Hey, Hey It's the Monkees- Part 546

 Just when you thought we were done with those madcap kids and their crazy GTO, I go and stumble across another one. Sorry about that.

This one is a version that I haven't covered yet, the Corgi Juniors Whizzwheels Monkeemobile! (feel free to clap). Here she is...

Here they come...driving down the street...

...getting funniest looks from....everyone they meet....

...Hey hey its the Corgi Juniors Whizzwheels Monkeemobile!

This is a pretty good example because all of the guys are inside. Amazingly, kids constantly pulled them out and lost them.

See? All four!

By the way, it's the exact same scale as the Johnny Lightning version. 

This version was made in Great Britain by Corgi Toys in 1970. It was a smaller version of their number 277 Monkeemobile, which is pretty much the exact car, only larger. 

I happened upon mine in a pile of cars (mainly Matchbox) that I picked up at a yard sale a while back. I then put them away and kind of forgot about them until I stumbled across them a couple of days ago. So, in the spirit of completeness, I bring it to you!

Speaking of completing, as a kid, I had the Corgi 277 (which I pulled the guys out of...go figure) and I might need to complete the Monkeemobile collection with one of those... hmmm...

So until next time, I'm searching for Monkee-treasure!

Waaaaaaaa-Hoooooooo!

 The item for this week is a blast from my personal past. First, a flashback (cue wavy lines in front of your eyes....)

In the 1960s in the great metropolis of Denison, Tx, the go-to party game was called Wa-Hoo! It was a simple marble board game that people said came from Arkansas. While that part might be in debate, the fact that the boards were decorated with really cool (probably no longer PC) Indian pictures is not. It was wonderful!

I can remember folks from the First Baptist Church sitting around playing at "fellowships." Times were simpler (and probably better) then. 

This is what Wiki has to say about the game...

Wahoo is a cross and circle board game similar to Parchisi that involves moving a set number of marbles around the board, trying to get them into the safety zone. The game is alleged to have originated in the Appalachian hills, but it is nearly identical to Mensch Ärgere Dich Nicht, a German board game originating in 1907. Most boards are used by four to six players. Wahoo has been a popular game for decades. Even today, custom-made boards proliferate on eBay and game manufacturer Parker Brothers has sold their own version of the game, under the title Aggravation, for decades.

Flash forward 40 years. In 2002 I wanted a Wa-Hoo board, but I couldn't find one. So, having just made a cribbage board, I decided to make my own! I had a hunk of 1/8 inch masonite on hand, and some pine trim. I drilled holes in half of the masonite and glued the other half to the bottom. Then I added the trim pieces and BAM! instant Wa-Hoo! Ok...I did do some simple "art" work too.... Here it is!

Proof of manufature date...

The marbles came from an online marble company (yes, they actually have those) and the die was in a junk drawer.

My wife and I have played hundreds of breakfast games on this board in the past twenty years or so. So, I guess it was worth the time and effort to make it!

Until next time, keep searching for (or making your own) treasure!

A Friendly Ghost of a Post!

 This blog is pretty much about Baby Boomer stuff, so I wasn't sure about posting this item that I got at a garage sale about 15 years ago. However, the subject matter falls directly into the Baby Boomer era, so I figured "why not?" By the way, that's pretty much my moto in life, and sometimes life will really explain "why not." That, however, is a blog for another day.

The item we have today was made in 1995, but the cartoon that inspired it came out in 1945, and really hit it big in the 1960s. It is....Casper the Friendly Ghost! You see, in 1995 the movie Casper came out and Trendmasters released merch to go with it...because that's just what one does. One of the items was this...

This is Casper's Whipstaff Manor Playset! Prepare for huge picture dump beginning in 5...4...3...2...1...

Side view!

The back of the home....Watch your step around the headstones!

The other side of the house...

Oh look, the front door just opened...by itself... Let's check out the inside! 

But, let me warn you to keep a sharp eye out for tricks. This house is full of them!

Before we poke around in the rooms, let's look at their stuff, shall we? As far as I can tell, the only piece that I'm missing is one of the Gostly Trio, "Stinky." Everything else seems to be there. Let's look closer at a couple of things...

The TV only has three channels. Here, we have the Western Channel...

Followed by the Rock and Roll Channel (MTV maybe?)

And this is either the Channel 6 news, or a wedding singer, or...something...

You change channels by turning the antenna.

And here we have a delightful feast laid out on a table!

Oops! Not fast enough! The Ghostly Trio just helped themselves to everything. What slobs!

Fans of a certain Disney attraction might find the organ a bit familiar... Not exact, but close!

And here we have the interior of the home. I'm sure it has wall to wall creeps and hot and cold running chills. Sorry, I couldn't help myself...

In the playroom, the toys move by turning a gear on the outside of the house.

Ah, another familiar gag!

How embarrassing!

"I think I'll just stand on this balcony over the stairs..."

"Oops! My back! Call my lawyer!"

"At least I can just walk down these stairs..."

"Except for that whole 'secret passage' thing..."

Three totally normal towers...

BOO!!! I scared you, didn't I?

Toys in the attic.

...and a secret passage behind the toy shelf!

Actually, the passage goes from behind the toy shelf, down to behind the clock, and...

...out the double side doors!

The pulled out pieces of trim on the back of the house open up the floors.

The same with the wardrobe and the fridge!

The kichen cabinets open too.

Here we have the rotating bookshelf that leads outside...

And I literally discovered this one as I was writing this post. I had no idea that there was another passage out! 

Oh, and that fourth tower that didn't have a ghost in it? It does this... Creepy moon with bats, anyone?

Here it is just sitting there...

So, now that we've had a tour, I can tell you a little more about how I came to have it. You see, sometimes when you see something, even if you don't really collect it, it still just seems cool. That was the case here. I saw it. I liked it. I bought it. 

As it turns out, the five bucks or so I spent paid off. Here's what I just found on eBay...

And those are "sold" prices. The one's with a line through them accepted an offer. There weren't many examples but 125.00 seems about right.

So, the moral is: Buy what you like. Even if it isn't worth a lot, you still enjoy it. But, you might get lucky and actually find treasure!

Until next time keep searching for...well...you know.

Another Found Disney Game

 I promise I thought I was completely out of Disney park games! I swear! And then I opened a drawer on the coffee table that I hadn't opened in a long long time and, to quote that great American philosopher, Homer Simpson, 

"D'oh!!!"

Yup. I forgot one. 

Here we have the Disney Parks Edition of Monopoly! (1st Edition). 

These came out in 2002 and were (originally, at least) only available at the parks. I'm not sure if I got mine at WDW, but I think not. I really can't remember exactly.

How much is this different than regular Monopoly? Not much at all, actually. Here are the instructions, with the "differences" page.

As you can see, most of the differences are really just modified pieces and names. Still, it's pretty neat. 

Here's what's in the box...

The colorful, very Disney, board. Note the properties are now attractions from Disneyland, WDW, or Disneyland Paris. No other parks existed yet.

The money has Disney characters on it. I wonder how good ol' Merlin got stuck on the single? He obviously needs a new agent.

Instead of Hotels, you have Castles (of course). These actually look better when you don't look this close. They look a little "melty" at this range. 

Instead of Houses, you get Main Street Buildings because...well, I'm not sure. Both sides of these look the same. I prefer them to the Castles...

Ah, the custom tokens! These are all supposed to be ride vehicles or park transportation. From the back, left to right, we have a teacup, a Haunted Mansion Doombuggie, a WDW Splash Mountain log (double wide), a train that could either be the Disneyland Railroad or Casey Jr, a ship that I at first thought referred to The Pirates of the Caribbean- but since it's supposed to be something you ride in, I guess it's from Peter Pan?, an Astro Orbiter rocket, the Monorail, and a Magic Carpets of Aladen carpet. Whew!

So we're all ready to set up and buy us some Disney, baby! ...which is, of course, exactly what they want you to really do. Especially with the "new bosses" ruining...er...running everything.

I mentioned that this was the first edition because they now have an edition that features a large fold-out castle in the middle. It looks interesting...Maybe...

Anyway, I think I'm finally really really out now. 

Until next time, keep searching for treasure...even around your house!