#1043 YATMING – WRECK TRUCK and HEAVY DUTY TIPPER TRUCK (Around 1975 and 1990)

Yatming has a series of trucks with different loads attached to it. Some people say, they are based on the Ford F600 Cab, while other people think it resembles more an Isuzu cab from the late 70s. Honestly, I think it is the second one, as the two rectangles on the front of the cab are typical of the Japanese company, but I am not an expert in trucks and even less in Japanese trucks. Maybe the next picture helps with the identification...

These models were released in the mid-80s and carried reference numbers ranging from 1351 to 1359. There were, of course, other truck models but these were the oldest. As it is usual in this die-cast manufacturer, the models were available during a long period of time, many years, in fact, so you can find them Made in Hong Kong or Made in China, with metal or plastic bases and also with different colour variants.

I only have these two:
 
1352 Wreck Truck (Made in Hong-Kong) still has its hook and is in a very good shape. With metallic base. The hook oscillates back and forth, but the black base is firmly attached to the cab. It can carry one car, but not every car, as the hook is too high for most models and, as a results, the truck drags whatever load it is.

1358 Heavy Duty Tipper Truck (Made in China), with plastic base. Interestingly, both share the same wheels, even though there are, at least, 10 years between one and the other. The bed is practicable.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: WRECK TRUCK and HEAVY DUTY TIPPER TRUCK (No. 1352 and 1358)
• Scale: Around 1:100
• Year: Around 1975 and 1990
• Company: YatMing (Hong-Kong/China)
• Size: approx. 7 cm

#1042 THE LOST WORLD – PACHYCEPHALOSAURUS and GIANT PTERANODON (1997)

Unlike the toyline for Jurassic Park, the toyline for The Lost World included many dinosaurs WITH accessories. These were in all cases some kind of mechanical invention to prevent the dinosaur from attacking humans. Something like a giant muzzle. This part was, of course, easily detachable, so you could play the “dinosaur has release itself, let´s run” scene. Additionally, all of them could perform some action feature. For this movie, there were many dinosaurs made, I will show today two of the “big ones”, although there were many others in this size or even bigger.
 
Although the dinosaurs are not so hard to find, these accessories (traps, muzzles and so on) are really scarce. They are mostly grey parts with strange shapes that nobody could identify, so most of them were probably disposed sometime by the early 2000s, remaining only the dinosaurs. Many are probably mixed up with parts of other collections, as they could belong to any toy. The two dinosaurs I show today are complete.
 
Let´s start with the Pachycepahlosaurus. The dinosaur is really cool, and has one of the funniest and most interesting features (despite its simplicity) among the references in this toyline. It is a lot of fun to “head out” all other figures and dinosaurs one after the other. The dinosaur has an impressive size (It should be at scale to the humans in the collection), and a soft plastic skin (except the head and neck part), that makes it nice to play with. I guess it is one of those toys that sooner or later will degrade and break down. It belongs to a sub-series of the dinosaurs called Dino Strike, which included all dinosaurs with some mechanical attack action feature.

The accessories include a harness to be attached to the body of the dinosaur, plus a piece that fits the head with two bars that connect the harness and that piece. It is supposed to simulate a trap for the neck of the Pachy, so it cannot attack anybody with its head.

The Giant Pteranodon is also made at scale, and it is impressive in its size. The wings are partially made of cloth, so the toy, altogether, is not very heavy. The head is big and the beak can open and close. The wings also flap by pushing a button, and the small rear legs also move up and down, where the claws can grab something.  I am not sure what is the point on this, but the wings can be clipped to the body of the flying reptile. Maybe it is just a way to securely place it in the box, because the “sitting” position of such a creature is thought to be with the wings bent on the sides of the body, perpendicular to the ground, not parallel. 

The toy came with a muzzle and a small harness that fitted all four limbs to immovilize the beast.

Somo more diorama pictures:

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: PACHYCEPHALOSAURUS and GIANT PTERANODON
• Toy Line: The Lost World (Wave 1)
• Year: 1997
• Company: Kenner (U.S.A.)
• Scale of the figures: Around 11 cms

#1041 WL SPEEDRIVE – FORMULA RACERS (Around 1987)

These two models were made by Summer and then by Tintoys. Later, they were marketed under the Speedrive brand and the name “Free-Wheeling Formula Racer”. I have two different which I received from my friend Steven (visit his Motorcade), and what I like most about them is the illustration made for the blister, in the style of the  early 80s (although I think these blisters are from the late 80s). It is always very difficult to correctly identify formula 1 die-cast models from Hong-Kong and China, as they tend to be generic casts reused for decades (with maybe several distinctive features of real cars) and exist in several colours and decorations each. Some collectors classify the cars on the stickers and race numbers (whenever possible), others simply discard all cars which do not clearly represent a real model (fantasy models, so to speak).

Let´s speculate a bit. This is what I think. One of them is supposed to be the John Player Special Lotus 72 from 1975, although with oversized exhaust pipes. The other one could be a Brabham BT46 or BT46B, as the illustration with RN7 and red/blue colour seems to suggest. The toy is painted blue and carries “PAUL” stickers that do not relate to any known racing car or pilot. In both cases, the models are older than the toy, which I guess was made in the mid to late 80s.

The Speedrive brand sold toy cars based on casts by MC Toys, Realtoy and others under different subcategories, such as the mentioned “Formula Racer” (formula ones), “Super Truck” (short trucks), “Heavy Cab” (trailer trucks) or “Speed Wheels” (generic, may also include trucks). The steering wheel logo was updated in a more 90s style (with a big “S” in blue) at an unknown date.

I also have this Ford Escort Cabrio by the same brand. I bought it a flea market, because I recognized the Matchbox knock-off. In other conditions, I would have left the car where it was, because the quality is not very high.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: FORMULA RACERS + FORD ESCORT CABRIO
  
• Scale: 1:64
• Year: Around 1987
• Company: Speedrive (Hong-Kong)
• Size: approx. 7 cm

#1040 KINDER SURPRISE – TRAKTOR POWER RACE (2003)

This a complete series (it comprised only three models) of fantasy tractor dragsters made by Ferrero for their famous chocolate eggs. I do not collect them and they are too new for this blog, but I liked them so much, that I decided to keep them.

They are relative simple and carry plain bright colours. They are all made up of three pieces that fit each other (one of them chromed) plus the wheels. They are inexpensive (as most Ferrero surprise toys currently are), but not very easy to find…

Not much to more to say about them, except that they recall me to some Micro Machines, such as there here. There are not many scale models of drag tractor vehicles, either real or fantastic ones.

FACTS AND FIGURES

• Name: TRAKTOR POWER RACE
• Scale: unknown scale
• Year: 2003
• Company: Ferrero (Italy)
• Size: approx. 4 cm

#1039 BRAVESTARR – MARSHALL BRAVESTARR (1987)

There is not much I can say about Bravestarr which has not been told already one hundred times. We all know more or less what this toyline (and the corresponding cartoons) is/are about, and which the characters that were made into a figure are.

I do not collect this specific figures, but as I usually get many figures in lots, exchanges, flea markets and so on, I have come through them many times. I have a couple of figures and many accessories, and I decided to keep this one, as 1) is complete, 2) is the main character of the story, also the one that gives name to the series, 3) I have very few figures in this size. As it usually happens, once you have a figure, you want more, and I’d really like to complete Tex Malone/Tex Hex or get more characters for my collection.

And maybe the size is its most interesting feature, as these were completely out of fashion at the time. Mattel was about to discontinue Masters of the Universe and needed something new. G.I. Joe was among the most popular lines of the day, and the Ninja Turtles were about to appear. That is why these figures were so amazing when you saw them in 1987, they were different from everything else. Of course, Action Man came before (and also after), or many other action figures had this size (or even bigger) before, but most children were not aware of this. 

Unfortunately, the toyline didn’t make it very well, and there were not many references made. Probably it was the price, and also the concurrence from the actions figures mentioned above. It was a hard time for new figures, especially being not compatible with the other toylines. However, Mattel did a good work and gave this toys great action features, nice packaging, cool accessories, vehicles and playsets, not to forget that paperwork that imitates a newspaper.

The figures, may look a bit bulky and not so well articulated today, but they are still very cool. They are also very sought after collectables, especially since 5-7 years. Before that, it was common to see them boxed for sale on eBay or similar websites.

In this entry, I am presenting the main character Marshall Bravestarr, a Native American with superpowers when he calls upon the power of spirit animals: the strength of a bear, the eyes of the hawk, the speed of a puma and the ears of a wolf. The figure came in a box with a window and included the following accessories: vest, cowboy hut, rifle, gun (called neutra-laser pistol, that can be attached to his right leg) and two pieces of kerium, the mineral that was extracted in the planet New Texas. The kerium is an energy source and it is one source of conflict between the evil characters and those representing or standing with the law. All characters came with one or two pieces of this transparent red material.

The figure has a button on the back that is used to lift its arm, as if it was a gunfight duel in the Wild West, and is articulated with swivel arm, although there is no hips articulation and the legs’ one could be improved. I took some pictures outside, and I think they are great.

And last but not least, a VHS tape with adventures from was the very first tape I rented on a videoclub, maybe around 1991 or 1992.

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: MARSHALL BRAVESTARR
• Toy Line: Bravestarr (Wave 1)
• Year: 1987
• Company: Mattel (U.S.A.)
• Size of the figures: 25 cm approx.

#1038 PILEN – MASERATI GHIBLI (MOD. 507) (1973)

This model is the original one from 1973 and it looks great, as most models from this manufacturer and that approximate year do. As a matter of fact, the Pilen models from the 70s are comparable in quality to other European brands of the time. This is acknowledged by most collectors, and is reflected on the prices that are paid for models in mint condition.

This model was found in Austria, which also shows that Pilen was also successful beyond the Spanish borders at a time, when other better known players were stronger as they have ever been.

The car is a Maserati Ghibli and it is done out of the Politoys’ cast, as Pilen at some point bought them from the Italian die-cast manufacturer.

This version is painted in burgundy red and as the same detail level as the first Politoys model, although some parts are different (the wheels for example are casted without real radii/radiuses). Looks great with its opening doors!

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: MASERATI GHIBLI (MOD. 507)  
• Scale: 1:43
• Year: 1973
• Company: Pilen (Spain)
• Size: approx. 9 cm