I am slightly frustrated with the current line-up of LEGO Technic models. They are just as fantastic this year as ever, and a number of models support “Power Functions” – battery powered electric features such as lights and motors. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen one yet that can be easily modified to make a radio controlled car.

For example, set 42039 “24-hours Race Car” (at Lego, at Brickset) is awesome. The colour and shape are awesome (Parental Warning: £99.99 / €99.99 / $129.99 of awesome). I would love to add a motor and zoom it around the house. The instructions include steps to add lights and a motor.

But the motor powers the doors. I want to be able to drive it around the living room, drift across the kitchen floor and crash into the dog halfway down the hall, not open the doors.

There is promise in the new 42050 Drag Racer (at Lego, at Brickset), but the instructions aren’t available online yet (1 Jan 2016), so I can’t check whether it works.

So I have concocted an Evil Plan B. Did I mention that instructions are available online? This means mere mortals like me with limited funds can build new models using the parts we already have. So my Evil Plan B is to work my way through the current line of Technic models, using the parts I already have, to see which ones lend themselves to being converted into a Remote Control car.

Happy and Awesome New Year.