As part of research and planning for our five-day getaway to Vancouver Island, Karli had discovered that Victoria was home to a haunted indoor miniature golf course. In spite of her noted aversion for ghosts, we decided to give it a try if there was a suitable gap in our schedule.
Lunch is pierogies at the Sult Pierogi Bar - we'd had a sample of their savoury cuisine as part of a food tour of Victoria, and were eager to indulge in a full meal - and then we decide to risk the perils of haunted golf at the Haunted Manor on Yates Street.
After a quick 18 holes (literally - we didn't have a reservation, but the receptionist let us go in provided we didn't linger) we're back out on the street. Karli realizes that we were standing in front of some kind of toy store, and generously suggests that we should go in and look around.
As it turns out, we're visiting the new home of Cherry Bomb Toys. Cherry Bomb has been in business for over 18 years, and specializes in used and collectable toys, as well as operating the National Toy Museum of Canada.
The store has some interesting offerings that you don't often see - there's a little Robotech shelf, with a tempting Scott Bernard Robotech MOSPEADA action figure, although not tempting enough to spend $95 on it.**
It's the wildest chance that I notice that they have a Major Matt Mason Space Crawler for sale, given that it's in a corner, behind a frame divider, and on a bottom shelf. There are a couple of other MMM vehicles as well, but the Space Crawler is what catches my eye - I've always wanted one of these unusual looking vehicles from the Major's lunar motor pool.
There's a price tag, but it's upside down and partially concealed. Karli and I eventually agree that it says $40, which is a very acceptable price. (I've seen empty boxes for this toy that were listed at more than $200 on eBay.)
We find a friendly staff member who cheerfully opens the case so that I can take a closer look at the Crawler. It's a bit battered after over 50 years of life (aren't we all?), but given that I've seen Crawlers in equivalent
condition on eBay for two or three times this price, it's a bit of a steal - and there's no shipping fee.
Not only that, but it's on sale! Cherry Bomb has just moved to this location and is celebrating by taking 20% off all their prices - final cost, $32 plus tax. I tap my card to pay, gently ease the Space Crawler into a shopping bag, and we cautiously return to our borrowed condo in hopes of getting my new acquisition to a safe resting place without an unfortunate encounter with a careless pedestrian, an aggressive bicycle, or a fast-closing door.
Admittedly, the Space Crawler isn't in mint condition: all the decals are gone, and the winch line, hook and rear support roller are missing in action. However, the truth of collecting this sort of vintage toy is that first, they're toys, and as such have suffered all the abuses that children inflict upon their playthings; and second, they are what they are - these are a limited commodity, no one is making more of them. As such, this is still a good find at a good price, and who knows, at some point I may find a parts sale that has the missing bits and pieces.***
I'm eager to find out if the Crawler still works. Mattel always said that the Major Matt Mason toys were based on NASA designs (or at least NASA concepts) and I've always wondered if the unique rotating leg system* was something that they had tested in real life.
- Sid
* Well, mostly unique, the Billy Blastoff toy series has a virtually identical Lunar Moon Crawler vehicle. (If anyone reading this has an extra set of Billy Blastoff toys that need a new home, I am happy to take them off your hands.)
** In the interests of geek street cred, I feel obliged to note that the yellow action figure on the right side is actually from the Voltron animated series - I believe that's Hunk, who pilots the Yellow Lion.
*** I checked on eBay.ca when we got home, and there is in fact a parts kit available for the Crawler that has everything I would need PLUS a new motor - for an additional $75 CAD. At least there’s a PDF of replacement decals that I can download for free.
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