I remember, sitting in the living room, when my father pull out the box of 8024 from behind a decoration pillow. I saw that it was some kind of Lego, as I was already familiar with it: I've gotten Lego sets for Xmas or my birthday. But this box wasn't similar to what I knew as Lego. I asked my dad what is was, and he said it was "Technic Lego".
For me, Technic started with this set and it soon became my favorite toy. Despite the fact that I got no more than 2 other sets: 8818 and 8205 (which I never really liked). Initially I wasn't able to build the models from the instructions and always asked my mother to build it for me. I remember that my favorite model was the car with the short wheelbase, because it drives well.
The first Universal Building Set were released in 1982 with the set number of 8030. Then in 1989, it was followed by 8024. The main idea behind a Universal Building Set was, that there was no main model, but instead you got building instructions for 3-6 models. There are left over parts, no matter which one you build, and also none of them are as interesting or full of features than a main model of a bigger set.
Never the less, I find it impressive that you get building instructions for 4 very different vehicles with a set of barely more than a hundred pieces.
8024 Universal Building Set
Set number: 8024Release year: 1989
Set name: Universal Building Set
Number of pieces: 114
City car
My all time favorite of this set is this city car, for the lack of a better name. After a while, I could build it out of memory, but I mostly remember those times when I was waiting impatiently for my mother to build it for me. It was great fun to play with this car, as it can really turn, thanks to it's short wheelbase: driving it around heaps of Lego pieces and parking it in between the legs of a table and a chair. The HoG (Hand of God) steering makes it comfortable to drive, as you don't have to reach into the cabin for the steering wheel, providing perfect control even at full speed. The rear axle is actually made of two pin-and-axle pieces, allowing the rear wheels to rotate independently of each other. Asking for a differential in a set as small as this is unreasonable, so I guess this rear axle arrangement was a good idea.
I really liked back then, the way the windshield is formed of two diagonally placed beams. Though I've never understood why there is a bulky and heavy block, made out of plates, but I liked the red and blue striped color scheme.
The weight distribution of this car is good, so I have to say that play-ability is spot on. There are no fancy features, but it's simplicity is what makes it attractive. Even a child of 6 or 7 years old can build a steerable car from this set.
Race car
The second model is a race car, or at least that's my guess, based on the rear spoiler. This set did not included a piston; the new, cylindrical piston and cylinder pieces was introduced only in the next year. Maybe that's the reason why it features a propeller at the back of the car. In fact it's a bit incomprehensible why it is here, but I guess there's no point thinking too much into it. Simply, this car goes so fast, that it even has a propeller at the back. This explanation was completely reasonable to my 6 year old self.
The rear axle drives the propeller though a gear-train of 4 gear, with a ration of 9:1. That basically means, that for a single turn of the rear wheels, the propeller turns 9 times, making a nice sound, but also making the car harder to push around. Also it doesn't turn as good, because of the solid rear axle.
Upon inspecting it from the side, it's obvious that the rear axle was pushed forward in order for the propeller to stick out at the back. This means, that most of the pieces are either over the rear axle or behind it, making the car tail heavy. The gear-train of the propeller itself is implemented masterfully. Back then, when I was a kid, I could not appreciate it enough, but after building it as an adult, I was amazed by how tight it is. It was sort of a forerunner of the really tight constructs of the studless era.
This model utilizes the blue hing pieces, which was a bit of a compensation for me, as a child: the 8865 supercar, which my parents could never afford, had blue seats, and I had them as well, if somewhat smaller.
Helicopter
The third model is a small helicopter, with a rotating main rotor, driven by the rear axle. Fortunately the gear ratio here is not as big: the main rotor turns only once for every turn of the rear axle. Also, the rear rotor can be turned manually.
I really like how the cabin is formed of tilted beams, though the size of model is too small for size of the beams, in my opinion, making it less detailed. The front wheel is buried deep in the structure. This model does not utilizes the steering pieces at all.
Forklift
The most interesting model is the forklift, which doesn't have any steering at all, because the steering pieces are actually used to lift the fork. I find this solution a great idea, because it shows, that even a very specialized piece could be used for a completely different function. The compact steering piece was released in 1988, in the set 8832 "Roadster". Also it's not suitable to build an Ackermann steering geometry.
The Technic beams can form a rather crude fork, and you'll find it a hard time sliding it under anything. They are heavy as well, and doesn't stay in the up position. The lack of steering limits the play value of the model.
Motorizing
We get instructions for motorizing the race car only. The 8720 motor set could be bought separately containing a standard Technic 9V, with the boxy battery holder, holding 6pcs AA batteries. It is odd, that, according to bricklink.com, the supplemental motor set was only released in the next year: 1990, but there it's still mentioned in the building instructions.
There is no motorizing instructions for the rest of the models.
B models
While there is no main model in a Universal Building Set, but there are building ideas included in the form of single pictures of other things, that could be built from this set (no building instructions): a windmill, an airplane, and a 3 wheeled thing that I'm not sure what is supposed to be. I remember, when I was a kid I thought it to be something that resembles an artillery weapon. Lego have never featured weapons, except for the Castle and Pirate themes, where there are swords and guns. But never tanks of artillery weapons. May it's just my imagination, and this model is something completely different. I have never been able to build it; not when I was a kid, and not even now. I just don't understand how the rear wheel is attached to the front of the vehicle (that's why there is no image of it in the gallery).
I remember asking my mother to build the windmill for me, because I could not do it on my own, without the building instructions. I guess she never liked Technic Lego as much as I did. Fortunately, somebody actually took the effort and made a step by step instruction for the windmill. I cheated, and used it to build the model, as it takes a lot of trial and error to do it by just one image. The building instruction can be found on Rebrickable.com.
Interestingly, Lego provided an extra building instruction leaflet with the 8815 set, which featured a sports car, that can be built using the pieces of the sets 8815, 8820, 8024. I probably saw it in a catalog, and it got me really excited. Having a supercar that could be built with three small and cheap sets was a good idea, I thought. It would allow a poorer kid (like me) to have his own supercar, who's parents could never afford a real one.
Impressions
I'm biased by this this, that's for sure. It was not only the firs Technic set I owned, but it was the Technic Lego of my childhood. Much later, I sold all my Lego, and sold it for way under reasonable price, which I regretted instantly. Why my kids were born, I knew, that I want to show them my favorite childhood toy, and sooner or later they will be old enough to appreciate it. This set was the first, along with 8818 which I bought again, when I came out of my "dark ages" of having no Lego at all.
Rare pieces
This set features no rare or problematic pieces. There are 4 axle-pin connectors which tend to break, and also bushes are known to crack sometimes, but they can be replaced easily and cheaply.
Summary
This is a fine sit, which could be a perfect introduction to (old) Technic for a young builder. Furthermore it can be cheaply acquired too. I, myself actually have two copies.
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