By Steve & Tamami Laser
Visitors to the f.re.e. Leisure and Travel Fair in Munich, Germany, are sure to do double takes when they spot a pair of vintage Volkswagen T2 Campers.
The van on the left (above) is a beautifully restored Westfalia, while the one on the right is a hand-built replica made of some 400,000 LEGO® bricks.
As one of just 12 officially certified global LEGO® model makers, Rene Hoffmeister, along with his colleague Pascal Lenhard, constructed the full-size model from scratch in about six weeks.
According to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, the T2a camper, built from 1967-’71, was the inspiration for the LEGO® model. Hoffmeister developed a construction plan with the help of 3D programs to arrive at the number of needed bricks.
During the build, the team fell short of some 20,000 transparent pieces needed to fabricate the windows. To make up for lost time, they worked nearly around the clock when the parts arrived, completed the build, and then transported it to the reveal in Munich (the model is not drivable).
The LEGO® camper van is remarkably detailed with features including a Westfalia-style pop-up roof, sliding side door, and hand-crafted interior with center seats and fold-out table.
There’s even a sink and faucet, along with camping gear including gas stove, fridge, plates, cups, a teapot, and condiment containers, all made of LEGO® bricks. Finishing touches include toothbrushes and a toothpaste tube.
The LEGO® camper is more than 5 meters long (16.4 ft.), 1.9m wide (6.2 ft.), nearly 2m high (6.5 ft.), and weighs about 700 kilos (1,543 lbs.). Raising the pop-up top makes it even taller.
LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group
News source courtesy of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Photos courtesy of f.re.e. / Messe München
Story (commentary) © 2019 CarNichiWa.com