854 instructions

Bluesden

Hello.  I am buying some old Technic sets from the 70s and set 854 seems to have two sets of instructions.  One is shown with an extended 855 crane on the front cover (with 854 in the bottom right corner) whilst there is another set of instructions with the blue go-kart of the 854 set shown, with a big 854 shown in the top left of the front cover.

Anyone know why the two different booklets and if it's simply a version thing, when did it change?

Cheers!

The_Rancor

I notice you're new to the forums so welcome by means of this thread! 

I love the classic 70s Technic kits & I recently got the helo Helicopter from the early years - annoying to get the cockpit just right. I don't recall ever seeing a variant of the 854 instructions that has 855 on it. Shouldn't it have a bike/trike and some kind of workshop machinery alt-models on it? There were plenty of collateral leaflets for other sets in the theme those days so could be that perhaps? I'm definitely not the best expert but no doubt someone else might be able to clarify in more detail. 

Hope you you get the answer you're looking for any enjoy the forums :)

MAGNINOMINISUMBRA

The 854 Go-Kart was released in the United States as the 948 Go- Kart. By my understanding, the sets are exactly the same. Based on other instances where this occurred, I would definitely expect the boxes to be different.  The instructions however, I can't confirm but wouldn't be suprised if the US and ROW sets were different. There is (though I can't recall a definitive example at present) precedent as far as a set not having the same number as its included manual.
Id be inclined to be looking down this avenue.

Welcome aboard!

TheOriginalSimonB

I'll have to check when I get home tonight, but I am 95% sure that these early sets had an extra ideas/advert type booklet wrapped around the actual instructions.  So the first and last few pages would be other things you can do if you have other sets as well, then you get to the set you are trying to build in the middle.  Fairly sure I have at least one in its two parts and another still together.

TheOriginalSimonB

Here we go. 854 is of course one that has been split.  My booklet for 850 has the bottom corner cut off the ideas pages to reveal set number on the real first page, but This and 854 don’t.