With vintage toys, the original box can sometimes double the value, or the asking price, if not even more than double, sometimes, depending on the artwork and rarity. This 1964 Mattel V-RROOM! bicycle booster “engine” (sound-maker) comes with its original box and instruction sheet, as you can see here on the eBay listing. It’s located in Butler, Pennsylvania, and the seller is asking $179.95. Thanks to PRA4SNW for the tip!
This “engine” is somewhat related to one I found a little over two years ago for a 1966 Mattel Stallion, and I paid almost $500 for that one in NOS condition. We saw that one attached to the restored bike here on Barn Finds on March 4, 2024. It doesn’t seem like it has been two years already. That V-RROOM! “engine” is powered by a couple of D-cell batteries, but this one is powered (the sound part, I mean) by pulling down on that red lever on top. It makes three sounds, the top is a whining sound, sort of like my normal voice, then there’s neutral, with no sound other than cheap plastic parts spinning faster than they should, and the bottom setting sounds like your stomach late at night after a stop at a gas station for a couple of roller dogs.
Here’s the painful part to me: the original box! About a week ago I bought one of these (here’s the listing), but it didn’t have the box. It works great, it just showed up a couple of days ago, and the seller was a gem of a human being. But it was about the same price, and it didn’t have the box or any paperwork. Arrrrrgh. I have half a mind (according to my wife) to buy this one just for the box and instructions. I’ll give it a couple of days, and if one of you doesn’t buy it first, I may snag it.
Mattel offered these plastic and metal (that’s an actual thin metal part that’s chromed) sound-maker motors/engines for its line of V-RROOM! bikes and other wheeled goodies in the 1960s, and they’re pretty fun. I cleaned up the one I just got with some soapy water and a toothbrush. Then I used just regular polishing compound, and it looks almost perfect, but I really want that box. Mattel made some very cool and heavy-duty bikes, and even a three-wheeler called the X-15, meant to get in on the space race. I have one of those, but it’s in line to be restored. I should have done that this winter.
After you crank the red handle a few times to power the gyro, the sound comes out of the left side, as seen on the bottom in the photo above. That’s the only open part, and you can see the cone and other sound-making bits in there. Having the box and instruction sheet would be nice for any of us hoarders, I mean, collectors. Are any of you into collecting unusual things like this 1964 Mattel noise-maker engine?
Many of us make that whining sound when we see something we just can’t live without-or justify the cost for accordingly..
Pretty cool find, Scotty-more expensive than just some playing cards clothespinned to the forks but such was the price in place riding a real motorcycle!
This is really neat. This is a great find PRA4SNW!! I honestly dont know how items like this actually survive for 6 decades in its original box!!! I feel your pain Scotty. Years ago I’d scour Ebay for vintage slot cars, finally bid and win, and then like a few days later something better or closer to what I’d been looking for would pop up…. I get it Scotty… But you met a great seller and you have a nice one.
Thanks again gor a great stroll down memory lane!!!
You should snag it now rather than wait until it is sold, and then say i should have bought that at a great price with the box. The listing does not say if it works.