Erector Set, Lionel Trains, my Father’s tools especially the Weller soldering guns, my Grandfather’s plumbing tools, and bicycles.
Nostalgic review of my toys in the late ‘50s, early ‘60s…how about (any period)
- Thread starter burntfrijoles
- Start date
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BryMelvin
Friend of Leo's
We used to take a roll of caps fold it back and forth so that all the gunpowder was lined up in a row. Tape it or do this lining it up on a pin so we had a home made firecracker, We would insert a match as a fuse between the folds as a fuse light the cardboard end. This was not appreciated much by parents OR the nuns at school.
We had toy guns around but weren't allowed to do much with them. All of my family had seen too much combat to tolerate pointed guns Using with caps had to be pointed to the ground just like a real gun.
Engine Swap
Poster Extraordinaire
+1 Legos, Hot Wheels, Aurora/AFX
I “won” this shirt racing a buddy on his son’s AFX track for “Champion of the Universe”.
I was wearing it at bowling last week, and a complete stranger (man of a certain age) insisted on showing me a pic of the track in his garage.
I “won” this shirt racing a buddy on his son’s AFX track for “Champion of the Universe”.
I was wearing it at bowling last week, and a complete stranger (man of a certain age) insisted on showing me a pic of the track in his garage.
BryMelvin
Friend of Leo's
As a fifties kid I remeber my brothers having lincoln logs erector sets etc.I would steal them and use them.I tended t be more of a book reader babysitter and household chore person. (I was the oldest). I was fascinated about airplanes (My Dad was a Naval Aviator) and ANYTHING I could get my hands on about people like Amelia Earhart.
I had two loves Airplanes and Music. I started on Accordion at 5. My toys were usually accordion piano woodwinds and an organ; I didn't take up guitar till around 64. I also spenta lot of timw with John Gnagy learnto draw/oil and watercor sets.I had plenty of "girl" toys but usually ignored them.
I had two loves Airplanes and Music. I started on Accordion at 5. My toys were usually accordion piano woodwinds and an organ; I didn't take up guitar till around 64. I also spenta lot of timw with John Gnagy learnto draw/oil and watercor sets.I had plenty of "girl" toys but usually ignored them.
i had similar toys as you...i had a mattel shooting shell winchester rifle...the box said ramrod...i had pony boy cap pistols...other toy guns on the market were james bond themed and generic spy themed...also just plain detective toy pistols...dont forget water pistols...mine were a 1911 style or space gun style also army pistols and sub machine guns...i had a emenee set...guitar...tambourine and maracas...all plastic
loudboy
Friend of Leo's
I had a huge Tinkertoy set, my favorite thing to play with.
The all-time crowd favorite tho, was the Carbide Cannon. I you know, you know.
The all-time crowd favorite tho, was the Carbide Cannon. I you know, you know.
burntfrijoles
Doctor of Teleocity
I'm pretty sure that's the one that I had as well. Little boys played "cowboys and Indians". I remember many of the other toys mentioned in this thread such as Lincoln logs. Seeing that soccer table game reminded me that we had those vibrating football games. Now kids have high definition computer simulations of football.
MainLine Florida
Tele-Meister
Born in 1954, so:
1. Lionel PW 027 1956 155WS Four Car Steam Set
2. Structo Trucks (Tonka was for the rich kids)
3. American Plastic Building Blocks
4. Kenner Building Sets.
5. "Big Max" conveyor belt robot toy
6. Christmas Tree Bubble Lights.
7. Porter Chemistry Set
8. "Ehrcorder" tape recorder (1960s) Japan
9 . RCA 45 RPM Bakelite record player / radio
1. Lionel PW 027 1956 155WS Four Car Steam Set
2. Structo Trucks (Tonka was for the rich kids)
3. American Plastic Building Blocks
4. Kenner Building Sets.
5. "Big Max" conveyor belt robot toy
6. Christmas Tree Bubble Lights.
7. Porter Chemistry Set
8. "Ehrcorder" tape recorder (1960s) Japan
9 . RCA 45 RPM Bakelite record player / radio
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It was rare for them to advance the roll more than a few times. I remember using rocks or my dad’s hammer on them in the driveway.
Me and my rifle in ‘63.
My racetrack in ‘66.
My racetrack in ‘66.
Back in the 70s we had Silly String, Jarts, Kerbangers and other safe toys. 
Micronauts were huge back in the late 70s. Most kids I knew and played with had far more Micronauts than Star Wars figures.
Micronauts were huge back in the late 70s. Most kids I knew and played with had far more Micronauts than Star Wars figures.
Engine Swap
Poster Extraordinaire
Wore this one out having jumping distance contests in the basement. After a certain point, it was more Scotch tape than motorcycle.
Had to go searching for these toy guns I once had.
This was the coolest cap gun I ever had...you loaded strip caps into a magazine and they ejected out of the top.
And a 1903 Kadet training rifle. The bolt works and there's a little wooden bullet inside.
This was the coolest cap gun I ever had...you loaded strip caps into a magazine and they ejected out of the top.
And a 1903 Kadet training rifle. The bolt works and there's a little wooden bullet inside.
BristolKeeno
Tele-Holic
I'll never forget losing my Evel Knievel motorcycle and posable Evel... I mean, How'd lose something like that? It's not like it's a marble or something small. Someone must have pinched itWore this one out having jumping distance contests in the basement. After a certain point, it was more Scotch tape than motorcycle.
Ed Driscoll
Friend of Leo's
These were pretty hopeless to actually play, but they certainly looked cool, before turning on the power and watching all the little men suddenly get a massive case of St. Vitus' Dance:
I had one and my friends had 'em and I honestly don't remember those things ever working.
Ed Driscoll
Friend of Leo's
Back when Star Wars fever was so incredibly high, Kenner, caught by surprise over the film's enormous popularity and endless legs at the box office that year, could sell millions of boxes filled with cardboard sheets while kids waited for the action figures to finally arrive months later: Revisiting 1977's toyless first 'Star Wars' Christmas 40 years later — an inside account.
Happy Enchilada
Poster Extraordinaire
Lots of various cowboy and army toy guns. We'd spend hours shooting at each other and having a ball. Today someone would call the cops ...
Once I discovered Aurora Thunderjet HO-scale slotcars, I was smitten.
All us paperboys would save up our milk money and take the bus downtown to the hobby shop.
There we'd rent time on their big multi-lane tracks and race and hot rod our cars.
Regular TJets were $3 and Tuff Ones (hotter armatures, slicks, etc.) were $4.
When AFX cars appeared, they were $4 as well. So we had bunches of them.
And controllers and parts. Filling up our tackleboxes we took to the track.
I still have some of the stuff from back then.
But later as an adult, I found some guys who raced locally.
Mostly the newer cars, but some still played with TJets.
Several companies (Playing Mantis/Johnny Lightning, AutoWorld, LifeLike) make TJet replicas now.
So the hobby lives - but it is nowhere as popular as it was in the day.
I read somewhere that half of all US households had some kind of HO slot track and virtually every town had a hobby store with rental tracks.
Today I have several boxes of useable lock and joiner track if anybody's interested.
I also have a bunch of cars and parts.
I heard that when Aurora stopped selling TJets there were literally millions of chassis sitting around.
These have been bought up by various entities and resold over the years.
These are selling online for $50!
Johnny Lighting and AutoWorld make new versions, which I think are better engineered.
But everything still operates the same - old pancake motor and all.
Now I'm wondering if there's enough space in the basement to set up a track ...
Once I discovered Aurora Thunderjet HO-scale slotcars, I was smitten.
All us paperboys would save up our milk money and take the bus downtown to the hobby shop.
There we'd rent time on their big multi-lane tracks and race and hot rod our cars.
Regular TJets were $3 and Tuff Ones (hotter armatures, slicks, etc.) were $4.
When AFX cars appeared, they were $4 as well. So we had bunches of them.
And controllers and parts. Filling up our tackleboxes we took to the track.
I still have some of the stuff from back then.
But later as an adult, I found some guys who raced locally.
Mostly the newer cars, but some still played with TJets.
Several companies (Playing Mantis/Johnny Lightning, AutoWorld, LifeLike) make TJet replicas now.
So the hobby lives - but it is nowhere as popular as it was in the day.
I read somewhere that half of all US households had some kind of HO slot track and virtually every town had a hobby store with rental tracks.
Today I have several boxes of useable lock and joiner track if anybody's interested.
I also have a bunch of cars and parts.
I heard that when Aurora stopped selling TJets there were literally millions of chassis sitting around.
These have been bought up by various entities and resold over the years.
These are selling online for $50!
Johnny Lighting and AutoWorld make new versions, which I think are better engineered.
But everything still operates the same - old pancake motor and all.
Now I'm wondering if there's enough space in the basement to set up a track ...
Got this age five or six.
Not really a normal kid!
Not really a normal kid!
Knows3Chords
Poster Extraordinaire
Got one of these for Christmas. My friends would all come over and we would have tournaments. We would make the brackets on a chalk board and the competition was fierce. I remember my Mom at the top of the basement stairs telling us to take it down a notch more than a few times.
