Technabob » back to the future

Hill Valley 2015 from Back to the Future II Recreated in LEGO

Conner Flynn — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:00:38 +0000

Great Scott, Marty! It’s Hill Valley in the year 2015. And it’s made entirely out of LEGO. This amazing recreation of Hill Valley from Back to the Future II was created by Alex Jones (aka “Orion Pax.”) It’s a diorama featuring various buildings from Hill Valley and the detail is amazing.

Each building has its own unique color scheme and architecture. Included is the Texaco station with cars, the movie theater playing Jaws 19, the 80s cafe and more. complete with people and futuristic cars. Even Biff Jr.’s gang and some hoverboards make an appearance.

Each building was made individually, then added to the larger diorama. I don’t want to know how many hours of watching Back to the Future II (and snapping bricks together) these took to make, but they are amazing to behold. It is amazing work. Check out more pics over on Flickr.

[via Brothers Brick via Geekosystem]

Own Your Own Hoverboard (Doesn’t Fly)

Technabob — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:00:29 +0000

A while back, there was an opportunity to purchase one of the original hoverboards from Back to the Future II, but that one sold for over $22,000 at auction. Here’s a chance for you to own your own, at a fraction of that price.

For just $85 (USD), you can own a full-size replica of the original Mattel Hoverboard, handcrafted by JGDesignz. It looks very much like the one featured in the movie – after Marty McFly steals it from the little girl and pops the handle off, that is.

Each Hoverboard measures about 8″ wide by 27″ long, and is made out of rigid 1/2″ thick foam board, with hand-painted wood pieces on the bottom, coated with clear-coat and epoxied to the board. To finish it off, there are accurate vinyl decals on both sides, along with the velcro foot strap thing on the back too.

If you want one of these for yourself, head on over to Etsy, and get your order in right away. Since each one is handmade, there could be a backlog if there’s enough demand. JG is careful to point out that the hoverboard does not actually function, so don’t bother if you had your heart set on riding one. Of course, with 2015 just a few years away, you never know if Mattel will make these for real.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Can Fix Doc Brown’s Ride

Shane McGlaun — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 15:00:14 +0000

If you happen to be rolling an 81-83 DeLorean and you want to get back to the future, you can get the parts you need to upgrade your DeLorean at O’Reilly auto Parts. The parts place is carrying the Flux Capacitor and Mr. Fusion that Doc Brown used to go to the past and then to the future. Naturally, the Flux Capacitor is made to handle the 1.21 gigawatts of power required.

The plutonium to power the DeLorean’s standard onboard nuclear reactor isn’t included. It seems that part only works with the DeLorean. If you don’t want to worry about Homeland Security with plutonium, you will want the Mr. Fusion upgrade. This upgrade kit is made to allow you to put trash inside the hopper and create the 1.21 gigawatts of electricity needed to time travel. Just make sure you have enough road so you can hit 88 mph.

You can buy both of these items at O’Reilly Auto Parts – assuming you can find a local dealer who has them in stock.. These would be the perfect gift for any DeLorean owner or Back to the Future fan.

[via Geeky Gadgets]

Back to the Future Props Hit the Auction Block

Technabob — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 03:16:08 +0000

If you’ve got some deep pockets, and are looking for something that you know nobody else will be getting as a holiday gift this year, then you might want to head on over to Los Angeles this December, for a chance to own some original props from the Back to the Future films.

Auction house Profiles in History plans on auctioning off several awesome and iconic props from the films including one of the seven DeLoreans used on screen during the trilogy – and one of only three which survived since filming.

This particular ride was in Back to the Future III, and is pimped out with 1950s electronic upgrades, and stylish whitewalls. In addition to the DeLorean, you’ll have a chance to score Marty McFly’s hideous cowboy outfit from BTTF III, Marty’s Mattel Hoverboard from BTTF II and III, and even Biff’s bad-ass “Pitbull” hoverboard.

In all, over 100 items from the films will be up for auction, including some futuristic Pepsi and Slice bottles, and the case from the Nike self-lacing shoes – in case you need some place to put those Nike MAGS you bought on eBay earlier this year.

The DeLorean is expected to fetch about half a million bucks, while Biff’s hoverboard should go for $15k to $20k. No word on an estimated price for the Mattel Hoverboard, though, but I’m going to guess it won’t be cheap.

If you want a shot at some of these awesome props, you’ll need to head to LA between December 15th and 17th for the Icons of Hollywood Auction for a chance to bid on these valuable bits of BTTF memorabilia. A portion of the proceeds from the auction will go to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research, so it’s for a good cause, too.

[photos: Popculturegeek/Flickr]

Back to the Future Nike Mag Shoes: LEGO Edition

Conner Flynn — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:00:56 +0000

We were pretty excited when we heard about Nike’s new Back to the Future inspired MAG shoes. I just wish that they had power laces and that I could afford a pair. If that sounds like you as well, don’t despair. You can always make a LEGO version.

Orion Pax created his own LEGO version and then showed them off on his Flickr page. You might remember that the 1500 real Pairs of Nike Air Mag Shoes were sold on eBay with the money going to Michael J. Fox’s research foundation for Parkinson’s disease. They raised several million dollars. You might not be able to wear these LEGO versions, but they are the next best thing and they are pretty cool in their own right.

Now all we need to do is figure out how to make Marty’s hoverboard.

[via Brothers Brick via Gizmodo]

Nike Air MAG Sneakers: The Full Monty

Range — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 03:22:41 +0000

Well, I was pretty excited earlier when I read all about the new Nike Air MAGs, the Marty McFly sneakers from Back to the Future II, but now that Nike has revealed the full details about the Air MAGs, I’m sad to report that they won’t feature functional power-laces.

The new Nike Air MAGs will sport glowing LEDs and an electroluminescent ‘Nike’ on the straps. All of these will glow for 5 hours per charge. There will only be 1,500 pairs available, which is even sadder. All of them will be auctioned off on eBay, with all of the proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation to fight Parkinson’s disease.

The auctions start at 11:30ET from September 8th to the 18th, and needless to say that I won’t be bidding. I expect them to fetch a pretty penny, as there are a lot of sneaker-obsessed Back to the Future fans out there.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

[via Uncrate]

Nike Teases with Air Mag: Back to the Future Shoes to Become Reality?

Range — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:12:44 +0000

How much would you pay for a pair of Nike Air Mags, aka the Marty McFly shoes in Back to the Future II? I don’t know, but since Nike also patented power laces (laces that will tighten themselves), I’m expecting something big in the coming weeks on the sneaker front.

This teaser video was released on YouTube by DocEmmettBrown88 and in it you can see Marty’s closet filled up to the brim with Air Mags.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

For one, the blinking lights are easy as pie, thanks to LED technology, but I don’t know what else these shoes will actually do. Are they the ultimate sneakers in geek nerdom, or simply a novelty item. I hope that Nike won’t price them too high. We’ll see what’s up when they are released.

[Nice Kicks via Engadget]

Where We’re Going, We Need Loads…

Shane McGlaun — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 18:14:58 +0000

If Doc Brown even needed to travel to another time with extra clothes and flux capacitors in tow, this is the DeLorean he would use. The DeLorean was the stuff of car lust for me before I discovered Cannonball Run and the Lamborghini in my youth. In fact, there was a dude in my town that had a DeLorean back when they were new. I once saw him stuck standing on the side of the store waiting for the person that parked too close to him to move their car so the awesome gull wing doors would open.

Somebody has discovered what may be the coolest use for spare De Lorean parts ever. The driver of this De Lorean built a trailer to go along with it. This is the only trailer that would make adding a tow hitch to a DeLorean acceptable in my book.

If only the De Lorean had the power under the hood to go with its awesome stainless steel body and looks. I love the license plate on the trailer too – De Tail.

[via Gizmodo]

A Future Zelda Game Title From a Movie From the Past

Lambert Varias — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 08:41:14 +0000

Where he’s going, he will need the Triforce:

What started out as a Photoshopped image by Chad Daniels has rightfully been turned into a shirt by Caldwell Tanner and Shawn Handyside.

You can get the A Link to the Future T-shirt at Level Up Studios; the men’s shirt sells for $19 (USD) while the women’s shirt costs $20.

[via Rampaged Reality & Halolz]

Flash Rods Crams Hard Drive Into Doc Brown’s Ride

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:47:05 +0000

I have talked about the cool Flash Rods flash drives before. These things are handmade and put flash storage into Hot Wheels cars, making for one really cool flash drive. Flash rods also makes larger external HDDs for the desk as well – and the latest from the company is awesome.

Flash Rods took a 1:18 scale replica of the DeLorean time machine from Back to the Future, and crammed a 500GB Samsung HDD into the car. The car itself is not a cheap reproduction either; this thing has all the features from the movie car including Mr. Fusion and the gull wing doors open, as does the hood.

It connects to your computer with a USB 2.0 cable that plugs into the Delorean between the taillights. It’s a good thing this Delorean doesn’t need 1.21 gigawatts, you can get all the power you need from the USB port. You can order yours right now for $290 (USD), and that is money well spent my friend.

[via Everything USB]

The Art of Aled Lewis: Cartoon Crossovers

Lambert Varias — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:26:02 +0000

London-based graphic designer Aled Lewis does a bit of drawing on the side, and when he does he says he likes to create stuff that make people laugh. His geeky art certainly does that. Take the piece below for example, which Lewis calls ‘Battle 101′:

If you lobbed a Wailord directly at your enemy, it really will be super effective. Here’s more of Lewis’ other funny pieces. You’ll notice that he loves making characters from related genres meet. The Tetris final boss is hilarious.

You can find more of Lewis’ art on his Flickr page and on his website. The awesome Dr. Who/Back to the Future crossover “It Came Out Of Nowhere” is also available as a shirt at Woot for $15 (USD).

BTTF 2 Power Laces 2.0 Can be Real With Your Help

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:58:10 +0000

You might recall back in early July, I mentioned a person that had created her own pair of self-lacing Nike shoes like the ones McFly wore in Back to the Future II. Looking beyond the giant servo on the back and the atrocious color scheme of that original offering, the concept was pretty cool. Well the creator of those shoes is back and this time, she’s out for some start up loot to bring a new version (that is hopefully easier on the eyes) to a mall near you.

The creator of the shoes is Blake Bevin and she’s put her project up on Kickstarter, seeking $25K in launching loot to design and sell a new version of the self-lacing shoes. Bevin is looking for fellow geeks to help her fund the final design and mass production of the shoes.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

You can donate as little as a buck, but she hopes that everyone will donate $50. For your donation you get schwag like some stickers for $5 donation, $15 gets you the stickers and a keychain, $25 gets you a shirt plus the other stuff, and $50 gets everything and the chance to buy the final product early. She has 39 days to get all the donations lined up and so far she has over $1,400 of the $25K needed to get the project off the ground.

So help a dream come true, and head on over to Kickstarter to show Blake your support.

Nike Air MAG Marty Mcfly to Become a Reality?

Range — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:29:51 +0000

Remember those awesome kicks from Back to the Future Part II? You know, the ones that laced themselves up automatically? After seeing this DIY hack, it’s impressive that Nike has actually been working on a design for these shoes.

The DIY hack had the motor hanging off the back, which wasn’t pretty. Thankfully, Nike’s version appears to be much more like what Marty McFly wore. They recently applied for a patent for auto-lacing shoes, which can only mean that these shoes may some day become a reality.

As many sneaker enthusiasts will tell you, the Marty McFly Nikes are vintage gold, so a fully functioning pair with power laces will be super cool.

[via Nike Kicks]

Back to the Futurama

Range — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:05:13 +0000

If you haven’t heard, Futurama recently started its sixth season on Comedy Central and I have to say that it’s still hilarious. Now that the show is back, I’ve seen quite a few Futurama-themed items popping up all over the place.

These great posters were made by John Dayluke and are dedicated to Futurama fans everywhere. John is a fan himself and had a lot of fun putting these movie mashup posters together.

The Back to the Futurama is great, but I have no idea what the deal is with the Pearl Harbor one – and besides, that was a terrible movie.

[via Fille Asiatique]

Power Laces Are Right Off Marty Mcfly’s Feet

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:48:31 +0000

I have a thing for cars and gadgets. I tend to mark the films and TV shows of my childhood by the car the characters drove and the gadgets in the flick. Magnum PI had his Ferrari, Rockford had his Trans Am, Bo and Luke had the General, and Back to the Future II had that sweet DeLorean, the hover board, and those shoes that lace themselves.

The DeLorean is a real car, we already have a hoverboard, and if you’re sufficiently geeky and have some free time and a penchant for really ugly footwear, you can rig up your own self-lacing shoes too. Instructables has a full DIY project that involves wires, servo motors, and the ugliest pair of Nike shoes ever constructed.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

When all is said and done, you have a massive motor thingy hanging off the back of the shoes and the laces self tighten. Yeah it’s a cool project, but Cindy Lauper called, and she says she wants her shoes back.

Back to the Future Hoverboard is Finally Real, and No, You Can’T Ride It

Range — Fri, 28 May 2010 14:14:23 +0000

Apparently the hoverboard that I’ve always wanted has finally become reality. It was made by Nils Guadagnin for a Back to the Future exhibition.

As is obvious from the pics, this is a copy of the one Marty McFly rode in Back to the Future Part II. While it can float, it can’t make you float! There’s an electromagnetic system integrated into the hoverboard which helps it to levitate.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

With advancements in technology, it seems like real hoverboards shouldn’t be that far away, I doubt that we’ll be seeing any on the streets any time soon. That’s too bad. I’ve always loved the hoverboard and I have always wanted one.

[via Ufunk]

LEGO Delorean Showdown!!!

Lambert Varias — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:51:39 +0000

I didn’t know this was a trend. I first came across Mike Ballan’s post about this LEGO Delorean:

But since he didn’t post a link to the creator of this car I had no choice but to go to Google. How foolish of me to think that there was only one person who loved Back to the Future and had mad Lego skills. Here are some of the other DeLegoreans. By the way the one above was made by Legohaulic. The one below was made by jpark4evr:

Not as polished as Legohaulic’s, but still good right? Plus it has the iconic gull-wing doors. Here’s another one by Zachary Sweiggart:

They’re not open in that shot but those are also gull-wing doors.And it’s rockin the Hover mode. Not one to rest on his laurels, Zachary improved on his design and came up with this:

That’s the version I like best. It’s sleek and it’s spot on and it’s a LEGO and I want to play with it and smash it to bits and then have Zach build it again. Let’s have another look at our winner:

1.21 gigawatts of Awesome. I really recommend that you hit the links for more pictures. Zachary also built the Gran Torino from Starsky & Hutch and this black car named Katt or Kitty or something. Kidding. Yeah, I think it’s called Kidding.