CENTURY 21 TOYS CONTINUOUS ACTION TRAVELLER

Always of interest to Century 21 Toys fans like me and many of you, this is their unusual Continuous Action Traveller.

A sort of tumbler car, of which there are many versions, this particular one is illustrated on the box and collectors need to be sure its the right one. This auction from which I kept the images last year appears to be correct, box and vehicle.

The box art even includes a Dyna Soar!

The branding logo is AA I think. So it would appear that Century 21 Toys put an AA toy in one of their boxes for release.

Is it a toy you have?

Spanning the Years: Bridge Building Toy Tanks

Ace toy spotter Terry H sent me a link to an interesting US auction earlier this year for a seemingly rare vintage and boxed Puddle Jumper Mobile Armored Launcher by Multiple Toymakers. What a Christmas present it must have been!

 It's certainly a new one on me. 

See what you think. I wonder which is older?

This Multiple Toymakers tank recalls Century 21 Toys own version, which we've covered before on MC.

Here's a nice one I saw on auction years ago.

Have you got a bridge tank? 

Addendum:

Woodsy,

I was surprised to see this post regarding MPC's Puddle Jumper - aka Armored Vehicle-Launched Bridge (AVLB). 

These are the first photos I've seen of a complete one with an original box. I've had a couple over the years and still retain one in the collection. Mine is missing the gun barrel, but a repo barrel from one of MPC's tanks is a good 'nuff substitute. 

While this mobile bridge works great with MPC's 60mm tanks, Jeeps, personnel carriers, etc., it also came as part of a set which included an oversized tank and halftrack. 

Attached are some photos of my MPC Puddle Jumper as well as my much smaller Boley Armored Vehicle-Launched Bridge (AVLB).

From Vegas Battle Ground

Ed

TANKS A LOT TIMMY TOAD!

Reader Timmy Toad has come to the rescue! Actually, Timmy came to the rescue in 2021, the last time I got my Mobile Bridge tank out but I must have been asleep. Fortunately, three years later and my tank out again, I found Timmy's emails and pictures in my Gmail archive, which I will post here. So a big belated thank you Timmy!

"Woodsy,

the wheel goes on the front as shown in the following pics. As you turn it, the bridge lifts off the tank and onto the floor. I guess you put the tank into reverse to lay the bridge, then remove the rod holding bridge to tank. As you can see my rod is broken. I think its meant to be about twice as long with a stop and ball at one end. I've given the cogs a twirl to turn the motor, and checked continuity with a multimeter. Next job is to put 3V directly to the motor to see if it'll go

Yep that long rod with the ball on the end shown in one of the pics is for attaching the bridge to the tank. I've only got the bottom half of it (so only one side of the bridge is supported by the tank), so need to find something to replace it with (I shall be looking at plastic cocktail swizzle sticks, and other such stirring rods). Alternatively I could cut what I have in half and use a piece at each end (assuming its long enough to go thru both ends with a bit spare to pull back out).

I think once the bridge is in the vertical position you have to manually open it as you continue to turn the wheel to get it horizontal (I'll experiment with that once I get both sides held by the tank).

the wheel goes on the front as shòwn in the following pics. As you turn it, the bridge lifts off the tank and onto the floor. I guess you put the tank into reverse to lay the bridge, then remove the rod holding bridge to tank. As you can see my rod is broken. I think its meant to be about twice as long with a stop and ball at one end. I've given the cogs a twirl to turn the motor, and checked continuity with a multimeter. Next job is to put 3V directly to the motor to see if it'll go.

Regarding yours, you say the motors been taken out. Is that everything including the metal holding structure as well, leaving just the axles?

My fiddling around with the motor in mine has resulted in this short clip...enjoy! Timmy Toad"

ANOTHER HURDLER

I archived these shots a while back from Ebay.

This toy is the same as the Century 21 Hurdler.

The box is different though.

A great looking toy. I can't see a brand name.

Here's the Century 21 Toys version. The box has no side window.

HAT-TRICK! A THREE BRAND MOON PROSPECTOR

There's a lot of Hong Kong mash-ups out there and we've seen a few right toy/ wrong box Project SWORD Moon Prospectors over the years.

This maybe the first one I've seen involving all three main brands of the Moon Prospector.

This example I saw on Ebay has a Tarheel box and a toy co-branded T in a Circle [Tai Hing] and Century 21 Toys!

Located in Texas, USA, its got all three!

Check your own prospectors; let us know what branding they have.

BILL EV's FAB1's and CENTURY 21 THUNDERBIRDS TOYS

Here are a number of my Century 21 vehicles and real ones in rough scale, as per Chris Thompson's fabulous comparative scale illustration.

Here are some super close-up shots of the Konami FAB1 together with the IMAI kit version. The coin is a UK 5p piece.

A BOX OF T for the New Year

Project SWORD Moon Prospectors are always fun.

I had one as a kid back in the Sixties.

Here's the T in a Circle [Tai Hing] version I saw on auction.

 

Its always worth checking the branding on the toy itself.

This one is Century 21 Toys.

Looking again at the box there are no UK patent/ registration details.

I've seen T in a Circle Prospectors in a T in a Circle box too.

I reckon these are all crossover mash-ups when Century 21 Toys likely teamed up [bought?] T in a Circle, which we've discussed before on MC.

Have you got a Century 21 / T in a Circle mash-up?

All the best for 2024!

MAKING A MRS. TOPO GIGIO

 My latest fixer-upper from Bill is a Century 21 Toys Topo Gigio Ice Cream van.

Before I attempt the van I've been down a rabbit hole, one marked 'creating a figure'.

The van needed a female Gigio sat in the back serving.

As luck would have it I had a spare rubber Topo kicking about.

Making it up as I went along, this was about half-way in the transformation. Topo's now got long Papier Mache hair and after going under the knife, bent knees! The Christmas clown looks pleased anyway!

and so, the final result.

I give you Mrs. Topo Gigio!

I've never doctored an existing figure to make a new one before so it was a steep learning curve and it took ages, It was also a lot of fun! Have you done anything like this readers?

Now to the Ice Cream Van!

Moonship at Moonbase

 This is my new Century 21 Moonship.

I found it in a cabinet of old stuff in an antiques shop.

I've blogged about the Moonship since the start of Moonbase. Click on the Moonship label below for more.

Have you got a Moonship?

ASTON SMARTIN'

 

This year I've seen a couple of Century 21 Toys Aston Martins like the lovely one pictured on an auction.

I remember about fifteen years ago how excited I was bidding on a boxed one on Ebay sat on a coach going to Bavaria. I was really smartin' waiting for the auction to end, my Missus had her early 'smart' phone so that's how I bid. It cost me exactly £100, which was an absolute fortune for a toy I thought. Still I was very chuffed.

Since those heady days at the back of the coach I've seen a few red versions of this toy, which his how its pictured on its box. I must get a picture or two of one.

Have you an Aston Martin?

Has anyone out there ever driven one?