unclescott58

By the way, my last line, in the last post I made here, should have read, "I probably would have found trouble with those chemicals on my own." I don't know why, but if I quote someone else. Then post with my comments. And then try to edit my part. I run in to trouble were I can not get at my lower lines at a certain point to correct them. With the way I write, I seem to forget words and need to always re-edit after posting. No matter how many times I read it before posting it. But, on my long winded replies using others peoples quotes, I run into this editing problem. So if you read something I wrote, that does make exact sense, feel free to ask me what I ment by what I wrote. Normally it will be only one missing word that makes all the diffence in what I'm really trying to say. I'm not the crazy idiot jerk my writing sometimes makes me out to be. Well... Then again. Maybe I am. ? I sometime will look at things I posted months ago or longer, and find that need to edit them.

Bill had to mention chemistry sets. As a kid I always wanted one. But, my mother always told Me couldn't have one because of what my cousin Phillip had done with his. What Phillip did do? I was never told. A few years back at a family reunion I saw Phillip and told him this story. Then I asked him to tell me what he did. We're sitting at picnic table. I on one side of him, and his small 80 something year old Japanese mother on the other. He looked at her, and turned back to me, and told me he still couldn't tell me. One of his younger brothers sitting across the table just laughed. It was obviously he knew what Phillip did, but wasn't going to spill the beans either. There were some hints over the years that it something with either fire or explosion. Possibly setting the road on fire in front of his house. Or blowing up, or burning a work bench in the basement. I don't know which. So, because of cousin Phillip I never got my chemistry set. And I never invented the new fuels needed to alleviate the gas crisis to come. Or invent the miracle drug to save all of humanity. Or the fuel to gotten us to Mars and beyond. And of course making me rich in the process. So we can all blame Phillip for the problem the world has today, and the fact that I'm not rich! By the way. Two important things. My mother was probably right not getting a chemistry set. And most important, not telling me what Phillip did. Because I kind of like both fire and explosions both. And I had a chemistry set, and knew what Phillip did, I would have probably tried to duplicate his results. Even without Philli's inspiration I probably would have trouble with those chemicals on my own.

The above set was still be sold new in the mid 1980's when I bought one. Long after most metal toys like it had disappeared. I found mine at the time at one those fancy boutique, non-chain toy stores. They had many other odd old fashion toys at that store. By the way, I believe the above set was made in Germany if I remember correctly. I kept it only about a year or two, then sold it. I wonder if they're still available?

Watch, because of this conversation, there is going to be a run on smoking monkeys. Making them popular again. ?

It got some interesting comments at dinner last night. The question came up if I keep the monkey with my candy cigarettes? I said, "Or course. You know I really do still have candy cigarettes." My friends thought that was both funny and interesting. But, were not overly surprised hear that I owned these items.

Interesting link. The red monkey pictured is exactly the one I got. Right down the 5 "cigarettes". Fun to read a little history on them and how they work.

Looks very good. I like it.

What is it?

Got my smoking monkey in the mail today. First time in nearly 50 years since I saw one of these in action. I don't know what the little "cigarettes" really are. Once you light one, they sent a jet of flame that you have immediately put out. Right away, not a good idea for kids. After the flame is blown out, the "cigarette", which is about 1 1/8" long, consume themselves very quickly. Burning themselves all way down in about 1 minute. Then it's done. Now as it was smoking, you do get smoke rings. But it is so fast, it kind of takes the fun out of it. The monkey only comes with 5 "cigarettes". But more can been ordered on eBay. I think somebody is offering just the cigarettes, for about $10 for 40. Is it worth it? I don't know? But, it does make a great conversation piece.

I too would love to see the spaceship model.

Walked into one of the schools I work at this morning, and was immediately was asked to meet with the other subs in the office kitchen area. It turned out that a fairly popular English teacher died Friday afternoon of medical causes. Besides being well liked by a lot of students, her husband is a math teacher at the same school. And her father in law subs there quite frequently. In fact he did today. It was a bit of a tough day. To top it off, the teacher who died was a year younger than I. I didn't know the teacher, Mrs. Young well. But she always seemed friendly to me. In the morning anoucments, they talked and quoted from her favorite book, to Kill a Mockingbird. They read the passage of how it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Mrs. Young taught at Spring Lake Park High School for about 30 years. She and her husband were very involved in many in school and after school activities. She will be missed. One positive or negative, depending on how you looked at it, bothered me a bit early on in the day. Mrs. Young mainly taught the 11th and 12th grade kids. So some of the lower grade kids were really not all that affected by her passing. And several were back to living their lives and talking like nothing had happened. At first I thought this was a little disrespectful. But, they are kids. And life does go on. Which is a good thing.

Who called "scatbacks"? I've never heard that term associated with Fords before. Ford sure did not use the term.

Sure?!

Fun!

One can watch the Prisoner for free on YouTube. I took the some time last night and rewatched the first episode. Still holds up pretty well. Enough to want to watch the other 16 episodes again in the near future.

An automotive writer from the past I always enjoyed was Tom McCahill. Still one of the best. I have quite a collection of Mechanix Illustrateds because of him. Uncle Tom as he was also known, became inspiration for my pen name when I start writing about old cars some 25 years ago.

That's not it. I may have run across the ones I'm thinking of on a toy soldier website. There was a company called MPC. No relationship to the MPC model company we all love and know. This other MPC made plastic toys. Mainly toy soldiers. In 1954 they offered a set of cars based on real 1954 automobiles. They were small and crude, but did represent real cars. All were American models I believe. They did an updated series of cars in 1961. Now including both American and foreign cars. They were offered both through retail. Mainly 5 & 10s. And in ads in comic books. Beside the two series mentioned above, they also did a classic cars series. The '61 cars and classic cars were made and offered until about 1970. I am 99% sure that these are the cars I'm remembering seeing in the comic books. Looking at the cars online, I may have owned several. Or played with others who owned these cars. The '61 series had the names of the cars molded on the rear decks. From reading online, the '61 Comet may have been listed as an Edsel. Which is what the Comet was originally suppose to be. When I read that, I seem to remember that on their toy. My folks had a real '61 Comet. So that would have stood out to me. They also stated the Alfa Romeo was listed as a Alpha Romeo on its deck lid. That I don't remember. Looking at the cars, I'd love to own a set of the 61's especially. They look pretty cool. And there are several for sale on eBay. The right set comes up, I may be buy some.

Followed up with a search online shows quite a few pictures of these blocks. My memory was correct from what could see. One could build buildings kids could play in with these blocks. Here is one I can not find anything about online. I remember an ad in early 60's comic books were you got a number of little plastic cars in a set for low price. It was kind of like the 100 Dolls for $1.00. But, with cars instead. I don't remember exactly how many cars you got. Or for how much money. I seem to remember that the cars were modeled after real cars. Regular cars. I beleive there was for example, a 1960 Rambler. An early Valiant. And a '59 Thunderbird. Beyond that, I remember very little. I do know I always wanted a set.

That them! How big were theses blocks? Is my memory correct? Were we able to build decent size walls and/or small buildings with them? I haven't seen a set of these since I was at least 7 years old. Before we moved out of our old house back in 1966. They don't look all that big in the photo. But then again, we have nothing to really compare them to in the photo. Being that these were made from basically styrofoam, from what I can remember. There can't be too many set of them still around?

Does anybody remember in the early-to-mid 60's larger foam building blocks that were marketed in conjunction with the Flintsons TV series? They may have been called Bedrock Building Blocks? But I'm not sure on that? I just remember the neighbors across the street having set. And building walls and maybe even buildings that were big enough for us kids to sit in. Besides the neighbors across the street, I remember seeing them at other peoples houses too.

Being in West Virgina, which side do you root for when playing with the above Civil War play set. No need to answer that, I'm just kidding around. ?

Fixed it, I hope Harry. So you should be able to understand it. A quick search on line, seems to indicate the '59 Cadillac's were the tallest. I may do more research. Just not now.

Sometimes this web site doesn't always works the way it should. Now to finish the line I was trying write above: And I agree with Rob Hall that the '60 Plymouths fins have to be close too.

You might be right, I would need to do more research to confirm one way or another. It's always been my understanding it was '59 Caddy. But the Imperial above looks bigger. And agree with

In the last few days, I got the Polar Lights pre-decorated 1/1000 scale Star Trek Enterprise and Klingon D7 Battle Cruiser kits. Detail is very good on both. And it's sometimes nice to build a model you don't have to paint or apply decals. Even though they are both snap kits, I did glue them together.