Favorite childhood toys and shet...

[onedef92]

The StingRay bike thread got me thinking. What were your favorite childhood toys from back in the day?

Post pics, even if they didn't make your wish list for birthdays, Christmas, Hanukah, etc...



One of my favs was Johnny Speed Jaguar by Topper Toys (1966). It was dope, "remote" controlled and battery-operated via a big, honkin' 6 volt lantern battery for extended life. And, at 22" long and 9" wide, it needed it!

Very cool looking! All in Carmen Red and with its seductively curvaceous lines it looked like a '63 Corvette StingRay Coupe. It ran forward, backward, left or right and accessories could be purchased. Absolutely badass!!!

[Ol Timer]

I think I was born with my favorite toy!

[onedef92]

Another one I cherished nearly two decades was Mattel's Vertibird Rescue Helicopter (1971 - early 1980s).

The helicopter is attached to 21" rod which goes in a central spinning hub, and takes 4 "D" cell batteries.

You use the controller to fly the copter around in a circle and make it swoop down to retrieve items or figures with the hook beneath the helicopter.

Mattel made several versions, mostly with a rescue theme. I had the "Artic Adventure" set, with the hidden hangar. I would play with that joker for hours. Would still have it to this day if the PTO shaft hadn't broken. Mattel stopped offering tech support, so there were no replacement parts available.

[Grey Ghost]

Early years was Matchbox cars. I liked them even better than Hot Wheels. You would go into the store, spin the display, and tell the clerk the number of the one you wanted. She would open the display and hand you a cool blue/yellow matchbox container with the car inside. I started collecting them again a few yrs. ago. Price range $30 up with box

I tried train sets...too slow and kept falling off the track. I kept trying to run them to fast, I guess.

Got a slot car track. I played the crap out of it.

Tonka Toys - my dad had a landscaping biz. I had Tonka dump trucks, loaders, tractors, etc...I think I kept the back of his truck full with my Tonka toys. There was always huge piles of dirt, sand, etc...at the job sites to play in.

Model kits - every Fri. after school, dad would pick me up and our first stop was a supermarket with a huge model section. I would build it over the w/e. I learned a lot about history from reading the first page of the instructions.

Evil Knievel motorcycle wind up. I had the truck and motorcycle. Played the crap out of it, too.

[Grey Ghost]

Originally Posted by onedef92

Another one I cherished nearly two decades was Mattel's Vertibird Rescue Helicopter (1971 - early 1980s).

I remember that. I wanted one, never got one The big Sears store about 30 miles away had one on display in the toy dept. They also had a huge crane setup type thing, too.

[ApexOversteer]

Obviously my Hot Wheels, but I also cherished this...

[Bucwheat]

I always love my Gunsmoke holster and guns,just a little trivia:"For many years all the TV shows and movie studios in Hollywood got their guns from "Stembridge Gun Rentals" They were around since the 1920`s and furnished props on many movies and tv shows. They went out of business in the late 1990`s and their inventory of guns was sold in a special auction.The gun Matt Dillon used in "Gun Smoke" was among those sold along with guns used by Dan Blocker as "Hoss" on "Bonanza" and "Little Joe"`s gun as well. And many others. They are all in the hands of private collectors now. The last i heard Little Joes`s and Hoss`s guns are on display at the "Buffalo Bill Museum" in Wyoming.
For the record Dillon packed a Colt single action model 1873 71/2 inch barrel in 45 caliber. It was an actual antique made in 1895, not a modern day copy. When it sold at auction along with the gun and holster were papers from Stembridge stateing it was the gun used in the series along with an afadavit from James Arness himself. It sold for $15,000.00."

[onedef92]

The G.I. Joe Adventure Team Helicopter was bomb, too. Nearly three feet long and featured a working winch and spinning rotor that was mechanically actuated.

[Kevin_73]

Originally Posted by onedef92

Another one I cherished nearly two decades was Mattel's Vertibird Rescue Helicopter (1971 - early 1980s).

I had the one pictured above, and I also had one that the central base was a big molded styrofoam aircraft carrier. I loved playing with those things.

[DAB]

Lego.

Made all kinds of stuff.

Back before they had themed sets. Just a box of pieces and your imagination.

[onedef92]

Those SSP (Super Sonic Power Racers & Smash-up Derby Sets) by Kenner were bomb, too! They were early 70's cars with nylon "ripcord" pullstrings that make the wheels rev super fast.

The Smash-up Derby set had ripcord racers that also broke apart upon impact and then went back together for the next run.

[onedef92]

Those Star Trek phasers (early 70's) that shot those plastic discs were fun as feck to play with, too. We would take an X-acto Knife, carefully cut the glue seams holding them together, then mod the rubber band firing assembly with a thicker, sturdier one for increased "lethality" or so it seemed to all hostile alien life forms we encountered.

There was a high capacity rifle, too, with a longer barrel for improved accuracy.

[Grey Ghost]

VERY early 70s. We had a Sizzlers race car track. It was slot-less and you charged the cars up via a gas pump like the boy in the pic.

[onedef92]

My cousin had Mattel's Super Star Stunt Sky Show Plane, too. A battery-powered, free-flying marvel that worked by inserting a disc into it's fuselage that operated the plane's rudder and elevator for aerobatic manuevers like the loop-the-loop and Immelmans.

It was rugged, forgiving and just awesome to watch in flight!

[...Whitepower...]

Big wheel with the E Brake.

[onedef92]

Originally Posted by Grey Ghost

VERY early 70s. We had a Sizzlers race car track. It was slot-less and you charged the cars up via a gas pump like the boy in the pic.

I loved those things. Hell, Sizzler's were even better than the Hot Wheel's Super Charger Power Station 2 a battery powered device that featured rotating, foam-padded plastic rollers hidden inside a "service station" that whisked the cars around the track via inertia.

[ApexOversteer]

Originally Posted by onedef92

I loved those things. Hell, Sizzler's were even better than the Hot Wheel's Super Charger a battery powered device that featured, rotating foam rollers disguised as a service station that whisked the cars around the track via inertia.

Chargers are awesome. Sure, three runs through one and any racin' stripes or numbers, or flames were wiped off the side of your car, and those flash chrome rims were black, but if you put three or four of them in series before a jump, you could get a Hot Wheels to jump over a full size pickup truck with a bedcap on it.

[onedef92]

Originally Posted by ApexOversteer

Chargers are awesome. Sure, three runs through one and any racin' stripes or numbers, or flames were wiped off the side of your car, and those flash chrome rims were black, but if you put three or four of them in series before a jump, you could get a Hot Wheels to jump over a full size pickup truck with a bedcap on it.

Plus, they were compatible with most Matchbox and Johnny Lightning vehicles, too!

[Torqaholic]

I was a killing machine

[ApexOversteer]

Originally Posted by onedef92

Plus, they were compatible with most Matchbox and Johnny Lightning vehicles, too!

Yeah, but not the Matchbox Lamborghini Countach or the '63 Corvette Grand Sport...