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Non-Road Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: bandit957 on January 10, 2025, 10:14:09 PM

Title: 1970s toy where you steer a small race car
Post by: bandit957 on January 10, 2025, 10:14:09 PM
Anyone remember this?

I remember a toy around 1977 in which you would steer a small race car. The toy was maybe 2 by 2 feet and had a steering wheel in front. The toy had this sheet of cardboard with a drawing of some roads or tracks. You would steer a tiny race car on the paths. I think the car moved using a tiny magnet.

I think you could flip over the sheet of cardboard for a different layout.

I think the toy was red.

Anyone else remember this, or what it was called?
Title: Re: 1970s toy where you steer a small race car
Post by: bandit957 on January 10, 2025, 10:17:26 PM
And before anyone asks, it wasn't Drive Yourself Crazy. That was a different toy.
Title: Re: 1970s toy where you steer a small race car
Post by: Henry on January 10, 2025, 11:20:21 PM
I actually remember having one of these when I was a kid (I would've been 7 when it first came out). I don't know the exact name either, but I definitely know what you mean by it.
Title: Re: 1970s toy where you steer a small race car
Post by: ZLoth on January 12, 2025, 10:02:57 PM
Matchbox Steer-n-Go?

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BGBaYpn0oGI/hq720.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEhCK4FEIIDSFryq4qpAxMIARUAAAAAGAElAADIQj0AgKJD&rs=AOn4CLD6XO7SJIpBq-PhR2fz3JUuBfyuDw)
Title: Re: 1970s toy where you steer a small race car
Post by: bandit957 on January 12, 2025, 10:06:04 PM
Quote from: ZLoth on January 12, 2025, 10:02:57 PMMatchbox Steer-n-Go?

It was a lot like this, except the layout was flat, with no terrain.
Title: Re: 1970s toy where you steer a small race car
Post by: kurumi on January 12, 2025, 11:11:27 PM
Quote from: bandit957 on January 12, 2025, 10:06:04 PM
Quote from: ZLoth on January 12, 2025, 10:02:57 PMMatchbox Steer-n-Go?

It was a lot like this, except the layout was flat, with no terrain.

I found U-Drive-It, which looks like a Steer-n-Go Illinois Edition: https://toytales.ca/u-drive-it-from-schaper-1974/

QuoteThe tabletop driving game was released in 1974 and ran on two D-batteries. Kids could drive a toy car through twisting roads on a board using the connected steering wheel, ignition switch, gear shift, and foot accelerator. They could change speeds, stop, and start the car on one of two interchangeable landscapes. One side of the board featured a series of country roads while the other gave the experience of city driving.
Title: Re: 1970s toy where you steer a small race car
Post by: bandit957 on January 12, 2025, 11:22:14 PM
Quote from: kurumi on January 12, 2025, 11:11:27 PMI found U-Drive-It, which looks like a Steer-n-Go Illinois Edition: https://toytales.ca/u-drive-it-from-schaper-1974/

That was it! I remember it had a little pedal too!
Title: Re: 1970s toy where you steer a small race car
Post by: bandit957 on January 12, 2025, 11:25:03 PM
I also remember an AFX toy auto racing track with Jackie Stewart on the box.
Title: Re: 1970s toy where you steer a small race car
Post by: lepidopteran on January 13, 2025, 10:39:49 PM
For what it's worth, the TV commercial for U-Drive-It played the song "Summer Spin" by Anthony Mawer in the background.
Title: Re: 1970s toy where you steer a small race car
Post by: vdeane on January 14, 2025, 12:59:33 PM
And to think I thought "U-Drive-It" was just the name of a the part of SimCity 4: Rush Hour/Deluxe where the player could drive vehicles and complete missions in their city (then again, Dr. Vu's character art was clearly based on Dr. Evil, and SimCity 3000 had a "call cousin vinnie" cheat code, so references about in that series).