| Previous
Year |
|---|
| Next Year |
| New Sets for 1999 |
| New Parts for 1999 |
|
|
||||
1999 - Super Street Sensation
|
Parts |
|
| Modular Connector The part shown in transparent yellow is a modular connector used to securely attach disparate parts of a model together and allow them to be connected in various ways. It didn't work very well and was never used again. Rotors A 5L straight rotor and a 3 bladed rotor were introduced. They each had a central axle hole to drive rotation and studs on the blades. Gears To augment the existing bevel gears, a new set of double bevel gears was introduced. The full thickness gears have 12 and 20 teeth and can be used at a 90 degree angle from either side or can be used as spur gears. To round out the set, a half thickness traditional 20 tooth bevel gear was also introduced. Damper The part that looks like a transparent shock absorber is a damper. Some early promotional material inaccurately called it hydraulics. This spring loaded cartridge can be compressed and will then extend at a controlled rate. There were initial quality problems that lead to high breakage rates, but a redesign solved the problem and many existing parts were replaced (it was my first interaction with LEGO® Customer Service). This part is quite rare, but did remain in intermittent use for a decade. Suspension Arm A new suspension arm was introduced just for 8448 and never appeared in any other set. The primary advantage is the small size which allowed it to be contained inside the wheel for an accurate turning center. Miscellaneous A new 5.5L axle was introduced with an integral stop. This part saw heavy use as a wheel support axle because the stop prevents it from falling out of a hole. A 2x4 L-shaped liftarm was introduced. A double pin with cross axle hole provided for very secure connections, as did a cross block with two axles holes and a perpendicular pin hole (both shown in black). With the toothed elements gone, a new smooth toggle joint was needed. When used in pairs, these can be used to connect axles as angles not possible with the 22.5 degree increments of angle connectors, but also not locked. Finally, an extension was introduced for the driving ring transmission system. This is discussed further with 8448. Decorative Parts Some new parts which were introduced which were purely decorative in nature and had little to no structural or functional utility. A series of flexible axles was introduced in fixed lengths (11L, 12L, 14L, 16L, and 19L). These are made of a very soft malleable material and have the same cross section as regular axles. The designers included multiple features to prevent builders from using them to transmit torque (which would destroy the parts). Firstly, the ends are round. This allows them to be inserted into pin or axle holes but remain free to spin. Even more importantly, the ends of the cross are blocked. Besides providing an aesthetic accent, the real purpose of these features is to prevent a gear from being attached. There were a new set of curved panels, released in matched sets of mirrored pairs. All of these parts had large circular openings which were intended to accept the ribbed hose. Pin holes at the ends allowed locking to structure. Like the angle connectors, the panels had molded in numbers to assist in identification. The numbers released this year were #1-4. Wheels and Tires A new wheel and tire set were released for, and are unique to, 8448. The painted metallic silver wheels have a directional pattern which rotates the wrong direction on one side of the car. The tires have a unique tread pattern. A new set of medium (56x30) balloon tires were also introduced. The wheel was available in metallic silver this year but then reverted to more traditional colors. |
  |
