Random set of the day: Police Car
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 1610 Police Car, released in 1991. It's one of 22 Town sets produced that year. It contains 23 pieces.
It's owned by 879 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
Help me come to life! If you like the set I've chosen for you today, please pledge your support for me on LEGO Ideas so I have a chance of becoming an official LEGO set!
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46 comments on this article
Which number in the instruction is this? I wonder what it will look like when it's finished.
Even I could have been a Lego designer in those days!
Better late than never, Huwbot!
And thanks for keeping it four-wide.
This is pure art.
And the saga continues with this following up to 1630.
So... Hmmm... OK, it's a car.
Designer asks, "Gee whiz, I wonder if kids will have enough cop minifigures to drive it tho?"
*Lego flexes* "We'll fix that."
This must have been one of those promotional sets that were thrown together with no love by the designers whatsoever.
First of all, the set number doesn't fit in the numbering scheme of the time, where Town sets had set numbers starting with a 6xxx.
I can't remember having ever seen a 1xxx set in any store or catalogue back in the day.
Secondly, as mentioned, the design looks so cheap and unlike anything that was available at the time regularly.
A car with a similar design aesthetic (6644) looks far better imho even though the general layout looks very much alike.
I remember buying this on Ebay in 2008 MISB for just one British pound. Which still feels like a good deal, thirteen years later.
It arrived swiftly, but I never opened the box, so I still have it sealed somewhere in a closet. At the time I enjoyed listening to the pieces rattling around in the box more than actually building the set.
This looks like one of those roller skates that’s built on a stamped piece of sheet metal that you’d strap on over your regular shoes. That or the designer had some sort of catastrophic, life-altering emergency and had to call it quits halfway through the design process. Does it fit a whole minifig, or do they have to ride with one leg inside, and the other hanging over the side, Flintstoning the car forward?
@AustinPowers said:
"This must have been one of those promotional sets that were thrown together with no love by the designers whatsoever.
First of all, the set number doesn't fit in the numbering scheme of the time, where Town sets had set numbers starting with a 6xxx.
I can't remember having ever seen a 1xxx set in any store or catalogue back in the day.
Secondly, as mentioned, the design looks so cheap and unlike anything that was available at the time regularly.
A car with a similar design aesthetic (6644) looks far better imho even though the general layout looks very much alike. "
I had 6644 and loved it as a kid. It was the first time I felt I had a proper fast car and would incorporate that front element into so many of my own builds, including an attempt to make a (non-transforming) Transformer Sideswipe.
I have no words..
Except that I'm fixated on that part - (2513) Wheel arch/Mudgard/Slope 3x4))
@AustinPowers said:
"A car with a similar design aesthetic ( 6644 ) looks far better imho even though the general layout looks very much alike. "
Thats because 6644 wasn't trying (and failing) to be an off-roader. Seriously, why is 1610 so raised up?
*sad trumpet noise*
Has real Friday 4.55pm vibes.
These comments sent me on an eBay search, and man…if you think the main build is bad, you gotta check out the box for the alternates…
I would happily put 6623-1 above this any day (one of my first LEGO sets), I even saw it (incomplete for whatever reason) and its instructions, yesterday (I was sorting out my drawer of oldest instructions/catalogues/The LEGO Club stuff). 1610 might be less pieces, but it's also less fun, and looks like something you'd see at an old play area, with a large coiled spring attached to it's underside.
One of the uglier ones, but provides 90% of the parts for a decent MOC. Also, including an officer wouldn't have hurt.
The last couple of sets like this had an excuse--they were promotional sets. Yet, LEGO let such a half-arsed design be for general sale?!!! I know the database says "limited retail", but these seem common on US eBay ,so must have been US exclusive. The rake to the front end is odd. The fact there is no minifig in an obviously minifig scale set is odd. The fact that there's no plate under the front, and no taillights make it look incomplete.
And I complain about sets today....
So that’s where Elon Musk got his Cybertruck design inspiration from.
Oh dear. I've seen better police cars made by those cheapy brands sold in pound shops. Is this really from 1991? I would have thought it's more '71 !
Awww.
See, I like these little sets.
I loved that little helicopter, a few days ago, and I loved this one too (which IIRC was released in the same range as the helicopter. There's also a little white speedboat, which I also turned into train freight for one of my cargo trains). One of my main Lego characters, this was her little police car. As a kid, I thought it was cute, I liked it.
P e r f e c t i o n
@Binnekamp said:
"P e r f e c t i o n"
S a r c a s m
rad!
This must be a new definition of the word "Car" that I'm unfamiliar with.
Simple, yet still better then something like 6333
1247 is also still better then 6333
I don't like those large blocky brick thick chassis parts then, and don't like the 4+ now.
Now, I don't mind those plate-thick chassis parts used for decades, including 30366
hmm, 4 wheels, police stamped on the door. Jep, that's a police car. Can't fool me.
Looks like a half baked late 90s town set. Not the worst Lego set ever but an dishonorable mention for sure.
Throw some sprinkles and frosting on it, and I’d expect to see “Officer Vanelope” stenciled on the door. If there was a door.
I was surprised this was from 1991, when Town was still good. I thought it was from 1998 or so, when LEGO was cratering itself.
That’s not a good police car
More than a passing resemblance to the 'Hustler', a Mini based kit car from 1978
Hmm...set reminds me of the ol' saying: There's never a cop around when you need one.:)
The set make me also think of the 'first gen' minifig sets, and how sometimes the figure would come with a vehicle...they couldn't get in to. This seems to be the inverse: a set with a vehicle that a minifig could get get in to...but...:).
This was my first set and it actually got me into lego. I still remember when my father gave it to me one evening. I still keep the set, the instructions and even the empty box! I know it's not one of the best sets, but it's really special to me.
Was worried the server issues would prevent a random set of the day, but a few computer problems aren't enough to keep Huwbot down!
@GSR_MataNui:
There are two great tragedies in life...
I had several of these as a kid along with the little speedboat that was part of the same cereal promotion. That mudguard makes awesome 4 wide sports cars.
@hooky said:
"This was my first set and it actually got me into lego. I still remember when my father gave it to me one evening. I still keep the set, the instructions and even the empty box! I know it's not one of the best sets, but it's really special to me."
That is pretty awesome, and I think shows the power of recombining plastic pieces. Even a strange set with an odd looking model and no minifig can pull someone into the wonderful world of LEGO.
@brick_r said:
"The set make me also think of the 'first gen' minifig sets, and how sometimes the figure would come with a vehicle...they couldn't get in to. This seems to be the inverse: a set with a vehicle that a minifig could get get in to...but...:)."
I have several of those. Actually they were some of the first LEGO sets I ever got, like 600-2, 608-2 or even a lorry/truck as in 671.
Maybe it's just meant to be a kids toy car for toddlers to sit in and pretend they are having a high speed chase!
@Zordboy said:
"Awww.
See, I like these little sets."
I like it too. But I’m much smarter than you and would never, ever make the mistake of admitting to liking it in a public Comments section.
Oh, wait….
@AustinPowers said:
"Actually they were some of the first LEGO sets I ever got, like 600-2, 608-2 "
Strangely 600-1 and 608-1 were 2 of my last sets before my dark age, but sadly Huwbot doesn't remember that long ago!
Bought this for my brother as filler in a largely-LEGO Christmas gift (it was a $1.50 for an entire set), and despite being a giant LEGO fan, his question was "what's this for?"
So... this one might have some problems.
The center of gravity is horrendous, you'll tip right over in a high speed pursuit
Let’s focus on the positives:
1) Printed panels, not decals
- oops, end of list -
I was gifted this Police Car, the 1630 Helicopter and the 1632 Speedboat all around the same time (my brother got the 1611 Red Race Car/Dune Buggy). This was used as the "spare" car for the Pier Police.