Things you could order over 50 years ago that you can't order now !

[RandyT]

They had started phasing it out by the mid '90s. We use a lot of orange boundary paint, at one time I could give a rough estimate of when a line was done just based on the shade of orange. Most people around here buy Nelson. Their first lead free was a pretty drab, almost brown color but they've improved it a lot since then. It's bright orange and seems to hold it's color.

Kubota should find out what they are using for pigment.

I was still using the paint with the label that said contains lead as late as 1998. when I left the utility forestry career and started my own business. We had tried the lead free stuff and was having issue with our marks disappearing after just a few weeks.

 

[JasperFrank]

A cereal company said I could get a model of the Lunar Landing Modual, for 50 cents or, for so many box tops. I sent in the box tops. Saved them up for over a year. And they did send me a plastic kit to build one. It was a pretty good kit and very intricate. Wish, I still had that now.

Hot Wheels would only sell you the Chrome Boss Hoss Mustang, by mail, if you sent in enough cut off cards of other cars bought. I have a red line Chrome Boss Mustang and a Chrome Camero I will never sell these.

As an adult, I see that there isn't the same sort of compliment to brand. Hot Wheels just became exploitative with the brand and made junk. They could have just continued making excellent die-cast car toys. Some one said they could make more money doing it after the red line era way, to just make more money. This is the world we live in.

 

[RandyT]

Century 21 didn't sell kits. These were whole houses, pre-cut and delivered on site. And you could mix and match to a degree, and way before CAD. I think the financing aspect of selling things, just destroyed the actual proposition of making and providing those things. GM, and Chrysler became lending banks more than they were car companies... to their mutual downfall.
I've always just bought stuff on cash and never taken out a loan on anything. Even if I have a 853 credit score, no matter what the sales person says, as to payments and financing, I know they think they have a big fish. I'm the fish and they are the angler. I hate the entire process of limited area dealerships with a monopoly of sales.
Did I ask for Auto Driving features... No. Did I ever ask for Remote Start, No. Did I ever ask that a truck that should cost 35 thousand dollars become an plush 56,000 dollar entertainment family vehicle? NO.
It makes no sense to me that trucks got as big and expensive and complected as they have become. And I find that no one is listening that a truck, should be a simple vehicle, and easily maintained by its owner. Everyone went the the other way to complication and subscriptions and monopolized all repair to their dealerships.

If any one has a clean 1994, - pre airbag, mid-sized truck for sale, in the PNW region, I'm all ears. Cause you can't find one for sale at a reasonable price.

The Century 21 reference was more of a tongue in cheek comment. I know that Sears sold complete mail order kit houses, and there are still a few around

 

[scaredychicken]

a throwback to the 1960's vintage toys (I think they were banned ...)

clacker balls on a string

 

[alexpops]

Yeah i discovered they worked great as bolos early on, so they were banned in my house almost as soon as they came out.

 

[alexpops]

Always wanted the "two person submarine" advertised in comic books until someone told me it was more a half sunk plastic paddleboat, then i lost interest.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I bought my first hunting rifle from Montgomery Ward. It was a 7.65 Argentine Mauser. It cost me $25. I was 12.

 

[JasperFrank]

The clacker balls worked just fine till all the plastic resin kits were sold. People made their own, and these would shatter. The originals didn't shatter.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

They had started phasing it out by the mid '90s. We use a lot of orange boundary paint, at one time I could give a rough estimate of when a line was done just based on the shade of orange. Most people around here buy Nelson. Their first lead free was a pretty drab, almost brown color but they've improved it a lot since then. It's bright orange and seems to hold it's color.

Kubota should find out what they are using for pigment.

When I worked for the Health Department, the Radiation service had a set of Red tableware. Turns the red pigment was made from Uranium, and the dishes were "hot" when checked with a Geiger counter.

 

[turnkey4099]

Funny I was thinking Pet Rock when I saw this and someone posted it. I remember seeing them in stores. Someone mentioned rotary phones. We went out to lunch two days ago and stopped in a antique store. This was for sale.
View attachment 754581

Not really antique, I think you can still get them from the pone company. I have one on my nightstand still working. Of course I am pretty much of an antique myself (87) and still have a landline.