If you grew up playing with playing with Tonka trucks as a kid, here’s a little trivia you might find interesting. I always thought that “Tonka” conjured up the image of toughness and it’s a great brand name for the trucks. Coincidentally, “Tonka” is the Dakota-Sioux for “Great” or “Big.” The first trucks were produced in 1947, with the first Tonka dump truck coming out in 1949. The metal toys lived up to their name and the design idea “that a toy should be durable and provide the child with as much play value as possible.”
The company that produced the toys was founded as a metal-working company in Mound, Minnesota. After some early failures making garden tools, metal tie-racks, etc., they reinvented themselves as Tonka Toys. Their new name and logo (featuring the name above waves) were obvious references to nearby Lake Minnetonka. Mound is located on the north side of the western end of Lake Minnetonka.
More Tonka Toy history on Hasbro’s page “The History of Tonka Trucks / Tonka brand history” and the Tonka wikipedia page.
Briefly looking over results for old Tonka trucks on eBay, you’ll find that vintage trucks are going for well over $100. For example, this Gambles delivery truck sold for $1426 and this 1950′s Carnation Milk Van sold for $814!
Makes me wonder if I have any Tonka trucks to sell…
Sorry to say that you have no Tonka trucks here. If you ever did have
any, they are long gone.
This 60′s Westinghouse Controlmobile Ford Van sold for $2000!
This auction is for a Great VINTAGE 60′S METAL NYLINT WESTINGHOUSE CONTROLMOBILE FORD VAN. It measures almost 11 inches long and about 5 inches tall. One side has WESTINGHOUSE CONTROLMOBILE and the W Logo. The door on that side has STANDARD CONTROL DIVISION BEAVER, PA. The other side has 2 opening doors. One door has a paper/cardboard insert with MANUAL CONTROLS, the other door has BF RELAYS and inside the van is a paper card with CONQUEST OF INNER SPACE MACHINE TOOL PANEL. The back doors open up and inside 1 door is a paper/cardboard with A/200 STARTERS, the other door has SAFETY HANDLE MECANISMS, and the inside paper has more pictures of A/200 STARTERS. The Condition of this Van is great for it’s age. VERY little paint loss, Tires look good, The decals are coming off just a tiny bit and the papers inside look great. One insert on the side door and one insert on the back door need to be reglued back in, I’ll let the buyer do that. Buyer to pay $8.00 shipping.
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-60S-NYLINT-WESTINGHOUSE-CONTROLMOBILE-FORD-VAN_W0QQitemZ310033778111QQihZ021QQcategoryZ2655QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem