10 replies to this topic

[TheBrickster]

Outback Amazon Crossing

G'day Mates! Another fine review from the Legoland's Desert Down Under.  This set makes for an excellent addition to your jungles, deserts, outbacks, or other wild and untamed places.

Set #: 6490
Theme: Outback
Year Released: 1997
Piece Count: 117
Minifigs: 1
List Price: $15 (USD)

Starting with an image of the box, one can conclude that this doesn't look like the Amazon at all, but rather the Outback:



On the back of the box are some great alternate models, including a creative idea for a crocodile zoo scene:



The instructions have the same images on the front and back:





The set comes with one Outback fig, a man dressed in green with a bright red cap - I call him the Crocodile Hunter. Also included in this set is a crocodile, some bones, a skull, backpack, pan, and a few extra trans. round 1x1s.  The tools are pictured on the truck:



Now here's a great desert/rugged terrain truck:



Ready for some 4-wheel'n fun.  I love the liftable top window/sun roof and the windshield.  I like the use of these colored trans. blue pieces that contrast against the yellow, rather than hide like regular clear pieces:



The truck has a few hooks/clips to attach a pick, rifle, antena, and camera.  Also attached is a water/oil can and an extra tire that just rests in the back section:



The front end of the truck has a great winch and hook to help the truck out of hard places:



Working suspension helps the vehicle travel on rough terrain:



The truck is just half the fun.  This set also offers a nice bridge/creek bed for the truck to drive across:



I like the use of six fence/ladder pieces for the bridge.  The two in the center have double open sides.  Here's the left side:



And the right side with a single burp as a mountain/hill:



I really like the use of the tan and brown baseplates representing desert and water.
The complete set as the Crocodile Hunter tries to climb back into the truck after attaching the winch:



Final Thoughts:

I've always liked this little set.  It offers a great amount of playability with the wonderful little 4-stud wide truck and bridge scene.  A few years ago, Playmobil offered a Desert Racing Theme and had this set as my favorite of the collection:


Desert racing and adventures through dry creeks and rough terrain make for a great theme.  Hope you enjoy this review and consider picking up an Outback set (or two) if you can still buy at a reasonable price.  Happy Outbacking!

The complete Outback theme:

6444 Outback Airstrip
6487 Mountain Rescue
6490 Amazon Crossing
6550 Outback Desert Racer
6553 Crisis News Crew

EDIT: I dedicate this review to the memory of Steve Irwin (1962 - 2006):  TRIBUTE

[metalandi]

Thanks for this review, if you'd only know what memories you brought back! I think i remember this set better than any other i had, when i was a child. Some time after i got it, i decided to disassemble it and combine it with the jeep from 6552 Rocky River Retreat. It came out pretty good, though. As it became the main attraction point of my town (beeing the car of my favourite minifig back then, and, and, and... looong story ), i kept it assembled that way from this day on until earlier this year, when i finally disassembled it because i needed the parts.

Edited by metalandi, 06 August 2008 - 03:57 AM.

[simonwillems]

This is by far my favourite Outback series set!
I loved the fact that you can bend the bridge in different directions so that the suspension of the car really worked to keep the car levelled, like you placed it in your last picture.

I had lots of fun with this when it came out eleven years ago in 1997, the bridge scene could also be used in the Adventurers serie of 1998.

Classic, highest rating, buy it if you don't already have it!  

[Stauder]

A nice set to go with the outback theme. I am kind of dissapointed they they didint continue the theme, as I only managed to grab 6487 and 6550, none the less, this set is very interesting as it's one of the few to feature working suspention.

Stauder.

[bullet8542]

Great review Brickster   Why exactly did the outback, Adventure etc. themes never quite catch on......Just a thought.

What a great set! I wish I had it, But in 1997 I was just back from my whirl wind trips around the world and had drifted away from Lego     I don't know why.

But I will say this I love the actual suspension that came with this set and the trains sets I have been trying to buy up as much of it as I can, And now I see I need to add one more set to the "I need to get that"

[TheBrickster]

metalandi, on Aug 5 2008, 08:56 PM, said:

if you'd only know what memories you brought back! I think i remember this set better than any other i had, when i was a child. Some time after i got it, i decided to disassemble it and combine it with the jeep from 6552 Rocky River Retreat. It came out pretty good, though. As it became the main attraction point of my town (beeing the car of my favourite minifig back then, and, and, and... looong story ), i kept it assembled that way from this day on until earlier this year, when i finally disassembled it because i needed the parts.

Great story.  I enjoy hearing people reminisce about the fun they had with certain sets.  I always wanted Rocky River Retreat but never picked it up.  That's a great adventure set as well.  I had never thought about mixing the two sets, but they do have components that would compliment one another nicely.  If you still have the pieces, you should try restoring the sets - it's a lot of fun.  

simonwillems, on Aug 6 2008, 04:37 AM, said:

This is by far my favourite Outback series set!
I loved the fact that you can bend the bridge in different directions so that the suspension of the car really worked to keep the car levelled, like you placed it in your last picture.
I had lots of fun with this when it came out eleven years ago in 1997, the bridge scene could also be used in the Adventurers serie of 1998.

I think I may like the Outback Airstrip a little better, but it's close.  I agree with you about the bridge.  The moving pieces are a nice feature, and makes it harder for the jeep to cross.  The bridge does make a nice addition to Adventurers.

I added it to my Jungle Adventure Diorama a few months ago:

Stauder, on Aug 6 2008, 05:27 AM, said:

I am kind of dissapointed they they didint continue the theme, as I only managed to grab 6487 and 6550

At leat you were able to pick up two of the sets.  Do you still have them and/or the pieces?

bullet8542, on Aug 6 2008, 09:57 AM, said:

Why exactly did the outback, Adventure etc. themes never quite catch on......Just a thought.

You're right - I don't remember them being very popular, yet they were really nice sets.  Perhaps they drifted too far from the "normal" Town/City theme with Fire and Police Stations?  This would be a good thought for a future City/Town sub-theme.

[Stauder]

TheBrickster, on Aug 7 2008, 04:06 PM, said:

At leat you were able to pick up two of the sets.  Do you still have them and/or the pieces?

Yes, I have the parts, the manuals, and even one of the boxes.   Unforutunaltey, the parts are mixed in a big pile of parts, as I never had any time to sort out my parts. You can see I used the yellow doors here, decals applied.  

The great thing about the copter was it had 2 suitcases, which as far as I can tell ain't a common part, not rare, but still nice to have. And it had the guy with the green jacket. The winch wasn't bad either, the only flaw was it was a "standard" lego copter, meaning similar ones where avalible in quite a few sets. Do you plan to review it?

Staudie.  

[TheBrickster]

Stauder, on Aug 7 2008, 06:17 AM, said:

The great thing about the copter was it had 2 suitcases, which as far as I can tell ain't a common part, not rare, but still nice to have. And it had the guy with the green jacket. The winch wasn't bad either, the only flaw was it was a "standard" lego copter, meaning similar ones where avalible in quite a few sets. Do you plan to review it?

Oh, I wish I had it.  I don't recall seeing 6487 in the stores back when I purchased the other Outback sets.  I'd love to see a review.

[Shoc]

Nice review of an interesting set.    But I have a query... Anyone know why it is actually called Amazon crossing when it's meant to be in Australia? Also, the Amazon runs through a jungle anyway.  

Edited by Shoc, 10 August 2008 - 03:44 PM.

[Wout]

nice review.
This set looked very nice for it's time.

[Brainbox]

Oh I loved this set when I was young! I think I got it for my birthday, and it was one of my favourite sets at the time. Funnily enough, I was thinking about it the other day, and how I really should build it again...

Thanks for the nostalgic review.