Hess Toy Trucks Survive!

Well, we all heard the rumors that Hess Toy Trucks were not going to be made anymore and that this was the last year for them. To the baby boomers that grew up with the Toy trucks each Christmas this was crushing news! I remember the anticipation of what the new toy truck was going to be and all the hush hush from the station owners not telling us anything until they put up the posters advertising the new truck the day before it was going to be sold.

Hess Corp. finally after all the speculation said Thursday, May 22nd that it is selling its gas stations and convenience stores. One major thing they did so that all the Hess Toy Truck collectors out there could breathe a sigh of relief is announce that it will continue selling the toy trucks it has marketed each holiday season since 1964.

A different version of the truck is sold each year. Models have included fire engines, helicopters and even a space shuttle. The most recent model, a truck with a tractor in the back, went for $27.99. All of the Hess Toy Trucks are available on our website at http://rayshesstoytrucks.com from 1964 to the present as well replacement parts, signs, buttons, rare Hess collectibles & Mini's.

The toy truck has become a collector's item and tradition for some families. A Hess toy truck float is even included in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The 2014 holiday truck, which has not yet been announced, will be sold at the 1,342 Hess locations along the East Coast. After this year, the company will continue selling the Hess toy trucks online.
Hess sold its retail business to Marathon Petroleum Corp. so that it can focus on exploration and production, according to a statement from the company. The deal was for $2.6 billion.

Hess Sells it's Retail end to Marathon for $2.6B

Well here's the news everyone has been talking about for along time that finally came true! Hess agreed on May 22 to sell its retail business to Marathon Petroleum’s Speedway for $2.6 billion. Hess has long wanted to get away from the retail part of the business and focus more on drilling.
According to Hess, its retail part of the company is the largest chain of company-operated gas stations and convenience stores along the East Coast.
Marathon said its 1,480 Speedway convenience stores, most of them in the Midwest, are part of the nation’s fourth-largest chain, just ahead of Hess. Marathon also sells its gasoline through 5,200 independent retail outlets.
The deal includes all Hess retail locations, as well as the company’s transport operations and shipper history on various pipelines.
Marathon said the combined business will become the largest U.S. chain of convenience stores by revenue. It will include about 2,700 locations and had 2013 pro forma revenue of more than $27 billion.
Marathon will buy Hess Retail Holdings for $2.37 billion in cash, in addition to $230 million of working capital. The transaction also includes $274 million in capital leases, bringing its total value to roughly $2.87 billion.
“This acquisition will be transformative for MPC and Speedway as it will significantly expand our retail presence from nine to 23 states through these premier Hess locations throughout the East Coast and Southeast,” Marathon president and CEO Gary Heminger said in a statement.
The Findlay, Ohio-based refiner plans to rebrand the Hess locations. During a conference call with analysts, Speedway president Tony Kenney said Marathon has a license agreement to use the Hess brand for three years until the gas stations and convenience stores can be converted to Speedway.
“It’s basically by agreement that we have to rebrand,” Kenney explained.
“We saw a lot of value in the Hess brand. But as you can appreciate, Hess is an ongoing, publicly traded company, and the colors and marquee are their brand,” Heminger said in response to an analyst’s question.
Hess has shed more than $10 billion worth of assets as part of an effort to transform itself into a pure-play exploration and production company. With the sale of its convenience stores and gas stations, Hess has largely completed that objective.
CEO John Hess said the deal with Marathon “marks the culmination of our strategic transformation into a pure-play exploration and production company.”
Proceeds from the sale will be used to support an increase in Hess’ share buyback program to $6.5 billion from $4 billion. Since August 2013, Hess has repurchased about $2.8 billion in stock.
Hess also said it will continue to sell its toy trucks, a longtime holiday tradition. Hess plans to sell a 50^th anniversary edition this year at the retail outlets and online. Starting next year, the toy trucks will be sold exclusively online.

A look at the old & new style Hess Tanker Trucks through the years!

I thought that it would be a nice idea to post a few of the older style Hess delivery tankers for you to see. Out of all of the many Hess trucks that Hess released I have to say that the tankers are by far the most impressive ones to date. Let's take a look at a few examples below of the tankers starting with the newest and graduating to the original models and see for yourself. Enjoy!

New Hess tanker with Volvo cab.

 New Hess tankers at the oil refinery in New Jersey.

Tankers filling up for their daily deliveries.

 Here is the older style model White 9000 cab.

 Hess tankers in the supply yard in the early years.

Original Hess tanker that has been restored and on display in Woodbridge New Jersey.

Hess tankers in the supply yard in the early years.

Here is the original Hess tanker the Leon Hess drove  for deliveries.

Real Hess Snow Plow & Sander Truck

This trip down memory lane is brought to you by an actual, honest to goodness, real life Hess truck.

Seeing this truck caused a question to rise in my brain. Does Hess still run a private fleet? I remember seeing trucks like this Freight-liner FLD and Volvo's on the road all the time but they seem to have disappeared in recent years. A few minutes on Google lead to a disturbing answer. Hess announced in March of 2013 that they plan to sell the portion of their company responsible for refining and selling gasoline. Following the sale Hess will be solely a petroleum exploration and research company. Retail operations and storage facilities will be sold. What this means for the Hess truck remains to be seen but it doesn’t look good. After all, if you no longer have Hess gas stations where do you sell Hess trucks! Maybe someone will buy the name rights and continue the tradition. I may want to reconsider my previous statement on the value of the modern collectible lineup.

As you can see from all these the photo's this truck wears the location of local Hess tank farm. No doubt this Freightliner was at one time an OTR truck now serving a second life as a plow. It still wears NJ plates, the home state of Hess. I’m glad to share these photograph's of this Hess truck as it soon may be collectible itself!

Canadian Minnitoys - Large & Fun!

If ever there was a name for a toy that just didn’t seem to fit, these trucks are a perfect example. Almost gigantic in comparison to most other toys on the market, these Canadian trucks were called “Minnitoys.” They were made by the Otaco Limited Company located in Orilla, Ontario. Produced from the late 40’s through the early 60’s these beefy toys enjoy a strong following today, both north and south of the border.

Minnitoy trucks were not only large (28” long), they were very sturdy. Most were strong enough to accommodate a small child’s weight with extra reinforcing ribs built into the semi-trailers. As a result many were literally “ridden into the ground” by their lucky owners. Finding well-preserved specimens today is very difficult.

Prior to the introduction of their famous truck line, Otaco manufactured other toys. Their construction equipment (a steam shovel and a 3-piece bulldozer and trailer set) could be considered quaint, if not a little crude. The first trucks produced were also a bit on the primitive side. Most of the fabrication and assembly was done by hand using crimp-over tabs instead of spot-welding.

In the 1940's Otaco marketed a line of five of these early trucks and a ride-on Canadian Flyer train that were of lighter construction and lesser quality than the trucks featured on this site. Later production ride-on trains were larger (30” long) and offered in two different paint schemes; Canadian Pacific and Canadian National. These were advertised along with the truck line in their 1955 catalogs.

The most collectible Minnitoy trucks are those produced from about the early 1950’s through the early 60’s at which point the Otaco plant closed its doors. These trucks truly set the standard for what a quality, big steel truck toy should look like.

An interesting anecdote regarding these trucks is the misspelled name of the company on the rubber tries. It was spelled with only one ‘n.’ This error was never corrected.

Private label trucks (built in cooperation with various commercial businesses) were a Minnitoys specialty. Just how many private label trucks are out there is still a mystery, but there were at least 40. A list was compiled from information gleaned from an April 8, 1998 article in Collecting Toys magazine and also from knowledgeable collectors, Ron McBain and Keith Davis of Canada, and Gary Coghlan at structotrucks.com.

Perhaps the most prolific advertiser on the Minnitoy semi trucks was Heinz. Their products were responsible for at least 7 different private label trucks, most with English lettering on one side and French on the other.

Trucks can also be found that have been painted over by commercial businesses and which were not actually part of the Minnitoy production line.

This line of toy trucks really has no equal when it comes to size, variety, visual impact, and just plain style. A collection of Minnitoys is certainly one to be desired, enjoyed, and highly valued.

This toy came in  several paint schemes including; Green w/Yellow Trim, Silver w/Maroon trim and Yellow w/Maroon trim. The bucket and arm were detachable so you could use it as a crane.

Today, Texaco advertising products are in great demand by collectors due to their prolific variety, high-quality graphics and colorful and artful lay-outs. This tanker may not have most of those characteristics, but it still has that appealing TEXACO "flavor."

The Hochelaga green/ yellow/red color scheme is much like the colors of the Hess toy trucks that would come years later.

Allstate Sears Semi-Tractor-Trailer Truck by Marx

 

Allstate trucks were made by Marx as an exclusive line for Sears. This truck is shown in a 1959 Sears ad but may have also been available before and/or after that year. Cab seems out of proportion to trailer.

 

The cab does not represent any make or model of a real truck but looks like it was intended to portray futuristic styling. Note that the same Marx trailer design is used once again!

 

Sear's Semi-Tractor-Trailer Truck by Marx

This Sears truck by Marx is almost identical in construction to the Newberry's truck. This same trailer design was used by Marx for many years on many different trucks - a very economical move.

The single-axle trailer was a step down in design.
Duals looked much better.

Rear doors were stiffened by embossing a
distinctive design on them. Hinges were strong.

The deep blue Sears Roebuck And Co. cab was enhanced by gold accents and a red details. Looks like this one might have rear-ended someone at some time.

New 2013 Hess Toy Truck & Tractor

                         

Well it's that time of the year again when Hess introduces their Holiday Toy Truck. This year is probably on of the best trucks that Hess put out in years.

 

The 2013 Hess toy truck is a beautifully chrome detailed truck and trailer with loading ramp, custom designed to haul a versatile, self-propelled tractor.

Truck Features Include:

• 45 lights that work in flash or steady mode
• Hidden, extendable rear loading ramp with sound effects
• 4 realistic sounds: ignition/idle, horn, backup alert, hydraulic lift

The self-propelled, multipurpose tractor has both front and rear buckets, and a fully motorized rubber track to take on the toughest terrain!

Tractor Features Include:

• 15 working lights
• Motorized forward / reverse motion
• Locking front bucket with release button
• 360° swiveling back bucket

 

The History of Marx Toy Museum

In 1998, the dream of toy collector, Francis Turner, to create a museum dedicated to Marx toys took its first step with the purchase of a 1950's grocery store building in Moundsville, West Virginia.  For the next two years, Francis Turner and his family remodeled this old building into a museum dedicated to Marx toys.

In 2000, The Official Marx Toy Museum of Glen Dale, West Virginia opened its doors to the public.  At that time, the museum was owned and operated by Francis Turner and displayed a portion of his personal collection.  For over 10 years, the museum shared the history, beauty, and quality of Marx toys with its visitors - including toy collectors, former factory workers, and generations of now grown-up children who wanted to relive childhood memories.

In 2010, Francis Turner and his family received the encourage and support to finally develop the museum into a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.  For nearly 14 months, Francis Turner and the newly established MTM Board of Directors developed the Marx Toy Museum organization.  In June 2011, the Marx Toy Museum was approved as a non-proft 501(c)(3) organization.

In July 2011, the Marx Toy Museum took over operation of The Official Marx Toy Museum of Glen Dale, West Virginia and will assume the mission and ongoing operation of the museum.  As a public charity, the Marx Toy Museum exists under the direction of a board of directors and the support of the local, nostalgic, and collectors community who recognize the importance of preserving the history of Marx.

The Marx Toy Museum is working to insure the history of Louis Marx the man, the Marx company and factories, and the iconic Marx toys will be preserved and shared with th public for future generations. 

The Marx Toy Museum, Inc is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization under the direction of a Board of Directors with the support of an Advisory Board - all dedicated to a mission. 

The Mission of the Marx Toy Museum is accomplished through the collection and display of Marx toys, photographs, personal accounts, written documentation, and production related pieces - made accessible to the public through the ongoing operation of the Marx Toy Museum.

 Mission Statement: 

The Marx Toy Museum is dedicated to preserving the history of Marx toys, the passion and genius of Louis Marx, and the talents and creativity of the Men and Women who dedicated their lives to toy production.

The Marx Toy Museum provides an opportunity for former Marx employees to reminisce hours of labor, for families to renew and share childhood memories, and for Marx enthusiasts to gather and admire the creativity and quality of Marx toys. 

The Marx Toy Museum shares with visitors the history of Louis Marx & Co and Marx toys, the legacy of Louis Marx the Man, the stories of Factory Workers, and identifies the industrial and historical significance of Louis Marx & Co in the community.

Rare #18 Toy Truck Story

Some of you may have heard about or seen this very rare and low production of the elusive #18 Toy Truck. This truck is a re-issue of the popular 1997 Hess Truck & Racers featuring a big 18-wheeler with not one, but two racecars inside. The cars were powered by friction motors and had working headlights and taillights. Of course, the truck had working headlights, taillights, and running lights, too. This is the largest truck that Hess had released in its collection.

 

 Now the difference between the original 1997 Hess truck and this special edition is the color and side markings. This truck is molded in a silver plastic with a single green stripe and the number 18 on the doors, sides of the truck, rear panel, front grille and top air dam. The race cars are also different as one is done in silver and the other in green and silver. Both have the #18 adorned on them. The box is also unique showing a picture of the truck displaying the race cars inside and reads "18 Dual Racer Transport" one the front portion of the box. Ok, so you are all wondering why this was produced and what's the story is behind the truck being made. Well here is the exclusive scoop on it. John Hess and Joe Gibbs of Joe Gibbs Racing and better known as the coach of the football Washington Redskins were and still are very good friends. John Hess had these trucks made up for his friend Joe to go along with his NASCAR race team . It was designed with his race car #18 adorning all sides of the truck and racers. There were less than 100 made and were packed in 6 and 12 pack cases, none of which were sold to the public. They were given to Gibbs to do whatever he wanted with them. Although not a true Hess edition this is still a very rare and unique collectible.

Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is a group of NASCAR racing teams owned and operated by former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, who first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991, and J. D. Gibbs, his son. Headquartered in Huntersville, North Carolina, near Charlotte, the team has amassed three Sprint Cup championships since the year 2000 and participated in other lower-tier NASCAR series for driver development, winning one championship in the East Division of the NASCAR Camping World. For the team's first sixteen seasons, JGR ran cars from General Motors. During that period the team won their three championships, two in Pontiac Grand Prixes and one in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Despite this, JGR felt as if they weren't as important as some of the other GM teams such as Hendricks Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing. Therefore, during the 2007 season Joe Gibbs Racing announced that they would be ending their arrangement with GM at the end of the year and begin running Toyotas the following season. Since then, JGR has become the strongest and has won the most out of any Toyota team.
 

Enjoy the Rare Photo's

 

 

Rare Picture of #18 Truck & Box

#18 Truck and Racers

Green & Silver Racer / Silver Racer

#18 on Front Chrome Grill

 

 

 

 

Flea Market Hess Toy Truck Fantasy Finds

Once in a while when you are at a flea market you find some items that are really unique. These may not be authentic pieces but just some imaginative works of art that someone has taken a lot of time to create. I happen to be a collector of Hess toy trucks for many years and through those years I have come across many items that people have taken the time to redo and make that item into a collectible that they would like to have in their display case. I love the hunt for that elusive and odd piece that can be found under the tables at one of the many flea markets that I attend each year. I always like to go in the back area of the flea markets where the people have brought stuff from their garage or attic and just see it sprawled all over the table for people to rummage through looking for treasures. I could go on and on with the stories of the things that I have come across and the people that I have met along the way. It is the interesting stories that intrigue me the most of where and how they came across the many items that they display. I wanted to share some of the pieces that I have found in my many travels. I hope that you enjoy the pictures below of them.

1998 Hess Mini Chrome Tanker - Fantasy Piece in Box

1998 Hess Mini Chrome Tanker - Fantasy Piece out of the Box.

1998 Hess Mini Chrome Tanker - Fantasy Piece out of the Box.

 

1970 Hess Fire Truck Copy - Same mold as original.

 

 

1970 Hess Fire Truck Copy / Bump N Go - Sold at 5 & Dime Stores

 

1970 Hess Fire Truck Copy - Sold McCory Drug Stores

 

 

Lego Hess Oil Tanker & Gas Pump - Fantasy Piece

 

 

2006 Hess NYSE Special Edition Truck - Rare Pictures

Once in a while Hess releases a special truck to celebrate a milestone in the company's progress to strive for excellence and to stay on top of the ever changing oil business. 2006 was one of those milestones when Hess introduced the New 2006 Hess Special Edition Truck with 2 Racers. On May 9, 2006 the New York Stock Exchange members received this truck to celebrate Amerada Hess changing it's name to Hess Corporation. The truck was a reissue of the 1997 Hess Truck & Racers with working lights and battery card but with some differences. It would be the first time that the words "Hess Corporation" were on the sides of the truck. The race cars were also not the same. One car had "HES" on side and the other had "AHC" on it. Those were the NYSE abbreviations for the company on the ticker trading board. The cardboard inserts were different from the 1997 as well as the box that it came in. The 2006 Hess truck came in just a plain white box with the Hess logo and "Hess Corporation 2006" on the side. There were only 3,000 of these trucks produced which was one of the smallest production amounts in the regular size collection so far.

There was also another truck made to celebrate this very special occasion and that was a chromed version of the First Hess Truck used by Leon Hess when he started the company. There were very few of the Special Chrome Mini Truck made and they were given to Hess Corporations Top VIP's to commemorate this event. This is the first time that Hess had 2 separate trucks made for a special occasion making the pair of trucks a very rare item to own. These are a "must have" for the true Hess collector.

 

2006 Hess Truck & Racers

 

 

 Rare Pictures of 12 Pack Case of 2006 NYSE Trucks