Space Crawler II: "UNLIMITED POWER!"

Home at last after our fun five-day Victoria vacation - we've apologized to the cat for being away, he's reluctantly accepted our apology, we've unpacked, made dinner, done some laundry - time to get serious with the Major Matt Mason Space Crawler that I stumbled across at Cherry Bomb Toys.

The rotating leg/wheel mechanism may not be unique, but it should be - as it turns out, Mattel filed a patent for the whole thing in 1970 under US Patent #3529479A.  (Funny that I've never found any reference to this elsewhere.) To be fair, the patent also defines the complicated gearing mechanism that makes the whole thing work, and refers to "wheel substitutes" rather than attempting to define that part of the toy.

The battery contacts are a bit corroded, which, sadly, is the most common cause of death for toys that have been stored with the batteries in place. Over time the cells eventually self-deplete, after which pressure from gas buildup splits the casing and the subsequent leakage destroys the working parts.

However, early days - the upper and lower contacts aren't particularly clean, but it appears to be primarily just surface buildup, let's hope for the best.

The next day, I pick up a set of D batteries* on the way home, and after dinner return to the fight.  I gently open the power compartment (pro tip: always be careful when dealing with any 58 year old toy that uses compressed plastic for hinges) and, after taking a moment to decipher the insertion directions, pop in the batteries.  

The mechanical power switch is the simplest thing in the world, just a plastic plate that rotates in and out of the gap between the battery and the contact.  I close the compartment, move the switch - and nothing. I test the drive/winch control just in case, still nothing.  I'm a bit disappointed, but again, early days.

A search through my toolbox produces a torn sheet of emery paper, and I use a piece of it to carefully scrape away at the upper battery contacts until I see bare metal instead of corrosion. The lower contacts are less accessible, so I decide to do a work-in-progress test before building some kind of tool to get at them.  

Batteries in again, and I move the switch - success!  The motor grinds into action - "grinds" being the appropriate term, it's a bit loud - and the paired legs begin to rotate.  I test the winch control, and it works like a charm, both forward and backward. 

However, when I carefully place the crawler on the floor, only one wheel - leg? - rotates, the other one does nothing.  There's a plastic friction mechanism that acts as a sort of primitive differential release, so that if either wheel is blocked or jammed, the motor can continue to operate.  The mechanism for the right wheel is too loose to engage, and as such there isn't enough friction for the drive unit to move it. 

I test it with some tape, and once the right wheel is secured to the friction tab, both wheels rotate to drive the crawler noisily across the hardwood floor - to Jaq the Cat's initial dismay but eventual indifference.

I'm a bit foolishly pleased by the whole thing - it just adds to the serendipitous nature of this purchase that the crawler actually still works after so many years. It's a bit jerky, but you know, as the saying goes, it's not that the bear dances well, it's that it dances at all. 

- Sid 

* Yes, surprise, D batteries - am I alone in thinking that everything is AA these days?

CaterpillarGeekGirl for the win!

Just a quick shout-out to Caterpillar Geek Girl, whose smart and funny geek-themed upcycled earrings are for sale at the Makers store on Government Street in Victoria (as well as online).  Seriously, these are such a clever idea - the perfect gift for the earring-wearer in your life, geek or not.  (And yes, I bought a pair of Archie-themed earrings for my wife, who is also smart, funny and clever.)

- Sid

 

Space Crawler I: "CRAWLS OVER ANYTHING!"

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 actually 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

* 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.

*** 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.)