Random set of the day: Dune Buggy
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 8841 Dune Buggy, released in 1983. It's one of 3 Technic sets produced that year. It contains 180 pieces.
It's owned by 1441 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
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21 comments on this article
That brick built seat was so good!
Believe it or not, one of the alternative models was a weighing scale.....How bout that!
I’d be curious to know what percentage of Technic pieces used at that time are still in use. I’d wager it’s not a high number.
Was also called "Desert Racer".
Glad they finally came out with better piston pieces.
Yeah!! 80s Technic sets!
Ooh yes, semi-plastic tires.
I built this once, and 37 years later still have it intact. It's a terrific model.
You like dune buggies? Sure you do! Everyone likes dune buggies!
Back to the times when everything were simpler. This is one of my earliest sets, if not the first. I don't remember which I got first. This one or 8845.
Technic has always reminded me of K’Nex...I cannot get in to Technic. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of good pieces and functions came out of Technic, it just has never felt like Lego me.
The top axle in the roll cage really should be 3L, not 4L. I felt a lot of stress in some pieces when I built it. The shorter axle solved the problem.
My first LEGO technic set. My father brought it from Germany. I have very good memories building the set and having the challenge of starting with more complicated building techniques.
Breaking little pins on those grey connector pieces...
While I am a huge fan of Technic sets of old, even I have to admit they had two major flaws: for one, the old version of the black 1x2 pins had way too much clutch power, meaning I often had to use my teeth or some pliers to pull them out of the Technic bricks when deconstructing a set. And secondly, like @rick77 said, some of the grey connector pieces and gear racks were prone to braking under stress.
Still, love old Technic way more than the current stuff TLG likes to label as "Technic".
@AustinPowers, so how were the brakes in this car?
@Bustin said:
"Technic has always reminded me of K’Nex...I cannot get in to Technic. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of good pieces and functions came out of Technic, it just has never felt like Lego me. "
But this set and all of the 80s technic sets were build using mostly system parts. It was a great parta addition to my Lego bin when I was a kid.
This was my very first technic set but I got it around '88. It's kind of astonishing to think how long the shelf life was for sets back in the day. Nowadays we have two full rollouts every year!
@natro220 said:
"I’d be curious to know what percentage of Technic pieces used at that time are still in use. I’d wager it’s not a high number. "
Probably only the axles, the technic bricks themselves and the steering rack (the part that's moved by the gears)...
the set that made me love lego again. found it in my attic and the feeling hit me in the head. the next day i bought 42000 grand prix racer :D
I got 8845 (Dune Buggy) for a Christmas Present in 1981, and I remember when this one came out shortly after, lusting after it in my local toy shop, but never got it!
@tremendo said:
"I built this once, and 37 years later still have it intact. It's a terrific model.
"
That, or you can’t pull out those old black Technic pins :p
A great set and one of the first Technic I got in the early 80s. I use to bulk out the rear axle with a second pair of wheels to give it better look. I also remember building all the alternate builds especially the tractor. My set is still built up and on the shelf with the 40th anniversary chassis in similar colours