Automotive (and other) toys from our childhood

[Roadrunner]

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?

Yea, I ate them all the time, wax candy lips too.

[Roadrunner]

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

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Clackers, oh yes, I had several sets.

[afx]

Clackers, oh yes, I had several sets.

I think I still have bruises on my arms from these things.

[Snake45]

Clackers, oh yes, I had several sets.

Never had 'em. Don't even know what they are. But I remember Duncan tops and yo-yos. I think the tops were a fad about 1965 or so, the yo-yos a few years after that.

The pic of the clackers reminded of my favorite yo-yo--it was the same kind of red plastic. I'm pretty sure I still have it somewhere.

[SfanGoch]

Never had 'em. Don't even know what they are. But I remember Duncan tops and yo-yos. I think the tops were a fad about 1965 or so, the yo-yos a few years after that.

The pic of the clackers reminded of my favorite yo-yo--it was the same kind of red plastic. I'm pretty sure I still have it somewhere.

Did you ever play "Crack The Top"?

Everybody throws their top at the same time. The object is to see whose top spins the longest. The first top to stop spinning stays down and the other players take one turn to either "crack the top" by hitting it with their top on the throw or by picking the spinning top with the palm of the hand and dropping it onto the downed top. If you were really good, or, lucky, you'd hit the top with the point and literally split it in half. After everybody had a turn, the whole thing was repeated. Also, if you threw a dud (the top didn't spin) at the downed top, your top would be the next target. Duncan tops were useless because they had plastic points which broke easily. They couldn't handle the rigors of the game. The best were the tops with metal points. You could sharpen them.  

 

[SfanGoch]

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?

Great site for "Old Time Candy". I get the party favor bags loaded with stuff so my son could give them out to his classmates on his birthday. I always include candy cigarettes and, in seven years, have yet to hear a complaint from the other parents. I think that they're probably glomming the candy cigs for themselves.  

[philo426]

My faves were the original Vertibird with the space capsule as well as the Kenner SSP Smash Up Derby with the '57 Chevy Nomad and '57 Ford .I also had a Chien tin Roller coaster and the Marx Electroshot Shooting gallery.I have most of my Aurora and Tyco ho slot cars and my Ohio Art Targetmaster shooting range.

Edited May 17, 2016 by philo426

[Snake45]

Did you ever play "Crack The Top"?

Everybody throws their top at the same time. The object is to see whose top spins the longest. The first top to stop spinning stays down and the other players take one turn to either "crack the top" by hitting it with their top on the throw or by picking the spinning top with the palm of the hand and dropping it onto the downed top. If you were really good, or, lucky, you'd hit the top with the point and literally split it in half. After everybody had a turn, the whole thing was repeated. Also, if you threw a dud (the top didn't spin) at the downed top, your top would be the next target. Duncan tops were useless because they had plastic points which broke easily. They couldn't handle the rigors of the game. The best were the tops with metal points. You could sharpen them.  

 

 

Uh, no. We just saw who could spin one longest, or throw it the farthest across the classroom or down the hall. We didn't play tops as a blood sport.

[Roadrunner]

One of my many favorites, was a collection of stuff from Edmund Scientific. It was a fascinating set that dealt with science concepts, and allowed one to learn while having fun. Not a toy as such, but very cool nonetheless.

[Snake45]

One of my many favorites, was a collection of stuff from Edmund Scientific. It was a fascinating set that dealt with science concepts, and allowed one to learn while having fun. Not a toy as such, but very cool nonetheless.

Remco did a series of science kits like that too. Each one came in a "can," a cardboard cylinder with a screw-off (I think) top. They were all pretty cool.

[Roadrunner]

Remco did a series of science kits like that too. Each one came in a "can," a cardboard cylinder with a screw-off (I think) top. They were all pretty cool.

I don't recall those, but I also had a chemistry set that came in a hinged metal box, like a suitcase. I was quite the mad scientist in our basement.

[Snake45]

I don't recall those, but I also had a chemistry set that came in a hinged metal box, like a suitcase. I was quite the mad scientist in our basement.

Lionel (the toy train people, or a division of them) made some of those. Dunno if they made all such or not but I know they did.

[Scott Colmer]

I have to confess...When I saw this thread I googled 60s and 70s toys. I am a nostalgic person. I save a bunch of images of the ones I remembered.

It seems I always had the one below, but I never remember asking for or buying one. 

 

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[SfanGoch]

We didn't play tops as a blood sport. 

What's with the eye rolling? No blood involved, just plenty o'splinters. A lot safer than throwing tops across a classroom, I'd say.

[Harry P.]

I have to confess...When I saw this thread I googled 60s and 70s toys. I am a nostalgic person. I save a bunch of images of the ones I remembered.

It seems I always had the one below, but I never remember asking for or buying one. 

 

Far out, man!  

[Harry P.]

Did you ever play "Crack The Top"?

Everybody throws their top at the same time. The object is to see whose top spins the longest. The first top to stop spinning stays down and the other players take one turn to either "crack the top" by hitting it with their top on the throw or by picking the spinning top with the palm of the hand and dropping it onto the downed top. If you were really good, or, lucky, you'd hit the top with the point and literally split it in half. After everybody had a turn, the whole thing was repeated. Also, if you threw a dud (the top didn't spin) at the downed top, your top would be the next target. Duncan tops were useless because they had plastic points which broke easily. They couldn't handle the rigors of the game. The best were the tops with metal points. You could sharpen them.  

 

Never heard of that.  An east coast thing, maybe?

[GT4494]

I'm surprised that I haven't seen or read a reply about marbles.  Most fun in the world. Used to carry mine in an old "Seagrams" felt pouch. 

[afx]

Never had 'em. Don't even know what they are. But I remember Duncan tops and yo-yos. I think the tops were a fad about 1965 or so, the yo-yos a few years after that.

The pic of the clackers reminded of my favorite yo-yo--it was the same kind of red plastic. I'm pretty sure I still have it somewhere.

Edited May 17, 2016 by afx

[Snake45]

Never heard of that.  An east coast thing, maybe?

Probably more of a Noo Yawk thing, I think.

[Snake45]

I'm surprised that I haven't seen or read a reply about marbles.  Most fun in the world. Used to carry mine in an old "Seagrams" felt pouch. 

I never knew anyone who played with them or collected them. The only ones I ever saw were a brown "lunch" bag full of them at my grandparents'. They had been my mom's and aunt's, I assume.

Come to think of it, there was also a miniature pool table that used marbles. The "cues" were these little spring-loaded things you'd pull back and release. That was kinda cool. I'd guess it dated to the '30s or '40s. Anyone ever see anything like that?

[SfanGoch]

Never heard of that.  An east coast thing, maybe?

Could be. What about stickball, slap or punchball? Or, two sewer touch football? Street hockey? How about skully/skelzies? Youse guys in Chicago got streets, you must've used them for something? Check out this site. Any of those games ring a bell?

[Foxer]

These had me hooked when young ...

 

Edited May 18, 2016 by Foxer

[Harry P.]

Come to think of it, there was also a miniature pool table that used marbles. The "cues" were these little spring-loaded things you'd pull back and release. That was kinda cool.

One of my friends had one of those.

[Harry P.]

Could be. What about stickball, slap or punchball? Or, two sewer touch football? Street hockey? How about skully/skelzies? Youse guys in Chicago got streets, you must've used them for something? Check out this site. Any of those games ring a bell?

We played slow-pitch softball in the park, on the BB diamond. Never stickball, that is definitely a Noo Yawk thing. We played touch football in the alley, whiffleball in the park's tennis courts (this was back in the day when nobody ever played tennis!)... we played Four Square (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_square), Pinner (http://uptownhistory.compassrose.org/2011/05/pinner-or-pin-er-whos-got-tennis-ball.html), and Catch One, Catch All after it got dark.

[SfanGoch]

We played slow-pitch softball in the park, on the BB diamond. Never stickball, that is definitely a Noo Yawk thing. We played touch football in the alley, whiffleball in the park's tennis courts (this was back in the day when nobody ever played tennis!)... we played Four Square, Pinner (http://uptownhistory.compassrose.org/2011/05/pinner-or-pin-er-whos-got-tennis-ball.html), and Catch One, Catch All after it got dark.

Cool link. Saw this:"rubber baseball". That is a variation of stickball.   

The ball of choice for any game requiring one was the good ole dependable Spaldeen.

Pensy Pinkiys 

were never used because they just plain sucked. They had the tendency to split in half if hit on the seam. The two halves would float through the air like flying saucers after the ball was split. Spaldeens cost a dime more; but, they were worth it.