Tomica Suzuki MR Wagon - Jan 2012

This must be the fastest released Tomica in Singapore history. Most Tomica are release 2 or 3 months after the official release. The Suzuki MR Wagon was just released a week ago and I found it in a toy departmental store today. I couldn't find the Mercedes SLS, did someone buy out the Mercedes or the MR Wagon was release to our local distributor by accident? I understand that newly release model are actually available in Japan at an earlier date but not allow to release until 3rd Saturday of every month.

Tomica Mercedes Unimog - Old vs New

I am glad that Tomica recently focus on "foreign" series. Foreign series or also known as F-Series was packaged in blue box with a national flag of the vehicle origin. One of my childhood favorite is the Mercedes Unimog. I used to own the Tomica yellow Unimog and I always like to remove its hub caps and put to back after removal. Although it doesn't have the trademark suspension but I like the truck a lot then mainly because of its unusual styling and the removable hub caps.

Tomica has recently released the latest Unimog in December 2011 and I finally got my hands on them. I haven't seen the new Unimog in real life but based on the scale of the new truck, it is scaled 1/88 versus the old 1/70. Has the new Unimog has grown in size? I think Tomica could have made them bigger at 1/76 even the new truck has put on some weight over the years.

The new truck looked somehow more sportier than the old classic look. Obvious change is the bigger windscreen and a small bonnet. We can see the old Unimog still serving our SAF (Singapore Armed Forces) and I wonder if SAF will purchase the new one.

Parking the new one alongside with the old one, it seems like the new truck is slightly smaller although it should be bigger in 1:1 scale. It seems like Tomica has shrink their cars way smaller than the older generation especially the Vietnamese made ones. The overall presentation of the new Tomica is still good as compared to previous releases of 2011 only if they could make it slightly bigger.

The new truck has a movable feature while the old one has none, unless you want to include the movable spare tyre under the deck.

I still prefer the classic Unimog if you asked me.

Childhood Memories: RoboTora

This is my first post on the toys I had when I was a child. I will try to relate a story with each toy featured at a time. I was considered lucky as I have different people in life pampering me with toys then. I would say most or all are automotive related as I hate any toys that doesn't have 4 wheels. If you expect to see Star Wars or G.I. Joe, I am gonna disappoint you. I don't even like Transformers then, I have no toys related to Transformers at all. I remembered there's a Macross Robot and some Bandai Transformers then. I shall show you one of my favourite toy when I had in the 80s. It's RoboTora by Popy.

This toy was given to me by my auntie. This auntie is my cousin's mother. Which cousin? The one who owns Gift Greetings. I brought this toy to his shop yesterday to show my cousin as I wanted to surprise him. I know that he had a similar one then so I think he will remember this. We used to shared almost the same toys. Why I say that because I took all the Tomica or toys I like from his home and he willingly gave them to me. I am the little devil then and maybe he's elder than me. He let me have my ways I demand. Sorry brother Anthony, I started to feel a little guilty now.

When he saw this toy, his eyes brighten up. He had tons of fun with this toy then because the truck has got a special gadget. I told him that this toy was not played with and it was very well kept for the past 30 years. He was amazed and started to inspect the truck and the box.

The truck is mint, the figurines are still in its original plastic packing and so is the instruction booklet and brochure.

Seeing these figurines are as good as seeing my old friends. They have been heavily abused and get thrown off the truck hundred of times.

My cousin is surprised that someone really kept them for 30 years as though it was just bought yesterday. He actually thought that I kept it as I told him that his mum bought me this. I assured him that the original one I had was dumped years ago. I like this toy so much that I had to buy back my memories.

The truck is made of metal with some plastic parts like its bumper and interior. The size is approx. 1/40. The prime of Japanese die cast toys should reign from early 70s till the mid 80s. They have many wonderful toys then. Back to my RoboTora truck, those rubber figures either seat in the cabin or they stand in the rear deck.

See this bumper? I always push the truck with its passengers seated on its deck to the direction of the wall. See how bad this truck had been abused then? Once the bumper of the truck hit the wall, the catch on the rear deck released and flip its cargo sending them flying to a land far far way.

This is how the truck look like when it hit the wall.

The year is 1982. It's been 30 years. The original toy I had was thrown away with many other toys. They usually do it without much of my knowledge. When old stuff are gone, there will be newer toys that will come my way.

Poliguri - Fiat & Mercedes

Today I received a package from Portugal. It contained Poliguri cars which are made in Portugal.

If you find that Poliguri casting look familiar, they are mainly based on old Siku of Germany and old Majorette of France.

The rims are similarly style like Majorette or Siku. The Fiat Uno above are slightly larger at 1/50 scale.

This Mercedes van looked almost a Siku. It's interesting to find these Portugese made toys and they are definitely worth collecting.

Birthday Presents

Happy New Year. It's 2012 in Singapore already. I've been busy lately so to post this is a little late. My birthday falls on Boxing Day and just to share some of the presents I have gotten from my friends. This "Lesney Moko" wrapper is specially done by a friend and I like it so much that it becomes a display in my room. I just like presents which are self made.

These are the recycled wrappers which I used to give my friends and the ball is thrown to my court again. Gotta think of something interesting for them this year.