Random set of the day: Surface Hopper
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 6806 Surface Hopper, released in 1985. It's one of 15 Space sets produced that year. It contains 23 pieces and 1 minifig.
It's owned by 1992 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
64 likes
30 comments on this article
As disappointed as I get, on days where there's no Clikits or Sports sets ... whoa, old-school classic Space for the win. I feel like they went for arty on the photo, though.
Now you’re talking...
When I got this originally, it felt like almost every part in the build was new and unique - and all in one tiny, couthy model.
I like the classic colors like this of spaceman. Would have rather had a red spaceman than a pink or even yellow.
You know, there's been a considerable amount of Space sets lately. Nice.
Too much space! The algorithm is NOT random!
Does anyone else think her name is Penny?
Wow, not a single boring piece...
Old school space, with the tubes and the mini-rocket engines.
Yay no clickits
Classic Space! Woot!
This was one of those brilliant sets where every brick screamed "SPACESHIP!"
Yup, definitely Penny.
Before Benny and 70841 some Classic Space Minifigures were actually named in the comic book 'Jim Spaceborn - The Unknown Galaxy' from 1985/1986:
White: Jim Spaceborn (he has a brick-build robot friend called Keko, ground crew?)
Blue: Bart Seeker (Captain of the spaceship 'Spearhead')
Red: Viva (chief pilot aboard the Spearhead, which goes along some designer interviews saying red is for pilots - and yes, she's female)
A yellow scientist was also shown, but not named.
The Spearhead's crew fought against the evil Commander Kazak and his fleet who looked suspiciously like early Blacktron...
SPACECHAIR!!!
What a bold angle.
On my 47th birthday I get taken back to a dear childhood memory... Thank you, Huwbot!!
And remember, never grow up and there’s never too much Space! ;-D
Memories..... For some time my collection was 90% Space...... and of course I had this in 1985. It was a great set and I loved the Trans pieces..... So after my brain stopped its initial smile at this I remembered those Tubes... which never quite fit at that strained angle..... if they did they were stuck like that and only fitted this set.... but it was great.
One of the sets I owned before my dark age. Lovely.
I built this one from parts i had at first but later got it in a lot i bought.
But never had it before i start collecting the Classic Space sets and rebuilding those i had when i was a kid.
@Atuin: Jim Spaceborn! Thank you so much for that! As a little kid I once tried to build the Spearhead with my yellow and black bricks (ended up with a decent, but much smaller version). Recently I've been looking for images of that ship in the internet, but never could find it. Until now, thanks to you! So cool!
I own today's set of the day, by the way. Great little set!
@The Teenage Brickster:
Yes indeed, the yellow tubes are where the value lies!
I love this set, and absolutely LOVE the red classic spaceman. I wish they would have included a red one in Benny’s Space Squad, as that would have been so awesome...
It's kinda wild seeing all the comments about how exciting it was to get a set mostly built from new/unique/interesting pieces, considering how often AFOLs of the Classic Space generation seem to complain about today's sets having too many new/unique pieces.
But overall this is a very cute set, and really shows how even in the days of Classic Space, designers weren't afraid to make sets that felt a bit silly or cartoonish. I definitely feel like LEGO Space was a big step towards some of today's more fantastical themes like Ninjago and Nexo Knights, and in more ways than just the color-coded costumes. It was one of the first themes to venture far beyond the constraints of what could exist in "real life".
Wonderful! I'll remember this set next time I need to hop on a surface.
Is it just me, or does it look like he's underwater?
I'm just marveling at the composition of that box art. I can't think of any other sets that are photographed from BELOW on the main image.
Cute set.
I miss Space Lego. The 1985 selection was a particular favourite. Was a bit disappointed that Lego didn’t release a 40 year anniversary homage last year. Would have been shooting fish in a barrel.
Wow, first set I ever bought without an adult supervising, with money gained from my late grand-mother for cleaning her kitchen... roughly 20 francs/3€ and a few cents.
Always have been and always will be a fan of classic space and this set is thus a multiple symbol for me, including those weird stylish pieces...
This is what I call a SET. Not crazy big figs, bracelets and so on... Nice parts Pack, lovely space figure, awesome box art. Epic
One of the last sets to complete my classic space collection
@jonno7777: I think that between the 40th anniversary of the minifigure and 60th anniversary of the brick, celebrating the anniversaries of individual themes might have been overkill. 2018 was also the 40th anniversary of LEGO Space, yes, but also the 55th anniversary of LEGO Bricks being made from ABS, the 50th anniversary of the first LEGOLAND park in Billund, the 40th anniversary of LEGO Town and LEGO Castle, the 30th anniversary of LEGO Adventurers and LEGO Mindstorms, the 15th anniversary of the first LEGO Bionicle movie, the 10th anniversary of LEGO Ideas/Cuusoo and LEGO Architecture, etc.
Suffice to say, if LEGO celebrated all of these milestones, then not only would it dilute the importance of all of LEGO's anniversary promotions in the eyes of buyers, but as they continue to get older they'd eventually hardly have room to focus on anything BUT anniversary celebrations!
A nice little machine.