Find lost instruction manuals
The Brickfactory is an online repository of TONS of Lego instruction booklet scans. There you can find instructions on Lego projects such as the 1985 Airport (Search for box number 6392… they don’t make it easy to link to specific instruction books)… or the 1988 Emergency Treatment Center (box #6380). Those who grew up in my family will fondly remember both of those. (Did we really get the airport in 1985? I was only 5 when I built that thing? I guess kids grow up faster than I thought. I was planning on at least six or seven years until I could interact with the up-and-coming lego master)
Relive the joy of the Old School catalogs
At The Construction Toy Homepage there is a guy who has a whole lot of images of Lego construction toys - but near the bottom of the page you will see a link to the cover scans of the Lego catalogs and Lego idea books. Yes - I vividly remember staring at each of the books that came out durring my formative years…
Build a friggin harpsichord
If you are really crazy, you can build a harpsichord out of only legos. (well… and string) The guy who built it has tons of pictures and even example Mp3 file - so you can cast the thought “this might sound really good” out of your head… No, plastic is not the new wood for resonating materials, that’s for sure - but if you are crazy and rich, why not build one?
He also has some technical information about harpsichords on his page, and he describes why there will never be a Lego Piano.
Enjoy those retro Lego links. Good thing I don’t have a Tub of legos lying around - or my day would be shot right now.
March 15th, 2006 at 9:15 am
Do you have to have the really expensive, yet cool, space legos to build the 1985 Hospital? I feel those were the best but I never had enough money to get lots of them.
March 15th, 2006 at 11:14 am
I can’t believe the airport was from 1985 either. We were genius kids, though. Now we could actually put it together again, if we were crazy enough to spend the time to separate all the pieces rest of the lego collection. I’m amazed by the harpsichord. I think Lego should sell a harpsichord kit.
March 15th, 2006 at 5:50 pm
You know I don’t think i’ve ever seen the airport put together. I was one when you got it. But I do love all the windows it came with.