.30, or eBay.
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33 comments on this article
Just a naked guy on his robot dinosaur in the middle of the desert on an unnamed world in the cosmos...
@MCLegoboy said:
"Just a naked guy on his robot dinosaur in the middle of the desert on an unnamed world in the cosmos..."
A stirring allegory for the existential crises of life in the 21st century, coming to megaplexes near you.
My brother had this set. Which means I own it now!
This is the essence of Classic Space rovers before they decided they were too slow and started attaching rocket boosters to everything.
As of right now, sets released before 2000 make up half of the sidebar.
My dad had this set a kid, preserved by my grandma and later passed down to me. Legendary set.
@MCLegoboy said:
"Just a naked guy on his robot dinosaur in the middle of the desert on an unnamed world in the cosmos..."
What could go wrong?
@peterlmorris said:
"This is the essence of Classic Space rovers before they decided they were too slow and started attaching rocket boosters to everything. "
6927 was released a year before this set and was a ground rover with rocket boosters
@MCLegoboy said:
"Just a naked guy on his robot dinosaur in the middle of the desert on an unnamed world in the cosmos..."
With two giant forward-facing cannons there on the front.
"We come in peace! Shoot to kill..."
Funny, never had this one (last Space set I had was 6861: X1 Patrol Craft), also only had 889: Radar Truck for a 'land' vehicle...but boy, do I miss those 'arms' on the front and back. Who-a-thunk, they weren't that great for those...block-figures, but for stuff like this...:)
@brick_r said:
"Funny, never had this one (last Space set I had was 6861: X1 Patrol Craft), also only had 889: Radar Truck for a 'land' vehicle...but boy, do I miss those 'arms' on the front and back. Who-a-thunk, they weren't that great for those...block-figures, but for stuff like this...:)"
Yes, the homemaker/building-set-with-people arms got a great second life in classic space - this set and a couple of others.
@peterlmorris said:
"This is the essence of Classic Space rovers before they decided they were too slow and started attaching rocket boosters to everything. "
You say that as if it's a bad thing.
Yeah, this one was so much fun to play with. <3
Yeah, this one was so much fun to play with. <3
Always did love the wheels on this.
How the yellow spaceman toilet system works.
So nice that it comes with its own pooper scooper!
Surface Explorer,,,,,sounds like the file explorer for Microsoft tablets....
This set was 14,6% balloon tire....that gotta be a record, right?
I had this set. Loved the balloon-tyres, and loved that big claw.
I may hate the Homemakers - and I do, with a fiery passion - but those arm-segments, chef's kiss. For as long as they lasted, anyway. I would love to see those make a return in a slightly more forgiving material.
Absolutely awesome set from classic space. This was my first and only set with a yellow space figure, more so the reason I wanted it. If I recall, I ordered this from the backpage of a product catalogue that was once placed in all sets. You could order a limited number of spare parts and other accessories as well, which I did.
@tmtomh said:
" @brick_r said:
"Funny, never had this one (last Space set I had was 6861: X1 Patrol Craft), also only had 889: Radar Truck for a 'land' vehicle...but boy, do I miss those 'arms' on the front and back. Who-a-thunk, they weren't that great for those...block-figures, but for stuff like this...:)"
Yes, the homemaker/building-set-with-people arms got a great second life in classic space - this set and a couple of others."
The only ones I have are from their third life, Aquazone.
calculus_teacher said:"Absolutely awesome set from classic space. This was my first and only set with a yellow space figure, more so the reason I wanted it."
I have two of them from 6780 and 6872. (I know that the minifig listing says that 6872 used a sticker, but if you go to the Bricklink page for the set, a minifig with printed torso is listed in the "Alternates" section, and that's what mine had. Mine had all the other things listed under "Alternates," too. The one I had must have been from late in the production run.
Intergalactic poop scooper.
Fun set, which I only acquired nearly 40 years after if was first released -- but in perfect condition.
I own this one! I'm not a fan of the grey color, but as a vehicle it has that Classic Space zaniness, which is great. The twin sensors/cannons/eyestalks/tusks at the front surprisingly tie the design together. I like how it has ladders to get to the platform. And the dual seating in reversed positions is fun.
Although it begs for a second fig to occupy the other seat, it wouldn't look great because the other astronaut would be turned the other way. I suppose the one driver here just climbs to the other seat when needed. Like with a backhoe, but less practical.
Like I said, zany design!
Happy to own it again
Ridiculous. I love it!
Loved this set growing up. Combine this with 6929 and get the Super model 1593
One Saturday when I was 7 my dad and I went to the toy store in Cotswold Mall in Charlotte, NC, and he bought me this set. First time I has ever seen a yellow space man, and as a kid it was always exciting to be the first kid on the block to discover a new toy (or toy catalog). After the mall trip we went to my elementary school to attend the fun fair.
Own this and like it quite a bit.
The Space Elephant!
(It's large, grey, has tusks, a trunk, and a tail, you see. I was like 7, it made sense at the time.)
This was one of my early CS sets. I *think* I got it for a birthday present one summer. Always thought of it s the big brother to 6821 .
This was the first classic space set that I received when I was a kid, and it was definitely one of my favorite sets. Had a lot of fun playing with this outside in the yard, it went on a lot of exploration missions. Love the wheels, the arms at the front and the back, and the radar dish. This was also the first classic spaceman that I had.
I remember it well from my childhood - first set in our collection with a yellow spaceman. A lot of the original bits got broken or disappeared over the years, but I Bricklinked the spares when I came out of my most recent dark age. And built a Blacktron recolour, because just about any classic space set is improved by a Blacktron recolour.
Look at my 12 tyres! Only 6928 has more than me!
@LegoBatmanLandon said:
"My dad had this set a kid, preserved by my grandma and later passed down to me. Legendary set."
Absolutely.
I have so many happy memories associated with this set that it should be my favourite Classic Space set of all time. And it definitely is among the top five, but I have so many happy memories of several Classic Space sets that I actually can't rank them so that any one of them would be number one.
They all would be.
@DefaultOption said:
"The Space Elephant!
(It's large, grey, has tusks, a trunk, and a tail, you see. I was like 7, it made sense at the time.)
This was one of my early CS sets. I *think* I got it for a birthday present one summer. Always thought of it s the big brother to 6821 ."
My friend saw 6901 in a store and described as like an elephant. I thought he was messing with me until I saw it.