Americom Curse of Frankenstein 8mm Home Movie

 This was a neat birthday gift from the Missus this Christmas just gone.

Right up my cobwebbed alley, it's a 1965 Americom cinefilm reel and record of the Curse of Frankenstein, an early Hammer horror from 1957.

Americom specialized in these reel and record sets - there's a list of titles they released in the 1960's on 

the back of the sleeve.

 The concept was simple. The record provided the sound as both record and film played at the same speed. Very clever.

As is often the case, one or the other is missing. I have the film reel but the record is AWOL.

I have tidied up the sleeve a little and stiffened the film 'box'.

A lovely thing all round.

You can get a feel for how it looked and sounded on You Tube here:

https://youtu.be/_uBrGmfepoo?feature=shared

A mint one would look like this factory fresh example on Worthpoint.

Another example has the instructions, which were presumably tucked in somewhere. I don't have these either.

Americom released lots of titles in this format. I love the artwork.

A favourite is this Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea set. What an illustration!

Have you got any Americom or did you?

THE REAL CORGI ROCKET!

I saw this sleek blue vintage Jensen Interceptor on Ebay recently and I think I died and went to Heaven!

Being my favourite car, ever since I held the gloriously sleek miniature Corgi Rockets version as a kid, I very nearly pressed Buy It Now, but at over £35K I would have had to sell our house!

I'll just change my name I think. To Jensen. Jensen Interceptor!

What's your favourite car readers? Do you own one?

SLEIGH TIME

This mystery sled in my scrap box brought back a flood of memories.

As a kid I had the Action Man Explorer sled along with a pack of Huskies. Watch out the Polar regions, he we come!

Here's the 40th Anniversary release of the set I saw online.

There's some wonderful photographs of the original 1969 set on Action Man HQ.

https://www.actionmanhq.co.uk/action-man-vehicles/sledge-and-dog-team/index.php

Is it a set you had readers?

MINIATURE MARVELS

Miniaturisation is a difficult thing but I think the Japanese have it nailed.

These old Glico toys are perfectly formed works of art.

What do you think?

RADIO DAYS

 

This is yet another toy similar to my beloved Desert Jeep, this being the Radio Jeep!

I like how the passenger is holding a phone. Make that call!

Here's my original Desert Patrol Jeep. Do you have one?

Making Tracks at the Sale

 Not a great deal from this week's boot sale but its always enjoyable, especially now its Spring and the sun is shining a bit.

Left to Right are: old train signal, Stax Story cassette tapes Vols. 1 and 2, 1999 Scalextric car, two scrapper Superfasts, Toys R Us 'hot wheels' track for Junior and a A 1980's Childhood book for our daughter.

This caught my eye in the Charity shop nearby, an old ice cream making machine! I love old tech like this! Anyone ever made their own ice cream?

Matchbox Mayhem: Tank Battle in Miniature

Here is a mini diorama, built on the top of a matchbox, and featuring a pair of WW2 tanks - a German King Tiger, and a Soviet T-34/85. The scale is 1/700th, which is normally used for model ships.

What do you think?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcjyHdDnQ44

Paul Adams from New Zealand

A HOME-MADE REVVERS TOWIN' TERROR: MOCK WHEELS

 This is on Wotan's Wants List, the elusive Hot Wheels Revvers Towin Terror.

Fetching an arm and a leg, I thought I'd have a go at making one for Wotan.

Taking a basic battered cheapo fire engine, this the finished product.

Little bits from the scrap box made for decent rear bed details.

Adding the crane seemed to bring it alive. The 'Rotring', [red ring] pen clasps stuck on each side were my little homage to Redline.

Front and back got a few coats of paint.

Real Revvers are powered by elastic bands. My mock revver doesn't work but I added one anyway for show.

The same with the rear tyre. Mines for show, the real ones wind up the band and ...

... away they go!

Hope you like this one.