Gas Station Toys - Phillips 66
| tnttoytrucks.com |
"You walked into the party like you were walking
onto a yacht..." A yacht - what a great idea for a
gas premium toy! Well, it was a unique idea
anyway. No one else was doing it.
This is the only era premium toy Phillips 66 used to
sell its products. It certainly was beautiful - but
also maybe a bit impractical.
The toy had many fragile parts which were easily
lost during play. The marina deck was actually the
top of the box the toy came in. Few kids spent any
time putting the delicate marina together.
I made a plexiglass cover for this display.
onto a yacht..." A yacht - what a great idea for a
gas premium toy! Well, it was a unique idea
anyway. No one else was doing it.
This is the only era premium toy Phillips 66 used to
sell its products. It certainly was beautiful - but
also maybe a bit impractical.
The toy had many fragile parts which were easily
lost during play. The marina deck was actually the
top of the box the toy came in. Few kids spent any
time putting the delicate marina together.
I made a plexiglass cover for this display.
Using a sheet of supplied letters and numbers you could personalize your yacht and have it moored at
any harbor you chose. This is a mint example except it is missing the forward flag mast.
any harbor you chose. This is a mint example except it is missing the forward flag mast.
The details of the deck were exceptional. Notice the radar loop antenna, the ship's horn, and that
outstanding ship's wheel. The movable center deck lever disconnected the power for "free-wheeling."
outstanding ship's wheel. The movable center deck lever disconnected the power for "free-wheeling."
Clever design enabled the ship to be propelled on
land or sea using the same wheels!
land or sea using the same wheels!
A spool of cord was stowed away on the fore
deck. You didn't want your yacht to wander off.
deck. You didn't want your yacht to wander off.
The full impact of the toy can only be appreciated with the assembled marina included with the yacht.
Again, the details were excellent, but the pieces were more model-like than toy-like. Very breakable.
Again, the details were excellent, but the pieces were more model-like than toy-like. Very breakable.
At $4.98 it wasn't the cheapest premium toy on the market. A booklet accompanied each yacht to explain
proper boating procedures including real flag warnings and safety rules.
proper boating procedures including real flag warnings and safety rules.
The Phillips 66 yacht was made by the Republic Tool and Die Corporation of Los Angeles, California. I
am unaware of any other toy made by this company.
am unaware of any other toy made by this company.
| Update: Corvette collector Mark Hagemann writes that the Republic Tool and Die Corporation actually made another toy - a mid-60's Corvette. It was a large ride-on toy made of plastic with a metal chassis. It was about 24 inches long and came equipped with a steering wheel. It was called the "Miniature Corvette - Item #105." |