When I was a kid growing up in the 80s ; specifically 85 to 89 I was obsessed with GI JOE, star wars and Thundercats and silver hawks. One of my Favorite toy lines came from play mobile. They had a pirate ☠️ ship that unlocked my life long obsession with the golden age of pirates. I was lucky enough to get it as a birthday present when I was 10. When I turned 29 I got a huge pirate tattoo on my back. Thanks for your videos . Keep up the great work.
Great review, still loved the Thundercats as a kid and recently finally got my first original Sword of Omens including the cheaper kid-costume version from the 80s that I fondly remember playing with at my buddy's house. What a great toy, the sword I bought still lights up to boot.
I love the thundertank, that was my first thundercats toy when I was small with panthro. My thundetank broke down and now I’m in the hunk for a new one and starting my vintage collection.
Just purchased a thunder tank all complete this vid was great!! always wanted the thundertank and had an original panthro for about 3 yrs with no ride lol finally he will be cruising
You guys really do set the standard when it comes to vintage toy reviews. You point out both the good and the bad points, which I think is the best and fair way to represent it to both people who have fond nostalgia for it and to those who don't. I personally think the Thundertank is one of the best examples of the most awesome sci-fi toy designs of the 1980's. The sleek combination of straight, angular and curved lines, the combination of grey with blue, the red weapons(it actually reminds me of the Valorian's color scheme from Dino-Riders), and the transformation/play value.
Nothing beats that "original" dust. Smell those non durables crumbling before your eyes. Such a cool toy. I had a mega bloks rubber tank tread crumble after six months!
absolutely love it. I always used to put the mini thundercats toys in the thundertank and pretend. Also the mini mum-ra's lair was cool I seem to remember.
Great review, which just reminded me that I am still waiting on my new Mattycollectables Lion-o figure From Sept. 15th which got delayed. Keep up the great vids.
Congratulations. One of your best videos explaining why the 80's rule in action figures and cartoons. How I wish that in this decade we could have such awesome material and not those crappy smiling toys that some companies insist on selling. Is true, we have Hot Toys and the Black Series jewels but.... come on, I would like to have a Mattel action figure of lets say "Game of Thrones" set o from any of the Marvel-Netflix series.... but up to this moment that is only a dream.
I remember strongly that i wanted thundertank and saw it in a toy store out of its box but i never get it in the end.Back in the day looked amazing because in the small hands of a kid was pretty big,and they worked also the real rubber in the wheels added to the detail making it even more detailed accompanied with the general appearance of this toy vehicle!
Aaah! Bravestarr, Centurions and Inhumanoids. Now, if only there was a channel dealing with vintage toys and cartoons that would make videos on these lines...
If you have tire dry rot on M.A.S.K. vehicles the original prototypes were made using 1:24 scale model kits so if you find the model chances are the tires will work. Haven't tried this yet but it should work.
I don't collect vintage toys, yet as a "forget mint-in-box" modern toy enthusiast, I like a toy you can inspect with your hands and do whatever it was meant to do with (yeah, I don't get down on the carpet for hours of play! But, if I had a ThunderTank, I would enjoy being able to take it for a spin if the whim hit me. And, the "original parts" weren't made from valuable material (no sandalwood or authentic South American tree rubber!), but from material you can perfectly reproduce with a modern mold and perhaps even superior plastic. I guess a completely remade "ThunderTank" would be a modern toy without the symbolic value of being a true relic of the 1980s. I guess it boils down to whether one wants to "make old toys usable today" or whether one wants a "historical experience". I agree that assembling, say, an original Death Star from original parts is good challenge and would be fun for a determined collector (as opposed to plunking down $20 for modern castings of the plastic).
I think much of it for me is about the historical experience, unless that runs into conflict with using a recreation to restore functionality. A broken but all original toy is not truly all original in my mind, because it can no longer do what it was designed to.
I have two Thundertanks and one of them needed treads so I bought reproductions off ebay as well. I know reproductions are a source of contention among some collectors but there are some who do a proper service....as exampled by the reproduction treads. I hope the other tank with the original treads holds up in my lifetime but thankfully someone is taking care of the problem in case they don't.
Great video. There is an automotive product called AT-205 Re-Seal that is supposed to strengthen and restore dried out rubber seals in cars. I wish I had heard of it before the rubber tracks on my Omnibot 2000 broke down. Would have liked to experiment with it to see if it helped. As of right now I haven't used it, but it might be something to keep in mind. If it at least extends the life of rubber parts, it might be a cheaper alternative than custom replacements, even if for just a while.
Ha! Good idea to replace both treads! Wouldn't want uneven wear! That would be a real headache for Panthro's maintenance schedule. "Why when I drive straight, does the ThunderTank drift right, Panthro? Why is it so difficult to make left turns? Did you change one track and not the other????"
As Mark of Anvil Gunsmithing would say "Do the Maintenance" Repair or replace what you absolutely have to in order to keep the thing out in the field where people can continue to enjoy it, be that a firearm, or a classic car, or even, a thundertank.
You might want to take a look at 'Theseus' Paradox' (also called the 'Ship of Thesus'). It debates the question of whether an object that has had all of its components replaced remains fundamentally the same object. You can read about it in Plutarch's 'Life of Theseus' in which he questions whether a ship that had been restored by replacing every single wooden part remained the same ship.
Great video and neat toy. I just want to correct one misconception regarding rubber toy parts, especially tank treads. Not rolling them, and letting them sit in a static position doesn't extend their life. It shortens it. As you saw with the tread you removed, they harden or go brittle in the shape they are left. With the faster hardening occurring where they are bent and under tension. Spinning them (gently!) to even out the stress periodically will make them last longer. There are also some products you can treat them with from time to time to extend their life. There is a good German Auto product called Gummi Pflege that the Chogokin collectors swear by. If you can't find that some variants of good old Armor All will work. There is no permanent fix however. The rubber parts will eventually fully "out gas" go brittle and crack and decay. You will likely outlast the rubber parts on your toys.
***** Granted playing with them like a child and vrooming the toy around floors and carpets will lead to stress and breakage. But you do need to gently rotate them every now and then so they don't harden in one shape.
I remember using that Burger King Snarf toy as my representation of that character. If memory serves me, I think that Snarf toy at the end was available only with later Lion-O figures, and what else is a kid to do if you were one who got the toy when it first came out? Mom and Dad were never keen about buying the same toy twice.
Hey Retroblasting! Thanks for sharing this. Have a question for you - I’m working on restoring my childhood Cat’s Lair and Thundertank. Both have started to yellow a bit and I’m wondering if you have recommendations on cleaning and restoring color.
I loved thunder tank , and the cats lair, the latter, had a very delicate neck , the head would break off very easy, my dad was so mad he went bought another cats lair, took it out the box, put the broken cats lair in the box and returned it , not saying it was right or wrong but its a true story is all.
i tried watching old thundercats again a couple years ago. its awesome animation but so much storline like a soap opera. the toys are awesome though. and thankfully as far as i know there has never been a thunercats live movie or videogame
my thunder tanks spring mechanism is jacked up i can't get it stay down and im really about to take it apart but im watching all the videos i can about it first... appreciate this
Hi there. Do you know if that seller still offers those alternative treads at ebay ? I cant find none at that site. Many thanks. By the way you have many fans in Peru. Regards.
HI Michael, it's very interesting to find out that there are some fans who create replica parts of vintage vehicles. Do you know anyone creating replica parts for M.A.S.K. vehicles?
Each one of those figures goes for over $100 loose in complete condition. As I'm not a huge Thundercats fan, and those characters are Second Season add-ons, I just can't justify it.
What do you think about the Thundercats cartoon remake? I thought it was a smart cartoon, liked the new Mumm-Ra and Cheetarah, and was very disappointed to hear about its cancellation. (Though I never bought the original toys, I also liked the original Thundercats cartoon a lot--and had a "kid-crush" on Cheetara).
I recently bought the Gi Joe motorized tank (not sure if there were multiple motorized tanks so I'll say the date too) that was made in 1984 from a vintage toy store, but it doesn't have the driver. Do you have any sources that might own the driver? Also great video! I always enjoy watching these.
Ha ha I almost choked on my 18 year old scotch, I heard they are releasing the whole 4 hours 13 minutes of the OJ 1994 police chase in Ultra HD 4K on discovery+ 🤣 It will be available to premium customers to view in full from June 2021.. The upscaled footage will be released in two parts ha ha ha only in America hey 😘🇺🇸
I would like to start off by saying this is really awesome like you I grew up with the ThunderCats I'm not really sure about the connects that you're talking about but I dunno silverhawks it is kind of funny how you said that you weren't necessarily like you weren't glued to the ThunderCats as well as some of us however you like the silverhawks the silverhawks I believe is connected to the Thundercat universe and somehow or some way they have almost the same villains month stars like Monroe and steroids
lol you know its bad when you have already watched a video before even youtube tells you there is a new video then later you get disappointed when you think there is another new video but its just the one you already watched >.< not that its a terrible thing, but still
I have a Lion-O vintage figure and it annoys me that the scaling of them is off even between figures and its bigger than He-Man and TMNT. They are also terrible for paint wear problems.
Dude, you're Chanel Rocks it brings back soooooooo many memories from growing up in the 80s .
When I was a kid growing up in the 80s ; specifically 85 to 89 I was obsessed with GI JOE, star wars and Thundercats and silver hawks.
One of my Favorite toy lines came from play mobile. They had a pirate ☠️ ship that unlocked my life long obsession with the golden age of pirates. I was lucky enough to get it as a birthday present when I was 10. When I turned 29 I got a huge pirate tattoo on my back. Thanks for your videos . Keep up the great work.
actually, i think snarfs proper place is under the new treads of the thundertank :P
My favorite thing about thundercats was the show's intro. Still gets me pumped lol
Great review, still loved the Thundercats as a kid and recently finally got my first original Sword of Omens including the cheaper kid-costume version from the 80s that I fondly remember playing with at my buddy's house. What a great toy, the sword I bought still lights up to boot.
Had the Thunder Tank, loved it! Also had everything in this video.
I love the thundertank, that was my first thundercats toy when I was small with panthro. My thundetank broke down and now I’m in the hunk for a new one and starting my vintage collection.
Just purchased a thunder tank all complete this vid was great!! always wanted the thundertank and had an original panthro for about 3 yrs with no ride lol finally he will be cruising
This is why Cibra Hiss tanks have decorative treads with hidden hard plastic wheels. People always complain about that design but they are durable
You guys really do set the standard when it comes to vintage toy reviews. You point out both the good and the bad points, which I think is the best and fair way to represent it to both people who have fond nostalgia for it and to those who don't. I personally think the Thundertank is one of the best examples of the most awesome sci-fi toy designs of the 1980's. The sleek combination of straight, angular and curved lines, the combination of grey with blue, the red weapons(it actually reminds me of the Valorian's color scheme from Dino-Riders), and the transformation/play value.
Nothing beats that "original" dust. Smell those non durables crumbling before your eyes. Such a cool toy. I had a mega bloks rubber tank tread crumble after six months!
"Leave no toy behind"? Tell that to Broken Vader. (Whatever happened to him, he's been missed!)
Great video, as always.
All shall become known.
absolutely love it. I always used to put the mini thundercats toys in the thundertank and pretend. Also the mini mum-ra's lair was cool I seem to remember.
always liked this toys line I miss my Rhino from MASK it was lost in a fire
I got a set from Otter. I ordered another 10 sets. Too awesome!
Bravo good sir!!!
Much respect for you and your devotion to ALL the toys!!!👏👏👏
All the more reason to love this channel!!!
I like the hybrid review/restoration combo. Nice job, and congrats on almost reaching 20,000 subscribers. We love what you two do.
Thanks Cody!
30 years later one of the great mysteries of my life solved at last.... thats why Panthro was the smallest of the line!!!
Nicely done as always.
Another Great Review Thank you!!!!
Awesome Thundercats vintage review.
I wish I had found your channel before I sold my Thundercats Lair, I would donate it in a heartbeat!
you two are always fantastic!
Thanks James!
Love my Tank! Though no rubber tracks. Yet! Still TLC!
Great review, which just reminded me that I am still waiting on my new Mattycollectables Lion-o figure From Sept. 15th which got delayed. Keep up the great vids.
This video is great. Thanks for the link for yojoe. I can finally repair my thundertank.
i loved the thundercats i had there lair playset a friend of mine had the sword of omens the paint on it was completely worn off
I forgot how cool this vehicle was.
Congratulations. One of your best videos explaining why the 80's rule in action figures and cartoons. How I wish that in this decade we could have such awesome material and not those crappy smiling toys that some companies insist on selling. Is true, we have Hot Toys and the Black Series jewels but.... come on, I would like to have a Mattel action figure of lets say "Game of Thrones" set o from any of the Marvel-Netflix series.... but up to this moment that is only a dream.
The photo used as the thumbnail looks like Lion-o and Pantro were sitting beside each other on the front seat.
I like it!
I remember strongly that i wanted thundertank and saw it in a toy store out of its box but i never get it in the end.Back in the day looked amazing because in the small hands of a kid was pretty big,and they worked also the real rubber in the wheels added to the detail making it even more detailed accompanied with the general appearance of this toy vehicle!
Those Thundertanks are like $500 dollars now for a loose one in nice condition. New in box probably 3 times that much or more.
subbed. I don't know a thing about retro toys but I find them fascinating along with their respective cartoons and history.
Enjoyable as always.. Nice..👍
Aaah! Bravestarr, Centurions and Inhumanoids. Now, if only there was a channel dealing with vintage toys and cartoons that would make videos on these lines...
+yunoyuluvit patience....
LOL!
If you have tire dry rot on M.A.S.K. vehicles the original prototypes were made using 1:24 scale model kits so if you find the model chances are the tires will work. Haven't tried this yet but it should work.
I don't collect vintage toys, yet as a "forget mint-in-box" modern toy enthusiast, I like a toy you can inspect with your hands and do whatever it was meant to do with (yeah, I don't get down on the carpet for hours of play! But, if I had a ThunderTank, I would enjoy being able to take it for a spin if the whim hit me. And, the "original parts" weren't made from valuable material (no sandalwood or authentic South American tree rubber!), but from material you can perfectly reproduce with a modern mold and perhaps even superior plastic. I guess a completely remade "ThunderTank" would be a modern toy without the symbolic value of being a true relic of the 1980s. I guess it boils down to whether one wants to "make old toys usable today" or whether one wants a "historical experience". I agree that assembling, say, an original Death Star from original parts is good challenge and would be fun for a determined collector (as opposed to plunking down $20 for modern castings of the plastic).
I think much of it for me is about the historical experience, unless that runs into conflict with using a recreation to restore functionality. A broken but all original toy is not truly all original in my mind, because it can no longer do what it was designed to.
"And now as you can see the Thundertanks treads don't have these extra lips that they're going to have to be pulled over"
I have two Thundertanks and one of them needed treads so I bought reproductions off ebay as well. I know reproductions are a source of contention among some collectors but there are some who do a proper service....as exampled by the reproduction treads. I hope the other tank with the original treads holds up in my lifetime but thankfully someone is taking care of the problem in case they don't.
Great video. There is an automotive product called AT-205 Re-Seal that is supposed to strengthen and restore dried out rubber seals in cars. I wish I had heard of it before the rubber tracks on my Omnibot 2000 broke down. Would have liked to experiment with it to see if it helped. As of right now I haven't used it, but it might be something to keep in mind. If it at least extends the life of rubber parts, it might be a cheaper alternative than custom replacements, even if for just a while.
Ha! Good idea to replace both treads! Wouldn't want uneven wear! That would be a real headache for Panthro's maintenance schedule. "Why when I drive straight, does the ThunderTank drift right, Panthro? Why is it so difficult to make left turns? Did you change one track and not the other????"
I heard that Gummi Pflege Stift, helps to treat and maintain rubber parts for toys and other things.
Great vid! I need to replace my belts too!
Hello, Michael. I gave Yo Joe Outlet a try.
I'd love to see a review of 80s spy tech toys
I use yo joe outlet they are great
As Mark of Anvil Gunsmithing would say "Do the Maintenance" Repair or replace what you absolutely have to in order to keep the thing out in the field where people can continue to enjoy it, be that a firearm, or a classic car, or even, a thundertank.
LOL I said "SNARF!" before you placed the figure! :D
You might want to take a look at 'Theseus' Paradox' (also called the 'Ship of Thesus'). It debates the question of whether an object that has had all of its components replaced remains fundamentally the same object. You can read about it in Plutarch's 'Life of Theseus' in which he questions whether a ship that had been restored by replacing every single wooden part remained the same ship.
+Ryan A. F. Hadeed two treads hardly constitutes the entire object.
No, it doesn't.
I was just pointing out the concept since reproductions versus replacements was raised in the video.
+Ryan A. F. Hadeed true
Great video and neat toy. I just want to correct one misconception regarding rubber toy parts, especially tank treads. Not rolling them, and letting them sit in a static position doesn't extend their life. It shortens it. As you saw with the tread you removed, they harden or go brittle in the shape they are left. With the faster hardening occurring where they are bent and under tension. Spinning them (gently!) to even out the stress periodically will make them last longer.
There are also some products you can treat them with from time to time to extend their life. There is a good German Auto product called Gummi Pflege that the Chogokin collectors swear by. If you can't find that some variants of good old Armor All will work. There is no permanent fix however. The rubber parts will eventually fully "out gas" go brittle and crack and decay. You will likely outlast the rubber parts on your toys.
+andrew taylor you say that... But rolling the treads BACK IN 1985 is what caused then to rip off the vehicle in there first place.
***** Granted playing with them like a child and vrooming the toy around floors and carpets will lead to stress and breakage. But you do need to gently rotate them every now and then so they don't harden in one shape.
Great video!
I really rally love and enjoy RetroBlasting! :^)
Its been a while though, been very busy. :-)
Keep up the good work.
I remember using that Burger King Snarf toy as my representation of that character. If memory serves me, I think that Snarf toy at the end was available only with later Lion-O figures, and what else is a kid to do if you were one who got the toy when it first came out? Mom and Dad were never keen about buying the same toy twice.
I guess I can never go back and see that original first Thundercats video.
I just start collecting thundercats
I'd really love to have a Thundertank toy
Hey Retroblasting! Thanks for sharing this. Have a question for you - I’m working on restoring my childhood Cat’s Lair and Thundertank. Both have started to yellow a bit and I’m wondering if you have recommendations on cleaning and restoring color.
I loved thunder tank , and the cats lair, the latter, had a very delicate neck , the head would break off very easy, my dad was so mad he went bought another cats lair, took it out the box, put the broken cats lair in the box and returned it , not saying it was right or wrong but its a true story is all.
i tried watching old thundercats again a couple years ago. its awesome animation but so much storline like a soap opera. the toys are awesome though. and thankfully as far as i know there has never been a thunercats live movie or videogame
Oh Shnaaaarf!
Nice video
my thunder tanks spring mechanism is jacked up i can't get it stay down and im really about to take it apart but im watching all the videos i can about it first... appreciate this
Hey Michael, how about doing a video on availability of vintage toy lines, from rarest to most common?
+tubeviewerX20 that would be a three hour video without much depth
+tubeviewerX20 plus for now I'm just going to enjoy the completion of this video
Bravo
no Thundercats set is complete without uncle Osbert.
Just found one in the garbage today..only thing missing is back hatch doors
Let's hope Super7 can make He-Man transition smoothly into ThunderCats too. :)
Most likely the will do 3.75″ vintage Kenner style Thundercats figures instead.
I've asked this on other videos, but is there any way to find the 2012 thundercats video? the more it's mentioned, the more interested I am.
Hi there. Do you know if that seller still offers those alternative treads at ebay ? I cant find none at that site. Many thanks. By the way you have many fans in Peru. Regards.
Just out of pure curiousity what is your take on the Thundercats remake, even through it lasted just a season, based upon its looks and storyline??
Any chance of a FistPounder fix video?
HI Michael, it's very interesting to find out that there are some fans who create replica parts of vintage vehicles. Do you know anyone creating replica parts for M.A.S.K. vehicles?
+Mark Steel eBay searches reveal some
Is the vid still up? I cannot find it.
Silverhawks...
Tennis shoes...?!
Anyway, any chance of a review on the Infaceables toys? Really cool gimmick, even out of all cool 80's toy gimmicks!!
What no Lynx-o, Pumyra, or Bengali with the rest of the team at the end?
+zevadprime this was a video about THE THUNDERTANK
My bad. I meant near the end with the rest of the team. I corrected my original post.
+zevadprime I wasn't about to spend $400 on figures from a show I'm ambivalent about.
That's insane! 400 bucks?! May Saint Angus MacGyver preserve us from such high prices.
Each one of those figures goes for over $100 loose in complete condition. As I'm not a huge Thundercats fan, and those characters are Second Season add-ons, I just can't justify it.
You should put new 4" Thundercats figures in the tank.
May be the new classic 6" Lion-O.
how new?
the modern series.
from 2012 or 2013?
What do you think about the Thundercats cartoon remake? I thought it was a smart cartoon, liked the new Mumm-Ra and Cheetarah, and was very disappointed to hear about its cancellation. (Though I never bought the original toys, I also liked the original Thundercats cartoon a lot--and had a "kid-crush" on Cheetara).
I bet the thunder tank would look way cool with the super 7 reaction thunder cats
What happened to your original video on the Thundercats I see it referenced often but can't find it on the channel.
Yes, exactly, I've been scouring comments trying to find out what happened to it!
more masters of the universe stuff please. review the figures.
+Mister M yeah we're really proud of finishing this video too.
I recently bought the Gi Joe motorized tank (not sure if there were multiple motorized tanks so I'll say the date too) that was made in 1984 from a vintage toy store, but it doesn't have the driver. Do you have any sources that might own the driver? Also great video! I always enjoy watching these.
+CleverStudio eBay
RetroBlasting Oh yeah... Ignore me...
Timothy Ward I'm just asking, because he's not a very common figure.
You have not done the Cat's Lair?
Awesome Toy But This Toy Was Seen In Child’s Play (1988).
Poor Panthro, has a set of wheels, but no pussycats to go cruising for.
This are cool right? I mean they're no 41A Lando but they do look dynamic lol
what kind of information can you give me on your theme song? who wrote it? who performs it? are the lyrics written out somewhere?
+parkingclube his name is in the credits of every single video....so.....
What happened to the Thundercats video?
Its better to store them in a dark place because of discoloration?
What happened to your Thundercats episode?
Had to be taken down due to unfair copyright claims. A new version is coming in the future.
Ha ha I almost choked on my 18 year old scotch, I heard they are releasing the whole 4 hours 13 minutes of the OJ 1994 police chase in Ultra HD 4K on discovery+
🤣 It will be available to premium customers to view in full from June 2021.. The upscaled footage will be released in two parts ha ha ha only in America hey 😘🇺🇸
Wow those treads were expensive.
I would like to start off by saying this is really awesome like you I grew up with the ThunderCats I'm not really sure about the connects that you're talking about but I dunno silverhawks it is kind of funny how you said that you weren't necessarily like you weren't glued to the ThunderCats as well as some of us however you like the silverhawks the silverhawks I believe is connected to the Thundercat universe and somehow or some way they have almost the same villains month stars like Monroe and steroids
I honestly can't say enough this is a really cool episode I do appreciate this
First of all THUNDERCATS RULE! Secondly DEATH to snarff!
Hope you guys didn't get hit badly by Hurricane Matthew
Thundercats Voltron transformers and GI Joe in that order or the best cartoons to watch
lol you know its bad when you have already watched a video before even youtube tells you there is a new video then later you get disappointed when you think there is another new video but its just the one you already watched >.< not that its a terrible thing, but still
+Simplastic Reviews ha-ha. Don't worry. New videos are already in production.
***** lol I can.t wait
The toys are ok but the cartoon does not hold up. I do love the Thunder Tank.
For those missing the Mumm ra headdress
th-cam.com/video/XTmUlYkoWLA/w-d-xo.html
Where's the 2 part thundercats review
I have a Lion-O vintage figure and it annoys me that the scaling of them is off even between figures and its bigger than He-Man and TMNT. They are also terrible for paint wear problems.
How much time, would you say, you spend thinking about toys unrelated to your work...
That's the thunder sports car.