WILLIS OFF-ROAD CAR REVIEW— Rugged Looks, Classic Off-Road Spirit

Preface

"This hands-on review is NifeliZ's collaborative experiment in authenticity: a diverse team—from office professionals and LEGO enthusiasts to musicians and photographers—built our own kits alongside fans to experience their joys, struggles, and "aha" moments firsthand. By sharing raw insights into what works, what doesn't, and how we'll improve, we aim to create products that truly resonate with builders while offering you practical guidance. 

Whether avoiding pitfalls or enhancing your creative flow, this collective journey—fueled by varied perspectives but united in purpose—is designed to make every assembly smoother, every connection more meaningful, and every build a shared story of growth."

When discussing rugged off-road vehicles, a military vehicle from the 1940s is often regarded as one of the early examples of this category. With its simple structure, reliable performance, and practical design, it influenced many later off-road vehicle concepts.

The building set I have features a military green four-door off-road vehicle design. While the name includes references to classic off-road elements, the overall shape, box design, and body proportions suggest that it is mainly inspired by a retro-style off-road vehicle.

With nearly 3,000 pieces, this set offers a detailed building experience. During the assembly process, some sections required careful attention due to the number of components and the level of detail. In this review, we will take a closer look at its exterior design, key details, and overall building experience.

I. Color Box and Packaging

1. Color Box

2. Bag Contents:

 ● Bag 1 — 7 bags (Steps 1–149)

 ● Bag 2 — 5 bags (Steps 150–260)

 ● Bag 3 — 5 bags (Steps 261–381)

 ● Bag 4 — 5 bags (Steps 382–475)

 ● Bag 5 — 6 bags (Steps 476–570)

 ● Bag 6 — 6 bags (Steps 571–683)

 ● Bag 7 — 5 bags (Steps 684–783)

 ● Tires & Wheel Hubs bag — 1 bag 

 ● Bag 8 — 1 bag

 ● Bag 9 — 1 bag

 ● Instruction manual ×1

 ● Storage boxes ×5

 ● Bookmark ×1

 ● Sticker ×1

II. Assembly Process

Alright, let’s dive right in! We’re starting with Bag 1. There are 7 bags altogether, and our first step is to build the front half of the chassis.

Next, open bags 1.35-1 and 1.35-2 to build the gearbox. Take your time with this step, and make sure every piece is placed exactly as shown in the instructions.

With the gearbox taking shape, we’ll keep adding more details to the structure. For this part, we’ll bring in pieces from bag 36.63 and bag 9 to continue the build. 

Connect the assembled front axle steering frame to the gearbox chassis assembly, using bags 64.97-1 and 64.97-2.

Open bag 98.123 to build the steering axle with differential. 

Open bag 124.149 and assemble the steering axle assembly featuring a differential lock mechanism.

A quick note for step 146: when inserting the dark gray axle through the gear and the 3-hole beam from step 145, take a little extra care. Although the beam looks like it is already secured in the instructions, it is actually still loose at this stage, so it’s easy to accidentally miss one of the parts when pushing the axle through. A simple tip is to hold the pieces together by hand and align the holes first before inserting the axle.

Bag 2 contains 5 sub-bags. Next, we'll keep moving forward to finish assembling the center shift mechanism and the mid-to-rear chassis frame!

Open bag 150.167 and complete the front section of the chassis assembly.

Open bag 168.193 and assemble the engine block and central control unit with drive mode selector and shift linkages.

Open bag 194.215 to assemble the front shock suspension, engine bay subframe, and pedal assembly.

Open bag 216.244 to build the gear shift console, put on the gear indicator stickers, and attach the shift lever along with the rear chassis extension frame.

Step 244 requires applying the final sticker, which is easy to miss. The sticker placement shown in the instructions may be a little confusing, so it’s best to use the top view as the main reference. Also, make sure to press all the pins firmly into place to ensure every connection is secure. There’s a small detail here that could be improved — I wonder if anyone can spot it.

Bag 245.260, the last bag in Section 2, mainly continues assembling the extension brackets to connect the rear suspension and rear cargo bed in Section 3.

Moving on to Section 3, we continue building the rear half of the chassis. Bag 3 also includes 5 sub-bags.

Open bag 261.292 and start building the rear axle assembly. Pay special attention to the red cross axles on both sides and use the 1:1 reference image in the instructions to check their positions. In the example shown below, the cross axles are pushed slightly too far inward. Please use the manual as your guide and make sure they are positioned correctly during assembly.

Open bag 293.321 to link up the rear axle assembly and drive shaft with the rear chassis extension frame, and then set up the platform for the truck bed.

 

Unboxing bag 322.348: assembling the rear shocks and support beams, plus extending the tail frame. Suspension complete—the rear chassis is really taking shape now!

Opening bags 349.381-1 and 349.381-2: assembling the rear bumper and adding twin exhaust pipe details.

Section 4 focuses on building the cockpit interior assembly, including the front dual seats, rear seats, and steering wheel. Bag 4 contains 5 smaller parts bags in total.

We’ll start with the rear seats. The seatback adjustment function mainly depends on the component from Step 399. Before adding the light brown piece, make sure the seatback is in the upright position and install the piece vertically. If it’s placed horizontally by mistake, it will lock in place and could interfere with the parts added in later steps.

With the rear seats completed, let’s move on to the front seats. After opening bag 410.429, we’ll assemble them step by step and install the finished seats into the vehicle.

 

Open bag 430.452 to build the left support frame of the cockpit.

 

Open bag 453.475 to build the dashboard assembly.

 

In Section 5, we’ll continue building and completing the vehicle’s overall frame. There are 6 bags of parts in this section.

Open bags 476.499-1, 476.499-2, and bag 8 to build the central and upper cross-frames for the cockpit. You can see the interior is now roughly framed out. 

Proceed to open bags 500.525-1 and 500.525-2 to assemble the right cockpit support frame.

 

Use bag 526.543 to build the A-pillar diagonal supports and side structure mounts at the front of the cabin.

Open bag 544.570 to build the headlights and the front fender base frames on both sides of the front.

Bag 6 includes 6 bags of parts. In this section, we’ll mainly work on assembling some of the vehicle body panels.

Open bag 571.584 to build the front bumper complete with fog lights.

 

Open bags 585.622-1 and 585.622-2 to assemble the front grille featuring round headlights, as well as the engine cover and air intake pipe.

 

Open bag 623.650 to complete the front hood panel.

 

Open bags 651.687-1, and 651.687-2 to assemble the rear cargo bed side panels and rear lights.

 

However, the arched component next to the taillight in step 675 does not hold firmly and may come loose easily. It seems that the three circular connection points may not be deep enough, resulting in a weaker connection.

 

Now for the final section, where we’ll assemble the doors, tires, and roof. Bag 7 includes 5 sub-bags.

Use bag 688.712 to assemble the front doors, and bag 713.739 to build the rear doors.

Open bag 740.749, along with the tire bag, to assemble the wheels, rear cargo door, and spare tire.

 

By the way, the handle on the rear cargo door tends to slide, which may cause the door to open unintentionally. It is also possible that the weight of the spare tire affects the stability of the structure. In comparison, the components used for the rear passenger door in step 724 seem to provide a more secure connection.

Open bags 750.765 and 766.783 to assemble the roof. However, the part along the upper right edge do not fit properly and appear slightly raised, making the two sides look less symmetrical.

  

Finally, attach the roof cover, and the whole vehicle is complete.

Ⅲ. Overall

Looking back at the overall build process, from the basic chassis and gearbox in Bag 1, to the differential, linked engine, suspension, and drivetrain in the middle and later stages, all the way to the interior and body panels, the assembly process was logical and easy to follow.

Once built, the vehicle feels pretty solid. The army green color goes well with the rugged off-road lines, giving it a clean, balanced look. Beyond the moving parts—like the shifter, front-axle steering, differential lock, and engine pistons—it also includes neat details like adjustable seats, a dashboard, a removable roof, twin exhausts, and a rear spare tire. The seven main parts bags are split up sensibly, and the manual gives plenty of different angles, making it smooth to go step by step.

While a few parts could definitely be improved and require a bit of patience and extra care, it doesn't take away from the overall experience. When you attach the roof at the end and push it along, watching the pistons and steering wheel work smoothly together, the solid mechanical feel of the chassis and the final result make the time spent feel worthwhile.

All in all, it strikes a good balance between detail and a hands-on build experience. Whether you enjoy the process of putting it together or just want a neat display model for your desk, it's well worth the time.