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Which sets did you 'lust' after as a kid?

HuwHuw Brickset Towers, Hampshire, UKAdministrator Posts: 7,059
edited December 2013 in Collecting
I'm compiling a list of 'the best sets ever' and would like your input.

When you were young, which sets did you see in the catalog(ue) and think 'I must have that'?

Of the sets you got as a kid, which ones were your favourites?
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Comments

  • DJ_Pon3DJ_Pon3 Member Posts: 93
    Everything Lego Town related in the early 90s. My personal most wanted where the 2 trains, The #4558 Metroliner and the #4563 Load and Haul Railroad, I never got them :(
  • korkor Member Posts: 392
    6080 King's Castle and 6074 Black Falcon's Fortress were the must-have sets for me as a kid. I still look at those two and 'lust' after them :)
  • roxioroxio UKMember Posts: 1,383
    #6399 beautiful
  • FrictionPinFrictionPin Member Posts: 144
    #6951 Robot Command Center was my white whale. The only set that I just had to have but never got as a kid. My favorites sets that I did get were #6980, #928, #6971.
  • PaperballparkPaperballpark Near ManchesterMember Posts: 4,257
    Oh blimey, I'm too old to remember that far back!

    It was generally the large sets that I wanted most, although as I say, I can't really remember them.

    I've had little a browse through the sets list, but can't see anything that immediately jumps out at me. I'll keep thinking though...
  • thelegochroniclerthelegochronicler Member Posts: 17
    The three I wanted most were 6286 Skull's Eye Schooner, 6399 Airport Shuttle and 6989 Mega Core Magnetizer. If you combined all the time I spent holding those sets in stores wishing I had the money to take them home it would be scary how long it was.

    Have managed to add the Schooner and Mega Core to the collection as an adult but the Monorail has proved elusive.
  • BumblepantsBumblepants DFW/BGMember Posts: 7,503
    #6395 Victory Lap Raceway, #6077 Forestman's River Fortress, #6075 Wolfpack Tower, #6277 Imperial Trading Post, #6393 Big Rig Truck Stop

    And then favorites that I did manage to get were #6873 Deep Freeze Defender and all time favorite #6085 Black Monarch's Castle
  • mressinmressin Lego City... erm LondonMember Posts: 843
    Favourite set I did get: #928 - it is very blocky compared to the later "flagships", but I still admire its versatility: all smaller ground vehicles of that time fit into the cargo bay. I'm not sure if any of the later space sets ever had a comparative capacity.

    My white whale: literally #6989 Galaxy Commander, and then funnily enough all the older base sets I never got, i.e. #920 and #926, and the "sister ships" to #928, i.e. #924 and #918.
  • augenaugen Worcester, UKMember Posts: 317
    +1 for the #6980 Galaxy Commander.
  • binaryeyebinaryeye USMember Posts: 1,810
    Sets I really wanted, mostly because I knew I would never get them:
    #6080 King's Castle
    #6074 Black Falcon's Fortress
    #6066 Camouflaged Outpost
    #6990 Monorail Transport System
    #6060 Knight's Challenge
    #6085 Black Monarch's Castle
    #6395 Victory Lap Raceway
    #6276 Eldorado Fortress
    #6285 Black Seas Barracuda
    #6781 SP-Striker

    Favorite set of my childhood collection:
    #6074 Black Falcon's Fortress
  • cheshirecatcheshirecat Member Posts: 5,331
    Simple - the space monorail. Was the only set I remember wanting but also knowing I would never get. Too big even for father Christmas apparently.
    rocaohantot
  • SirKevbagsSirKevbags Fairy Land Member Posts: 4,027
    #856 / #951 My first brush with Technic. My granny brought it home in a plastic bag from a church jumble sale.No box. No instructions but I played with it for months. I never built it as intended, parts were likely missing but it didn't matter I think it was the ability to make a vehicle with tracks instead of wheels. Should really pick up a used copy for a trip back in time. (Despite the fact building anything Technic today has no appeal)
  • CombeeCombee Billund, DenmarkMember Posts: 19
    I always wanted #6090 Royal Knight's Castle!
  • pvp3020pvp3020 Member Posts: 187
    #928 for me. I had (and still have) a lot of the smaller classic space sets, but this one was always just out of reach.
  • chuckpchuckp NYMember Posts: 684
    Add another vote for the #6990 Monorail on the "wanted" list. Didn't every classic space kid want one of these?

    If "all of them" is not an option for favorite sets, I'd say #6927 All-Terrain Vehicle, #6929 Star Fleet Voyager and #6951 Robot Command Center . Good times!

    BTW, great topic/thread, Huw!
  • CCCCCC UKMember Posts: 20,523
    I remember playing with something like a #362, only it wasn't a real one as the sails were white.
  • aimlesspursuitsaimlesspursuits USMember Posts: 207
    #497 Galaxy Explorer was my most wanted.

    I didn't really have a favorite as I mostly had smaller sets and ended up building my own stuff.
  • TechnicNickTechnicNick Berkshire, UKMember Posts: 279
    #853 - the first big Technic car from 1977. Later on, the #8860 sports car. Both great kits that I still have. Have to agree with @SirKevBags about 856 - that was a superb kit of parts you could make any construction vehicle with.
  • TechnicNickTechnicNick Berkshire, UKMember Posts: 279
    As for kits I didn't get - I quite liked the classic space theme but I'm still glad my parents concentrated on Technic. Might have enjoyed a #928, though...
  • vitreolumvitreolum RomaniaMember Posts: 1,406
    edited December 2013
    #6279 was definitely my favorite, followed by #6195 and #6755. Most wanted I never got were #6769 and #6289.
  • CoviCovi BelgiumMember Posts: 332
    Mine were the Blacktron v1 sets and the Wolfpack sets.

    I had the space monorail and that was my favorite playing set as a child.
    But I've never managed to get a grip on those sets mentioned above.
    Even then I was already extremely fond of just minifigs, and the Blacktron or the Wolfpacks were at that time in my opinion just the coolest designs. :-)
  • hoyatableshoyatables Northern Virginia, USAMember Posts: 873
    Let's see -- I got many of the sets that I wanted. Didn't ever get either monorail - those were definitely lusted after. Also never got the Forestmen's River Fortress but I remedied that last year :). I also lusted after the Black Seas Barracuda but managed to get that as my "last" big set.
  • Poisso3Poisso3 Member Posts: 196
    For me it was also the #6990 Monorail. "Santa" eventually ended up bringing me #1682, but I still wanted that Monorail.
  • HuwHuw Brickset Towers, Hampshire, UKAdministrator Posts: 7,059
    For me it was #358 Rocket Base and #360 gravel works, both of which I did get, but I never did get #565 moon landing...
  • natro220natro220 USAMember Posts: 545
    #6990 Monorail and #6399 Airport Shuttle were definitely sets I wanted but knew I would never get (at least until I was 20 years older). I also remember drooling over both of the early 90's seaports, and the Imperial Trading Post in Toys R Us. The best set I ever received as a kid was #6276 Eldorado Fortress. Otherwise everything I got were the $20 and less sets.
  • CapnRex101CapnRex101 United KingdomAdministrator Posts: 2,357
    I desperately wanted #7315 Solar Explorer when I was quite young (not that long ago), and got it for Christmas in 2001. It seemed enormous at the time, but looking at the Brickset entry now, it only has 242 pieces. I suppose that just demonstrates how perspectives change with time!
  • klatu003klatu003 Hobbiton, Shire, Middle EarthMember Posts: 727
    Well, it wasn't me (no Lego in my childhood), but my son wanted #6990 Monorail. I am really glad I bought it for his birthday. He loved it and always put away in the original box. I was enlisted to apply the stickers, but otherwise not invited to play :-( I stored and moved it for twenty years. So when I discovered my love of Lego - there it was and a great build.
  • mr_bennmr_benn United KingdomMember Posts: 935
    I was lucky enough to receive #6990 space monorail as my parents won some money in a newspaper competition, but I still wanted a lot of the other larger Futuron and Blacktron sets such as #6392 and the Blacktron base #6987

    Also anything train related - I has #7730 and later got #7745, but so much pocket money went on track and all the 12V remote control goodies - I used to dream of having the sort of setup they showed in the catalogues with loads of trains whizzing this way and that... sigh, #7740 !
    PeteM
  • ColoradoBricksColoradoBricks Denver, CO, USAMember Posts: 1,659
    #8860 for me, I remember getting it for my 10th birthday and then again on eBay 30 years later coming of my dark ages...
  • OldfanOldfan Chicagoland, IL, USAMember Posts: 700
    After reading through the early 80's catalogs that came with my smaller sets, I really wanted #6390 Main Street, #497 Galaxy Explorer, and #6970 Beta-One Command Base. I didn't get any of them until my AFOL days...
  • HardradaHardrada Member Posts: 439
    edited December 2013
    The central piece of my childhood Lego collection was #6074 Black Falcon's Fortress. Besides that and a Basic set, #550 I only had a few of the smaller impulse sets.

    I remember drooling over the #6082 Fire Breathing Fortress in the catalogue with my brother as that castle had cool traps while ours didn't. We tried to build similar traps into our castles made of pieces of #6074 all the time.

    Apart from that I really-really wanted the early 90s 9v train sets, especially #4558 Metroliner and #4554 Metro Station (still the best station Lego ever did). No chance unfortunately. My cousins had the Metroliner with the Club Car so I at least had a chance to play with them a few times when we visited.
  • BrickmanBrickman Ol' Brick SquareMember Posts: 42
    edited December 2013
    The 8466 4x4 off roader. Just getting into LEGO then, try to buy it now days, but way too expensive :( Someone on ebay is asking $1,200! ridiculous lol

    Best set I ever got is my 4561 train set. its pretty much the "building block" that started my LEGO collection. I still have the train on my shelf :)
  • HemelHemel Member Posts: 36
    edited December 2013
    497 Galaxy Explorer

    That was and still is my 'holy grail'

    Also 7810 Steam Engine along with 7865!
  • StuBoyStuBoy New ZealandMember Posts: 623
    #6277 Imperial Trading Post for me! I own it now, and its awesome!
    vitreolum
  • hewmanhewman Member Posts: 93
    edited December 2013
    Strangely #920-2 just ahead of #928, although if I was into revisionist history I'd say #928 because I probably prefer it now. I only had one really big space set, #6970, and #920-2 looked like it would go so well with it. I just loved the fuel hoses and connections, while the rocket to a very young kid looked exactly like something NASA would use. Thankfully when I got back into Lego as an adult prices weren't too bad for old sets in good condition and now I have a boxed #920-2 and its North American counterpart #483 (plus the one I made in Blacktron 1 colours).
  • ObserverObserver Member Posts: 60
    Lust is an interesting choice of words to associate with a child. I would say the early pirate ships.
  • woony2woony2 UKMember Posts: 336
    As many have already mentioned #928 Space Cruiser was the one I longed for in the Space range and #8860 Car Chassis from the technic range. Didn't have either as a kid, but their smaller counterparts #918 one man space ship and #854 Go-kart had many years of play. Oddly now that I have them all I still prefer the smaller ones.
    One of my other favourites that I did own wasn't actually a set so not much use for @huw 's list. It was the alternative model instructions that came with #8859 Tractor, sort of an off road truck thing.
    http://tubafrog.blogspot.co.uk/2000/01/8859-alternate-model.html
  • chrisdojochrisdojo Member Posts: 169
    I wanted ALL pirate sets in the 90's, but #6285 Black Seas Barracuda was probably at the top of the list.... I never got it.
  • TheBigLegoskiTheBigLegoski Amsterdam, NederlandMember Posts: 1,437
    edited December 2013
    As a kid I really really really wanted to have #6080 (King's Castle released in 1984), but alas I never got it, as well as the 'Yellow Castle' even though that had already retired, probably several years earlier.

    I did however get #6073 (Knight's Castle, also released in 1984), the Black Falcon fortress, although in the Dutch Lego catalogue I remember them being called: de ridders van Donkervoort. Any way, that set meant all the world to me, as it was my biggest and also one of my most beloved castle sets. And as a little kid I had the Lion knights besiege that castle, extended with the blacksmith shop #6040 , and the wall section from #6061, unsuccessfully an endless amount of times. Those Lion knights really were a bunch of stuborn doofuses, getting their buts kicked very afternoon, when I came home from school, and decided to hold another tournament or stage another castle siege. I can't believe how small the Blackfalcon fortress actually is, when I dug it up a few years ago in the attic of my parental house when I got back into Lego as an adult. Nor how happy I was as a little kid with such an small amount of Lego, especially compared to the crazy amount I have collected since as an adult. The all black knight (black helmet, plume, cape etc.) from that set, together with the non-uniform wearing minifig from this little set #6010 (supply wagon) were my favorite castle minifigs. With a third favourite 'castle' minifig Robin Hood only arriving in 1987, when I got #6066 (Camouflaged Outpost) not too long before heading of to secondary school, hitting puberty, and soon after loosing all interest in toys, Lego included (maybe except for Technic Lego for a little while).

    By the way the Lion knights, or Crusaders, as people here also refer to them, were in Dutch called: de ridders van Blankenvoort. I think I still have a Dutch catalogue from 1984, and 1985 et cetera somewhere, if I can find it. I loved looking at all those pictures from those catalogues with all the sets from a theme displayed together.

    Besides being a huge castle fan, I was (and still am) a big space/scifi Lego fan. From the classic space theme, my four favorite sets, which I owned (and still have) were: #6970 (Beta I Command Base), #918 (One Man Space Ship), #6927 (All-Terrain Vehicle), and #6882 (Walking Astro Grappler) mainly because of the astronaut with the black suit.

    In 1986 Lego released two sets with light and sound, which I never had, but really would have loved to have back then: #6750 (sonic robot), and #6780 (XT starship). As well as the Blacktron space stuff introduced in 1987, and that awesome #6990 monorail.
  • cheshirecatcheshirecat Member Posts: 5,331
    edited December 2013
    ^ wow , that read almost like a mirror image of my childhood. I had both #6080 and #6074 and along with #6971 (Inter-Galactic Command Base) they were my favourite sets. I also had the #6780 but have to confess it wasn't as good as I expected. The lights and sounds were great, but it wasn't the best shape. I can even remember building #6080 for the first time. Sat in front of the tv watching Liverpool beat Everton in the FA Cup about a week after my birthday. Can also remember building #6971 before Christmas dinner when I got that one.

    I just always lusted over #6990, remember spending months staring at the catalogue pictures of it.
    TheBigLegoski
  • TheBigLegoskiTheBigLegoski Amsterdam, NederlandMember Posts: 1,437
    PS.
    What I also loved about all my childhood sets, were the pictures depicted on building instructions of alternative builds, for which there were no instructions themselves included, but which were such a great incentive to try and go build yourself a couple of days later, when you had fully explored the model as you had build it first, following what the instructions stipulated you to do.

    These pictures served as inspiration to venture out on some great building adventure, stimulating your own creativity, which I think is something which is lacking, and sadly missing, in today's Lego sets.
    cheshirecaticey117
  • madforLEGOmadforLEGO Chicagoland USMember Posts: 10,713
    edited December 2013
    #6383 Public Works Center
    #6393 Big Rig Truck Stop
    #6382, #6385 fire station
    #6391 Cargo Center
    #6683 Hamburger stand
    #7722 Cargo train.....
    Now that I think of it, Pretty much every large classic space and town set :-)
  • odueckodueck Member Posts: 48
    madforLEGO said:

    #6391 Cargo Center

    That certainly brings back memories! As a child this was my first big purchase. I believe I was 5 years old. For a few years I had saved up change in a piggy bank and had never touched it. When my parents finally let me use the money, I had enough to buy the Cargo Center. I believe it was around $34 CDN. I really loved that set a lot. Most of the pieces are still at my parents house, though they are well worn.

    I think the single set that I lusted over the most was #6399 Airport Shuttle. I thought the monorail was the coolest thing ever. Naturally, I also wanted the space #6990 Monorail Transport System.

    My favourite themes were also city and castle. I wanted all of the bigger sets, but most of what I actually had was smaller. In hindsight, my parents should have bought us more Lego and skipped the Playmobil. :)
  • mathewmathew Member Posts: 2,099
    For you guys reminiscing the Space Monorail, I made this short video awhile back as an ode to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIAEJNzezQw
    BuriedinBricksrocaosamiam391aimlesspursuitsklatu003
  • BuriedinBricksBuriedinBricks USAMember Posts: 1,367
    #6285 Black Seas Barracuda was certainly my most wanted set as a kid. Finally picked it up a year ago, and it was worth the wait.

    I was blessed to have most of the classic castle sets I wanted. In fact, I still have all of my childhood collection. It's been sorted, but needs a good cleaning...someday when I have time.
  • rocaorocao Administrator Posts: 4,290
    edited December 2013
    Another vote for #6990 Space Monorail for me. That set seemed like it was on permanent display at Toys R Us, and I visited it every time we stopped in. It's undoubtedly the greatest general LEGO retail display ever.
    madforLEGO
  • Peter1975Peter1975 DeventerMember Posts: 166
    For me it was the classic pirates sets and the classic castle. Back then I got a vieuw around my birthday etc. But after growing up and with the use of internet I could buy the sets I desired. (an AFOL was born....) But the big ships and great castle where totally a must have.
    And I remember a time when we where on holiday in Luxemburg. There was this little shop and they had a #6067 for sale. My mother had to dissapoint me. She thought it was to expensive. This set I could'nt let go. But now I bought one a few years a go. So, everything came to a good end.
  • cheshirecatcheshirecat Member Posts: 5,331
    All this talk of #6990! I must resist - I really don't need one yet I've never even got to play with one... So tempting.
  • SirKevbagsSirKevbags Fairy Land Member Posts: 4,027
    @cheshirecat I can loan you one.
    cheshirecat
  • icey117icey117 DenmarkMember Posts: 510
    edited December 2013
    The Caribbean Clipper and the Eldorado Fortress Are without comparison the beacons of my childhood LEGO collection. (I'm the 1979 generation).

    In DK we open the christmas gifts the 24th in the evening and I remember I slept holding the box in my arms until next morning when I was allowed to build it.

    and it was the impulse set Soldiers Arsenal that got me back in LEGO :-)
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