North West
Guild
Available at £19.99 from Argos item 388/4780. Each branch of Argos has only one in stock at the last check - this seems to indicate a supply shortage.
I have built both of the models in the leaflet accompanying this set and have a few comments to make on this set of 'nutless' Meccano.
The new 4 ½in strips with threaded holes in them are necessarily thicker than standard strips and seem to work well as designed. They would have been better if they had been supplied flat - one of mine was noticeably bent.
The first model illustrated as the larger picture on the box is mechanically poor with the large orange bent plates being attached by only one bolt on each side and so the structure can rotate around this bolt. Also these parts are not fixed together.
Meccano set 5820 - Xtreme Dragster.
Report by Derrick Murdie 28.07.2010
The small parts with two clearance holes and a threaded hole at right angles through which the yellow flexible rod passes are fixed with 5.8 mm screws and only a couple of threads which would be easily stripped in inexperienced hands. If two 1 inch narrow strips had been supplied then 9.5 mm bolts could have been used and this would have located the large orange plates better. To do this requires two further 9.5 mm bolts and two 1 inch narrow strips. Two 5.8 mm bolts would be redundant.
The plated plastic headlights? cannot be assembled so that they point horizontally because of contact with the threaded strips.
The completed model relies for fixing its wheels and the imitation engine block on the small soft plastic bits of tubing. Because of this rather insecure fixing I would not expect a long life for any model being played with by young people. I do not expect these sets to have the longevity expected of 'nutty' Meccano
The second model with one small front wheel could not be assembled as shown as the headlights cannot be fixed by 5.8mm bolts as indicated and insufficient 9.5mm bolts are supplied. Again two further 9.5 mm bolts are needed and two 5.8 mm bolts are not used.
The same criticism applies to the wheel fixing being easily lost in small hands.
Both models would be assembled more easily by attaching the main drive wheels last as by the assembly of these parts first the part completed model is likely to be self propelled away from the builder.
The pull-back motor seems to work well on a smooth surface and should have good play potential. It will be interesting to see what other uses can be made of it.
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The instructions supplied with the set showed the headlights being assembled through the holes where the Axle for the front wheels should be. This has now been amended in the download instructions from the Meccano website. Click HERE to download the modified instructions
Model Reports
