Which bricks are from which era?

mithridate

I'm looking for a website, grand thread or other resource, preferably with pictures, that has information such as:

- Multi-digit markings on bricks and pieces began after XXXX, and exact part numbers on bricks and pieces after XXXX
- Between XXXX and XXXX, Lego experimented with lighter color yellow plastic for minifig hands
- Completely hollow minifig torsos existed between XXXX and XXXX, while torsos with smaller connectors between XXXX and XXXX, and the current format began in XXXX
- Minifig torso necks usually have black, white or silver paint on the front, but during XXXX and XXXX some didn't (is this even true?). Also, today, many torsos have no paint (reason? Maybe ones made in China don't?)
- Minifig arms began to have a Lego logo on the inside of the arm after XXXX (same with heads and legs on the inside)
- Between XXXX and XXXX, such-and-such line had notoriously bad printing...
- Space / Castle / City logo prints come in these variants... (somewhat pixelated, richer red/blue/whatnot, etc?)

Stuff like this... I'm hoping to piece together era-correct minifigs and sets, and wanted to ensure I'm doing it right. Also, I sometimes wonder if it's an after-market PAD print or just a poor quality print.

Thanks for reading, and a HUGE thanks in advance for any helpful replies!

madforLEGO

Paging @LusiferSam @Istokg .. maybe also @davee123

oldtodd33

This thread might help a little on the minifgures.  http://bricksetforum.com/discussion/19360/the-evolution-of-the-lego-minifigure

You need to remember though, there is always overlap when parts change mold styles and you can find two different molds in the same set so things aren't always concrete when it comes to identifying years with changes. 

Istokg

Working on the new 9 volume collectors guide (for China and USA/Canada as well)... so I don't have a lot of time to talk here... but I will tell you this.... coming up with the information requested by the Original Poster is going to be a lot more difficult than it seems.  TLG was NOTORIOUS about mixing old and new molds... old and new plastic colors, old and new parts.  Some specific examples.....

1) TLG switched from Cellulose Acetate to ABS plastic circa 1963.  However the switch by USA/Canada Samsonite was not complete (in certain colors) until the late 1960s.  Also even in Europe the switch was not exact.  I once owned two 325 Shell Station sets (1966-70), sold everywhere except North America.  And both separately purchased sets had all ABS parts... except for the single 2x3 white brick that came in that set... it was CA.

2) I once purchased 10 6075 Yellow Castles on clearance circa 1985 (USA)... and the parts with moulding pip on studs vs. moulding pip on the side of the parts was a mish-mash of both.... for the same part.   2x6 and 2x8 yellow arches all came with the pip on the side.  1x4 yellow arches usually came with the pip on the stud... but not in early sets... where it was on the side.  1x1, 1x2, 1x3 and 1x4 bricks came with moulding pips on the sides about 60% of the time, and on the studs 40% of the time (1x2 had a higher ratio of pips on the sides).  Even the larger bricks had a mix.

3) I once owned a MIB 266 Homemaker Bedroom set (mid 1970s)... it had a mix of tiles with a lip at the base, and with no lip.  Some colors had it with a lip in a certain size, and no lip for the same color in a different size.


As far as Minifigs go... there have been arguments raging for years on determining what is correct for Minifig accessories... and that is still unresolved (to my knowledge, at least on Bricklink)....

https://www.bricklink.com/messageThread.asp?ID=179595

The easiest questions to ask would be "when was a new part or part type introduced"... 
 but there are no easy answers to your original questions.  And this goes back to day 1 of LEGO sets/parts... 1949.

mithridate

Fantastic info and links; just the sort of info I was looking for! Thank you all very much. And best of luck on that behemoth of a work, Istokg.

elspankdog

I've actually pulled 1x2x1 panel pieces this year with round and square corners in the same set of the same color.