While many references list the DACTA 1031 card set as being released in 1983, and the two teachers' resource sets (1030 and 1032) as being released in 1985, somehow those dates may be wrong. I want to think the 1030 and 1032 sets were released in the USA in 1983 as well if the associated card sets were.

The sets in question:

1030 Technic I: Simple Machines

1031 Building Cards (for the above)

1032 Technic II: Powered Machines

1033 Building Cards (for the above)

Being of the DACTA (now LEGO Educational) series, these were not available for general retail sale. I've reason to think any unopened boxes might command high dollars today.

The two building sets (1030 and 1032) seemed to be a precursor to the USA availability of the first three Universal Building Sets (8020, 8030 and 8050).

~Ben

Edited January 2, 201510 yr by ClassicTVMan1981X

Hi Ben

Welcome to EB, keep up those interesting threads (right up my alley, sets and period wise)

I have the 1032/33 and 9607 sets which I picked up MISB in Billund (of all places!) 'bout a year ago for 300DKR/50US$ each

They're great sets for my son to learn about Technics and gears/mechanical engineering in general

I'm quite fond of DACTA sets as they often have loads of great parts/instructions, but they're not that easy to come by (and I refuse to pay silly BL prices)

I can maybe help you with US relase dates, as there is some info on the back of the 1033 envelope for the cards :

EDIT : The outer cardboardbox for the 1032 has the same "@1985/1990 Enfield" info

Also, the 1032 set contains two 4716 wormgears which was not released in sets until 1985

Cheers, Ole

Edited January 4, 201510 yr by 1974

I remember buying the resource set 1034 in 1988. It was £105 RRP at the time.

It was the largest Technic set of its day, with 1516 parts.

I had started thinking about building robots, so the set with 2 motors was ideal at the time.

Previously I had kept running out of 8-tooth cogs, but with 50 in the set I never ran out since then!

Mark

That's a real nice set

Do you remember how you got hold of that set back then? Mine were from a former schoolteacher that found them unused in a closet at her school

I used to go to all the little schools on the countryside years ago asking for 'unusual musical instruments' and picked up a bunch of cool vintage synths/drummachines dirtcheap ... never thought about inquiring about LEGO

It is kind of odd from our perspective that the Expert Machines set would pre-date the Simple Machines set by one year.

And look how much they want for this 1034 set? That's right: $1,350! I told you unopened Dacta sets would fetch high dollars these days!

http://www.ebay.com/...hsAAOxylpNTUxFi

~Ben

Edited June 19, 20168 yr by ClassicTVMan1981X