Random set of the day: Farm Tractor
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 952 Farm Tractor, released during 1978. It's one of 9 Technic sets produced that year. It contains 316 pieces.
It's owned by 367 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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38 comments on this article
I feel a childlike sense of wonder every time I see a giant wheel on a LEGO set. Surprised I haven't picked up any of the tractor sets yet...
I love the gear as a steering wheel. Probably wasn't the most comfortable to grip, but farmers have good, tough hands.
We went from Future Car to old-timey Tractor.
“Technic was so much better back in the Good Old Days when they didn’t use any System parts”
I drive a City Car, myself.
@Mr__Thrawn:
Heh. From the main model image, I can only spot two dozen actual Technic parts, and maybe infer about a dozen more for symmetry. That’s just a hair over 10%. So does that mean this should be classified as a System set with some Technic functionality?
Ah, the legally not a Massey Ferguson, but it's obvious that it is. I've been meaning to get one for some time now, but haven't yet. I'm a lot younger than this set.
This looks exactly like what it should be. My Granddad almost bought a 135 about 10 years ago when the father of a family friend passed away; separate from the estate auction; for what would've been cheap--about $1500. However, the auctioneer sold it under the table to a buddy of his.
@Mr__Thrawn said:
"“Technic was so much better back in the Good Old Days when they didn’t use any System parts”"
Speaking as a proud owner of this ( 851 ) set, the majority of it comprises System plates. The Technic pieces here are to be seen in the bottom left and top middle pictures. I would even go so far as to argue if this set were made today with this design, it probably would be a City one with regular tires.
Ah, when Technic as a theme was new. Prior to this about all you could get like this were gear sets, I think.
It is also one of the few sets I have with bushing mould pips on the cylinder body part rather than on the rim.
Also @GSR_MataNui yes those tires are incredible.
Wider than a mile...
My first Technic set, got it when it first came out. Always loved those giant wheels.
Not enough Farm sets. Never enough Farm sets. A+ set.
I really like farm sets!
HEY! a set I actually own. one of my Dads old sets he gave to me. I really liked how the sets came all orginized in the box so you could reuse it. one of my favorite sets.
Big solid tyres!
Yip, that’s how I like my technic, really, really old with lots of studs…
@kazar14 said:
"Wider than a mile..."
Moon River? I don’t get it. Maybe I’m dense. Somebody explain it to me.
Also an owner of this set, the huge wheels and tires were great, I remember there was an alt build where you just took the wheels and used them for a steamroller. Or maybe that was in the Technics Ideas book. Also for some reason I remember these used to be called "Expert sets" but I cannot find any evidence of that terminology
I remember that there were instructions for several different types of farming equipment that could be attached to the back of the tractor. The image on the front of the box shows two of them.
@Mr__Thrawn said:
"“Technic was so much better back in the Good Old Days when they didn’t use any System parts”"
Then i wonder what kind of technic sets you got then. If you see the picture, there is more of what is called system parts there (bricks) than in the later technic.
Good old ‘Technical LEGO’. I was in awe when I received this for Christmas when I was about 7 years old and spent all afternoon building it.
@Padmewan said:
"Also an owner of this set, the huge wheels and tires were great, I remember there was an alt build where you just took the wheels and used them for a steamroller. Or maybe that was in the Technics Ideas book. Also for some reason I remember these used to be called "Expert sets" but I cannot find any evidence of that terminology"
The initial print advertising in comics - and likely in other places - did refer to the sets as belonging to the Expert Builder Series. This was before the name Technic was put in place - and it wasn't given a logo - but you might be remembering from that.
@mrfuture said:
" @Mr__Thrawn said:
"“Technic was so much better back in the Good Old Days when they didn’t use any System parts”"
Then i wonder what kind of technic sets you got then. If you see the picture, there is more of what is called system parts there (bricks) than in the later technic. "
Pretty sure this was @Mr_Thrawn's way of praising the set as beautiful and full of "soul", by quoting an opposite opinion. It's subtle, but the use of quoting brackets to distance themselves from the opinion makes me think so.
Well now I’ve got the Wurzels going round in my head
Remember building this set over and over so often, I could almost do it from memory!
The steering is fragile and falls apart, the gears for the implements never really mesh correctly and the little light on the mudguard is illegally attached, but I loved it all the same!
Thanks Huwbot.
No steering system parts existed back then, hence the turntables. Cool.
The first Lego set I bought myself was Technic 8844 and this was next to it on the shelf (in Mercers Toy Shop, Blackburn) I never did get it but I used to look longingly at it on the shelf whenever I went in Mercers (a lot!) it still makes my heart sing when I see a picture of it even after all these years.
Still one of my ultimate favourites. Probably time to dig it out again.
@CarolinaOnMyMind said:
" @kazar14 said:
"Wider than a mile..."
Moon River? I don’t get it. Maybe I’m dense. Somebody explain it to me. "
My guess is that it's just (proper) poetry: a musical match for the era.
BTW, isn't the design great, considering the age of the set?
@Padmewan said:
"Also an owner of this set, the huge wheels and tires were great, I remember there was an alt build where you just took the wheels and used them for a steamroller. Or maybe that was in the Technics Ideas book. Also for some reason I remember these used to be called "Expert sets" but I cannot find any evidence of that terminology"
Look at sets 858 / 8858-2 , there it says it on the instructions.
It took till 1985 until all sets were marked as 'Technic' properly and back then it was more displayed as 'Technic LEGO' rather than the other way around.
In 1990, the logos were first arranged in their modern order. In 1992 the Technic logo was enlarged to be the same size as the LEGO logo (probably to be more consistent with the introduction of the 'LEGO System' branding of the same year). And finally, the logo shifted from lower case letters to fully capitalized in the summer wave sets of 1999.
However there are a few sets that exist in 2 different box styles (mostly around the transition years).
Another oddity occured in 2003, after practically a full year of absence of new sets, when Technic was briefly rebranded as 'Designer Sets' (alongside the very first Creator sets). Like the Duplo to 'Explore' change this probably didn't prove very successful, so it was changed back in 2004, when the 'modern' Technic range was finally introduced.
@Reinier
said:
"No steering system parts existed back then, hence the turntables. Cool."
Actually, those turntables were introduced specifically for Technic sets in 1977 (alongside 1x4 and 1x6 plates), so originally, these parts are Technic parts, as weird as this might sound nowadays.
my second technic set ^_^
A set from a good year :-)
Always liked this set, perfect combination of traditional Lego and some Technic pieces to add in a few functions. And I also like how they included the instructions for other equipment to attach to the tractor. While it might have a few flaws, considering the pieces that were available at the time this is just great.
This was my very first technic set . I bought it we week it came out. So I was one of the first kids in de world with a technic set. Because technic was new, every first 10 buyers of each toy store could participate in a draw to win a trip to LEGOLAND Denmark. ( This was still back in Holland) I did not win the trip, but I won one of the 250 LEGO sets, it was set 396 , I still have the letter that came with it. Still have both sets. And yes, as mentioned already, this is a replica of a Massey Ferguson 135.
The steering was a weak point. Also the 3 point hitch was a weak point and was later updated.
Classic turntable steering technic like 850: Fork-Lift Truck
I think its about time for a modern Technic equivalent.
@gorf43 said:
"I think its about time for a modern Technic equivalent. "
Technically, we have, in the form of the Claas Xerion.
But, why not a Massey Ferguson or other AGCO product?
@cody6268 said:
" @gorf43 said:
"I think its about time for a modern Technic equivalent. "
Technically, we have, in the form of the Claas Xerion.
But, why not a Massey Ferguson or other AGCO product? "
…..maybe they could just put 4000025 on general release (i can dream!)
@Slave2lego said:
" @cody6268 said:
" @gorf43 said:
"I think its about time for a modern Technic equivalent. "
Technically, we have, in the form of the Claas Xerion.
But, why not a Massey Ferguson or other AGCO product? "
…..maybe they could just put 4000025 on general release (i can dream!)
"
New--$2300 on Bricklink. That's the going price of a real TE-20 in my neck of the woods!
Even if slightly altered (as in red, not gray--which the original plastic toy was offered as both), I'd love to see it.
Pieced this one together in February. I was surprised how smooth the steering function is for the parts used, and how much the wheels actually turn. A couple weeks ago I spent a few days building a functional square baler that hitches to this set and uses the PTO to drive one of the functions. I would shamelessly plug a link except for the fact that I haven't actually documented this MOC yet...
Oh such memories! This 952 Expert Builder (as the sets were called) set was a Christmas gift to me from my grandmother, in 1978. Although it may lack some of the more technical pieces in today's sets, it required one thing every young child like me had in abundance - imagination. The best alternate build in this set was the combine picture inside the front cover. No instructions; just a few pictures and some ingenuity to figure out the rest. Also, combining this set with the 956 Auto Chassis you could build a cab over truck that was pictured in the rear of the instructions booklet. In fact, there were numerous examples of alternate builds and add-ons you could do to all sets back then. Thanks for posting this set!