Vintage set of the week: Fire Truck
Posted by Huwbot,
This week's vintage set is 485 Fire Truck, released during 1976. It's one of 28 LEGOLAND sets produced that year. It contains 72 pieces.
It's owned by 318 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
My goodness, the flames completely melted their faces off...
@MCLegoboy said:
"My goodness, the flames completely melted their faces off..."
Ah, but the good fire department of Ancient Town was too smart for that: they only hired faceless firefighters!
I adore how they made the one in the middle sit down.
This was one of my first sets ever. I built it a billion times. I could probably still build it from memory.
@Formendacil:
You know, in certain historical settings, the “fire department” was actually competing gangs of thugs who would set your building on fire if you didn’t pay them protection money…though if you did, they would try their best to put out the fire when an enemy gang did the same. Nameless Ones* seem like exactly the sort who would do that.
@GSR_MataNui:
Or they did a whip turn and he was jumping to get out of the way.
@commandervideo:
I could probably build it from a parts list and this one photo.
*Legends of the Five Rings reference
I can see a lot of influence from the typical rigs of the 1970s--many of which had no roof (I think open cabs were finally banned by the NFPA in the very late '70s, early '80s). And, I know a lot of Euro rigs had firemen riding on the side.
Most of the towns I grew up in had ladder trucks of '70s vintage, many of which were only replaced in the past 5-10 years or so, with one only having been replaced this year. We also have a number of towns with trucks built here, as American LaFrance's headquarters and main factory was here from the late '80s, early '90s. I bet a lot of the parts aren't even being made, and the only thing keeping them on the road is former American LaFrance employees and engineers still being around here.
Back when you had plates, bricks, slopes and…little else. I love those double concave pieces in front, one of my faves.
Those firemen really don't have a lot going for them. Not supplied with any equipment to fight fires with and, being confined to straight jackets, they can't even play a mean pinball in their spare time.
@sjr60: They were deaf, dumb, and blind, so maybe they had it in them to become Pinball Wizards after all...
I didn’t have this set, but did have some of the others with ‘slabbies’, the unarticulated, faceless figures of this era. If 1976 me had had a Tardis and could travel to 2022, I wonder what I would think of the minifigures, sets and fan creations of today. Pretty sure I would be blown away!
In Australia it is 693-1 made in 1975 I have this set in my collection
Wow, a set l acrually have!!!! WOOHOO!!!
@GSR_MataNui : Adorable maybe, but also painful: the figure 'brakes' a the waist to 'sit'...now I'm having a micro-'crisis' about putting their 'knees' by their 'necks'...
@TheOtherMike: Problem: no 'wrists'. :D
@sjr60 said:
"Those firemen really don't have a lot going for them. Not supplied with any equipment to fight fires with and, being confined to straight jackets, they can't even play a mean pinball in their spare time."
You assume they’re fighting fires, but with their all-black attire and anonymity I can’t help but feel they’re going round starting them
@brick_r said:
" @GSR_MataNui : Adorable maybe, but also painful: the figure 'brakes' a the waist to 'sit'...now I'm having a micro-'crisis' about putting their 'knees' by their 'necks'...
@TheOtherMike: Problem: no 'wrists'. :D"
Not supple ones, anyway
I like how the truck provides some convenient storage space for leftover body parts!
But overall just a good set for that time, I especially like how they shaped the front with such basic pieces. Only that trailer looks a bit like an afterthought, but the pieces do add some extra play value.
Takes me back to my childhood!
But I have a question about all these 70's/80's LEGO fire truck sets: many of them seem to have small equipment trailers being towed by the larger ladder or pumper truck. Never in my life in the USA have I seen a fire truck towing a trailer. Was this a convention in Europe at a time, or just "creative license" by the toymaker? Just curious, thanks!
@Brickalili said:
" @sjr60 said:
"Those firemen really don't have a lot going for them. Not supplied with any equipment to fight fires with and, being confined to straight jackets, they can't even play a mean pinball in their spare time."
You assume they’re fighting fires, but with their all-black attire and anonymity I can’t help but feel they’re going round starting them"
Never thought I'd see a Fahrenheit 451 Lego set!
@Murdoch17 said:
" @Brickalili said:
" @sjr60 said:
"Those firemen really don't have a lot going for them. Not supplied with any equipment to fight fires with and, being confined to straight jackets, they can't even play a mean pinball in their spare time."
You assume they’re fighting fires, but with their all-black attire and anonymity I can’t help but feel they’re going round starting them"
Never thought I'd see a Fahrenheit 451 Lego set!"
A Fahrenheit 4x5x1 sounds like a block that’ll appear in the RPotD any day now
Is it called Fire Truck or FireTruck? Maybe Helvetica isn’t all it’s cracked up to be if I can’t tell? Is that Helvetica?
(All poking of typeface bears is in good fun, but I did find the title spacing interesting)
@B_Space_Man:
They should have used Comic Sans, which is the easiest on the eyes, being based on how people actually write (specifically, it’s designed to look like the handwritten lettering from comic book word balloons).