Today I would like to show you a new LEGO book I recently got; The LEGO Build-it Book – Volume 1: Amazing Vehicles, by Nathanaël Kuipers and Mattia Zamboni. Read on to see what’s inside! 🙂
Let me cut to the chase at tell you right now; this is one of the most useful LEGO books I have ever come across. It is basically an instruction book for creating a wide variety of interesting LEGO vehicles with common LEGO elements, and learning basic to advanced LEGO building techniques directly by a professional LEGO model designer.
What sets the Amazing Vehicles book apart from other LEGO books is that every project in the book uses the same set of very common LEGO elements. There is a bill-of-materials at the beginning of the book, and you can build all 10 models from the same pieces. But it is even better than that! If you own the #5867 LEGO Creator Super Speedster set that was released in 2010, you have every piece needed for the LEGO models included in this book. That’s right; all 10 LEGO vehicles featured in the book use only the pieces found in that one set! And if you don’t own the set, it is not a big deal as all the pieces used are quite common and you likely already have them. If you don’t you can get them at the Online LEGO Shop Pick-A-Brick Store.
Here are the 10 models included in the Amazing Vehicles LEGO book: Off-Roader, Go-Kart, Muscle Car, Stroller, and a Multi-Purpose Truck under the Building Basics section. And Historic Racer, Classic Car, Wheel Loader, Street Rod and Rescue Truck under the Advanced Building section.
All models included in the Amazing Vehicles book come with full step-by-step instructions. I have to say that the instruction pages are very well done! This is actually true for the whole book; it is beautifully printed with rich colors on thick, glossy paper that will stand up to repeated use. The pages lie flat and you will have no problems following the instructions.
As far as the authors of Amazing Vehicles, Nathanaël Kuipers is a Dutch design professional who worked for several years as a product developer for the LEGO Group in Denmark, where he was mainly responsible for engineering LEGO Technic models. He is the mastermind behind some noteworthy Technic models including the #8272 LEGO Technic Snowmobile, the #8292 LEGO Technic Cherry Picker, and the impressive #8674 LEGO Technic Ferrari F1 Racer. He has also collaborated on the creation of many other models. You can check out his website here. The other author, Mattia Zamboni, is a fan of graphic design, photography, and LEGO, and he has a degree in electrical engineering. Based in Switzerland, he pursues his passion of graphic design, showcasing his talents within the world of 3D computer graphic arts. You can check out his website here.
The Amazing Vehicles LEGO book is 133 pages long, paperback, with instructions of the aforementioned 10 LEGO vehicle models. The book is recommended for ages 7 up. The publisher is No Starch Press, well known for their beautiful LEGO books. Standard price is $19.99, but you can get it for less on Amazon: BUY AMAZING VEHICLES BOOK
Speaking of Amazon, you can also conveniently pick up the #5867 LEGO Creator Super Speedster if you don’t have it, and also pre-order The LEGO Build-it Book – Volume 2: More Amazing Vehicles. That’s right! There is going to be a second book, with 10 more vehicles, using the exact same LEGO elements! I find it very inspiring that such a variety of LEGO models can be created with just a short list of LEGO parts! 😀
Let me know if you are planning to pick up a copy of this LEGO book! Or, if you already have it please share how you like it! I love to book myself and hope there will be many more similar books in the series for various LEGO themes! What do you think? Share below! 😉
And you might also like to check out the LEGO Books section for more news, reviews and discussions, or select from the following posts:
- Collecting LEGO Books – Intro to a Fun Hobby!
- LEGO Minifigures Character Encyclopedia
- LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles Update
- LEGO Book Review: The LEGO Adventure Book
- New LEGO Book: You Can Build It!
- The LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia
- LEGO Book Review: The LEGO Ideas Book
- Catching Up On Your LEGO Reading
Pretty cool concept.
I read about someone mentioning that this book would make money on Lego’s “intellectual property”, but it feels like a stretch. I think Lego would interpret this as a goodwill venture for their brand, and besides, even if 5867 has been discontinued, the sales of the books would likely lead to increased sales of individual bricks through pick-a-brick, anyway.
If you would get the book, and already own or would obtain the bricks separately, the original models and bonuses are available as a free download through Lego.com .
(The replacement set 31006 Highway Speedster looks quite decent, though.)
Hakan, I don’t see why LEGO would have a problem with this book. It just helps LEGO’s sales and popularity. The designer of the sets is a former long-time LEGO employee. I’m sure him and No Starch Press are fully aware of LEGO’s policies. Thanks for reminding me that the instructions of the original 3 models from the sets are downloadable. I should have included that in the post. That brings the total model of a single set up to 23! Very-very impressive! 😀
Hey Admin! Thanks for the help! You just helped send a kid to malaysia, maybe i could help with the one who won in indonesia to write the post here. 🙂
So you won? If so congrats!
The winner from Indonesia is fikko and he’s already done a post on his victory and I’m sure you’d be welcome to write one.
Sweet! Would be nice if you told us something about it.
Yep, thanks for the help. Would love to write here again hand in hnad with fikko 🙂
You’re the Phillipino winner right? Congrats! I wanted to like, but my facebook account is having complications. Perhaps we could meet up. I noticed that the Competition in the Phillipines is much more complicated. Here, I just came, I build and I won. End of story. No hassle. I really like your tree by the way. My sister prefers it to my model. I kind of have to agree with her.
About this book, It has actually inspired me. Seeing as how all my robots are made out of specific LEGO sets, I think it’s a good idea to write a similar book, but with my robots. I’ve been building some more and I’ll write a post showcasing them as soon as I get back home and get my laptop fixed. The idea is that you can vote for the 10 robots you like most, from the previous and upcoming post, and I’ll write a book giving the instructions of the ten robots, plus a spread of some more of my robots as inspirations AND some tips of designing your own robots. My problems at the moment are:
1. How to generate the instructions.
2. How to determine the layout of the book.
3. How to get it to No Starch Press.
If anyone wants to help me, It’ll be great. Just contact me from the contact button in my Contributor’s page.
Oh, by the way, I’m finally in London after a surprisingly not gruelling 14-hours flight. Everything is so expensive here! No wonder LEGO didn’t get a Luxury goods excise here. I’m going on a polybag hunt and hopefully I can net 7.
(My old name was Acka bacca 😀 )
That sounds like a good idea to do something like that. If you need any help just tell me and I’ll (try to) help 🙂
I heard there was a volcanic eruption yesterday in Indonesia and I’m glad you got to London safely without any interference.
The reason things are so expensive is surprise surprise……it’s London! 🙂 the further you go out of London the cheaper it gets but it rises again a little on the coast in general. Hope you enjoy sunny B) (not) England! What’s the weather like at the moment then?
Oh and good luck with your polybags hunt it may be tricky but you can probably reel in a few.
Fikko, in regards to the book, I’m in direct contact with No Starch Press. In fact in the past they have asked me to help them look for potential authors. If you want to get in touch with them just email me and I will get you in contact with the right person. 😉
In regards to the instructions, you can generate it yourself thru LDD and this tool, or you can co-author the book with someone else who is expert on that area (just like how this book was done).
Hmmm, if you’d work out from the same concept, 31007 Power Mech seems to have a decent part selection, with several hinges, slopes and SNOT pieces (although personally I find lime a rather hideous color).
Although there’s a long process from a concept to a complete book. Coming up with ten varied builds from a specific short selection could be quite a lot of work.
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=31007-1
That’s actually one of my favorite sets! Yeah, it would be an interesting challenge to create 10 other designs with it! 🙂
Do you have any other thoughts on the current Creator sets? I considered buying a set for Mech parts and such, but I actually have quite many of basic common pieces already (mostly from my brother’s and mine Collection between the late 70’s and the early 90’s).
Hakan, most Creator sets are made of quite basic parts. I still like and buy some of them, and they are very reasonably priced. Or, sometimes when I know I would have most of the parts, but I still like the models, I just download the instructions from LEGO’s website and build them from my own pieces.
Yeah, I know. I might buy a sets with lots of slopes and stuff I don’t have that many parts of. The vehicle sets seem more varied to me than the house sets. There are some further reviews on Brickset for a lot of sets, as well. I’m sorta on a budget, so I’ll have a look around for considering. Thanks.
Fikko, from what i know, we’ll definitely meet up because all the winners are going to Legoland on the same day (24-26 i think…) . After doing some research about how the contest went in other countries, i agree that ours was the most complicated, but it is also not thought out and was executed badly. The contest took place in five different places in five different places, and the winners there would become finalists. In the finals, our creation got judged again by different judges and an extra criteria was added, Facebook likes. The funny things is, me and the kid who won the younger age range, both were from the first ”semi finals” that took place.
How it was not thought out and executed badly?
The pieces were just scattered in the floor piled up in a mountain. I don’t know if thats good or bad, but i noticed that in other places, they were in tables.
Since i was the one who won the first event, they were pretty much telling me to wait for a phone call within the week, because they didn’t know whats next.
After checking out how the other countries’ contests took place, we didn’t get a certificate of participation until i asked for it, and that was too late since everybody else that joined left already.
Although the venues were ok for the semi finals, the finals were worse, we were told that the finals will take place in their warehouse. Now i thought, wow! I would get to see all those sets, but no. The event took place in their office, beside their warehouse. And the office was divided into two using wall dividers, so we couldn’t see their “workspace” . The mic. System was bad, they used a mic. plugged into a radio…. But i wouldn’t blame them, it’s their first time with contests like this.
The Prizes:
For winning first place in the “semi finals” venue 1
I got three cars sets, (Agent Mater’s Escape, The blue mater set i forgot what its called and the fire truck set)
A star wars planet set (naboo)
A poster (city)
A city fire polybag (fire car? I think).
Now these sets were old stock, but it was ok since i didn’t know there would be prizes until we were there, which just made it a bonus.
The prizes for first place in the finals:
Magikus board game
Elizabeth Swann keychain.
And a BIG sign that says VIP treatment to Malaysia (i didn’t know i was going to keep it 🙂 )
I believe those were old stock too considering, nobody really digged the elizabeth swann keychain, and the board games were getting dusty just sitting on the wall…
I was friends with the guy who won second in the finals, and i asked him what he got,
Board game (not sure what game)
Elizabeth Swann keychain
Star wars (attack on geonosis set)
Hero Factory set (not sure what hero/villain)
Thanks for everyone’s support. 🙂
Congratulations! That is so awesome! Keep us posted on how your trip goes! 😛
3 out of 7 polybags obtained! Although I got an extra 30230 and 3 extra 30106. Anyone wants to trade?
I don’t think I’ll do it like the book, specifically one set, but a few different sets. I could use some help with the instructions-generating. Co-writing sounds great.
Oh, by the way, I’ve picked the DeLorean, Minecraft Micro World and Scarox. My sister have picked up the Heartlake Bakery and Creator Tree House. I’ve got 22 pounds left to spend, and My sister’s got 50.
3 already!!! Where’d you get them from? I presume TRU and maybe WHSmiths.
Good choice with the sets but I would have gone for a chi figure instead of scarox but that’s just me!
Minecraft and delorean- both good sets from what I’ve heard but I probably won’t get them. £22 hmm are you planing on a set or souvenirs? Then I can suggest things.
BTW you should have payed £35 for delorean £35 minecraft £8 scarox so that’s £78total so you should have started with £100 correct?
P.s yes I am good at maths
LOL! Sounds like you will have a full suitcase going home! 😛
Congrats on your polys.
Constraction isn’t my cup of tea, but cthulhoid characters are never wrong.
See if your sis would allow you some of the pieces from her sets for moc:ing. That bakery looks pretty cool. Any idea on what to do for the remaining 22?
Teaming up with your sister for a combined buy? Too complicated?
HP, I’m from Indonesia.It was so simple. I just came, build whatever I want from a mountain of bricks (while breaking my back in the process.) And after it all, we just submit our models and were dismissed. Later, I was texted, told I won. For me, the prices was a relatively unknown Hero Factory Polybag and a Legends of Chima Sticker sheet, for participation. Then they gave me a reward of 1.000.000 Rupiah (about 100 USD/4000-5000 Peso) that I can use at the Bricksindonesia eStore, which has extremely inflated prices. However, I was still able to net like, 7 small-ish sized sets.
Yes, Chi Bacca, You’re correct, I had 100 initially. All 3 polys were netted from a LEGO Store. They practically have too much of the friends poly, I think, that they’re practically giving it away. I actually bought Scarox for 3 reasons: 1. I wanted to do the combiner with Rocka. 2. The Chi figures were rather steep and 3. I wanted to get a black brain polybag. Mostly it’s for the 3rd reason. I’ve built the Minecraft and the 3 polys. Great sets, especially the Minecraft. Definitely one of the hardest sets I’ve built. All those little tiles are difficult. I’ve actually added 3 pounds to my 22 and picked up the Lone Ranger Stagecoach.
@Hakan; We had some thoughts of combining and adding more to get the VW Camper Van. But we decided against it. She just got the Technic Hovercraft and Friends Squirrel, thus almost completing our series 1 Animal sets.
Aha. Pretty sweet haul. Cool sets for your sister, too.
The closest Lego Store for me is in Copenhagen, but I don’t think they were handling out any polybags when I visited it. (Then, I’m over 30 and didn’t buy anything, anyway.)
I got the Lone Ranger poly from the Donald Duck magazine, though. I had some cans and bottles left over that I could deposit for part of the money cost.
I’ve never been to a LEGO store but I want to (my nearest is somewhat a couple of hours away and my parents aren’t to keen to drive over there for me to take an hour standing in awe of the awesomeness 😀 )
3 reasons for scarox = get it now 🙂 I haven’t actually got any new hero factory my latest was probably the breakout series 2 stringer or something.
The little tiles are what put me off getting it I’ll probably lose them.
the stagecoach is a good choice (I think 😉 ) tell me if you like it.
And finally- are you enjoying London?
This is fantastic, I don’t know why I never thought of looking for something like this before. It revitalizes all those old pieces I’ve been keeping in my loft that don’t make a set between them. Are there any other books like this? What should I be searching for?
Sophie, you can check out No Starch Press’ other LEGO books. They have an excellent selection, and many of them are instructional. 🙂
Everyone this off the subject, but still at lego.com/minifigures they updated it to series 11!
Really! Already! Il have to check that when I get back from my hols (flash player kinda messes up on my ipad:( especially with low connection) I never did find mr gold…….. 15 others though with a ton of duplicates 🙂
Josh, thanks for sharing that. Yeah, they have updated the site about a week ago. 😉
As a photographer I must say your images are always a charm. Bright sharp and well composed. Thanks for blogging about an old hobby of mine. And for commenting on the book, I will purchase it.
Bert
Steadycam Expert
Just to let everyone know I’ve once again changed my username (the brick guy to Acka bacca and finally to my new one chi-bacca 😀 ) I think it’s pretty cool.
I have this book (vol 1) and thoroughly enjoy it. It’s well written and the instructions are easy to follow and well laid out. As an added note, it you order the book directly from No Starch Press, they have a deal where you can download the book in a PDF version, which makes it easier to use the instructions because you don’t have to struggle to keep the book open on a selected page. It’s well worth it for those, like me, who are a klutz.
Larry, thanks for mentioning that! I forgot about the free download option. Yes, it can be useful for those who prefer a PDF version, or both. 🙂
Hey admin, do any of these models use complicated techniques or rare bricks? Because Im not the best when it comes to rare bricks, let alone minifigs.
Shadrax, no the parts used are common, and the techniques are illustrated step-by-step. The book is recommended for ages 7 and up, so most people should have no problem with building the models. 🙂
None of the parts seem particularly rare, and minifigs is moot.
If you lack any bricks in particular, you should be able to order them separately from Lego Pick-A-Brick or private sellers at Bricklink. (Could take a while, and includes shipping costs, though.)
Here are some different links where you could see the inventory more closely.
http://thebrickblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/LEGO-Book-Amazing-Vehicles-Parts-List.jpg
https://brickset.com/sets/5867-1/Super-Speedster
http://www.peeron.com/inv/sets/5867-1
If you decide to get the pieces you lack for the models, you could search for 5867 at the official Lego site to find the instructions for the original models as free downloads.
https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/buildinginstructions?domainredir=service.lego.com
Hakan, good suggestions in regards to checking the inventory! Basically if someone has #5867, they can build all of the models in the book. And if not, the inventories you listed on Peeron, Brickset or Bricklink will give you the complete shopping list.
There was also a bonus build available through the British home page. (Found it through Brickset.)
http://creator.lego.com/en-gb/BuildingInstructions/5867%20group.aspx
Oh, nice! I did’t know about that! 🙂