Let's Support This Sixties Caravan LEGO Ideas Project and Get Busy With 1,500 Pieces

If you're a fan of LEGO, then you might also be aware of the fact that people like you and me can take a crack at spawning the next shelf-winning design. To do that, LEGO Ideas is the place, and as I explored recent submissions, I encountered the Sixties Caravan.

Why bring to light a LEGO set? Well, aside from the fact that it's right up my alley in terms of the type of subjects I cover for autoevolution, LEGOs just so happen to also be my favorite toy. Win-win for everyone: me, you, and Sunny Builder, this project's creator.

Now, suppose you know how LEGO Ideas works. In that case, you know that this project will only make it to store shelves the moment it receives enough likes and followers, 10,000 to be precise, and even then, it's not a done deal; the head honchos at LEGO have the final say. All we can do is make sure it ends up on their table.

As for what we're looking at, according to the project page, Sunny crafted this design because of a missing link in the LEGO lineup: a caravan, but one with the whole "Sixties" attitude, a retro camper in every sense of the word.

All this starts off with a concept that revolves around nearly 1,500 pieces, and if you know anything about LEGOs, then you have some idea of what that means: hours of deciphering instruction manuals and bonding with your child or inner kid. Once all that's said and done, the result is a project that mimics what a real camper can achieve, minus the thousands of pounds of cargo.

Starting with the ground up, we first encounter a chassis with one axle, a drawbar with a jockey wheel, and, most importantly, the stabilizer legs. Why is the latter feature the most important one? Simply because the stabilizer legs can be actuated - and actually work - by inserting a crank into that slot right above each one and turning it into position. The jockey wheel seems to be able to achieve the same effect.

If you're a child at heart, it's these little features and actions that make a LEGO set so amazing, and the fact that Sunny includes this, among others, is a testament to his or her know-how and love of these timeless toys.

Now, the rest of the unit has that whole tapered-off rear reminiscent of the real habitats, but what I particularly enjoyed about the habitat are the forward and rear windows with lounge and galley block underneath and that signature side door with an arched top. Did you happen to see the little step placed in front of the entrance? I swear, all this project is missing are a couple of LEGO people, a beach umbrella, a little outdoor dining table, and a fire pit scene.

As I continued to explore the images in the gallery, I couldn't help but notice the layers that make up the interior of the Sixties Caravan. Starting with the floor, we can spot a geared mechanism integrated into the design, and I think that's what will move the rear stabilizer legs. Be sure to check out the nose-cone storage bay or systems locker.

From here, Sunny adds furniture and fixtures, including a wardrobe, a large U-shaped dinette at the rear, and a galley block at the front of the unit, and yes, they each include moving parts, so there'll be plenty to play around with if this set ever makes it to store shelves. Even the roof is easily removed so that we can access the interior and mess around.

Speaking of messing around inside, that interior we see is also a modular one, just like it is in the real units, and by lowering the lounge table, the dinette can then be converted to a bedroom with an era mattress with checkered "padding" and all.

Last but not least, Sunny also worked in a couple of different color options for the Sixties Camper, and all of them fit very well with the design and overall feeling of the result. It's one hell of a neat project and one I'd dedicate the few hours it would take to build it.

However, it doesn't matter how neat I personally find this project; there needs to be 10,000 of us to get this in the right hands. Even then, its fate isn't sealed, and the chances that we may never get to build this ourselves are very real.

But all is not lost. Projects like these are often created piece by piece in software specifically designed to work with existing LEGO pieces. What I mean to say is that you could very well reach out to Sunny, let them know that you'd love the blueprint for this idea, and go from there, scrounging LEGO's website for the pieces to bring this to life yourself. I can tell you that 1,500 pieces aren't going to be cheap.