1971...In Progress...

In my Redline Hot Wheels journey, I have passed 1968, 1969, and 1970. However, I'm still working on 1971. However, I do have about 21 cars from that year, so I figured I would start to share a few. So, here are the first three...

The AMX/2 was an American Motors concept car. The Hot Wheels version has opening back plastic hatches over the engine. Mine has good color, but some edge wear.

The Boss Hoss is a customized Ford Mustang. Mine is pretty clean with good color and stickers. It does have a few "flea bites."

Finally, we have the Bugeye! This car is pure fantasy and features an opening back hatch over the engine. I
would call mine "light lime" with plenty of edge wear.

So there you have it! More to come! Keep searching for treasure!

Takin' It To The Bank

On this edition of The Attic, we're going to look at the latest addition to my bank collection...a mint-in-box Callen Armored Truck Bank! I found this die cast bank on eBay and just followed it to see what it would go for. When it didn't even break twenty bucks (with shipping), I went ahead and pulled the trigger.

Now, a lot of items in the attic are either things that are left over from my childhood, or things that I wanted as a kid. In this case, however, I had never seen this bank before. I DID recognize some items featured on the back of the box, though...

So, let's take a look, shall we?

These banks seem to have been made from the 1950's to the 1970's. This colorful box seems very 1970's to me. 

Although I had not seen this bank, I did own a few Cap Gernades growing up, and I think my cousin had the Pirate Cannon. The Pirate Chest looks like one in my collection, but it's actually the Callen version of that bank and mine isn't. I've never seen the Cash Box.

Here it is in all its die cast glory! It measures about 5 inches by 2 and a half inches by 2 and a half inches. 

The bank features a "hidden panel" that opens without a key to get your treasure out. In reality, the panel isn't very "hidden" since you can clearly see it on the back of the armored car. The clanking it makes when you pick the car up just makes even more sure that you don't miss it!

The panel might not be hidden, but there IS a trick to getting it open. The rear axel keeps it closed. Therefore, you have to pull a rubber wheel off...

...pull the axel to the side...

...and open it up!

So there you have it! It now sits on the piano with my other banks. I haven't fed it a penny yet, but as soon as I have one, I will!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Traveling With Disney!

It's winter. It's cold. It's dark. And I'm thinking Summer Road Trip!!!

This week I have an item for you that I've had for a while, but it still brings a smile to my face. It's the Wonderful World of Disney Magazine (presented by Gulf Service Stations) This book was the perfect companion for a road trip to Disneyland (or other places, since it featured different American locations). It was chock full of stories, puzzles, jokes, and (let's face it) Disney advertisements (which we loved).

Now this particular edition (volume one, number four, 1970) focuses on the newly opened Haunted Mansion! It even has a section on America's Haunted Houses as a tie in! So here is a small sample from this fantastic magazine!

The cover has a great illustration of our favorite haunt!

If you read through the contents you will see there is a lot of fun stuff in here!

Ooooooohhhhhh.....Spooky!

I love the skeletons from "Skeleton Dance" dancing across the page...

A little plug for a certain tv show...

Comics? Sure, we've got that!

I'm not sure if the "Monster of the Month" was an ongoing thing, but I think this is a weird choice.

Recruiting the little ones for a ink and paint career?

Even Goofy shorts get a nod here!

Everybody sing along!

And a movie plug!

I like this ad. It just seems happy to me!

How early 1970's can you get? About as much as this back cover!

So there is your taste. There is actually much more. I like the idea of having this in the car as my family made the long trip to Disneyland. The only problem is that I can't read in the car. I get sick as a dog. Still, maybe I could have read it in the motel room on the stops on the way. Anyway, it's a good dream!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Some Minty Fresh Hot Wheels!

Years ago, a vintage toy store opened up a few miles from my house. The owner bought a ton of carded, unopened Hot Wheels dating from the mid 1970's to the mid 1980's. Since he knew I was a "Hot Wheels guy" he asked me to price them. With my Tomart's guide in hand, I went through the several hundred cars and deemed their worth.

In appreciation, the owner gave me eight cars whose packages had become damaged, and that he didn't want to bother with selling (remember he had a few hundred mint packages). Unfortunately now, almost twenty years later, the shop is no longer there. However I still have my "blister pull" mint cars. And here they are...

1978 A-OK

1979 Auburn 852

1980 T-Totaller

1981 Kenworth Steering Rig

1982 Old Number 5

1982 Stutz Blackhawk

1983 Classic Packard

1983 '67 Camaro

Now although my true interest with Hot Wheels lies in the years 1968 through 1972, these still have an honored place in my collection since I can honestly say that none have ever been played with. You just are not going to find better examples of these cars. Therefore, they spend their days safely behind glass.

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!!!

The year was 1971. I had just moved to Garland, Texas from Denison, Texas with my family. I was in the third grade, and it was Christmas Eve. The family was all gathered at my Aunt Sandra and Uncle Duke's house in Irving, Texas for our yearly Christmas Eve Gift Extravaganza! (Ok, it was actually just the Christmas family get together, but to a kid, the first name seems more appropriate). I don't really remember most of what I got that year, but I do remember one item...but let me back up first.

The summer before, my grandparents had taken my older cousin Greg and myself to Arkansas. While there, we toured the Daisy BB gun plant in Rogers. I seem to remember that they had a little museum and a store, but none of it is in real sharp focus all these years later. Now, we flash back forward...

My grandfather handed my cousin and I packages that were about a foot by a foot and a half long and about three inches deep. Now these might have been shirt boxes (groan), except that they had a bit of heft to them. We ripped into them and found that we had each gotten one of the coolest gifts ever! In each box was a brand new Daisy 179 Spitting Image BB pistol!
You see, when we were at the Daisy plant, my grandfather had slipped back in as we were leaving and bought us each one for Christmas!

It has now been 46 years since that day, but for Christmas 2017, I own the gun again. You see, I had been on the lookout for one on eBay for quite a while. I needed good condition and a reasonable price. Those two things don't often go together. However, one came up and I bid, and I won! Here she is:

The Daisy 179 is a pretty good copy of a real Peacemaker.

Yep, it's a Daisy!

Daisy made the 179 from the early 1960s to the late 1980s, with slight modifications. For a gun with such a long run, they still go for a fairly hefty price, so I was lucky to find this one. As far as shooting your eye out goes, you would have to really work at it. This gun is extremely weak, and really just a target plinker. Still, it looks and feels great, plus you can't beat the nostalgia factor.

So, with collecting, you really can visit the Ghost of Christmas Past. Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Just Burning Time...

This week I'm going to share something a little different. A few years ago, my beautiful wife gave me a clock for my birthday. Now this was no ordinary clock, of course. This is it:

This is a Mastercrafters 272 Fireplace Clock. This clock was probably made in the 1950's and features a illuminated rotating cylinder that simulates a roaring fire.

Mastercrafters made clocks starting right after WWII and continued for quite a few years. They usually produced "novelty" clocks, and their three biggest sellers were a clock that featured a swinging little girl, a clock with an animated waterfall, and this one.

These can still be found fairly easily on eBay, but as with any vintage collectible, condition and working order is everything. For example, that gold plastic grate in front of the fireplace is often missing, and that will drop the price about 50 bucks.

Mine is complete and still works great! I think my wife did a great job with this find! Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Little Lost Corgis

Ok, these are not really lost, but I did leave them off of my recent Corgi post. So, in the spirit of completeness, I offer you these!

This is a Raygo Rascal Road Roller. It's about five inches long and weighs about three tons. Not really, but it feels like it!

A 57 Chevy highway patrol car? Sure, why not? This is about the same size as the Road Roller...

If it's good enough for the highway patrol, it's good enough for the Chicago Fire Department!

I might have shared this one before, but I can't remember. Anyway this is the Corgi Juniors version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It's about two inches long and is missing one wing and Mr. Potts. Oh well....

Another Corgi Junior, this Daimler Scout Car has a gunman that flops side to side with gravity...

Finally, we have a Volkswagen Kubelwagen. Although it isn't marked as a Corgi Junior, it is the same size. It also has a lot of neat detailing.

So there you have it! I think that covers all of my current Corgis. However, if I find any more, I'll let you know!

Until next time keep searching for treasure!