American Classics: An Interview With Jakub Marcisz
Without a doubt, LEGO acknowledges the popularity of cars—even more specifically, classic American cars. Just look at sets like the Ford Mustang, the Pickup Truck, or the more recent Chevy Camaro. Someone who also likes these kinds of cars is Kuba the Builder, aka Jakub Marcisz. He has built several classics like the Crown Vic, a Ford F100, and more. All of those cars are built with a lot of attention to detail. And Jakub himself was kind enough to chat with us and show how he builds these V8 beauties.
Marco: There is a wide variety among the models that you’ve made, but they’re clearly all classic American cars. Do you have a special interest in those? And where does that interest come from?
Jakub: I am not interested in motorization, but I actually like classic American cars like muscle cars, pickups, etc. However, cars interest me from the visual side—I have no knowledge about engines, mechanics, etc. Cars are, in my opinion, interesting objects to reconstruct with LEGO. I always liked the Model Team series and after that the modern Creator Expert vehicles line. At first, there was a desire to build, then I chose the subject area which turned out to be cars (although it wasn't quite so conscious). I didn't start building for the love of cars, I just like LEGO!
I find that American cars from the 70s to the 90s are quite a graceful subject to reproduce with LEGO. They have some curves and they look impressive, but they are not yet too complicated. Modern cars, on the other hand, have many curves that I would find very difficult to reproduce in a satisfying way—at least at my current level of building.
Marco: What is your process of building? Do you build your cars digitally first or do you just start from scratch by looking at pictures?
Jakub: The first step is to scale the vehicle, determine its length, width, choose the right wheels, etc. For this, I use a tool provided by another builder from Poland - Sariel. It is a huge help and the primary tool for my work on models.
I start by making the front of the car. The grill and the front lights, then the front wheel arches and the hood. Also very important for me is the sideline, where you can nicely smuggle curves (slope curved, etc.) Having a front that satisfies me actually means that most of the “creative” work is done. Further choices are somehow already forced by what I have built so far.
I first build a prototype from the bricks available to me (usually black). I don’t build the whole car but just the front, rear, roof, and one side of the car.
The interior is not quite finished either. When having such a prototype I transfer it to BrickLink Studio. Then I build carefully, optimizing the connections, looking at the bricks used, and giving the right color to the car. The color is sometimes predetermined—sometimes I look for what color all the necessary parts are. I create instructions and order the bricks I need. I build from my own instructions making final adjustments to both the instructions and the model. Usually, there are not many corrections, but sometimes I will change something in the final design or correct technical errors.
Sometimes in the early stages of building, I also build virtually. Some things are easier to check in the program, but some are better in reality, for example, whether the wheel arches rub or the doors close well. I’m noticing that I’m doing more and more things digitally as time goes on, but I’m not sure I could walk away from physical building completely.
Marco: How long does it usually take to build one?
Jakub: When it comes to building time, it varies. I build in my spare time, so it depends on how much time I have. Sometimes I'll get bogged down at some stage or family or work obligations won’t allow me to go further. It comes down to somewhere around 2-3 months per car. However, I have never counted how many effective hours there actually are during that time. There are also downtimes during construction. A lot of time is taken up by waiting for ordered bricks, for example.
Marco: Do you stick to a certain scale and why that scale? Do you have a certain list of standards you apply to each car? Like all the doors should be able to open or the wheels move when using the steering wheel?
Jakub: I’m currently trying to stick to “Creator Expert/Icons scale” (Ford Mustang, Porsche 911, etc.). My earlier models (Chevrolet Chevelle and Ford F100) were built on a larger scale because I wanted them to be remote-controlled (although the F100 got a refreshed version without PF). Now I’m mainly focused on appearance which allowed me to scale down, and I feel good about it. What I also like about this scale is that my cars can be placed next to LEGO sets and they fit together in size.
I try to build using only legitimate building techniques. Building instructions are available for each of my models on Rebrickable—which motivates me to avoid “illegal” connections.
I want my models to be firm and not fall apart from touching. However, sometimes my cars contain quite delicate solutions that probably could not be accepted by LEGO.
Each model must have all possible doors and hatches open and have turning wheels, similar to Creator Expert/ Icons vehicles. Building a car without turning wheels seems a bit of a cheat to me. Besides, I came out from building remote-controlled models, so I want to keep at least symbolic functions in my models.
Marco: How do you choose which car to build? Do you have a certain list of cars in mind or in a certain color that maybe lacks availability in parts or specific colors at the moment?
Jakub: In the beginning, I built cars that caught my eye (mostly from movies or TV series). Now I sometimes search for cars with interesting designs, or sometimes I listen to suggestions from people who comment on my earlier models. I don't have a list. I finish one car and think about what to build next, at least that's how it’s been so far.
The availability of parts and my skills make a big difference. If I want to build a car, and I can’t satisfactorily reproduce its front end (lights and grill), I abandon the project. So far this has happened once or twice. Usually, I can see at a glance whether a particular car will be achievable for me. However, I hope that if I keep building, my skills will increase and I will be able to build more difficult cars as well.
I try to choose a color that matches (to not duplicate) my previous “Creator Expert-scale” models (there are six of them so far). I try to avoid black because I think LEGO models in this color do not look very impressive. In the beginning, I built only black cars.
Marco: One of my favorite models that you’ve built is the Crown Vic which is instantly recognizable as it’s been used in so many movies. And it is filled with details! What is your favorite model so far and why?
Jakub: I like the Pontiac Bonneville the best. I think its color could be better (I was limited by parts). I would also build the front pillars differently now, but I like the curved slope on its sides.
Marco: Thank you for your time, I’m looking forward to seeing the next American Classic!
Which American Classic should Jakub build next? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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