WhiteFang Posted July 21, 2008 Hello all Eurobricks members and Town Lovers, Today, I will be doing up a review on Snorkel Squad, one of the most important and basic vehicle in any Fire Department. Snorkel Squad, in simple english terms, it refers to Fire Engine, fighting fire, always on standby, ready to save the citizens from crisis. Trust me, you will understand why this Snorkel Squad is superb impressive by the end of this review. On a side note, there is only part that is replaced by another color. Can you find the difference? Name: Snorkel Squad Theme: LEGO System / Town Year: 1987 Pieces: 151 Minifigs: 2 Price: USD$13.50 An image of a 6358, Snorkel Squad Looking smart on their stand-by This snorkel squad is a fanastic fire engine, that is ready to save people from the fires. It's primary color "red" is used in all fire emergency department and vehicles. In case of any emergency, this snorkel squad will be activated and arrived at the scene as soon as possible. No time to waste! Personally, this is the best fire engine that I had ever seen. Meet the Fire Fighters It comes with two brave fire fighters. Both of them wear the standard fire fighter outfit that is present in almost all Fire Station sets in Classic Town. The torso is very nice and formal, and looks real impressive onto them. I love the buttons on them. Furthermore, these white helmets are a symbol to the world of Fire Fighting. These are the people whom save lives by risking their own lives in dangerous situations. Water Hose compartment The water hose is a string that is stored in the front. It can be rolled out, and the fire fighters are able to use it without much difficulty. They will just pull out the hose and spray onto the fire. The next picture, shows a much clearer look in its interior. In addition, the fire logo that is on the compartment, is actually printed. Yes, it's not a sticker, and that is great news for us! Interesting features These clamps on both sides, is supposed to stablise the fire engine when the ladder is heading upwards. It is a simple mechanism, which illustrate clearly what it does. This feature is recently seen in Construction vehicle such as the Mobile Crane. Of course, it is not a complicated feature. It just made use of three quite common white parts. Swivel Mechanism These swivel mechanism, in my opnion are very fun to play with. These connectors on the front and the back, enable the long fire engine, to make sharp turns on any junctions, arriving at the scene fast enough. This is not a fire engine that only travel straight roads. Try it onto your base plates, and you will be surprised, how well it can turn. Best Playable mechanism in 6358 The driver will be activating the ladder at the back of the vehicle. In order, to adjust the height and making sure that the ladder do not fall short, the tiles on the plates are acting like a stoppage. The ladder are able to rotate 360 degree without much problem, if you removed the driver out of the control panel. It goes up as tall as 30cm! Look at that amazing height. Too bad, I have not constructed my Cafe Corner yet. Otherwise, I can give you a better feel of how amazing this baby can go. I used the old road baseplate as a guide, and roughly it can goes as tall as 30 to 35cm. Look at the black hinges below. By shifting it to the last, that was the maximum height it can move. This is a very good way to adjust the height. Oh, and I forget to mention that there are 2 storage compartments for the fighters to place their equipments behind. Quite easy to access. No doors? Apart from the standard roof top on the driver's seat, there is no doors present at both side. I am quite sad to see that there are no doors. Maybe, these fighters are supposed to jump off the seat, instead of opening the doors? Well, I guess this is the only major flaws that I had found in this set. Heading off *Got you* Meet the Model 6358 Fire Engine Summary review Playability: 10/10 (Superb fun. The ladder and swivel mechanism is really very fun to play with.) Design: 9.5/10 (Excellent design. It got an almost full 10. The lack of doors, dropped my ratings slightly.) Price: 8/10 (A very mid range price. I don't think it cost very expensive. But, I am not sure how much it cost now.) Overall: 9.2/10 (Best Fire Engine ever, and one of the great looking one too. Get this model now.) I gave it a "5" based on my Review Score Card. What about yours? Hope everyone of you enjoyed reading this simple review of mine. Comments and Critics are strongly welcomed. Pictures can be found in My Brickshelf (When moderated) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BerndDasBrot Posted July 21, 2008 (edited) thanks for another great review. I can remember the 6358 very vividly. My parents bought the 6340 for me and a girl friend got the 6358. I'm quiet sure it's my envy because until now I want to believe that the 6340 is better. My reasons were these: I own the 6340 (and on the instructions of the 6358 stood "LEGOLAND" which I thought of as old.) But this review induced me to get over this humiliation from my childhood ( ) and check ebay for the 6358. Edited July 21, 2008 by BerndDasBrot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rriggs Posted July 21, 2008 A truly great set. I always loved the mobile crane and was gobsmacked when this popped up using some of the great features from the crane but also making it an emergency vehicle too! Great classic firemen and - in your version - a suspiciously blue fire extinguisher Great review of a great set - Just a pity I no longer have it... So many sets I used to have got lost during the period at the end of my childhood before I rescued what was left from my Dad's house once I realised what I had left behind!! Hindsight is a great thing?? Cheers again Rog Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Of Pies Posted July 21, 2008 A great review, I like this set it captures the classic town feeling well, and the ladder is cool! I can't help but feel thought that these reviews are being churned out to quickly, you should leave a gap, I am being flooded with all these great reviews! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Green Hair Posted July 21, 2008 This definitly is a nice set, i think this was also the first set to use that white basket Nice one Whitefang! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WesternOutlaw Posted July 22, 2008 What an awesome little set! I really like this engine but don't remember seeing it during the late 80s. It must have been out during my Dark Ages. I love the basket/section for the firemen. Equally nice is the fire hose which extends a good length. The color combination of red with white and the trans. blue windshield looks goos as well. This is a great engine and one that would look perfect in a classic tabletown - and it's 4-studs wide! Very nice review WhiteFang. I look forward to seeing more of your Classic Town reviews. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WhiteFang Posted July 22, 2008 (edited) Guys, thanks for all of your wonderful and encouraging comments, towards this set. This was one of my most favourite set in the late 1980s, and I am glad to restore it somehow, with a small little part missing, which could not be that hard to replace. But this review induced me to get over this humiliation from my childhood ( ) and check ebay for the 6358. Bernd, I am glad reviews like these, mananged to change your perception towards this set. Honestly, this is a very good set to pass by, and I hope I had highlight the key features in this set. Hope you will have an easy time, getting it from eBay or Bricklink. Great classic firemen and - in your version - a suspiciously blue fire extinguisher Good job, by spotting the replacement part, which is hiding among them. That's why I show the orignal image. I can't help but feel thought that these reviews are being churned out to quickly, you should leave a gap, I am being flooded with all these great reviews! You should really take some time off, and sit in front of the Town and Trains forum, looking through at your childhood memories, where classic reviews like this are released in this forum. I am leaving some gaps in between my reviews now. I supposed Brickster will slow down soon. This definitly is a nice set, i think this was also the first set to use that white basket CGH, you are absolutely right. This is the first set that made use of the white basket component. In fact, there is only 2 sets in the entire LEGO theme which have make used of the white basket. It is the 6477 which is released in 2000. I am quite surprised after 13 years, they are able to produced it again. What an awesome little set! I really like this engine but don't remember seeing it during the late 80s. It must have been out during my Dark Ages.I love the basket/section for the firemen. Equally nice is the fire hose which extends a good length. The color combination of red with white and the trans. blue windshield looks goos as well. This is a great engine and one that would look perfect in a classic tabletown - and it's 4-studs wide! Very nice review WhiteFang. I look forward to seeing more of your Classic Town reviews. You shared the same sentiments as I do. It's a pity that set was released during the Dark Age of yours. On the other hand, these sets are my childhood sets which I grew up with. More Classic Town reviews, all the way! Edit: This is my 1000th Eurobricks post since I joined! It has been another great milestone for me, in Eurobricks! Edited July 22, 2008 by WhiteFang Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darth_Legois Posted July 22, 2008 Nice reveiw it looks like a great set i think i know what i will do tonight- rebuild my LEGO fire department it has- [Fire pickup truck, fire truck [from 2005 sorry cant remember set number] and the most recent fire station if i can find all the pieces...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nikola Bathory Posted July 22, 2008 Nice review, WhiteFang, with lots of photos - exactly as a good review should be! As for the set - I own it and it's a very good one! The Fire Squad vehicle is a nice addition to my other Fire dept. vehicles. It offers very good playability and this ladder is so long! You can have so much fun with it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Klaus-Dieter Posted July 24, 2008 That's a great review/poll, WhiteFang! I gave this set a 5: It's simply :wub: ! The only thing which I miss are the respirators for the firemen since they already own air tanks. But otherwise this set is brilliant! I like it much more than the new one from 2007 since it's not that big and <insert that tiresome argument>. Klaus-Dieter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
osakana Posted July 24, 2008 Great set. I found only one major fail - this - the hands of robot arms gets easly broken. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zarkan Posted July 25, 2008 Thanks for the review. This set was outstanding for its time with all the features and detail. The extending basket is just wonderful. However, I honestly wouldn't consider it the best firetruck ever. I actually like the one from 2005 even better - becasue like most of the City vehicles, it adds the needed bulk big engines like fire trucks need. Many of the older kits, while awesome, were honestly a little too skinny IMO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WhiteFang Posted July 26, 2008 Guys, thanks for all your great comments! It offers very good playability and this ladder is so long! You can have so much fun with it. Yes, the "extended length" of the ladder provides great playability! I like it much more than the new one from 2007 since it's not that big and <insert that tiresome argument>. Thanks K.D. I owned the 2007 Fire Engine as well, as this set was not restored back then, and I needed a Fire Engine very badly. I managed to restored it somehow, and I compared it with the 2007. The older design is still the best. Great set. I found only one major fail - this - the hands of robot arms gets easly broken. Yes, this is an interesting finding. I remembered when I was a child. That robot arms always come out of its own, when I fiddle with it. I was so annoyed by it and I just kept it there whenever I deployed it for rescue missions. However, I honestly wouldn't consider it the best firetruck ever. I actually like the one from 2005 even better - becasue like most of the City vehicles, it adds the needed bulk big engines like fire trucks need. Many of the older kits, while awesome, were honestly a little too skinny IMO. Grevious, I appericate your honest comments, and given me your insight towards this set, and state a comparison as well. I agreed with you, that Fire Engines need to be big and sturdy. On the other hand, it can be nice to have the fire engine to look slim as well, to cut through the traffic easily. I am not against with the newer sets. It just that, part of the reasons which reflected in the review had fufill the basic key factors of a typical Fire Engine. In addition, it was my all-time favourite under the "Fire-Fighting" theme. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zarkan Posted July 28, 2008 (edited) I am not against with the newer sets. It just that, part of the reasons which reflected in the review had fufill the basic key factors of a typical Fire Engine. In addition, it was my all-time favourite under the "Fire-Fighting" theme. Yes, I agree! This set is wonderful even today, and is one of the best fire kits ever release. And actually, realistic scale is not really a necessity in lego - it's just my personal taste. For example, I've never liked the tiny planes in the old airports that much, but I can see why a lot of people like them better than the new ones. Edited July 28, 2008 by Grevious Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cardinal Brick Posted July 28, 2008 One of my all time favourite I still love it even after all these years, though it did always seem a bit out of place as when I was a child I’d never seen a similar looking fire appliance in the UK. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RavenGal3177 Posted August 5, 2017 http://clabrisic.com/sets/6358-1/Snorkel-Squad Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
