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Calling all 70's retro toy experts...

flyfish29

flyfish29

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Feb 4, 2003
2,175
4
New HAMpshire
So my son was asking me what toys I used to play with. I responded with Atari (2600 of course), Micronauts, Star Wars action figures (can you believe it is 30 years old this year!! Damn I'm old!), GI Joe, Stretch Armstrong, Big Wheel, Green Machine, handheld football, basketball, and baseball by Mattell, Smash em' up Derby, and SSP Racers among other things.

But one toy I couldn't remember the name of was this building toy that consisted of colored clear squares that were probably 3"x3" with a hole cut in the middle and notches on the sides (I think) They were about 1/4 inch thick. Does anyone remember what they were called?

Feel free to post your fav. toys from the 70's!
 
So after searching even more, this is the closest picture I can get of the darn toy- The retro one was like the one pictured but was only squares and had notched and holes in the middle.
 

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I know the ones you mean, pretty certain they were made by Galt. I had the Octons set (which consisted of octagons as the name suggests).
 
Can't recall the building toy that you're talking about, but as for other popular games and toys from my childhood (born in 1970):

  • Hotwheels and Matchbox Cars. We got a few of these every year in our Christmas stockings and that was just huge.
  • Hungry Hungry Hippos. A great game for releasing pent-up aggression.
  • Alternatives to the Atari 2600, like Intellivision and the Coleco console (ColecoVision?). Or the Magnavox Odyssey, the ghetto version that our parents got for us. And I have even played the original Pong, although that was a bit before my time.
  • Simon (the electronic game with the colored lights, where you had to match the sequence).

Who knows what else? Probably a lot I'm forgetting. So did anyone else cut off limbs from Stretch Armstrong to see what was inside?
 
Lyle said:
Can't recall the building toy that you're talking about, but as for other popular games and toys from my childhood (born in 1970):

  • Hotwheels and Matchbox Cars. We got a few of these every year in our Christmas stockings and that was just huge.
  • Hungry Hungry Hippos. A great game for releasing pent-up aggression.
  • Alternatives to the Atari 2600, like Intellivision and the Coleco console (ColecoVision?). Or the Magnavox Odyssey, the ghetto version that our parents got for us. And I have even played the original Pong, although that was a bit before my time.
  • Simon (the electronic game with the colored lights, where you had to match the sequence).

Who knows what else? Probably a lot I'm forgetting. So did anyone else cut off limbs from Stretch Armstrong to see what was inside?
Click to expand...

those are good ones- I actually had the original pong machine...from Sears I think.

Never had Hungry Hippos, but Gnip Gnop, Toss Across, and Battleship of course!!

My sister seems to think the building toy was clink-a-links??? But I couldn't find anything searching online. Those Octons mentioned above are close as far as material that the toy is made out of. I will search under galt and see what comes up.
 
Lyle said:
Can't recall the building toy that you're talking about, but as for other popular games and toys from my childhood (born in 1970):

  • Hotwheels and Matchbox Cars. We got a few of these every year in our Christmas stockings and that was just huge.
  • Hungry Hungry Hippos. A great game for releasing pent-up aggression.
  • Alternatives to the Atari 2600, like Intellivision and the Coleco console (ColecoVision?). Or the Magnavox Odyssey, the ghetto version that our parents got for us. And I have even played the original Pong, although that was a bit before my time.
  • Simon (the electronic game with the colored lights, where you had to match the sequence).

Who knows what else? Probably a lot I'm forgetting. So did anyone else cut off limbs from Stretch Armstrong to see what was inside?
Click to expand...

The real question is: Who ate what was inside?
 
Hot Wheels is more of an 80's toy is it not.
My list includes GI Joe, Heman, Legos, Lincoln Logs(been around since the 50's but I liked them in the 80's) Candyland Hungry Hungry Hippos, Nintendo, Game Boy (the original brick version). Rubix cube, Simon.....
 
MacNut said:
Hot Wheels is more of an 80's toy is it not.
Click to expand...

No, Hot Wheels were definitely around in the '70s, although I preferred Matchbox cars.
One thing I always wanted as a kid was a Big Wheel (see pic below if you don't know what a Big Wheel is), but my parents would never let me get one. The darned thing rides so low to the ground I guess they were afraid I would be invisible to cars. I still wanted one though...
bigwheel.jpg
 
MacNut said:
Hot Wheels is more of an 80's toy is it not?
Click to expand...
Wikipedia claims that they were introduced by Mattel in 1968. But maybe it was only Matchbox cars that we got as kids, my memory fails me.

MacNut said:
My list includes GI Joe, Heman, Legos, Lincoln Logs(been around since the 50's but I liked them in the 80's) Candyland Hungry Hungry Hippos, Nintendo, Game Boy (the original brick version). Rubix cube, Simon.....
Click to expand...
Now I know that the original Nintendo console and Gameboy weren't released until sometime in the 80's.

Forgot about Rubik's Cube. Yeah, that was a big one.
 
they actually still sell big wheels- I had one in the 70's, I had more matchbox cars int he 70's. Now matchbox and hotwheels are both owned by Mattell...

had a Rubiks Cube for sure- loved that thing. I had a triangular Rubiks type thing as well which was cool. Lincoln logs and Tinker toys- although they are selling those again now too- everything is retro in the toy section right now. I never had legos but ALWAYS wanted them-
 
You guys are making me feel old again. I don't think Legos came out until I was already a teenager. I'm from the era of Lincoln Logs, Erector Sets, and those great Kenner Girder and Panel kits.
 
Nuc said:
Hey I used to play with those :D

Nuc
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Yeah, and they were ALL recalled and I believe outlawed. I had them too- I can't believe my father who was as conservative as they get(grew up in the depression era) and we had lawn darts!!! Crazy!

So I just found this on Jarts (lawn darts): on Wiki I think- On December 19, 1988, all lawn darts were banned from sale in the United States by the Consumer Product Safety Commission[[1]]. Lawn darts, used in an outdoor game, have been responsible for the deaths of four children, the latest being in early 1997 near Elkhart, Indiana. Lawn darts remain legal for sale in the United Kingdom as well as other countries.:eek:


I forgot about Erector Sets- I loved mine!


what about O gage Lionel Trains! HO seemed to become popular when I was older (late 70's and 80's) but I had my brothers O gage trains from the 60's and 70's which I loved.
 
Are these the Clink-a-Links you remember?
 

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IJ Reilly said:
You guys are making me feel old again. I don't think Legos came out until I was already a teenager. I'm from the era of Lincoln Logs, Erector Sets, and those great Kenner Girder and Panel kits.
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I've heard of such toys, but way before my time. :p :D
Okay, I'll fess. Two of my favorites. The plastic army men, and the baking soda sinking submarine. I loved that little sub in the tub. :eek:
 

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Your description of notched construction blocks reminded me of Zaks, though the picture a few posts up is probably what you were thinking of. (Zaks were triangular, too.)

I was a LEGO nut from the time I was about 5 or 6 years old. I don't think I really ever played with anything else :)
 
I believe I had Hot Wheels cars when they first sold. I had been big on Matchbox cars up until then, but Hot Wheels changed all of that. There was also the Johnny Lightning cars. Not as many of those as the Hot Wheels. Sorta like a Hot Wheels knock offs.
 
Duende said:
Are these the Clink-a-Links you remember?
Click to expand...

You made my day!!! That is exactly what it was- I loved Clink a Links...of course I wanted Legos more at the time, but that was what I had. Where did you find that picture? Mine were different colors and I don't recall the box, but it was definately those toys!!! Thanks!

And yes Kamera Rawr, childhood is wasted on the young! I got to stay home and raise my two small children the past six years and spend my days playing legos, hot wheels, and mixing play dough. While I didn't realize at the time, it was a good thing. Now that I have a full time teaching job once again (second graders) I really miss those days of hanging out with my son and watching SportCenter after breakfast, going to the park, and taking naps in the afternoon while the kids napped. I sure miss those days!
 
I remember asking for one of those 150 in 1 electronic science kits for Christmas. I ended up getting a Barbie Friend Ship, which was a cut away of a plane so Barbie could play stewardess.


hmff!

Sexism was alive and well in the 70s!
 

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I'm a little fuzzy on the details, but my Grandfather (he might have had a partner in the deal) created Clink a Links and began producing them in his basement. My mother can remember boxing them up in the evenings. I've got some other photos I'll post later of my Grandmother at a trade show display. The photo I posted was dated 1958. I think he sold the rights to a larger company a few years later which is probably the version you are familiar with. I'll try to dig up some more details.
 
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