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Showing posts with label Marx. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marx. Show all posts

Friday, June 19, 2026

Marx #4672 'The Flintstones' Playset (1961) - Pt 18 Barney's Car (Loggin Continental)

Barney's car was - to the best of my knowledge - never referred to as anything else but 'Barney's car' in the series, but among the writers and illustrators it was called the 'Loggin Continental' - a play on words of the real-life Lincoln Continental. It is seen in the very first episode aired on TV and has all the classic elements of the car we all know: hollowed out log and four supports holding up the roof. 

The car was made in blue and red (shown here) as well as flip flopped colors of red and blue. It too was available as a red and yellow version in Montgomery Wards half set. It measures 4" (10,16cm) L x 1.375" (3,49cm) W x 1.75" (4.44cm) H and it too has an Achille's heel. Unfortunately, Marx's attempt at making a nicely detailed car included the use of four fragile roof supports that are easily lost or broken. If you're lucky enough to obtain all four supports make sure all the tabs which are meant to fit into the body or roof, are there. Generally what I do is just use the two front supports and use what remaining supports I have for other Barny cars. As well, the tabs on the back of the roof, meant to fit into the body of the car, are often times broken off.  However, the nice thing about this design is that it could be used totally without a top and would be correct for what was shown in the series.

Ed

S1 E1 "The Flintstone Flyer"

In this episode the car looks pretty much like the toy with its hollowed out log and four supports holding the roof up.

S1 E5 "The Split Personality"

The Loggin Continental - no top


Johnny Lightning Barney Rubble's Sports Car

Unlike toys of Fred's Flintmobile, which I have always seen with a top, I have several examples of Barney's car without a top.


Marx Barney's Car















Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Marx #4672 'The Flintstones' Playset (1961) - Pt 17 Fred's Car (The Flintmobile)

Fred's car, the Flintmobile, the Flintstones Flivver: this now iconic car design from the '60s has been called by several names through the years and is one of the most recognizable of 'cars' around the world. Depending on what the script called for, the car shown in the cartoon could be a one-seater, two-seater, or have a back row of seats to fit the whole family and all versions are instantly recognizable as the Flintmobile. Marx may have taken its inspiration directly from the opening credits of the show as Fred drives home from work. 

I noticed when posting the photographs here that, when building my set car, I put the side frames on upside down!! OOPs - LOL 

Anywho, if you didn't look at the instructions one would never know the side frames were on wrong. The car consists of eight pieces and measures 3.5" (8,89cm) L x 1.75" (4,44cm) W x 2" (5,08cm) H. Marx molded this in blue and red (shown in this post) and flip-flop colors of red and blue. Fred and Barney's cars, included in the Montgomery Wards half-set of 'The Flintstones', were molded in red and yellow and are said to be rare (I have both and will cover those in a future installment). This is a terrific copy of the cartoon car but it does have an Achille's heel: the two very small tabs which hold the top section to the deck, are often times broken off. 

Ed

Season 1 Opening Credits


Fred's Car by Marx
















Sunday, June 14, 2026

Marx #4672 'The Flintstones' Playset (1961) - Pt 15 Figures: Fireman

Unlike several of the other poses in the set, there's no mistaking this guy. This Fireman may have been inspired by S1E16 Arthur Quarry's Dance Class (a nod to the Arthur Murray Dance studios which were once very popular).

Ed