Wheeljack’s Lab – Vintage Toy Blog

Follow this blog for the new, the unusual, the rare and cool Generation 1 G1 Transformers toys. Reviews, news, toy resources, galleries, unboxing, opinions and personal reflections on vintage toys.

MAS*H Retrospective

Posted on December 20, 2024December 20, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1960s Toys, 1970s Toys, 1980s Toys, Uncategorized, action ifgures, books, M*A*S*H, MASH, movie, playsets, sitcom, spin-off, television series, The 1960s, The 1970s, The 1980s, toys, video game

The widely loved franchise, M*A*S*H, began in 1968 with Richard Hooker’s (H. Richard Hornberger) book series. The books, inspired by Hornberger’s own experiences as a military surgeon during the Korean War, told of great stories. Hornberger’s books told of inspired stories during his time serving as a captain in the 8055th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital […]

Are My Toys From Garage Sales Worth Anything?

Posted on November 25, 2024November 25, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1960s Toys, 1970s Toys, 1980s Toys, 1990s Toys, 2000s Toys, Uncategorized, action figures, cars, dolls, garage sales, toys, value, vintage toys, worth, yard sales

Do you ever come across old toys at garage sales? Do these toys hold any value? How can you know if the toys you find are worth anything? The simple truth is, many people find extremely valuable toys at garage sales without even knowing it. Moreover, many people also get rid of extremely valuable toys […]

The Difference Between Zorro and The Lone Ranger

Posted on August 1, 2024August 1, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1970s Toys, 1980s Toys, Uncategorized, difference, Movies, television series, The 1900s, The 2000s, The Lone Ranger, toys, Zorro

In 1919, the superhero western character, Zorro, made an appearance. First, in a folktale and later in many movies, series, toys, and comics. Then, in 1933, The Lone Ranger first aired as a radio program but is most widely known for the television series with the same name. The Lone Ranger also told the story […]

Lord of the Rings Retrospective

Posted on July 9, 2024July 9, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1970s Toys, 1990s Toys, 2000s Toys, Uncategorized, action figures, animated films, Lord of the Rings, Movies, The 1970s, The 1980s, The 1990s, The 2000s, toys

Among many fantasy films, The Lord of the Rings trilogy is the series that automatically comes to mind for people all around the world. This iconic story first began as a novel written by J.R.R. Tolkien, published in July 1954. The book series from the mid 1900s proved to be one of the best-selling book […]

The Top 10 1970s to 1990s Horror Movies

Posted on June 21, 2024June 24, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1970s Toys, 1980s Toys, 1990s Toys, Pop Culture, Horror, The 1970s, The 1980s, The 1990s

You probably already know that the three decades under consideration here were phenomenal. Let’s start with the ’70s, which bore some rarity for horror movies. The decade brought about the industry’s rebirth. It was marked with mixed creativity and emotional sensitivity. All this helped to produce vividly descriptive and excruciating horror that mirrored what the […]

The Top 10 1970s Sci-Fi Movies

Posted on June 21, 2024June 21, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1970s Toys, Pop Culture, Sci-Fi, The 1970s

The ’70s was the decade that announced monumental changes in the filmmaking business. That is because this decade was popular for taking bold risks in their storytelling and their executions. At this time, Hollywood went through a transitional phase, moving from traditional movies to more innovative projects. The ’70s gave resources to imaginative, visionary, and […]

Top 10 1970s Movies

Posted on January 15, 2021June 20, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1970s Toys, Pop Culture, Movies, The 1970s

There is just so much to love about movies made in the 1970s, so as to be expected, this top 10 1970s movies list was hard to make and rank each individual fantastic movie that came out in this decade. Since motion picture came into view, every decade has had at least a few great […]

Retrospective of Buck Rogers

Posted on June 11, 2024June 11, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1970s Toys, Pop Culture, Buck Rogers, Movies, tv shows

First landing on the scene in 1929, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century was a smash hit! Regarded as highly influential in the growth and proliferation of the sci-fi genre, Buck Rogers first began as a comic strip before spreading to other forms of media. Created by Phillip Francis Nowlan and illustrated by Dick Calkins […]

The Ten Most Expensive Takara Microman Toys

Posted on September 6, 2023May 13, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1970s Toys, 1980s Toys, Pop Culture, Micro Change, Microman

After years of producing 12” action figures, Takara decided to revolutionize the Japanese toy industry by introducing a micro-sized hero: Microman. The legacy of this toy line began years ago when Takara licensed G.I. Joe from the American manufacturer, Hasbro. These licensed toys became a perfect foundation for Takara to experiment with. Responding to the […]

Ten Most Expensive Remco Toys and Other Collectibles

Posted on September 19, 2023May 13, 2024 by Chris Ingledue
1970s Toys, Pop Culture, Remco, Universal Monsters

Multiple toy companies created beloved toy lines that remained beloved by collectors for decades. One of these companies was Remco Industries, Inc., which was founded in 1949. While the company never stood at the peak of the toy industry, it produced dozens of toy lines that implemented the advancing technology of the time. This love […]