REVIEW: 40448 LEGO® IDEAS Vintage Car

[Ecclesiastes]

Starting January 1st you get this GWP if you spend $85,-/€85,-. Which is a nice free addition if you would like to buy the new modular Police Station.

No paper bags in this small set yet.

Printed elements are always better, but as it's just the license plate it's ok.

Like the bigger IDEAS sets this set also comes with information from the builder, Arne Janke. Who won the IDEAS contest.

The building of the set starts with the chassis.

The rear has a clever technique to attach the bumper up side down.

The rear lights are showing how versatile the  round 1 x 2 plate can be used. Make sure the slot of the pin connector is pointed inwards, the old mold would have worked better.

Putting it in drive might be hard as the driver has to reach behind the wheel.

Plenty of room for two passengers.

Building the front. Attaching stickers on elements like a curved slope is never easy if you want to have it placed exactly in the middle.

A nice technique is being used for the upside down windshield. And the ice skate makes a perfect ornament.

The final result is really close to the original, though the chrome parts would have been nice to have. Also the binoculars fit the car better instead of the blinker lights. The surfboards are also higher on the IDEAS entry which makes the gap behind the doors less visible.

The space underneath the windshield might not be comfortable for the passengers. It also looks too small compared to the width of the car.

The gap behind the doors was bothering me a bit and so was the front. I added the height in the back with one plate and moved the ice skate one tile to the front. Which made it more appealing to me.

Comparing the Diner Car:

Bigger and better building techniques, but the Diner Car has backseats and you are able to open the doors. So as far as playability goes the Diner Car wins. If you are going for aesthetics the Vintage Car would appeal more!

Rating:

Design: 7/10  Looks good, altough the back of the car has a weird gap behind the door.

Parts: 8/10 The color is what makes this car shine.

Building: 7/10 Some nice techniques are being used in a small set, like upside down building of the bumper.

Playability: 6/10 Standard for a car, no opening doors or hood unfortunately. 

Price: 9/10 Just spending 85,- is justified for this appealing GWP.

Overall conclusion: Not a must have, but certainly a nice addition to your LEGO city (Diner)!

Yeah, spare parts!!

[Fuppylodders]

Excellent review! Nice side by side comparison with the diner model. It would have been nice to have the chrome, but no surprise it wasn't. 

The number plate numbers, if flipped upside down, represent the word 'LEGO'. 

Will certainly find an excuse to spend enough to get this, is a pretty decent little build! Glad they kept it close to the original! 

[JintaiZ]

Nice review! The only thing I don't like about the set is the stickers...

[koalayummies]

57 minutes ago, Ecclesiastes said:

Putting it in drive might be hard as the driver has to reach behind the wheel.

Is that what that is behind the wheel? The gear change?

Excellent review and photos showing the build and parts.

[MAB]

I don't like the surfboard as a door. It was understandable in the original submission and looked OK there but in lowering it, it now looks like a surfboard attached to the side of a car. Especially when paired with the beach scene (although there are no surfing waves).

[SollX]

great review!

seeing the two side by side shows how much better the original is.  
Lego did screw up the lines on the side. the whole section between the wheels should be 1 plate lower, deleting that ugly gap behind the doors and lowering the car. and the surfboard should be higher.

to bad.

still i'll be happy to build it once i get it as i ordered the police station today

[ReplicaOfLife]

Good looking car.

I agree that the surfboard should be higher up, though. Does anyonme know how it was supposed to attach in the original Ideas submission? I'd suspect it was done using a 1x1 brick with studs on adjacent sides., breplacing the one used to fit the panel acting as a door.

[Maple]

I love it but there is literally nothing on S@H in stock that I want. But those surfboards need to go.

 

Edited January 1, 2021 by Maple

[Shiva]

Cheers for the review :)

In the original, the surfboard is higher AND angled a little bit downwards. How did the original creator do that downward angle for it? And how stable was it?

[Vilhelm22]

Thanks for the review!  Actually my first promo I’ll be keeping as normally they end up a sticking present for my much younger brother at Christmas, or I order elsewhere as it’s cheaper.  Hopefully I’ll get one, though the Crocodile Locomotive I’ve ordered is on backorder (will ship by 19th January).  The promo ends on 17th Jan, so.....

[AndreMW]

The car seems to be a mixture between a 53 Pontiac and a 59 Corvette

https://www.automall-online.com/oc-content/uploads/129/275434.jpg

http://ipocars.com/imgs/a/d/r/f/p/pontiac__chieftain_deluxe_vintage_approval_1953_1_lgw.jpg

 

 

[Hive]

Sure, the surfboard placement is a downgrade... but to me, the biggest disappointment is not using the original hairpiece for the female. Also, I don't get why the glas isn't clear.

[Rudivdk]

It seems that the hood has been made 1 stud longer in the Lego version, or at least on the sides there are 6 studs of those rounded bricks from headlight to side mirror, compared to 5 on the original ideas version. Could also be that the side mirrors are placed 1 stud backwards though. But it messes with the proportions, throws it out of balance a bit, at least for me. The original looked much smoother and better balanced. I think the Lego model is just 'good', but nothing more than that...

@Ecclesiastes the review is great by the way!

[koalayummies]

8 hours ago, Hive said:

Also, I don't get why the glas isn't clear.

As someone who prefers transparent (clear) for all windows I agree. Unfortunately they haven't made that exact windscreen 36 Gr. 3X4X1 1/3 design no. 2437/35243 in transparent (clear) since 2015.

[Wesley D]

4 hours ago, Rudivdk said:

It seems that the hood has been made 1 stud longer in the Lego version

This bothers me too, I preferred the dimensions of the original submission. There the minifigures seem to be sitting a tad lower, what's better looking.

Nevertheless I'm looking forward to build the car. I keep finding it amazing squeezing 2 minifigures next to eachother in a 6 stud wide car!

[CSW652]

Looks more Ford Fairlane than Chevy Bel Air.  Why in the world did they stretch the hood?  Also I liked the use of the binoculars and the mirrors on the original design better.  Surfboards are a bit to low as well.

[Shiva]

Some americans did have quite long hoods.

How did the original creator do the surfboard placement? Maybe it was a tad too unstable for a set?

[AndreMW]

Looks like the original had only one stud connected.

[Shiva]

If it was that way, then I do understand why the surfboard was moved down.

[CSW652]

Appears it and the Police Station are completely sold out now.  I'm sure I'll be able to get the building later, but I guess won't be getting the car.  Lego should have made more, didn't even have enough to make it through a week.

Edited January 5, 2021 by CSW652

[Bornin1980something]

13 hours ago, CSW652 said:

Appears it and the Police Station are completely sold out now.  I'm sure I'll be able to get the building later, but I guess won't be getting the car.  Lego should have made more, didn't even have enough to make it through a week.

I wouldn't blame them. There's a pandemic on, you know. 

[koalayummies]

14 hours ago, CSW652 said:

Appears it and the Police Station are completely sold out now.  I'm sure I'll be able to get the building later, but I guess won't be getting the car.  Lego should have made more, didn't even have enough to make it through a week.

Hey, don't get too down yet. If they do run out a bunch of the key parts specific to that set have been added to the incoming parts on Bricks and Pieces. You can't order them yet but they should be available in the near future.

These are the Bright Bluish Green (teal/"dark turquoise") parts appearing in just this set (so far) and key to completing the car:

35789 MUDGUARD 2X4X2, NO. 1

11458 PLATE 1X2 W. HOR. HOLE Ø 4.8

3176 COUPLING PLATE 2X2

87544 WALL ELEMENT 1X2X3

45677 PLATE 4X4X2/3

[NewTown]

On 1/1/2021 at 4:41 AM, SollX said:

great review!

seeing the two side by side shows how much better the original is.  
Lego did screw up the lines on the side. the whole section between the wheels should be 1 plate lower, deleting that ugly gap behind the doors and lowering the car. and the surfboard should be higher.

to bad.

still i'll be happy to build it once i get it as i ordered the police station today

Agreed the original is much better and they screwed up the lines. The original mirrors work much better too. I am still glad to be getting one. Nothing could be worse than the car that came with the Palace Cinema...

[Versteinert]

Finally I was able to shoot a better pic of my original version to compare it to the final set ;)

Unfortunately, the original version was way too unstable at some sections to not being changed. It is ok for putting it in a display, but you wouldn't be able to play with it at all - at least if you don't want to end up very frustrated...

@Shiva@AndreMW Yes, the surfboard is only attached with one stud. This doesn't last much longer than the time that was necessary for taking the photo ;)

Aedelsten Deluxe by Versteinert, auf Flickr

[Polarlicht]

Already "sold" out in most places...

I got mine. Only problem is that the surf boards on the side don't hold very well...