Best Vintage LEGO Sets

by Nikita P.

LEGO is an old and popular brand that can easily pass as the world's most famous toy brand. It made many childhood as it is the favorite toy of every kid back in the days, and even today. The brand has been around for ages and consistently produces amazing and iconic sets over the years.



Looking back through the archives, we realized LEGO succeeded in making many childhood memories, with the very best vintage LEGO sets for kids back in the day. LEGO archive contains a lot of super impressive vintage sets that are great fun to build. So, it's easy to see how LEGO has maintained its title as the most popular and most wanted toy of all time.


One can easily justify the popularity and rave of LEGO by looking through the LEGO brick timeline to see the numerous amazing vintage LEGO sets the company has produced. For LEGO fans who grew through the golden age of LEGO, they know how memorable vintage sets from the late 70s and 80s made their childhood. You can easily have memory flashes setting eyes on these LEGO sets because you remember happy memories and intimate memories shared with family and friends over LEGO sets back in the day.


Best vintage LEGO sets

Some of the best childhood memories a lot of now-adults had are moments shared playing toys and cheering together. Marveling at the archive, these are the best vintage LEGO sets spotted;


1. Galaxy Explorer

This is one of the LEGO set every 70s and 80s kid wanted so badly. Classic Explorer was released in 1979 under the Space theme. It includes a large spacecraft, a space rover, a ground base with a landing pad and a tower, and 4 Classic Space Astronauts; 2 Red Classic Spaceman and 2 White Classic Spaceman.

Galaxy Explorer

There were two identical sets of Galaxy Explorer, set 497 and set 928. Set 497 was only available in the US while set 928 was available at other places. The ground base contained a control room and a large dish antenna on its outside. The cockpit can comfortably accommodate two Lego Minifigures and can be accessed by tilting back its roof. This inventory was and is still a top wanted set amongst kids. 


2. Terrestrial Rover

Terrestrial Rover is a vintage LEGO set released in 1887 under the LEGO land space theme. It is a fun Classic Space set that kids can have fun building. The models look great! You can easily build the Terrestrial Rover by following the instructions.


Assembling this ground vehicle is a great childhood fun that shouldn't be missed. The set also contains a Minifigure, a white Classic Space Astronaut. Overall, the Terrestrial Rover is an outstanding vintage build.


Terrestrial Rover

3. Cargo Carrier

This is one of the most interesting vintage LEGO sets to build. The cargo carrier is a boat set released in 1987. It is the first set to feature the cargo logo, which was initially succeeded by a mobile crane with an arrow, and later by a mobile crane with two arrows as seen in the Trans Air carrier set. 


Cargo Carrier is a cool colorful boat with 3 Minifigures. Kids can build their containers and load on to the boat to transport them to their destination. Seeing the boat float on water makes kids feel happy and joyful.

Cargo Carrier

4. Gas N' Wash Express

This is a Town set released in 1992. It depicts a typical scenery of a gas station and the activities that happen there. It's so much fun because it's relatable. Gas N' Wash Express features Octan gas station, a car, a tow truck, a shop, a counter, and three Minifigures. The Minifigures are the car driver and two Octan employees. 

 

Looking at the model and following the instruction, you can build your own gas station right there on your tablespace. The gas station has three pumps and a car wash. The shop in the station has a counter holding oil cans. There is also a building for car repairs by the side. Here, you find a car jack and a transport car. This set was featured in LEGO island 2.

 


Gas N' Wash Express

5. Black Monarch's Castle

Black Monarch's Castle is one of the sets involved in the Black Knight theme that started in 1988. The Black Knight contained 4 horses, 12 Minifigures (including 4 archers, 4 knights of horseback, and 4 guards), and the Black Monarchs Castle, which is the first of the two castles in this faction. 


The castle has elaborately designed walls and towers. It is made up of 3 segments; 2 rear smaller segments and fore segment with a gatehouse. The rear segments are connected to the fore segment by hinge bricks. This building is one of the favorite sets for the 70s and 80s kids. Kids whose interests lie in building and architecture will enjoy exploring with the Black Monarch's Castle.

LEGO DC Batman 1989 Batmobile LEGO


6. Fort LEGO redo

Setting the bricks of Fort LEGO redo is so much fun, owing to the brilliant cowboy styling of the set. The fort and its armed guardsmen are to contend and protect the fort against a gang of outlaws. You are expected to build the Fort LEGO redo and keep it secured again pistol-wielding outlaws in town.


The set was re-released in 1996. It features a fort, 10 Minifigures, and 3 horses. The Minifigures at the fort include Calvary Colonel, 2 Calvary Soldiers, 2 Calvary Lieutenants, 3 bandits, and a Cowboy. The fort LEGO redo consists of 4 separate sections with a separate base plate, which allows you to rearrange as you please. The sections include the front gate, a side wall, another sidewall with a gate, and the back section with the General's office. 


There are 2 towers on each side of the main gate. The building at the back section holds a room with a fireplace and 2 armchairs. Behind the fireplace is a money stash, but there are trapdoors in place. One leads to the room behind the back gate while the other leads to jail. 6 revolvers and 10 rifles are provided in the set. Fort LEGO redo is an attraction in the LEGOLAND PC game. 


What we love about this set is that it allows for imaginative play. Kids can enjoy it in a group and make some bonding memories over it.

Fort LEGOredo

7. Jet Airliner

An airplane needs somewhere to pick up its passengers; this set shows exactly a scene of a passenger going to board a plane at the town Airport. The set was released in 1985 and it features a pilot and a passenger. The passenger has a rare torso that can be found in only five other sets. 


The plane comes in color white with red and black stripes along its sides. It has 4 transparent blue windows that are just above the wings of the plane. There are 3 passenger's seats on the plane. You can access the plane's interior by tilting the roof upward and to the left. Jet Airliner is one of the first 2 LEGO System sets with airplanes.


Jet Airliner

8. Motorcycle Shop

Motorcycle Shop was released in 1984. It depicts a regular motorcycle shop where you repair and service your motorcycle to get it back on the road. It comes with 166 pieces to build a repair shop, three motorcycles, and two minifigs.

 

The roof of the shop holds four flags, two orange and two yellow flags. Also, there is a sign with a motorcycle sticker on the roof. There are two decorative plant pieces in front of the shop. The Motorcycle Shop was a cool set for every cool kid back in the day. 

Motorcycle Shop

9. Jousting Knights

Jousting Knight is a castle set that features one Black Falcon, one Crusader Knight, horses, weapons, and shields. There are 41 pieces in this set, and 2 flags in red and blue colors.


The Crusader Knight sits on a blue saddle placed on the back of the white horse and holds a brown lance topped with a red flag. The Black Falcon rides on the Black horse sitting on the white saddle placed of the horse's back. In his hand is a brown saddle topped with a blue flag. Both of them own a sword hanging down from the saddle of the horses.


Jousting Knights

10. Treasure Cart

Treasure Cart was released as a part of the Crusader line in 1992. It features a Crusader Soldier on a cart. The set depicts a Crusader Soldier moving a cart to the castle. A crusader logo is boldly printed on the cart. Various weapons including a spear, a shield, and a sword are attached to the cart.


The Treasure Cart set was the last in the Crusader line to have a Crusader soldier Minifigure. The set has been re-released and updated in consequent years. 


Treasure Cart

11. Police Car

Police car is one of the oldest LEGO sets. It was released as a Town set in 1978. It contains 21 pieces needed to build a police car and includes a Police Officer Minifigure. The Police officer is one of the first LEGO Minifigures


Police Car was released as the European version of the North American set released in 1981.


 There are many more advanced sets with cooler cars now. The design for the 600 Police Car does not allow the police officer Minifigure to sit in it. The Minifigure in this vintage set has a sticker on its top instead of its torso, which is unlikely in the modern sets. The police officer in this set was featured in the Minifigure series released in 2018, but he has the sticker on his torso instead.


Police Car


12. Adventurers Car

This Egyptian adventure set is such a lovely and fun set to build. LEGO Introduced Adventurers Car in 1998; it's everything Egyptian and will remind you of the Egyptian stories you've read and watched. The set features a car, Dr. Kilroy, a Pharaoh skeleton, and a jewel piece- the Re-Gou Ruby for the skeleton. The adventurer is characteristic and the skeleton is a classic minifig sited at the back of the car.


It also features a crate of equipment including, a map, a camera, a shovel, a brown backpack, a pick-ax, and a magnifying glass. The crate is kept at the back by a low-lying wall, where there is a small door through which items can be removed.

Adventurers Car

13. Fire Breathing Fortress

This is a top vintage set for every Dragon fan. A set released in 1993 for everyone who loves dragon. Fire Breathing Fortress is a hilltop fortress with a treasure chest in it. It is guarded by a wizard and a caged fire-belching dragon above the gate of the fortress. It's a super thrilling set to build.


The treasure chest is nestled inside a wall area. There is a tree outgrowth from the wall corners. The castle door is designed in a way that it can open and close to let the dragon out of the castle. The dragon is black, with a jaw that can be opened and closed. It has red wings and spits fire.


The set features a castle, Minifigures including a knight on horseback, Majisto the sorcerer, four guards, a wolf pack bandit, and a dark green dragon. 


 Fire Breathing Fortress

14. Road & Trail 4 X 4

Having a monster truck is one of the coolest things ever. Kids always want to own one or two monster trucks in their toy collections. In 1988, LEGO released Road & Trail 4 X 4 set, which features a monster truck and a driver.


LEGO allows you to build your own giant truck and also have a driver for it. Many new and advanced models have been released after this vintage set. The advanced ones have shock absorbers, air scoop, and other cool features.


Conclusively, LEGO has never been short of amazing. The company has been consistently coming through for its fans since inception. Many of these vintage sets have updated and advanced versions that are so cool and you'd love to enjoy them over and over. 

Road & Trail 4 X 4



Special LEGO lights

We have the best collections of LEGO lights for your LEGO. Who wouldn't want to beautify their LEGO sets with these creative lights? Virtually no one. Check the amazing collections and contact us. We will love to hear from you. 


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