Review: 1737/6938 - Scorpion Detector

[Walter Kovacs]

Ground vehicles have always worked well in space themes. Sure, I love a sleek starfighter better than any other LEGO model, but without the ground vehicles supporting those flying ships, a theme feels like it is missing something.

So when I saw this set, 6938 - Scorpion Detector, I knew I had to add it to my new Exploriens collection.

Stats:

Name: Scorpion Detector

Number: 1737/6938

Theme: Exploriens

Year: 1996

Parts: 197

Minifigs: 2

Original MSRP: $24 USD

Links: Bricklink, Peeron, Brickset

Note: I have no idea why there are two set numbers on this set. They probably are for the Europe/US markets, but my set is marked as both. Strange.

I no longer have the original packaging, and Peeron doesn't carry a picture, either. That or the Instructions cover looks exactly like the box front. At any rate, I have no photos of the box to give to you.

Instructions

Front

The front of the instruction booklet shows the Scorpion Detector in all it's glory.

Back

Some nice alternate models that can (allegedly) be made. I haven't built any of them as of yet.

Random Page

A random step showing the construction of one of the arms.

Bits and Pieces

The Big Pile

Here lies the peices needed to construct the Scorpion Detector. Lots of black and white. It's a nice mix of pieces, and most MOCers will find use out of most of the parts.

Interesting Pieces

Some of the more interesting pieces that are included in this set. This is the last set that I ever bought that included one of those 2 x 5 hinges. That massive white wing plate originated in the Exploriens line, and hasn't been used much since. Probably a good thing, as it's large size really limits it's use in MOCs. I included the 1 x 1 lever because it is the first one I ever owned.

Stickered Parts

This set did include some stickers, unfortunately. The round tile is used as a control panel. The sticker on that panel does not like to stay on. Of all the stickers I've applied to LEGO parts, only those on the deltoid panels try to come off. I'm not sure why.

The black tiles are interesting. When viewed through a trans blue or trans red piece, the image changes. They also are attracted by magnets! So the magnet at the end of one of the arms on the model can pick them up. I thought this was a neat feature.

Printed Parts

LEGO hadn't abandoned printed parts yet. Here is a nice tile with the Exploriens logo, and a new printed slope just for the Exploriens line.

Were there extra pieces? I'm sure there were, but they have long since been absorbed into the rest of my collection.

Minifigs

First, the minifigs themselves.

Minifigs

I like the Exploriens minifig torsos. They certainly look like they belong out in the frontiers of space.

Minifig Faces

Here are the minifigs without their helmets. Are these two twins?

Minifig Back

The back of the minifigs, showing the classic air tanks accessory. There is no back printing.

The Build

The build starts with the front section. Just a few plates to start with as a base. The white cross plate is for the back wheels.

A few more steps in. The technic pieces are the axles for the front wheels. These are the only technic pieces in the set. You can also see the classic socket of a ball and socket joint.

The pins for the rear wheels are in place. I like the two black inverse slopes towards the back. They tend to get lost in the final model, but add a little bit to the overall effect.

The large wing section has been added. That piece makes for a nice cockpit, but you'll end up with an open space underneath it. I've always preferred my cockpits be enclosed, thank you very much.

The front section is almost done now.

Wait, where did that technic piece go? I took these build pics by deconstructing the model. The pin got stuck in the wheel, and I didn't realize it until later.

On to the trailer. Here we can see the frame for the trailer ctaking shape. The pins for all four wheels are in place.

This is a little sub-assembly. It is also the only SNOT in the set. The fence pieces make a nice detail under the cannon.

Here's that sub-assembly in place. I like how the slopes nestle up next to the engines in back.

The Model

3/4

And here is the finished model. For a wheeled ground vehicle, the Scorpion Detector is pretty sleek looking. You can see the trans red and blue dishes that are meant to look for those important fossil tiles. Those arms are held on by two & three finger hinge plates, so they can move up and down. But the weight of the arms is too much, so they can't stay up on their own.

Notice the large blue and neon green cannon on the trailer. I'm still not sure what it's supposed to do, but it is a hallmark of the Exploriens line. The cannon moves up and down, and rotates on a large 4 x 4 turntable.

In front of the cannon on the trailer is a little compartment for holding the fossil tiles.

Front

This was one of the first sets I bought after coming out of a dark age. So I was surprised at all the little details. The long 8H whip attennas running up the sides of the windscreen. The 2 x 2 dish on the front. The instruments on the side of the srms. I don't recall those kind of details from the classic space sets in the early '80s.

Side

Here's the left side of the model. You can see that in addition to moving up and down, the arms also rotate out to the sides. The magnet on the end of the arm is there to pick up fossils.

Scores

Build: 7.5/10 An enjoyable build, though it won't take you too long. There's a little SNOT thrown in, as well.

Playability: 8/10 Lot's of movement in this set. The arms move up, down and rotate, the cannon rotates and moves up and down. The trailer detaches.

Minifigures: 7.5/10 While not as good as the classic spacemen, these minifigs certainly don't disappoint. It would have been nice to have two different faces, though.

Pieces: 7/10 There are quite a few large pieces, which relly hurts the usefulness of the parts selection. But it does have some old style finger hinges, which are always useful.

Price: 2/10 You can find some used sets for under MSRP on Bricklink, but new sets will run you almost twice MSRP.

Design: 7/10 A good wheeled space vehicle. Lots of playability, and some good details.

Total- 39/60 Overall a solid set that would make a good addition to any space collection. Not the best ground vehicle, but certainly not the worst.

Full gallery for more pictures, when moderated.

[Dannylonglegs]

Great Review! The pictures are clear, the set is great! One of my child hood friends had one (unfortunately, his mother glued pieces ) and it was fun to play with. Looking back I wish I had one too, for even nowadays, those trans blue half cylies are very useful! I also love the figs of this theme! These are the best two humans from it (The android which I don't have is definitely the best)

Thanks for the review,

~Insectoid Aristocrat

[ZO6]

Thanks for this great review.

The Exploriens were the last of the space themes that I collected most of the sets from. I found most of the designs creative and highly playable.

I did my best to keep these sets out of sunlight (due to them being primarily white, I didn't want them to yellow), but unfortunately many of the bricks and pieces seem to have yellowed due to oxygen exposure (?) anyways. Because of this I've taken apart all my sets from the Exploriens line and sealed them up in baggies in hopes of preserving them. Seeing these reviews that you are doing brings back many memories...

Edited March 24, 2010 by ZO6

[Fires-storm]

I love the review, a very detailed exploration of the set, nicely done!

The Explorions and Unitron were my two favorite themes, so this review really hits me, nicely done

[samurai-turtle]

Stickered Parts

This set did include some stickers, unfortunately. The round tile is used as a control panel. The sticker on that panel does not like to stay on. Of all the stickers I've applied to LEGO parts, only those on the deltoid panels try to come off. I'm not sure why.

The black tiles are interesting. When viewed through a trans blue or trans red piece, the image changes. They also are attracted by magnets! So the magnet at the end of one of the arms on the model can pick them up. I thought this was a neat feature.

The only set in the series I got, and I never got the black tiles (in a new set). Other than that the set seems kind of average to me. I do not remember messing with the set to much.

[Hound Knight]

It seems a pretty good set, several nice details as you mentioned. Thanks for the review!

[Big Cam]

Another great review, thanks for doing all these Explorien reviews, it's a theme I was not familiar with, until now.

[Tohst]

Great Review.

This set had a running change to the arms so there were some sets where the finished model didn't match the box.

-Tohst

[Walter Kovacs]

I'm glad everyone liked the review. I plan on reviewing most of the Exploriens theme (I don't own one of the sets ), eventually.

(The android which I don't have is definitely the best)

The android is coming up soon

I did my best to keep these sets out of sunlight (due to them being primarily white, I didn't want them to yellow), but unfortunately many of the bricks and pieces seem to have yellowed due to oxygen exposure (?) anyways. Because of this I've taken apart all my sets from the Exploriens line and sealed them up in baggies in hopes of preserving them. Seeing these reviews that you are doing brings back many memories...

You can probably find quite a few yellowed parts in my pictures, if not in this set then others. Sadly, I didn't know about the yellowing until recently .

Another great review, thanks for doing all these Explorien reviews, it's a theme I was not familiar with, until now.

Oh, you'll see plenty in the RA, Cam.

This set had a running change to the arms so there were some sets where the finished model didn't match the box.

Now that is something I did not know.

[Carefree_Dude]

The two numbers is because there was also a limited edition version of the set (I got the LE version) that has a fancy explorien backdrop and such. This was my first explorien set. My main problem with it is that the arms weigh too heavy for the set and fall down while it is moving unless they are snug to the cockpit.

[Knightsword]

On some of the 1996 catalogs they had the prototype of the scorpion detector pictured, which had the arms with the long henge plates over each other with a 1 plate gap, instead of having them next to each other. The change from the prototype was a bad one on Lego's part as the prototype version's were stronger.

Edit- Found a pic

http://peeron.com/catalogs/1996/medium/44/

Edited March 25, 2010 by Knightsword

[Carefree_Dude]

You can see the prototype version in this picture: