I still recall seeing this friction-drive item in the window of a newsagent's while out shopping with my mother one day. I was about 3 or 4 years old and, for whatever reason, when I expressed a longing for this SUPERCAR toy, my mother bought it for me. It was seldom as easy as that, and the number of times I was given a clear "No!" far outweighed (by thousands to one) the few occasions I was indulged in my toy-box desires.
One day, I placed the FAIRYLITE (I believe) TV tie-in atop our BELLING electric fire, and the rising heat from the three bar heater warped the left wing slightly. Apart from photos like the ones shown here, I haven't seen this dearly cherished toy from childhood since around 1963, and I'd love to own it again. Do you have one? Then send it to me right away.
Are there any toys you had as a lickle kiddie-winkie that you'd like to have again? (If you could afford to fork out the immense price they'd probably command nowadays.)
Update: Finally managed to obtain one - that's it in the pictures below.
I've got fond memories of the Corgi and Matchbox cars in their little boxes - my mother told me she used to buy me a new one every week so I must have had quite a few. Also the POTA and Star Trek action figures from Palitoy, Lego that had wires attached and so little lights would come on (I can't remember much about that at all), Airfix models of R2D2 and a TIE fighter from Star Wars, Meccano...I could go on :)
ReplyDeleteI've got quite a few Matchbox cars myself. I was never much impressed by Star Wars so didn't buy any of the merchandise. Of course, I was too old to be buying toys in 1977 anyway, but I haven't let that stop me since. (Now, you're not going to delete your answer after me responding to it, are you, CJ? It makes me look as if I'm talking to myself.)
ReplyDeleteI think you're right, Kid. I think it probably WAS this one. To be sure, I would need to smell it, brand-new, straight out of the box!
ReplyDeleteThen I could give you a definite yay or nay.
Like you two, I also had a few matchbox cars. I remember my very first one was an orange cement-mixer truck from the same newsagent as my Playhour and Jack & Jill comics, and how excited I was when one day I saw the real deal drive through our city!
But my favourite toys at that young age were my toy soldiers. I had a big cardboard box full of all types!
I think I've got an Anniversary re-issue of that Matchbox cement-mixer. JP. Couldn't tell you exactly where it is at the moment 'though - somewhere up in the loft.
ReplyDeleteKid, I sent a comment last night that obviously never arrived so here's another attempt. When I was in Infants school (so aged about 6) we went on a school day-trip and we were only allowed to bring a maximum of 50p spending money. During the trip I saw a bow and arrow which I just had to have - the arrow had a sucker on the end which was supposed to stick to whatever it was fired at. Unfortunately it cost most of my money and a bit later we all went into a shop and everyone bought cakes but I had no money left which I said to the teacher, Mrs. Pedlar - and she said that it served me right for buying the bow and arrow. B*tch. But it taught me a lesson, I suppose, which is to live within my means and I've always done that (unlike a lot of people I didn't get caught out when the credit crunch/recession came 'cause I only buy what I can afford and I don't max out on credit cards).
ReplyDeleteThe comment you sent last night is at the top, CJ. If you sent another, it never reached me. And what's this credit card thing that you speak of? Is it a new invention?
ReplyDeleteA toy I associate with childhood and that I'd love to own again was a green car, made of metal but a bit bigger than a Matchbox car, with a red roofrack and doors that actually opened (incredible as it would probably sound to the youths of today, this was quite a novelty to me at the time!). Since I've no idea who made it or even what type of car it was, I'm probably unlikely to ever find one, but you never know! It's just something I associate with an innocent era, before even primary school, when the only worry I ever had was getting myself home in time to see Cartoon Cavalcade or Buck Rogers.
ReplyDeleteI would also dearly love to own one of those little plastic coffins you used to get that were full of bone-shaped sweets.
Type in die-cast cars (or Corgi/Dinky) in the search box on eBay, DD. You never know your luck - you might spot it. When I find my Great Book of Corgi, I'll take a look through it to see if your childhood car's there.
ReplyDeleteKid, the comment I'm referring to was sent after the one at the top, obviously a foul-up of some kind but never mind. And if you mean that you don't have a credit card then me neither. The debit card supplied by my bank is all I use. And I forgot to say that the bow and arrow I bought was crap (surprise, surprise) - the sucker on the end of the arrow didn't stick to anything lol.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Lord said, "Blessed are the poor, for they cannot be led into temptation."
ReplyDeleteAnd then the devil invented credit cards.
-TC
I checked my Spam file, CJ, and your comment isn't there either. It must be in the Twilight Zone. I think I've got one of those plastic bow & arrow sets somewhere.
ReplyDelete******
I know what you mean, TC, but I think the poor would be prime candidates for being led into temptation - even without credit cards.