Description

Corgi Juniors Growlers E82 Can-Am Racer

Manufactured 1975-1977

 A mint example of this 1970's Corgi Juniors model. Model is mint on original unopened blister card which is near mint, slight wear to lower corners and some crushing to blister at one end. Please study the photos for exact condition. Hard to find Growlers in this condition.

Background

To compete with novelty ranges such as Rola-Matics, Corgi needed to introduce a gimmick that could be incorporated into the Juniors line at no extra cost to the purchaser. And so the Growlers sub-series was released in 1975, numbered amongst the regular Corgi Juniors models. Growlers were billed in adverts as being ‘Corgi Juniors with sound’. Which was true – they did have sound effects – although whether those sounds were convincing is another matter!The way Growlers worked was with a fifth wheel added to the plastic base. This toothed wheel interacted with a plastic prong moulded into the underside which produced a ‘clicking’ sound. It was a very simple gimmick, and was similar to the way young boys used to put a strip of cardboard in their bicycle spokes to make a sound supposedly like a motorbike. The fifth wheel was mounted slightly higher than the other wheels, and the model had to be pushed down on its suspension in order engage the ‘growling’ mechanism. When the vehicle was not pressed downwards, it would roll along normally on its Whizzwheels. The instructions on the packaging read, ‘JUST PRESS AND PUSH FORWARD… HEAR THEM GR-R-R-OWL!’ indicating that the sound was similar to the roar of an engine. In reality, it was more of a ‘clicking’ sound that became more of a ‘buzz’ the faster the vehicle was pushed.

Any questions, please ask

Happy to ship worldwide.

Combined shipping a pleasure

Please take a look at my other vintage toy listings 

• Any questions, please ask!
• Happy to ship worldwide
• Combined shipping a pleasure