Does this set actually not have enough pieces to build a V8?

Camshafts and valves, in 1980! Still lacking today.
I wished I got this set when I discovered it some years ago. But I don't recall having seen it in either the UK or the Netherlands at the time. Was this a USA only set (despite the limited cylinder count)?

@Bengh_Zeran said:
[[...]]

Have a look at the set details page; this is the US version of set 858-1
... ]]
Aha, thanks. I was looking at the BrickLink info. Brickset is more specific.

Wow, this is what I wish technic would be nowadays! Something similar but with modern parts. There is so many more potential than 10 cars and some construction vehicles each year. At least they tried in the B-Model of 42055...

Was there ever an 858 or just the 8858? I've never seen one or heard of anyone owning one.
Took me ages to find a seal one asit wasnt available in the UK

Seems to be the 3 design prototypes before they decided on the more compact engine for 8860, which was around at the same time. I could see this as a promotional mail order set to generate interest in buying 8860 with just under 700 pieces, which suggest 460 pieces for 8858 looks incorrect and the 242 pieces for 858 is more correct (unless you could build all 3 models at once in the US)?

Auto Engines, roll out!

There was a survey a while back about the technic line, right? With the last clue of years, it could have been quite a long time ago now, but I hope that someone responding to that remembered sets like this.

With the developments in gearboxes that we've seen in the last few years, a transmission set with an electric motor to visualise the gear shift would be nice. Those multi-speed gearboxes are somewhat squandered on unpowered sets like the hypercars, and for full RC stuff, there's a lot else going on that pushes up the price.

My most favorite LEGO set. I rebuild engines, so engines and LEGO go together so well :)
It took me almost 10 years to score one for a reasonable price in 2018 and its my holy grail of LEGO

@ambr said:
"Seems to be the 3 design prototypes before they decided on the more compact engine for 8860 , which was around at the same time. I could see this as a promotional mail order set to generate interest in buying 8860 with just under 700 pieces, which suggest 460 pieces for 8858 looks incorrect and the 242 pieces for 858 is more correct (unless you could build all 3 models at once in the US)?"

I own 8858; I'm pretty sure 242 is the correct piece count, as I could only build the models one at a time. I suspect the 460 pcs/$69 is for some other set.

@Bengh_Zeran said:
"Indeed a nice engine with those moving valves and camshafts! To me, this is the kind of thing LEGO Technic was all about, showing inner workings and thereby being both fun to build and being educational at the same time. Putting this together gave you a real sense of achievement when you were only around 10-14 years old! And today there is the powerful feeling of nostalgia. "

I was younger but remember looking at these in the catalog and wondering, do these work or are they decorative? And I'm still not sure? The tubing is clearly decorative, but do the gears function reasonably similar to how the engine depicted functions?

A large scale working internal combustion engine would be great for a new set but I suspect Lego may have missed the boat on that one now due to various 'green' agendas...

Hey! I actually have a random set of the day!

@MCLegoboy said:
"Yeah cool, whatever, you all saw that Spider-Man trailer from 30 minutes ago, right?!

Uh, I mean... vroom!"
Awesome!
Uh, I mean… these engines are cool!

I don't remember 858 (or 857) from those years. I think they never showed up the stores that I visited back then.

Aside from the hoses and faucets, this set has no rare parts if you don't care about period accuracy. This is an easy set to reconstruct on the (relatively) cheap from parts off of Bricklink for those interested in doing so.

They don't make sets like this today because Lego knows that an internal combustion engine that doesn't actually combust anything is not all that fun of a toy. The sort of young person who is very interested in this kind of process would probably prefer something made of metal that can actually function.

Such a cool set! Kinda funny how the many Technic sets nowadays use that idea of the pushrods for the actual pistons.

@Wavelength said:
"There was a survey a while back about the technic line, right? With the last clue of years, it could have been quite a long time ago now, but I hope that someone responding to that remembered sets like this.

With the developments in gearboxes that we've seen in the last few years, a transmission set with an electric motor to visualise the gear shift would be nice. Those multi-speed gearboxes are somewhat squandered on unpowered sets like the hypercars, and for full RC stuff, there's a lot else going on that pushes up the price. "

Well, I didn't actually think of this set, but I did propose camshafts, Torsen differentials, McPherson struts among other stuff.

This is Technic in the golden ages. Robust, functional and educational. Like it very much and was lucky to find one in pristine condition. Unfortunately it was sold only in North America so this tiny set can cost a fortune if you want it MISB nowdays. It is easily the holy grail for Technic colletors.

Always wanted this one, but have not gotten it as yet. I agree with all of the other comments about nostalgia, and how this represents and reflects a "golden age" of technic, albeit a very early one. In those days, the lego system was much more simple. Despite that simplicity, this set is quite beautiful in it's own way and I still pine for it.

@MCLegoboy said:
"Yeah cool, whatever, you all saw that Spider-Man trailer from 30 minutes ago, right?!

Uh, I mean... vroom!"

I did!

This was a nice proto-Technic set which could teach kids a lot about how engines actually work. Maybe it's a coincidence, with one of these sets in the house I grew up in, 3/4 children ended up becoming engineers and the 4th is a computer scientist.

Also, check out the NPU with the Homemaker faucet pieces as an attachment point for rubber hoses.