Excellent review, I love the photos. This was one of my all time favourite sets for quite a long time.

Paul

Thanks for the review! Can you have this as one of your favorite sets if you don't own it? When I was a kid I has this set circled in every catalog, but never ever found it on store shelves. Hopefully I can get one on eBay or Bricklink for a good price.

I have to say love the review! I still have my 8858 in its alternate model (though was missing a few parts to make it have proper headlights so... its now a single headlight) Its one of the few technic sets I refuse to take apart I love the look of it.

8858 alt front

8858 alt side

8858 alt back

8858 alt bottom

I just noticed that in the upcoming 8081 Extreme Cruiser the setup for suspension, steering and drivetrain is pretty much the same. Very interesting I think.

Maybe it's unusual, but this section of the drive train didn't hold that well on my model:

This is how it looks now:

The parts made redundant were left in the built model, that's why there's that useless 8-tooth gear there :P

I think these parts are supposed to be "weak", the way the the instructions create the model allows the beams to flex / bend a bit relative to each other so that both rear wheels are not totally fixed together in their suspension.

such an amazing set *.*

i've got it mounted ion my shelf in the B version too

i've also tried to build a studless version of it :P

it's not exactly the same...it's just similar lol

I bought this set when it came out and was considering rebuilding it. It's a good set. The studless version is not the same.

H

I love this set. For me, it was the alternate model that enticed me to buy it.

It was the wheels that led to me buying it. I'm using them now on me RC car. Whoopee! I'm a knight!

H

Edited December 25, 201311 yr by Horace T

I love this set. For me, it was the alternate model that enticed me to buy it.

yes, it is one of a hand full of picked sets you have to buy twice - to build and display both models