[sleepydvdr]

Back in the late 70s or early 80s, my mom bought me an expensive toy that was a kind of like a dump truck. You could program it to go forwards, backwards, turn around, and lift its bed. It was electronic and probably ran on 'D' batteries. I also had a blue light you could make flash (if I remember correctly). It had a numeric keypad that you used to tell it how far forward to go, which direction to turn and so forth.

This has been racking my brain for years. I cannot remember what company made it or what it was called. I think at the time it cost about $100, which was very expensive for a toy at the time. It was the most advanced toy of its time.

Does anyone remember this thing? Did you have one? Do you still have one???

ETA: I remember the commercial for it had a cat sitting still and it came up and bumped the cat and the cat ran off.

 

[paperhanger]

Milton Bradley's Big Trak, you lucky duck. All I ever got was a bent slinky.

 

[paperhanger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6V-tuOf3dE

 

[sleepydvdr]

HOLY CRAP!!! Thank you!!! That is the one. You don't know how many hours I searched eBay for dump trucks with keywords trying to figure out what this thing was called.

That is the commercial I remember, too. I guess my memory of the cat jumping up and running away is wrong. It has been like 30 years since I have seen it, so I guess I should be cut some slack. Even seeing the commercial again makes me feel good. Thank you!

Sorry you only got crappy slinkies. This was an unusually good present for me. It taught me a bit about electronics and how you shouldn't take them for granted. I feel bad now that I didn't realize at the time how nice of a present it was. These days, I think I appreciate it more than I did when I was a kid.

 

[Phoenix Days]

That looks awesome, I want one.

 

[veganmama884]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paperhanger

Milton Bradley's Big Trak, you lucky duck. All I ever got was a bent slinky.

Ahahaha

 

[beanstew]

They were re-released last year. Big Trak is back. They are widely available in the UK for about £25 which is probably less then you would pay for a very collectible original. I guess it's the same for the US.

 

[Empty_Shell]

I had one. It was weird. After my parents divorced, my Dad would buy me expensive toys for Christmas. Weird 'cause when they were together, he would purposely step on my toys and break them.

Fun fact : Ronald Reagan had the exact same keypad on his back, that was used on the big trak toys.

 

[sleepydvdr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by beanstew

They were re-released last year. Big Trak is back. They are widely available in the UK for about £25 which is probably less then you would pay for a very collectible original. I guess it's the same for the US.

Wow, this is like a miracle. I am definitely going to order one. Thank you for the info!

 

[vegkid]

Also, this.