Fisher Price Ride-On Horse
Around 1976 my brother had one of these Fisher Price Ride-On Horses. They were so cool. I don't recall having one myself, but I've seen photos of me motorin' on other ride-on toys and Big Wheels, so it's all good.I looked this item up and it's available on eBay. It's funny, my mom wasn't the type to keep lots of our old toys, but for some reason, she kept this Fisher Price Ride-On horse for the longest time. I think it may still be in her basement.
Marx Big Wheel
I was excited to discover that the Original Big Wheel is still alive and well and available for purchase. The Big Wheel was all the rage back in 1972 and continued to thrive throughout the 1970s paving the way for imitations into the 1980s. They were made of heavy plastic and were typically red, yellow, black and had a blue seat. Visit this link for more info: The Original Big Wheel. Marx Green Machine
In the 1970s, The Green Machine by Marx Toys was targeted at boys who were a bit older than the Big Wheel crowd. I feel as if I first discovered The Green Machine at a random classmate's backyard birthday party. If not that, maybe my friend Alison's big brother Ian had an old one in their family garage.
I remembered the name and seeing this insane sick ride that was definitely like a pimped-out style Big Wheel. A quick Google search didn't provide any real history lesson behind The Marx brand Green Machine, but today Huffy manufactures the toy. Look here!
It's no surprise Huffy recommends The Green Machine for kids six and up. I must say, the dual exhaust pipes and joystick controls surely make this ride kick-ass and way more intimidating than Marx Big Wheel. Huffy categorizes the Green Machine as an "Xtreme Ride" and that it is!
I was bummed when my husband didn't recognize the name "The Green Machine" -- alas there's that pesky three-year age difference rearing its ugly head again. When he was six, it was already 1981. I'm thinking the Green Machine fad had faded.
This image and other great stuff was snagged from MarxToyMuseum.com -- check 'em out!
I have ALL my kids stuff and have used so much of it for my grandkids. Happy Easter Bunny!
ReplyDeleteLet me try this again, the first time didn't work.
ReplyDeleteI have All my kids stuff and have used much of it for my grandkids.
Happy Easter Bunny!
Oops! Sorry, it said it didn't work and then it showed up. It lied to me!
ReplyDeleteI always wanted a big wheels for myself! I saw a pink and purple one that I plan to buy for my niece's birthday :-)
ReplyDeleteI loved my big wheel. I rode that thing up til my teen years. I had to remove the seat and kind of stand on it but I rode that thing as long as I could.
ReplyDeleteIf I still had it I would give it another ride around the block for old times sake.
I was just thinking about my brother's Big Wheel last night as I was remembering the toys and games that we used to have. I don't remember if I ever rode it or not- I probably did a few times.
ReplyDeleteMy brother had the Big Wheel. Man, I was jealous! Thanks for the memories!!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
BIG WHEELS! Big pimpin yo! Made my morning :)
ReplyDeleteHow you doing, hit me up
I was obviously pre-Big Wheels and being a girly-girl in my early years wouldn't have been interested anyway. What I did have was a Schwinn girl's bike with training wheels--that didn't save me from tipping over into the neighbor's rose bushes. Owie!!!
ReplyDeleteBig Wheels--I finally got to ride one when I was like, 14. Didn't really work for me then. However, I likes seeing the kids who could skid around corners in them!
ReplyDeleteHow could your husband not remember the ultimate boy toy? Okay, that came out wrong. Man, I always wanted a GM. I was just scared I wouldn't be able to master it. BTW...where do you track all of this stuff down? amazing!
ReplyDeleteAll classic toys! I just got my girls a big wheels and I saw they still make Green Machines! I so wanted to buy one...for my girls I swear!
ReplyDeleteI loved my big wheel but like your husband I don't remember the green machine but it looks like we are about the same age. I have to say though when the green machine came back on the market a few years ago my husband was like a kid again! I don't think I have ever seen him that excited over a toy and he is four years older then me so he must have been their target audience. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI never had one of the Marx trikes, but I sure remember them from when I was working at Toys R Us in the late 70's. I must have built a hundred of them for the store displays!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I ever got to have any of those toys. I know I wanted a big wheel and I think we found one, one time on the side of the road or out in the trash and brought it home but it never really worked. So I don't think this counts.
ReplyDeleteMy brothers rode those big wheels all the time. But I don't remember the green machine. It looks rather intimidating, like a complex exercycle for kids.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Robyn
We didn't keep any of my old toys
ReplyDelete:(
I never had one of those. Just a boring tricycle. Just as well though. My neighbors, when I was the appropriate age, ran a motorcycle repair shop and were teaching their daughter, a year younger than me, to ride dirt bikes.
ReplyDeleteI remember that little Fisher Price horse. My youngest son had one. Didn't it whinny? Or whatever kind of noise a horse makes. The older kids had big wheels. I found it interesting that the website mentions how good they are for their health and an alternative to video games and TV shows. Back in the old days they were just billed as being fun. That was even before Pong. Times have changed.
ReplyDeleteAh man! I never had cool stuff like this! My kids certainly will... I hope they just don't ride off randomly.
ReplyDeleteI loved my Big Wheel. We used to live on a steep hill, so we'd ride our Big Wheels down the hill and go really, really fast. We'd get to the bottom of the hill and walk back up the hill to do it all over again. We'd curse the stupid hill each time we had to walk up, but we loved the hill each time we went down....
ReplyDeleteI don't remember the Green Machine.... But I want one now!
I was 13 when these came out... I was too old/big for them and I'm STILL upset about it! :)
ReplyDeleteI had a Berry Cool Strawberry Shortcake "big wheel". Loved it!!!
ReplyDeleteI remember that little Fisher Price Ride-On Horse. My youngest sister had one of those. Me and my twin brother had the Marx Big Wheel. That thing was so much fun and we rode that thing everyday turning those corners real fast trying to make some skid marks. We never had the Marx Green Machine. HAVE A FAB DAY!!!
ReplyDeleteGina
motherof1princessand2princes.blogspot.com
Very cool post and I love M & Ms too (especially the peanut kind!) xx
ReplyDeletehttp://hopechella.blogspot.com/
My husband spent weeks last year looking for a real big wheels for my sons.. it was one of his biggest childhood memories.. love your blog following now!!!
ReplyDeleteOoooooo I owned a Green Machine! I remember wiping it down as my Dad simonized his Falcon Station Wagon. I could spin out like nobody's business! Good times!!
ReplyDeleteI wanted a Big Wheel SO BAD! I had a red radio flyer trike instead.
ReplyDeleteSo the minute Emily started walking I got her a big wheel and she rarely used it until she was too old for it. Now Sarah has a Dora Big Wheel and lovves it!
I swear most of what I buy my kids is what I didn't have as a kid!
FYI - they have LOTS of stuffed animals!
I had a Big Wheel and loved it. A friend had The Green Machine and I coveted it. But the one thing you couldn't do with the Green Machine was flip it over, sit on the underside and hand crank the pedals and "make ice cream" like you could with the Big Wheel. Doesn't make much sense now, but I remember doing it when I was a kid. On a more butch note, I did like skidding around corners like a bat out of hell on the Big Wheel too, in addition to domestic pursuits.
ReplyDelete