Toys Of Christmas Past

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Evel was visiting Deming, NM about 1965--doing a show at the local dragstrip. My dad was a bartender at the motel in town where he was staying and brought him home to party after the bar closed. Woke me up in the middle of the night telling me to come meet the guy who was going to jump a motorcycle over the Grand Canyon. We went and saw his show on Sunday, but I just kind of said yeah, yeah, yeah and went back to bed.

We used to set up bicycle jumps to mimic him. Many gnarly but glorious crashes were experienced lol

 

[Concerned American]

We used to set up bicycle jumps to mimic him. Many gnarly but glorious crashes were experienced lol

Yeah, I remember. I knew a kid that thought he was Evel Knievel and convinced a kid to lay on the ground while he jumped his 20" stingray over him. Big mistake. He landed the rear wheel right in the middle of the poor kid's back. No real damage to the kid, but scared the shit out of us just the same. It's a wonder more of us didn't die horrible deaths. LOL.

 

[fncceo]

The erector set Ferris Wheel had a 120v electric motor that, in a moment of scientific curiosity, I shorted and blew all the fuses in the house.

 

[fncceo]

 

[fncceo]

 

[deannalw]

My lil brother once did the best stunt ever on his banana seated bike with the long handle bars.

On accident, but it was still the talk of the neighborhood.

 

[petro]

Got this exact slot car set back in 76.

Now someone wants $276 on Ebay for a working set.

 

[petro]

I remember having this one..

Bunch of sharp stabby sticks and marbles to choke on, the sticks were handy to poke in the eye of your opponent if you lost.

 

[excalibur]

Remco Bulldog Tank (large version).

 

[Mr Natural]

I had a thing for Lionel Trains.

 

[excalibur]

Another year, an Ideal Astro Base. This is not me in the picture, just taken off the internet.

 

[excalibur]

 

[daveman]

Those Kenner racers were wicked fast

I always wanted a steam engine, but it was not to be

I was the happiest kid in Kentucky when I got the steam engine. It was so cool.

 

[daveman]

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Vintage Barbie
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I had an Erector set, the American version of the Meccano.

 

[daveman]

Everyone remembers these.

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Ummm...what the heck is that?!

 

[daveman]

One of the first video game consoles. Mine, however, had a Western Auto badge on it, because that's where Mom bought it.

 

[Concerned American]

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Vintage Barbie
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I actually met a guy once who didn't know what a skate key was. I was amazed.

 

[Concerned American]

Ummm...what the heck is that?!

I didn't know either--guessing it's a magnet.

 

[daveman]

I didn't know either--guessing it's a magnet.

Could be. I feel bad, though -- I'm supposed to know what it is.

 

[OldLady]

Here's some of the cooler toys I remember getting and can find pictures of as a kid for Christmas. My parents always got me the wildest stuff.

This was literally a jet cockpit.

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Everyone remembers these.

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I was too young to remember having this and only have pictures my dad took of me playing with it, but my folks told me I just LOVED it.

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And of course, the quintessential Gilbert chemistry set complete in metal carrying case.

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I added to it all kinds of other stuff not seen here, beakers, flasks, tubing, bunsen burnerr, all of course freely available right at my local drug store. I also had a Gilbert microscope which I still have and years ago added a stereo head to it and adapted it to use quality eyepieces. It actually is pretty effective.

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And perhaps my most favorite toy of all time, a 60mm TASCO refractor telescope.

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Those were the days.

What is that? Looks vaguely familiar.