Directions to Make a Tinkertoy Car

Connect two pairs of small Tinkertoy spools by sliding purple rods through their center holes. These are the longest rods in the Giant Engineer set. The result should look like two pairs of wheels on purple axles.

Set the wheeled rods side by side, with the circular faces of the spools facing you. Connect the two spools farthest from you by sticking a green rod into one of the edge holes on each spool. Slide a second green rod through the center hole of a small spool and finish the rectangle by connecting the two spools closest to you the same way.

Center the spool on the green rod and stick an orange rod in one of its edge holes to create a steering column. Push the other end of the orange rod through the center hole of a large spool to make a steering wheel. If desired, put a drop of instant adhesive on each side of the steering column spools to keep them from moving.

Insert orange sticks into outer edge holes of each of the four corner spools to make axles for the wheels. If desired, put a drop of instant adhesive in each hole before inserting the rods. This will help keep the car from breaking apart when you roll it. Allow the adhesive to dry overnight before you continue.

Lubricate the center holes of the remaining four large spools with cooking spray or some other spray lubricant. Slide the spools onto the orange axles. Use end caps or flags to prevent the wheels from coming off during play. If desired, apply instant adhesive inside each end cap or in the slot in each axle to prevent separation of the end caps or flags during play.