#525 Zylmex – Minibikes: Bridgestone Ten Speed (H381) (Around 1981)

This is a rather special toy, I had seen around of its variety years ago, precisely this is the solely toy/scale bike I own. I bought it lately for rattling piddling money.

The wheel is made past times Zylmex, in all likelihood past times the early on 80s, although I must admit, this is non a rattling educated guess,

The toy itself is a die-cast bicycle, it is made of many unlike parts, in addition to the assembly must convey been laborious, authorities notation that the seat, pedals, handlebars, tyres… are dissever parts. Some are made of plastic, precisely they are solely a few in addition to produce non deport upon the sturdiness of the bike.

The close impressive item are of course of report the operating pedals that deed the parent wheel, that means, the bike chain (which is made of rubber) transmits the travail of the pedals to the wheels, in addition to from the wheels to the pedals. The handles of the handlebars are painted black. Also prissy are the few stickers (four pieces) that the bike has.

The box looks great, alongside a prissy desing from the like shooting fish in a barrel 70s depicting 2 cyclists. Each box was “customized” alongside i sticker according to the model within the box. The wheel is firmly fixed inwards the box past times way of a plastic inlay.

There were at to the lowest degree i redesign of the box, that could live fifty-fifty older, since around send the Zee logo.
The available models inwards the Minibikes Series past times Zylmex were:

• H381 Bridgestone x Speed
• H382 Huffy Tradewind
• H383 Royce Union
• H384 Motocross

This serial seems to live similar a “spin-off” of the Motorbikes Series likewise past times Zylmex, which used the same parcel design, in addition to that likewise featured famous motorbikes inwards 1:24 scale, similar Guiloy (see #31 in addition to #103) or Mercury (see #2).

FACTS AND FIGURES

• Name: BRIDGESTONE x SPEED (H381)
• Scale: 1:20
• Year: Around 1981
• Company: Zylmex (Hong-Kong)
• Size: approx. x cm

#535 X-Changers - Battlehawks Skywing (1986)

MONTH OF THE BOOTLEG AT TOYS FROM THE PAST!

Since the entry nearly the Cosmic Cowboys has had a non bad success together with thus far, I volition issue straight off some other entry talking nearly a similar figure.

The Battlehawks are some other toyline based on the X-Changers yesteryear Acamas Toys together with Spearhead Industries. In this case, the trouble is future-themed, together with its primary characters are bird-alike creatures or birdmen, only at that spot are besides 1 grapheme that resembles a tiger together with some other 1 that resembles a wolf.

Again, at that spot are 2 factions, the heroic Battlehawks (Star Hawk, Skywing together with Hawklord) together with the evil forces (Nighthawk, Star Prowler together with Iron Wolf) handle for the command of the cities inward planet Falconstarr. There is a overnice storey inward the cardback that recalls the origins of Night Hawk together with theabilities of each fellow member of each faction.

These figures ares, every 2d explained inward the Cosmic Cowboys entry, made of plastic together with convey some the size of a Master of the Universe. The particular characteristic of this toyline together with all the other X-Changers lines is that the arms together with legs tin live snapped off together with on, together with exchanged amongst other figures.

The solely figure I ain is Skywing, the “master of flying together with agility together with faithful protector of Falconstarr’s heaven cities”. Each figure came amongst some accessories, inward this case, Skywing came amongst a majestic cloak (made of a tissue that seems to live plastic, or a plastic that looks similar cloth), together with a foreign staff. According to pictures that I could detect on the internet, all battlehawks came amongst some form of materials or small-scale gun together with mayhap a harness or wings.

The figure is actually non bad together with every 2d the Cosmic cowboys is rattling rare to detect consummate together with rattling expensive anyway. This knock-off trouble was produced inward rattling curt numbers together with today amongst the collectors of MOTU KOs they are rattling sought after.

I link hither an interesting article inward a spider web log that I would recommend yous all to follow: Knock-Off Collector.

FACTS together with FIGURES:

• Name: SKYWING
• Toy Line: BATTLEHAWKS (X-CHANGERS)
• Year: 1986
• Company: Acama Toys Ltd. (Great United Kingdom of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland / Hong Kong), Spearhead Industries Inc. (U.S.A.)
• Size of the figures: 5½’’ or 12 cm

#536 Sohbi – Lancia Stratos (D-E16) In Addition To Volkswagen Golf Game Mk1 (D-E17) (Around 1995)

MONTH OF THE BOOTLEG AT TOYS FROM THE PAST!

SOHBI is a Hong Kongese die-cast toy manufacturer that I discovered alone a few months ago. In a flea marketplace position I constitute an orangish VW Golf that caught my attention… it was beautifully casted, but on the baseplate in that location was no data at all apart from a logo alongside the give-and-take SOHBI. I idea a VW Golf would ever live a VW Golf as well as bought it. It represents the model from the mid 80s, the i at i time known every bit MK1 or start generation (1974-1983), the same that Majorette as well as Matchbox (among others) reproduced.

This model is genuinely a knock-off of the model made past times MC Toy, or maybe, SOHBI purchased the casts from MC Toy, when they didn’t postulate it anymore, which is also possible.

The Lancia Stratos is a knock-off of a Zylmex model, but it could also live the same example every bit above. I would similar to ain either the MC Toy Golf or the Zylmex Stratos to compare the casts thoroughly, but correct now, I don’t.

Both models include really prissy as well as detailed interiors, every bit good every bit windshields as well as windows, which is something really rare nowadays inwards budget die-cast models.

The companionship SOHBI was founded inwards 1984, as well as is focused on die-cast toys as well as novelties products, similar plastic playsets or keychains. They are exporting their products to every corner of the world. Despite beingness a Hong Kongese company, their manufacturing flora is located inwards DongGuan, a Chinese metropolis alone 10 kilometers away from the edge to Hong-Kong.

The wheels used are their ain design, they are non similar to MC Toy, as well as hold back perhaps similar to but about Zylmex models. Suspension uses a similar machinery to Majorette models, but it is slightly besides soft for my standards. Cars are also tampographied, although inwards the VW Golf case, that tampography is worn as well as lost.

I’d similar to cite that the tampographies of the Lancia Stratos are genuinely funny: “Sosoline Gasoline Supplier”, “Can’t Catch My Tail” as well as “The Best Gasoline inwards the World”.

The appointment is a pure estimation, I am non genuinely certain when were these 2 cars made.

UPDATE: Newly found VW Golf versin past times Sohbi alongside prissy ornament "Rettung 144", made expressely for the High German market.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: LANCIA STRATOS (D-E16) as well as VOLKSWAGEN GOLF MK1 (D-E17)
• Scale: 1:64 (approx.)
• Year: Approx. 1995
• Company: Sohbi (Hong-Kong/ China)
• Size: approx. 3’’ or seven cm

#539 Strategic Innovation – Ability Drag Robot (Around 1987)

MONTH OF THE BOOTLEG AT TOYS FROM THE PAST!

 

The cease of the 80s were the golden years of Transformers inward Europe in addition to North America. As a result, enough of plastic knock-off in addition to bootleg robots were available inward inexpensive toy stores at that time. Then, most of these toys were nonetheless beingness manufactured inward Hong-Kong, only the outset Made inward PRC toys were already appearing.

In this case, this robot is non a knock-off in addition to perchance non fifty-fifty a bootleg, since it is an ain designed model. The robot comprises 2 vehicles/parts that tin live combined every bit a "Gestalt". Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 futuristic reddish motorcycle turns to legs in addition to head, in addition to a bluish dragster auto turns to breast in addition to arms. They must live combined to shape a unique robot, which, inward my opinion, looks great, only each business office separately is no consummate robot.

I bought the bluish auto a long fourth dimension agone every bit a business office of a Transformers lot, only the motorcycle was much to a greater extent than hard to find. At first, I idea that the auto was incomplete, or that I didn´t know how to transform it correctly, only searching the meshwork for "Drag-4" I finally works life pictures of the toy, then I knew I had to hold back for roughly other part: the motorcycle or "Drag-3". Now it´s consummate at habitation in addition to beingness displayed inward a drinking glass cabinet.
DRAG-3

DRAG-4

Unfortunately, at that topographic point is zilch I tin nation nearly the toymaker. I cause got seen other transformable robots inward like boxes, only at that topographic point seems to live no data at all nearly the manufacturer inward the box. Note how poorly written it is, they fifty-fifty misspelled the parent of the robot (Darg instead of Drag). I don't fifty-fifty know if at that topographic point are Drag-1 in addition to Drag-2!

All pictures of the parcel are taken from todocoleccion.net

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: POWER DRAG ROBOT
• Toy Line: Strategic Plan (?)
• Year: Around 1987
• Company: Unknown Manufacturer (Hong Kong)
• Size of the figure: Around xv cm (both parts inward robot mode)

#552 Yatming - Honda F1 (1301), Ferrari F1 (1302) Too Brabham Bt 44 F1 (1309) (Around 1970 Too 1975)

Yatming made non alone cars, exactly too F1, populace plant machines, as well as many other vehicles inwards several scales. The 13xx Series included 12 Formula Ones (1301 to 1312) from the 60s as well as 70s. The initiatory off references appear to survive older, similar destination of the 60s, spell the higher references are cars from the mid-70s. Were they all made at the same fourth dimension or inwards ii or to a greater extent than unlike years? Probably the trouble was launched at the outset of the 70s as well as extended yesteryear the mid-70s.

The initiatory off ii references are the Honda as well as the Ferrari. The initiatory off inwards marked on the base of operations "Honda", the mo i is non marked "Ferrari". Both models are marked Yatming as well as the reference number, exactly the Honda is Made inwards Hong-Kong, as well as the Ferrari is Made inwards China, then I would bet the Ferrari is to a greater extent than or less form of subsequently re-issue.

The tertiary (and later) model is a Brabham BT 44, which is too unmarked "Brabham" on the base, as well as is a re-create of a Polistil cast, already presented inwards this weblog (entry #170), exactly repictured hither for comparison purposes.

This final model is Made inwards Thailand.

Yatming casts are based on ral models, exactly colours applied as well as decorations are quite unlike from the existent racing models. Maybe for this reason, Yatming formula ones are non amid the around sought-after models.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: HONDA F1 (1301), FERRARI F1 (1302) as well as BRABHAM BT 44 F1 (1309)
• Scale: 1:64 (approx.)
• Year: Approx. 1970 as well as 1975
• Company: Yatming/ Yat Ming (Hong-Kong)
• Size: approx. 3’’ or vii cm