The 1980s toy lines were only as good as their marketing, so taking a nifty vehicle brand and adding McDonalds branding helps. The Happy Meals had lesser rolling toys that were smaller and couldn't roll. Retail stores and this mail-in offer had motorized trucks with knobby tires and working lights, all powered by a single "AA" battery. These were pretty popular for a couple of years, too. They were more interesting than a Hot Wheels car, plus they actually could do something by themselves without tracks or launchers. The truck was the toy.
A switch under the truck could let it roll in 4x4 mode, supposedly able to do things like drive over your fingers. I couldn't get it to crawl over other toys very well, but it was fun to roll on the table. A free-wheeling mode lets you move it around with just your hand, so you could send it down a ramp or something.
A snap-on chassis gives the toy its detail. A motor inside held the engine and lights, with clear lights on the front and back of the chassis. The Chevrolet has a chrome grille and matching bumper, plus painted yellow lights. A green hood has a McDonald's logo on it, which looks pretty nice. I'm surprised how it held up to 30 years of neglect, and that the tires are intact. I've had rubber-wheel Transformers crack in under a decade.
I loved these things as a kid, but I've been hauling them around with me for years - so I'm getting rid of this one. It's nice, but the fact that it has a cool trailer hitch and a snazzy paint job isn't enough for me to haul it around for the next 30. I hope its next owner loves it too.
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