Automotive (and other) toys from our childhood

[Kit Basher]

Did any of you actually have these? What exactly were they? Obviously they weren't really "x-ray" specs, but the company had to send you something. What exactly were these things?

I had a set. I sure didn't pay $1 for them, tho.  More like 25 cents. They were a cardboard eyeglass frame, with a white feather, roughly shaped like the bones in a human hand, where the lenses would be. If you read carefully, the only claim they make is that you seem to be able to see the bones in your hand. Still a rip off, but I bet I wasn't the only sucker.

It just occurred to me to check, but yes, you can still get them. From the same place I got mine:

http://www.thingsyouneverknew.com/product/x+ray+glasses.do?sortby=newArrivals&page=4&refType=

My Dad got us into this company when we were kids, because he bought stuff from them when he was a kid, in the 1920s. Apparently, selling junk is a good business model.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Kit Basher

[sweeper]

 

Had the tonka road construction set with the barriers and other signs. Had a pickup,dump truck and road grader.

[unclescott58]

Here's another one I had... the "Alcan Highway Torture Track" from Ideal. It was sort of a slot car set where the cars had to go through several "torture tests" like the steering test, the "crash through a brick wall" test, the jump test, etc. But the cars were battery operated, not run through a controller like a "normal" slot car. So besides coming up with the track layout, all you could do was switch the cars on and put them on the track and just watch. No way to control them. It was sort of boring, actually.

I still have this exact set.

[Ace-Garageguy]

... Apparently, selling junk is a good business model.

It's working very well for the Chinese and all the US companies that have their stuff made over there to cut costs to the bone...so far. 

[unclescott58]

Anybody have a "Crash Mobile"? If I remember right, it was all held together with rubber bands, and kind of keyed together. You pulled it back, then let it go. It would roll across the floor until it hit something, then fall apart in a bunch of pieces.

I'm looking for one these. Maybe not exact same model. I loved Crash Mobiles. I've looked on eBay and have never found one.

[unclescott58]

I remember I had one of those metal gas stations way back when... probably from the Sears catalog, as my parents were about as loyal to Sears as two people could possibly be. I've been searching the internet for days trying to find the exact one I had, but my memory is a little fuzzy on this one. I found dozens of examples, but none that I recognize as the one I specifically had. But I do remember that the station came with this exact set of accessories. I'm 100% sure about that...

My all time favorite toy as kid was a metal service station. A friend recently found me a very nice Marx one at fleamarket. It's in very good shape, but it's missing all of the plastic pieces as shown in Harry's picture above. That and came with none of the cars. So I'm looking for the above accessories. Can anybody out there help?

[unclescott58]

Growing up during the Golden Age of U.S. s[ace exploration was an exciting time in my life. Every kid dreamed of becoming an astronaut. That's why I loved the Mattel's Major Matt Mason "Man In Space" series. I had just about every one of the toys. 

 

Then, there was the Revell Gemini Spacecraft contest. Yes you, the kid reading the ad in that Batman comic in your paws. Enter now for a chance to win a gen-oo-wine 19 foot long prototype of a Gemini space capsule. HOO HAH! I sent in my info already planning where this baby was going to sit in the yard. I told my mother that her garden will have to go to make room for this wonderfully designed masterpiece of modern technology. I showed her the ad so she could appreciate this beauty. She asked me if I read the entire ad. I looked at her with a quizzical, tilted head stare, not unlike a dog wondering what "Who did it?!?" is supposed to mean. "You know that if you do win, you can't keep it." Why not?!? I'll keep it clean. "If you read this, it says that it will be presented to a park or museum where you live." What a friggin' gyp! Let'em enter the contest and get their own!

 

Always wanted a Major Matt Mason. Never got one. And I remember dreaming about all the fun I would have, if I could win that full-size Gemini capsule. I still want to be an astronaut when I grow up.

[unclescott58]

Did we have neat stuff as kids, or what? With all these neat toys, Mad Magazine, baseball cards and Famous Monsters of Filmland, we had it pretty good. I had an electronics experiment lab, made by International Rectifier. There was one in the window of PIX Television Repair on the yavnya and I kept bugging my parents to get it for me. It was the same one as seen in this ad:

You could actually perform some amazing experiments with it. Unlike the Polaris Nuclear Sub

which was nothing but a crummy cardboard box, and X-Ray Specs

which disappointed multitudes of hormone-raged pre-teen males,

these electronics kits delivered as advertised.

 

 

The submarine was a big disappointment when I finally got to see photos of one in a book a couple years ago. The X-Ray Specs are cheap, junky things too. But, they're kind fun. And they do kind of work. I've bought several pair on eBay in recent years. They are fun to demonstrate to people. Kids are mystified. Adults are surprised they do anything at all! They are still very cheap to buy. Just one word of warning. Buy the original ones. Even though the frames are now made of cardboard. There is a plastic frame set made in China. But, they didn't seem to work as well.

[unclescott58]

Did any of you actually have these? What exactly were they? Obviously they weren't really "x-ray" specs, but the company had to send you something. What exactly were these things?

As I noted above, they actually do work. Not the way the art in the magazines ads showed you. Or tried to make you believe. But, they actually do something! And it is kind of amazing and fun. And I don't think you'll want your money back after trying them.

[Harry P.]

Could you see boobies with them?

[unclescott58]

Could you see boobies with them?

Sorry. But no! ? But still they're fun and worth the price. ?

[Harry P.]

My all time favorite toy as kid was a metal service station. A friend recently found me a very nice Marx one at fleamarket. It's in very good shape, but it's missing all of the plastic pieces as shown in Harry's picture above. That and came with none of the cars. So I'm looking for the above accessories. Can anybody out there help?

There were a lot of variations on the Marx service station, but most of them (almost all?) came with those same accessories I posted. But I don't believe any cars were ever included. For that you were on your own (Matchbox, for instance).

[unclescott58]

There were a lot of variations on the Marx service station, but most of them (almost all?) came with those same accessories I posted. But I don't believe any cars were ever included. For that you were on your own (Matchbox, for instance).

The stations did come with cars. Pretty basic plastic cars, that in some cases were model after real cars. And they would be changed and be updated as the years went by. They were a little bigger than Matchbox cars. Close to 1/43 scale.

[Harry P.]

Sorry. But no!

Well, then they're useless...

[Harry P.]

The stations did come with cars. Pretty basic plastic cars, that in some cases were model after real cars. And they would be changed and be updated as the years went by. They were a little bigger than Matchbox cars. Close to 1/43 scale.

You may be right, but I don't remember any cars included in my set.

[Agent G]

G

[Lunajammer]

Loved Major Matt Mason. Too bad the wire armature broke after lots of fun, like most of those type of toys (Gumby anyone?). Brother and I had the MMM space crawler. That was pretty durable.

[Foxer]

I googled it, saw the ads... they include a line about 100% satisfaction or your money back. I wonder how many people tried to get their money back?

They didn't work?

[Kit Basher]

They didn't work?

Of course they worked! It was like all the girls in my school were naked all the time! Would you like to buy some ocean-front property in Kansas?

[Roadrunner]

I was reminded today of tattoos that used to be packaged in something (bubble gum perhaps), and were easily washed off. I loved them, and had different tattoos all the time, at least for a short time during my young life.

[Harry P.]

I was reminded today of tattoos that used to be packaged in something (bubble gum perhaps), and were easily washed off. I loved them, and had different tattoos all the time, at least for a short time during my young life.

I remember those, too... yeah, they came in one of those packs of gum where the gum was like a small sheet of gum. I used to put those tattoos on all the time. Didn't you just wet your arm (or wherever), and hold the tattoo in place and press down a little for several seconds and voila! You were a cool dude! At least for a day... or until the tattoo washed off!

[Harry P.]

Man, we lived in such a politically incorrect time. And I loved it!

Remember candy cigarettes? They were sticks of hard sugar, and even came in a pack just like real cigarettes.

Can you imagine anyone being allowed to sell candy cigarettes today?

Edited May 16, 2016 by Harry P.

[Snake45]

As a matter of fact, why, yes, I can....

http://www.candyfavorites.com/candy/candy-cigarettes-and-bubble-gum-cigars?gclid=CJyP_77W38wCFYomhgodQkYIgQ

[Roadrunner]

I remember those, too... yeah, they came in one of those packs of gum where the gum was like a small sheet of gum. I used to put those tattoos on all the time. Didn't you just wet your arm (or wherever), and hold the tattoo in place and press down a little for several seconds and voila! You were a cool dude! At least for a day... or until the tattoo washed off!

Yep, that was the beauty of it, totally temporary.

[Scott Colmer]

Speaking of Mad Men days. Do you remember these babies?

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