The Tyco Pull Back (aka. Super Fast Pull Back Motor), and Taiyo Pullback (aka. Taiyo Super Pull Back Motor) were a series of miniature toy cars produced by Playtime, and released globally in 1992 and 1993 under license from Tyco.
Each toy was a small, plastic vehicle with a built-in friction motor that allowed them to be pulled back along the ground and then released, moving forward at high speed until the energy was dispelled. The toys were released under both Taiyo and Tyco brands depending on the market of release, and manufactured by PlayTime who was one of the many companies that Tyco purchased globally during the 90s – a move that would sadly lead to their demise before the end of the decade.
The cars came in several models and colors based on full size Tyco RC / Taiyo radio control vehicles, including:
- Fast Traxx in Red, and Fluorescent Yellow/Green.
- Fast Traxx Pickup in Black, Yellow, Pink.
- Fast Traxx Eliminator in Black.
- Half Traxx in Green.
- Hammer in Fluorescent Yellow/Green.
- Scorcher in Red.
There may have been other models, but we can’t find any photos of their existence. Do you know any others? Please leave a comment below and post a photo if you have one!
Operation
To operate a Tyco Pull Back toy, you simply put the car on the ground and pulled it backwards with enough downward pressure that the wheels would grip and wind up the friction motor inside.
Upon release, the spring-loaded friction motor would release it’s energy in the opposite direction, propelling the car forward.
With such a fun, great looking, easy to use toy modeled after known popular products, I’d expect these to have been a sales winner but so far I’ve not found any data to back that up.
Collect-ability
While the toys are no longer in production, they can still be found for sale on online marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon, as well as at toy fairs and conventions, both in NIB / Packaged state, and used / loose. Sadly they’re no longer cheap, with the rarity increasing and popularity with collectors growing every year as more 80s/90s kids become nostalgic, it’s not uncommon to see them listed for $99USD each. Collectors looking for value would be wise to find Taiyo versions, and purchase them directly from Japan for a better price.
Recommendation
In my opinion, you’d be hard pressed to find a Tyco/Taiyo Collector, 80s/90s toy fan, or radio control enthusiast who wouldn’t love one of these. In fact, if you’re looking for a birthday / Christmas, or other gift for such a person then if the price is right, you really can’t go wrong.
Personally I’ve started my collection by purchasing the full set of 4 Taiyo Fast Traxx (Japanese versions) in a single purchase, and am now looking for the Hammer and Half-Traxx varieties. They’ll take pride of place within my collection, and maybe one day I’ll be daring enough to open one up and let her rip!
wpDiscuz
