[REVIEW] 5571 Giant Truck / Black Cat

[lotusman]

@DLuders - Thanks - I will look into those and review. Does anyone have any suggestions (assuming I only own the Blackcat right now) on how best to source the extra needed parts? What additional kits would best suit, or try and find parts individually, or ... ?

Thanks everyone for all their help so far!! :classic:

[EdmanZA]

With Blakbird's permission, I have posted his PDF Building Instructions for Andrea Grazi's Lego Technic Tow Truck on SkyDrive here (66.3 MB). His PDF Parts List is here (1 MB). Thanks for sharing them, Blakbird!

Thanks.

Any chance of a .csv or .xml parts list?

[nychase]

I have collected for (not built...) but I must issue a word of caution to ANYONE attempting to build this MOC.

Its EXTREMELY expensive. The 6month sales value of this model is currently US $1200, with the current inventory well over $1300.

The wheels are very expensive and the 4 pneumatic cylinder brackets are now quite expensive. The only good news is the windshield went from very rare to very common so that price has come back down to earth.

Just thought everyone would like to know.

Edited February 18, 2013 by nychase

[DLuders]

According to Brickpicker.com , the value of the 5571 Giant Truck set is about USD $650. This is corroborated by Rebrickable.com , where you could get 81% of the required parts for USD $503. Parts needed to build Andrea Grazi's 5571 Tow Truck would be extra.

Set Pieces: 1757

Minifigures: N/A

Retail Price: $138.99

Set Year: 1996

[Blakbird]

I built this model by starting with 2 copies of the Black Cat and then supplementing with additional parts by selling the rare parts of the second 5571. Worked pretty well. Needing 12 of those wheels and tires is a real killer. One of the best models ever though.

[nychase]

If anyone is really interested in building this model and wants to take Eric's approach... I have about 6 or 7 used copies of 5571 so I could sell a few.

[Mas Bambang]

Awesome...... Both are beautiful beast.

[jadedomg]

Those instructions are great, I am thinking maybe using some third party wheels, changing the pneumatics coupler with a brickbuilt version and brickbuilding doors would bring the cost down that I might want to try it.

[EdmanZA]

If anyone is really interested in building this model and wants to take Eric's approach... I have about 6 or 7 used copies of 5571 so I could sell a few.

I might be interested in taking you up on that offer.

[EdmanZA]

Thanks.

Any chance of a .csv or .xml parts list?

I've made up a BrickStore file with most of the needed parts. The only thing missing are the electric wires and the pneumatic hoses. The instructions don't specify what lengths are needed, so I left them out. Perhaps someone can clarify what wire lengths are needed?

Note: this file will not import import correctly into Rebrickable, since that site only allows bluish gray parts.

Edit: 22/2/2013 - Updated BrickStore file, new file is r1.

Changed some parts with multiple mold revisions to use most common version.

Corrected small pneumatic actuator to be small pneumatic pump.

Andrea Grazi's Lego Technic 5571 Tow Truck_r1.zip

Edited February 22, 2013 by EdmanZA

[lotusman]

If anyone is really interested in building this model and wants to take Eric's approach... I have about 6 or 7 used copies of 5571 so I could sell a few.

Hi @nychase,

I'm interested in a used 5571 as long as it's complete.... Maybe more depending on price.... Let me know.

Thanks

Edited February 20, 2013 by lotusman

[davidmull]

This is a beautiful model in every way but at 1300 dollars an expensive one too,

Slightly off topic but does anyone know what the most expensive technic moc is to build or would this be it?

[dvsntt]

Thanks for posting these directions and parts list. That tow truck is awesome, and I want one.

[lotusman]

How does a guy send a private message or an email to another member on the board?

[Carsten Svendsen]

When you've got more than 10 posts I think

[nychase]

@lotusman

Just put your email in a post and I will email you directly to discuss the 5571's.

Chase

[EdmanZA]

I've made up a BrickStore file with most of the needed parts. The only thing missing are the electric wires and the pneumatic hoses. The instructions don't specify what lengths are needed, so I left them out. Perhaps someone can clarify what wire lengths are needed?

Note: this file will not import import correctly into Rebrickable, since that site only allows bluish gray parts.

Just noticed there's an pneumatic airtank in the model that's not included in parts list. Don't forget it.

[lotusman]

@lotusman

Just put your email in a post and I will email you directly to discuss the 5571's.

Chase

I really prefer not to so I can avoid spam - but here is a broken up one - lotusman76 at hotmail dot com

Thanks and look forwards to discussing the kit(s).

[lotusman]

Hi All,

Ok, I have been reviewing the parts list indepth and have questions on a couple items:

5306 - Electric Brick 2 x 2 x 2/3 with Wire End - Is this now a variant (ie 5306b, or is this just something I can't find?) - the images in the instructions don't match 5306b (that I can tell), so I'm at a loss right now

Need help on Hoses:

I see Hose, Rigid 3mm listed in the Brickstore XML file posted earlier, but don't see that in the parts list ....

I see hose100/120/60/260 - not clear on what these are.... Not sure if these are the pneumatic hoses listed earlier? There was also a reference to electric wires that I don't see any details on....

I haven't done a detailed comparison yet, but I noticed some differences between the Brickstore list and the parts list...

Hoping someone can help?

Thanks

[EdmanZA]

5306 - Electric Brick 2 x 2 x 2/3 with Wire End - Is this now a variant (ie 5306b, or is this just something I can't find?) - the images in the instructions don't match 5306b (that I can tell), so I'm at a loss right now

This is a generic name for the electric wires. It's actually the LDraw name for one end of the wire, rather than the complete wire assembly. It does not include any specific length.

hose100 etc. are the LDraw names for the Rigid 3mm hose. They are listed in LDraw units: 20LDU = 1L = 1 stud = 8mm. So, hose60 is the same as 'Hose, Rigid 3mm D. 3L / 2.4cm '.

The parts list is generated from LDraw, so some of the part numbers didn't match the Bricklink numbers. I also converted some generic LDraw parts to specific Bricklink equivalents. I pasted it into Excel, converted to a TSV, imported into BaseBrick, exported as an XML and then edited in a text editor to convert to the Brickstore XML format (If someone knows of an easier way to convert between inventory file types, please let me know). It's entirely possible that some errors have crept in, so please point them out if you find them.

Edited February 22, 2013 by EdmanZA

[lotusman]

This is a generic name for the electric wires. It's actually the LDraw name for one end of the wire, rather than the complete wire assembly. It does not include any specific length.

hose100 etc. are the LDraw names for the Rigid 3mm hose. They are listed in LDraw units: 20LDU = 1L = 1 stud = 8mm. So, hose60 is the same as 'Hose, Rigid 3mm D. 3L / 2.4cm '.

The parts list is generated from LDraw, so some of the part numbers didn't match the Bricklink numbers. I also converted some generic LDraw parts to specific Bricklink equivalents. I pasted it into Excel, converted to a TSV, imported into BaseBrick, exported as an XML and then edited in a text editor to convert to the Brickstore XML format (If someone knows of an easier way to convert between inventory file types, please let me know). It's entirely possible that some errors have crept in, so please point them out if you find them.

Hi EdmanZA - thanks for all the information and the hard work - I'm impressed. Where did you get the LDraw file for the build from? That is one thing I don't believe I have....

I did a compare between the Brickstore XML file and the Parts list and only found one part discrepancy. I think part x326c01 should convert to x191c01. The Brickstore file has x189c01 - though I'm not 100% sure one this one - I was only going off the image in the parts list versus what I found on Bricklink.

[EdmanZA]

Hi EdmanZA - thanks for all the information and the hard work - I'm impressed. Where did you get the LDraw file for the build from? That is one thing I don't believe I have....

I haven't actually downloaded the LDraw files, but the parts list in the PDF looks like it's from LDraw. You can, however, find some file in Grazi's Brickshelf folder:

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=74562

You're right about x325c01, it's a pump and should be x191c01. I'll go back and update the file.

[EdmanZA]

I've started my Bricklinking for this project and I have a couple of observations:

Based on average inventory prices for used parts, it would cost around $1450 to buy all the parts individually. This is broken down roughly as:

Wheels and tires - $380

Pneumatics - $250, of which $110 is for the cylinder brackets

Technic parts - $210, most expensive part is the yellow 1x6 Liftarm at about $5/part

Bricks, Slopes etc. - $170, 1x6x3 arches and chromed bricks make up $70 of this

Plate, Tiles etc. - $160, nothing really expensive here, just a large number of them

Electrics - $115 (excluding wires -add roughly $35-$50 for these)

The rest - $165, Large doors and windscreen from 5571 make up $80, 1x16 lattices add $25

If you find an alternate method to mount the pneumatics, you could save about $120 by eliminating the cylinder brackets and yellow 1x6 liftarms.

Buying 1x 5571 reduces the needed parts price to $937. Buying two reduces it to $675 and you could, theoretically, sell the left over parts for $400.

[Blakbird]

If you find an alternate method to mount the pneumatics, you could save about $120 by eliminating the cylinder brackets and yellow 1x6 liftarms.

Grazi's original design actually did not use the cylinder brackets or the 1x6 liftarms. I made the conversion when I did the instructions because, at the time, the old square base pneumatics were hard to get and the brackets were not that rare. Because the brackets make the double length actuators a different total length than back to back square actuators, I moved the mounting point on the frame. You could certainly build it the old way.

[lotusman]

Grazi's original design actually did not use the cylinder brackets or the 1x6 liftarms. I made the conversion when I did the instructions because, at the time, the old square base pneumatics were hard to get and the brackets were not that rare. Because the brackets make the double length actuators a different total length than back to back square actuators, I moved the mounting point on the frame. You could certainly build it the old way.

Hi Blakbird - would you be able to give an estimate of the electric (5306) lengths, hose number and lengths, and the rubber band/belts that you used in your build?

Thanks