Lasse D Posted August 23, 2007 I picked up the new Creator Big Rig 4955 a few days ago. Here is a review and comparison with the classic from 1986: 5580 Model Team Highway Rig. (Click the small pictures to enlarge) The box A nice big box with a computer generated picture just like on most other Creator sets. Remark the wheel in front is not turning. What you get Two instructions booklets, one with the main model and one for the secondary ones. There are 550 pieces and the primary model weights 519 grams (vs. 1 book of instructions, 637 pieces and 645g. for 5580) The built The Creator truck is built incrementally. The only larger sub-models are the doors, engine and engine cover. The old Model Team truck is more focused on sub-models. You begin with the frame and add everything in big parts. All the pieces on the table: There is plenty of space inside the frame of the Creator truck for modifications like motorization and a functional steering mechanism. Both trucks have very realistic looking engines with flywheels, cylinders and greeble. The engine compartments and doors can open on both trucks. The steering wheel on both can be changed to the opposite side right side if you prefer so. The finished models The Creator truck has a more agressive stance with its wide body (14 studs) and low cab. The windscreen is made of two 2x6x2 basic windscreens. It is hard to make a taller truck and still keep the proportions right with this setup. The 10x3x3 windscreen of the Model Team truck makes it easier to get more realistic proportions. The coupling on the Creator truck is huge, but is mounted using a couple of 1x1 connector pieces, so it doesn't hold very well. This makes it less attractive to build a matching trailer. To make a trailer for 5580 was such an obvious modification that you will find several examples on BrickShelf. As mentioned before. The engines of these trucks are really great looking. A huge improvement for Creator since Roaring Roadsters (4896) Conclusions Playability - 4955: 3. The doors and engine cover open up. Apart from that there really isn't much. The lack of steering mechanism makes Creator Cool Cars 4939 a better choice for the same functionality. - 5580: 7. It can do the same as the Creator truck, but the working steering mechanism simply makes it much more fun to play with. The moving rear axles makes it fun to drive over obstacles as well. Price - 4955: 10. The price for this trucks makes it into an absolute bargain - 5580: 5. You got plenty of bricks for the money back then, but it was one of the more expensive sets. Built - 4955: 6. It takes a very short time to build, but there isn't much into it. - 5580: 8. I prefer the modular built of this truck over the incremental one of the other. It is simply more fun to build the sub-models and set them onto the frame afterwards. Looks - 4955: 7. I like the looks of it, including inside the cab and engine compartment. The exhaust pipes are smart, but the over sized coupling and lack of side- and rear windows pulls the score down. The wheels are all with the wrong side out. - 5580: 10. This model is the father of all my Model Team MOCs. The realistic looks inside out is simply perfect. Secondary Models - 4955: 9. Just like most other Creator sets, the secondary models are great. The American looking car and Go-card are both good looking and ideas that improve inspiration. - 5580: 3. The off-roader needs some bricks that aren't in the primary model and the trailer looks like a poor excuse for using the spare bricks. It might go well together with 5510, but is really nothing special. Modifiability - 4955: 7. The model begs for a working steering mechanism, but the short front and wide wheels makes this modification hard without making larger changes to the truck. It is easy to put a motor between the rear wheels for propulsion. - 5580: 7. It is easy to make a different interior, a larger engine or even a trailer for this set. 5590 shows how to build a trailer and a search on BrickShelf will give you many ideas for modifications. Final Verdict The Creator truck is a real bargain. It might not live up to the old Model Team trucks and the lack of steering is a major letdown, but you get a good looking truck with some awesome secondary models for the money and I can highly recommend it for this. BrickShelf gallery Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VBBN Posted August 23, 2007 Nice review. I like the larger white truck the best. Does it have a bed in the back by any chance? (large white one) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siegfried Posted August 23, 2007 Wow! *wub* Great review! That was a really good idea comparing the trucks. I'm surprised you went to the effort of showing construction photos for both models. 8- Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Asuka Posted August 24, 2007 A very good review of a very neat set! Thanks Lasse D! *y* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Holodoc Posted August 24, 2007 Nice review, Lasse D! A small note to the price issue: 4955 - 30$ / 30 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yellost Posted August 24, 2007 Funny, I just fell on your gallery of your Mobile Station this morning and I thought I did recognise that big white truck in your review ;-) That mobile station is really impressive, how long is it? It must be huge... Nice review, by the way... but they really can't compare to your model... by far X-D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lasse D Posted August 24, 2007 Thank you for your kind words everyone. It makes me happy to see that others than myself can be entertained by this. About the price. I think 5580 cost 750-800kr. back in 1990, and with the inflation it is about three times the price of the Creator truck. That set is an unbelievable bargain by this measure. Nice review. I like the larger white truck the best. Does it have a bed in the back by any chance? (large white one) The big white truck stood right behind me, so I thought it would be fun to throw it into the mix. I can see many of you have noticed it. It is actually an ancestor of the Model Team truck, and it still shares a lot of ideas from this set. It is quite funny that there has been so many iterations that it is possible to build the original truck without parts from the current one (I only own a single 5580). To answer some questions. I started a thread about it in here when it was finished this summer. Here. You can find all the information you might want in that thread - and feel free to reply in it if you have any questions. (it has two beds in the back and took 14 days to complete after months of planning. The length of the trailer is 97 studs and the truck is 51 studs, less than the last one) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Holodoc Posted August 25, 2007 UPDATE to the price info of 5580 at ebay.de: It was sold for (only) 21 - 39 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5150 Lego Posted August 25, 2007 Exellent review! Ican defenatly see where this set falls short of the model team sets of the past. But i can defently see mocs posibilites in the creator truck. Sterring will be a challenge, and a bigger sleapercab is a must! Can't wait to get mine! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lasse D Posted September 15, 2007 I have added some pictures of the secondary models. Classic American car It looks good, uses many of the bricks and the doors open. I think the parts are cleverly used, but it doensn't have an engine or a trunk. Go-cart I really love this model. It has an even more clever use of bricks than the car. It uses only a small parts of the bricks. The engine looks good and there are a lot of details. It is a shame the steering doesn't work on any of the models though. I have tried to add a working steering mechanism to the truck by using the bricks from 4958 Creator Monster Dino. The steering is done by means of a plastic wheel mounted sideways in the front. This is an easy mod that changes the looks of the truck very little. Brickshelf gallery Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siegfried Posted September 15, 2007 I have tried to add a working steering mechanism to the truck by using the bricks from 4958 Creator Monster Dino. ...and it also seems to move as well. *wub* Smart place for the IR reciever; it took me a while to find it! :-D Very good work. It is very subtle. Do you think it is possible to add a diff as well? I bought the Bulldozer planning on doing something similar but I love it too much to break it at such a young age! :-$ How fast does it drive geared that way? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lasse D Posted September 15, 2007 A diff? Sure it is possible, just not if you restrict yourself to the bricks from the dino-set which I did. It drives with a speed that is much like if you used one of the old 9V motors directly into the wheel as I did with my race trucks. You can place a big black wheel directly onto the motor instead of the mid-sized one, but that will increase the load on the motor so much that the resulting speed is about the same. The large motors are not ideal for such applications because they need some gearing, but I'm experimenting with some ideas that might make it work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
