Brick City
"How to Build Brick Cars" by Peter Blackert

by Glenn Oyoung TIME Magazine rates Legos as the most influential toy ever. I absolutely agree. Very few toys lend themselves to captivating children while simultaneously inspiring them to creative heights. No wonder that as children mature into adults that they remain incredibly connected (pun intended) to the creative play that Legos, and to an extent other building blocks, engender.  Growing up, Legos were my favorite toy – tied only with Hot Wheels. (Disclaimer: I’m going to geek out while also employing the good old “kids have it so easy” trope. I can’t help myself.) I built everything from Lego jets to robots (inspired by Robotech) to, of course, all manners of cars. This was before Lego went on a world wind licensing tour, snatching up the likes of Ferrari, McLaren, Porsche, Corvette, Ford, etc. Back in my day if you wanted to build a Ferrari F1 car you assembled every red Lego you had, did the best you could, and explained to your parents that what they were looking at was not a smashed fire truck but indeed a racecar of the Italian persuasion. Today you can get a Lego Speed Champions kit off the shelf with the exact bricks you need and clear instructions and build an entire race team replete with cars, mechanics, and even control rooms.

That’s pretty amazing for younger gearheads. But one thing we all know is the older you get, the more cars you like. What if you’d love nothing other than to build a ‘32 Ford Roadster, or a 240Z, or a Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder? That’s where the creative genius of master builder Peter Blackert and his book “How to Build Brick Cars” comes in.

If you’re a gear head and a block head, then this is the book for you. Blackert packs in over a dozen unique builds with three intervals of difficulty – Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced. Each build comes with an informative overview of the historical significance of the car, a list of all the Lego pieces you will need (including part number), and step-by-step instructions to make it all come together.

Blackert is one of the world’s most famous custom builders of brick scenes and vehicles – suffice it to say he does not need assembly instructions. The accuracy of the finished products is pretty astounding, until you realize that Blackert is a car designer for FoMoCo by day. I can’t wait to see the sequel come out. Judging from his Flickr account, there is no shortage of ideas for him to share.

"How to Build Brick Cars" Author: Peter Blackert Publisher: Motorbooks Format: Soft cover MSRP $24.99 Website: QuartoKnows.com