Astronef Electrique - Chinese Space Car?

[Zesko]

I assume that this is a fairly recent space car...within the last 10 years? 5 years? 5 days? Nothing on the box indicates age, but I figured you guys would know instantly.

[Tony]

I have one of these, I assumed it was manufactured in France. I think my box may be different, but I'll have to check; I don't believe there is a date stamped on mine either. I'm thinking late 90's (I've had mine for at least three years). Does yours have plastic antennae as mine does? I've seen one under glass in a toy shop with metal springs for antennae, suggesting these may be rip offs of an older toy. I like the sound and motion of this one, and the floating styrofoam ball action is pretty cool, but already one of the lights has burned out. :unsure:

[Robotnut]

I'm seeing double !

I'm in my office sitting at my desk reading your post and

along with some other common space junk, I have one

of these sitting on my desk. Yes this is a recent toy, made

in China, but I was told it was a copy of a Hungarian toy.

I payed $5 for mine a year ago, it has bump-n-go, flashing

lights and a floating foam satellite. Mine ran for about 3

minutes before the blower came loose in its housing and

jammed up the motor. I could not find a way to disassemble

it without destroying it. The flared air outlet is perminately

glued to the blower, so I now use this spacecar as a paper

weight. I noticed your flared air outlet is missing, someone

likely had the same problem as me and broke it off. If I

jam something into the blower to keep it out of the way the

bump-n-go still works. Definately a cheap piece, but it does

make a cool desk ornament... :D

www.robotnut.com

[Zesko]

No, I don't have one of these.... I lifted the picture from an auction yesterday, just trying to find out more about it. Tesla-Coil already won it.

[Robotnut]

What's the auction # ? Final price ?

[Nikola Tesla]

Hey, here is the auction from last night---a little more than I wanted to pay; but, at $16.50, about as expensive as any of the new w/u repros:

Battery Operated Space Ship

Wasn't listed under "robot" specifically, but under the more generic category "Toys & Hobbies:Electronic, Battery, Wind-Up:Battery Operated:Modern (1970-89)"

;)

[WJN]

I bought a bunch of these China versions in the late '80s. I think I still have some left. They are a copy of a Hungarian toy, and I know I still have some of these left. There are actually 2 similar Hungarian space cars like this, and I remember that one of them takes that odd European flat battery. I wll try to get some pics soon. The China version has pretty poor reliability, (mainly bad switches) and the Hungarian versions all seem to run, albeit slowly. I was told that the Hungarian version is a copy of a Japanese toy, but I can find no evidence that such a toy existed. Again, sorry for the late response.