Transformer experts?

[cloud_weaver]

Hi all!  I'm currently down at my inlaw's house and my mother-in-law pulled out a bucket of old toy cars for my boys to play with.  As they were going through them I spied one Transformer car, the size of a hot wheel in the mist.  It's a small red car, with black windows and a slanted back window.  Underneath is an autobot sticker.  The back window folds over to make the feet and legs.  The markings on it are:

Takara Co. LTD
Japan
1974, 1983


I'm super sorry I can't get photos of it as I don't have my camera here...  Does anyone know which car it is, and should I pull it from the toy bucket and have my mother-in-law put it up for safe keeping?


Also, I did find another car, but I'm not sure if this one is a transformer.  Here's the description of the second car.   It's part metal, part plastic and looks sort of like a fire truck minus the ladder.  It's red, and the back of the truck pulls down to make the 'legs' .  The markings on this one say|:


(something in Japanese)
MR-10
POPY.D.S
1982.  Japan


Again, sorry about the lack of photos.  Maybe I'll try to borrow a camera later and upload a picture.


Thanks for your time!
Cloudie

Post Merge: March 21, 2012, 03:09:54 PM

Found the name of the first car...it's a Mini-Con called Windcharger.  But that's all I know. 

[PandoraFox]

I'm no expert at all but I  can certainly try and see if I can help.
How large is the second car though?
It'd help if we knew if we were looking for another minibot or something larger.

The only firetruck I recall from the top of my head from around that era is inferno.
http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Inferno_(G1)
But he is supposed to have a ladder.

Of course it is odd that there's no Hasbro or Takara marking on that second car anywhere.
But I don't know much about the markings on the old toys. I hope someone else knows if there are toys around without the company name on them

[Eviecorn]

Interesting.  I have no knowledge in this area, but I get super psyched every time I hear "Takara". 

[kaoskat]

I'll poke hubby.

[Echo_Shell]

The car sounds like Cliffjumper, a first year release "mini car" similar to Bumblebee.  The firetruck is most likely a Gobot named Pumper.

[cloud_weaver]

The car sounds like Cliffjumper, a first year release "mini car" similar to Bumblebee.  The firetruck is most likely a Gobot named Pumper.

Wow!  You were spot on with Pumper!  That's him.  ^-^  I just googled it and that's it!  He must be missing his ladder.  Were Gobots the competitive toy for Transformers?  I've never heard of them.

The first car is Windcharger from the mini-con series.  Are either worth much?  Both are pretty 'loved'.

Thank you all for your help. 

[Echo_Shell]

Yes, Gobots was a competitor in the 80's.  Many believe they lost the war due to their lack of character bios on the box/backcard, which added personality to individual transformer characters.  Whatever the case, Hasbro has since purchased the rights to the Gobots name and characters (though oddly I believe Tonka owns their molds).

Neither of these figures is typically that valuable, but I urge you to research on ebay for yourself.  The toy market's been rather fickle lately.