Corgi...James Corgi.

 A lot of times I share things that I had as a kid, but then had to reaquire due to growing up related losses. Today, though, I'm sharing an item that has literally been with me since 1969. I present, the Corgi 270 James Bond Astin Martin DB-5!

Your first response upon seeing this little gem might be "Wow, that's in rough shape!" and you would be correct. You see, this car was played with...hard. If I had to chase a bad guy off a cliff- no problem! The DB-5 flew off that cliff without a second thought! Of course, that meant that over the years the paint all chipped off, so at some point I decided to repaint it (even as a kid I was restoring stuff, I guess). That paint looked like a kid had done it (for obvious reasons) so I stripped it off again... with rather poor results.

But here she is! I purchased this car (or, rather, my mother did) from the Corgi display case at the J.C. Penny in North Park mall in Dallas in 1969. I would love to get one of those lighted display cases, but they're pretty rare. Anyway, I had never seen Goldfinger, the movie this car was from, but I knew it had a lot of "Spy Gadgets" on it, and that was good enough for me! Let's take a look, shall we?

Here she is in her banged up glory!

The tire rippers were new on this version. The earlier gold painted (Corgi originally thought silver looked too much like bare metal) car had standard rear wheels.

The bullet proof shield is activated by pressing the exhaust pipes.

That button behind the front wheel activates the machine guns and ramming bumper.

The button behind that one launches the bad guy out of the roof. Interestingly enough, as a kid, I didn't realize English cars were right hsnd drive, so I thought this was an ejection seat that Bond could use to get out of the car before it went over that cliff. Also, notice that the front bumper (which is metal) is broken off on this side. Cliffs can hurt.

Bond...James Bond in the driver's seat...as I later figured out. These figures are not the originals that came with the car. I purchased them a few years back off of eBay. They're reproductions.

Ah, yes, the other feature that the earlier Corgi Astin Marin didn't have- rotating plates.

And the bottom of the car, still insisting that it is "NEW." I suppose it is NEW...er.

So there you have it! This car has been with me through thick and thin for 57 years! I've thought about getting a cleaner example, but it wouldn't have the same meaning this one does. Besides, you've gotta stick by something that you've held on to for that long.

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Of Rockets, Books, and Men

 This week we take a look at a book. (why did I suddenly go into Dr. Seuss mode?) Anyway, I just finished this book written by Vern Estes and his daughter, Betty Estes Geer. 

If you were a kid in the 50s and 60s the space race was pretty all consuming. Space was featured on TV, toys, hobbies, and even international politics. In the late 50s, kids were handling (and igniting) dangerous chemicals in metal tubes to get their own space programs going. Unfortunately, there is a fine line between what they were making and a pipe bomb, and several kids were very badly hurt and even killed. Early hobby rockets sought to take care of that issue by producing safe kits made from lightweight materials (cardboard, balsa wood) that used single use replaceable rocket motors. G. Harry Stine and Orville Carlisle invented the system, but it took Vern Estes to create a workable company to produce and promote them.

I can remember reading my cousin's Estes catalog (I think it was the 1972 catalog 1972 Estes Catalog) and being thrilled with the wonders in it! A year or so later, my journey into model rockets began!

This book looks at the founding of the largest model rocket company in the world, Estes Industries and the blood sweat and tears (literally) that went into it. 

The title, "Dear Mr. Estes" is based on the general premise of the structure of the book, which is a young rocketeer (much like a Mouseketeer, but with fewer ear hats) would write to Vern and ask him about some aspect of the founding of the company, and he would reply with a chapter of the book. It's an interesting idea, but I don't think the book gains much from it; especially when you learn that several of the "letters" were based on memories of letters he received over the years and not actual mail. Still, it works.

The book is a pretty easy read, although it's fairly clear that the authors are not overly polished in the writing game (Vern himself says he didn't do well in English classes as school). Still, it's interesting info, especially to a kid from the 60s. 

I found out things I didn't know. For example, Vern shares how "Mable," their rocket engine making machine got it's name and how it almost killed not one, but two operators. Most of the facts were less exciting, though, but the story of the family's journey from a building contractor business in Denver to a small model rocket business in Penrose is worth the read.

So, I recommend this book, available on Amazon. 

By the way, the rocket in this picture was produced by the Semroc model rocket company a few years ago. It's based on the cover art from an early Estes catalog. VF-261 means "Vern's Fantasy February, 1961"

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

When Volvos Weren't So Safe

 Greeting from the attic!

Man, is it HOT up here! But I'm going to take a few moments away from my constant fanning to share yet another item!

Yay!

Today I have a Corgi Toys Marcos Volvo 1800! These were made from 1966 to 1969 and I had one as a kid...although not this one. What happened to the old one? Let's just say that fireworks and toys don't mix (although it's about the most American kid thing ever to try to combine them, sadly). I found this one, an exact match to mine, on eBay a few weeks ago...

Now this one isn't in the best of shape either. That windshield crack alone is pretty tough. Still it HAS a windshield, which as I recall is better than mine ended up. Still, I paid under ten bucks for it, and it rolls well and a cheap "roller" is good enough for me!

As a kid, I bought it because it looked cool. I had no idea what car (if any) it was actually based on. So, I decided to do a little research. This is what I found:

" It is a die-cast model (roughly 1:43–1:44 scale) of the Marcos 1800 GT, a British sports car introduced in 1964 by Marcos Engineering.

Key real-car details:

Fibreglass body over a unique plywood (marine plywood) chassis in the early cars.

Powered by a Volvo 1.8-litre B18 four-cylinder engine (from the Volvo P1800), producing around 96–108 hp, with an overdrive gearbox and (initially) a de Dion rear axle.

Very low-slung design with fixed seats and an adjustable pedal box; top speed roughly 116 mph (187 km/h).

Only about 100 of the Volvo-engined 1800 GTs were built before Marcos switched to Ford engines (the later 1500/1600 models). The 1800 remains the only Marcos eligible for many historic racing series and is highly regarded today.

Wikipedia"

Now fiberglass over plywood doesn't exactly sound safe, and I'm pretty sure airbags were out of the question. Also, at 86-108 hp, this was NOT a muscle car by any means, but it was probably very light, quick, and maneurverable, which is more important than raw power in European racing.

Corgi released this car in two colors, blue and white. Obviously, this is the blue one, which is slightly rarer than the white version.

More research (how DOES he do it?) shows that even in this condition they go for 20-40 bucks, so I got a good deal, I guess. 

All in all, it's a pretty cool car that fills a whole in my childhood Corgi collection, blown there by an "errant" firecracker! Kids are dumb.

Anyway, keep searching for treasure (and don't blow it up!)

Crazy (Car), Man!

 Today I'm going to feature a book that I've had a long time and is almost really cool...but not quite. 

In the late 60s and early 70s, car culture was everywhere. The wild custom "show car" craze was born on the west coast and spread over the entire U.S. By 1973, government regulations had put a huge dent in the muscle car industry, but the show cars were still going strong. It was at this moment that "The One and Only Crazy Car Book" by Sloan Walker was published.

I picked this up at a garage sale years ago, and assumed it was a Scholastic book. (I used to love those order forms that would be handed out at school every so often- and waiting for your order to come back was heaven!) However, upon closer indpection, I see it's a Young Reader's Press book. Anyway, let's take a quick look, shall we?

Upon opening, we find...

They feature the most popular show rods, plus a few lessor known builds such as the Anycar...

Both of these (and many others in the book) were plastic models. Oh, and don't read the text. You might lose a couple IQ points. I know it was written for kids, but still...yeeesh!

Zingers are kinds cool. The idea is simple; make the engine look huge by scaling down the car. By the way, I once read that an owner of a real Zinger said that while they do run, they are NOT fun to drive!

The Boothill Express is probably one of the most famous show cars ever.

I remember the Blue Flame as a kid. This was back when land speed records made national news!

Of course...

I thought it was interesting to see what the brand new presidential limo looked like in 1973.

And I really don't think "NASA specs" had much to do with this show car...

So there you have it! There are other cars that I didn't show, but you get the idea.

Now I said this book was not quite really cool. Why? Well, first the text really talks down to kids, I think, and second is that they cheaped out and printed it in black and white. One of the main attractions of these cars is their fantastic paint jobs! In this book, you would never know that.

Still the book sits in my book shelf as a testiment to a time when the crazier the cars got, the better we kids loved them!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Four Times as Fun!

 I mentioned that I have a quadrophonic stereo system that I've built over the years. Here is the paper insert from a quad album that explains about quad and features receivers that used their SQ playback system. I think it's pretty interesting...

You can click on it and zoom in to read it. It's interesting that the record company felt that people needed this information to understand the idea of quadrophonic sound. Now, of course we have surround sound, which uses 5 channels, plus a sub woofer. And that's just on our TVs! But in the late 60s to early 70s it was a really revolutionary idea. Heck, stereo (two channel) had only been around a few years at that point!

Unfortunately, quad would fail as a consumer stereo option. The different systems (QS, SQ, CD-4) were confusing and most systems could only decode one (although my Sansui receiver does all of them, it was very unusual). The systems were expensive, and the idea of surround sound was years away. 

Still, it's fun to mess with, and this humble sleave is a nice view into a time when consumers were offered an item that was poorly thought out, and they didn't want anyway!

Yay!!!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Who Loves Ya Baby?

 Today I have an item that I picked up at a thrift store years ago, just because I'd never seen it brfore. It's a mint, still in the shrink wrap, kid's record of.....Kojak!

Yes, in 1977 Peter Pan Records decided that kids loved the TV derective so much that they would buy a full length album with four "exciting" stories about him!

Now, I don't remember being all that interested in Kojak (I was more into Barney Miller, I guess), but apparently some kids liked the lollypop sucking detective enough to sit through four stories (with sound effects!) featuring actors who had never actually been on the show. 

Here is the back of the album, in all its comic book glory.

I've never opened this album (maybe I would if it were Barney Miller). Anyway I happened to find it on You Tube! I started to listen, but I got distracted by having to clip my fingernails or something. However, in my efforts to give you the ultimate experience....Well...

Here you go.

Kojak!

If you listen to all of it, let me know if I'm missing anything interesting. If you don't, I totally understand. 

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

One Degree of Disneyland

 Today's post has nothing to do with me directly, but a lot to do with my heirs!

You see, my daughter and son-in-law (Jess and Josh) happened to wander over to France (and Italy) with my grandkids and a highlight of that trip (which they're still on) is this...

Disneyland!    Paris style!!!

Now, I have very little data on these few pictures that I'm sharing that they sent me (actually they sent me more, but these are a nice collection), but I'll do what I can. I'm pretty sure there's going to be long stories to go with these...

Phantom Manor!  Tony Baxter said, "What if the Haunted Mansion had more of a story and a really creepy zombie ending?" Ok, he didn't say exactly that, but that's what happened...

Speaking of "endings" this is the exit to Phantom Manor...

Big Thunder? I think so... It goes under the lake and back up to the island. Kinda cool...

So THAT'S what they did with the Disneyland Pirate ship!

The Fantasyland entrance doesn't seem very fancy, but that's ok...

Jess scores a Pooh-Bee hat! I like saying that! Pooh-Bee, Pooh-Bee, Do!

This is why that unfancy entrance doesn't matter. The castle more than makes up for it!

My grandson, Ayden, might not have become the ruler of the kingdom, but everybody kinda is anyway, and he looks really cool trying!

My granddaughter, Kyrie, trys a bit of Disneyland Paris sweetness. She looks unsure...

It's a Small World hits a bit different in another country...

And a French "See You Later" for the fam!

As I said, she actually sent a lot more. Maybe I'll share more later! 

I might be slightly envious, but I'm mainly proud that they were able to go! Maybe someday Laurie and I will get over there too. Hopefully so!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!