'Pull Back N' Go'
This is not a final page. Due to the quantity of work required, this is a placeholder to at least provide some reference.
Loco-Robot, Truck-Robot and Truck-Robots all originated from the New York based toy distributor Straco, sold under license from MC Toy. They are also quite likely one of, if not the first distribution of these toys in the United States. The inconsistent stamping, seemingly haphazard motor assembly, cardback style and the involvement of Straco all indicates this to be a very early release for these models. Even MC Toy's early Dynabot US release showed a more stable product run with elements such as treaded or non-treaded tyres uniformly applied to specific models and stamping that doesn't change part way through the run on the same figure.
While I've not found a lot of detail, Straco, a brand of F.J. Strauss Co. Inc. appears to have imported toys into the United States, predominantly from Japan, Taiwan, Korea, China and England during the 1960s through to at least the early to mid 80s.
Packaging for Straco products largely didn't carry branding of the product manufacturer and the MC Toy robots were no different. While the cardbacks show Straco, the toys themselves still carried the MC Toy branding.
Loco-Robot and Truck-Robot(s)? What were MC Toy doing? These mode changing robots arrived at United States retailers a year before Transformers and possibly just before Gobots. Bandai tried to sell Machine Robo in the US as Machine Men in 1982 with limited success; later became Gobots. Kenner and Hasbro had worked out how to sell action figures. Mattel sold Shogun Warriors up until 1980, however these new robot toys were also vehicle toys, not vehicles that combined to make a robot. It seems odd now, however this was enough to confuse marketers and the US market. What mode would be more appealing? Where in toy departments do you stock them? With the die cast vehicles or the action figures? While MC Toy likely didn't have a lot of idea of what they were doing, it's
probable they were aware they didn't and simply tried something.
The Loco-Robot and Truck-Robot cardbacks are the earliest style for these toys with a model specific card photo and only mentioning 'DIE-CAST' not 'Die Cast And ABS Construction' as seen on slightly further along cards with the same photo format; see Agglo DynaBot page this section for latter example. It's quite possible a lack of prio market precedent lead to the first two figures, the Train and Jeep, having not only their own unique cards, back and front, they got their own product line of one figure. These bespoke cards could well have seemed to provide Straco the most flexibility when determining to whom they'd wholesale them too. Come 1984, the world understood that these toys were robots that turn into vehicles. In 1982 and early 83, they were more so vehicles with a hidden, novelty robot feature.
Not long after, Truck-Robots (with an s) arrived and for that line the two colour schemes for the Dump Truck and Pick Up (truck) were offered.
Alt/vehicle mode vs. robot mode card blisters? The reason MC Toy did this on a number of lines is unclear. There are however some established motivations for different toy packaging. The more prominent is where the toy will be retailed and in what section of the store. Toys sold in service stations/gas stations are traditionally vehicle focused. In a department store toy section, vehicle toys will be racked in one location while action figures are in another. In the very early days of mode changing robot toys, it's likely alt mode blisters would have seemed the safer option for a distributor with those being something retailers would understand how to sell.
All include both die cast metal and plastic components as well as the synonymous pull-back motors
See toy line main index and history for further details and toy heights.
Region Codes Used: US United States - Location codes only shown where items were known to be released.
This list is accurate yet likely to be incomplete. If you are able to confirm release in other regions please get in contact.
Train Straco US (MC TOY 8433 side sticker) 1983*
Jeep Straco US (red) 1983
Dump Truck Straco US (blue) 1983
Dump Truck Straco US (orange) 1983
Pick Up Straco US (red) 1983
Pick Up Straco US (yellow) 1983**
Above list is correct yet likely incomplete. Created from confirmed released figures.
** the Train's side sticker can show either MC Toy 8433 or 8433 MC TOY; the former is most common. Sometimes a figure can have different formats per side. 8433 is the model number MC Toy used for the Train when it was released for the Moto-Botz line; see other page this section.
** the yellow Pick Up has the alternate paint application, 'Keith Black Racing Engines' on the roof and 'CRAGAR TURBO RACE TEAM 4' on the hood
Motors -See Motor Guide page for details vs. codes below
Loco-Robot - Train NS11
Truck Robot - Jeep (red) NS12
Truck Robots - Dump Truck (blue) NS13 / Dump Truck (orange) NS14 / Pick Up (red) NS15 / Pick Up (yellow) NS16
Stamping - see bottom of page for logo guide
Loco-Robot
Train - Main toy stamped Logo 2, no country of origin and the motor is stamped Made in Macau
Truck Robot
Jeep - Main toy has not stamps and the motor is stamped Made in Macau
Truck Robots
Dump Truck (blue) - Main toy stamped Logo 2, Reg.No.1018899, Made in Macau while the motor is completely blank
Dump Truck (orange) - Main toy stamped Logo 2, Reg.No.1018899, either Made in Macau or no country of origin and motor stamped Made in Macau
Pick Up - Main toy stamped Logo
Below are examples of MC Toy manufacturing stamps reference above
(this will likely be removed once individual figure images are included)
