COO COO CAR

The following description was taken from Greenburg’s Guide to Marx Toys Vo2. 1 by Maxine A Pinsky.

            “COO COO CAR 1931 8” long X 6 1/4 “ High. Listed for 59 cents in the 1931 Sears catalog, the toy is described as “unique” , “New”, “clever”. The ad continues “forwards, backwards, in a circles and all kinds of curly cues’, then the man stands up with an excited expression then falls back into his seat with front wheels high off the ground, acts like a bucking bronco’.” Soon after Marx introduced the Whoopee Cowboy car where “bucking bronco” was an even more apt description.

            The mobility of the Coo Coo Car driver is the biggest difference from earlier eccentric cars. He has movable legs that enable him to stand up and sit down, an action which is facilitated by a movable steering post, in an upward position. The Snoopy Gus car has a similarly positioned but stationary post. In the earlier cars, the seats were built so that only the upper half of the driver could be seen (with the exception of the Snoopy Gus car).

            The red and black Coo Coo Car has a red steering wheel and red wheels with white dots and white rims. The driver is nattily dressed in striped pants and a black coat with red trim. A newspaper is in his left jacket pocket. He is dressed humorously with a crooked tie, an open collar that sticks up on one side and no hat. The driver’s stationary head has a surprised expression.

            The Coo Coo Car has several new features. While previous eccentric cars have square windshields with the outside corners extending upwards, this car has a smaller windshield with three horizontal bars and no protruding corners. In addition, a diagonal support is under the windshield. Some later eccentric cars also have this type of windshield. Earlier cars had lithographed radiators (except for the Komical Kop), but the Coo Coo Car has a grille design and the Marx logo embossed into the metal. The grille, pointed hood, and small wheels can also be found on the Amos ‘n Andy Fresh Air Taxicab…. Instead of the square trunk of the earlier cars, the Coo Coo Car has a smaller round trunk or, more likely, a gas tank. On the back of the gas tank, fancy lettering reads “Coo Coo Car”. The Marx logo appears on the side of the gas tank. As on the Komical Kop, a stripe and a “7” appear on the side of the seat. In place of a license plate is a hook. There is a variation of this toy that does not have the stripe, the number on the seat or the logo on the tank.

            The “Coo Coo” box is quite striking. The Coo Coo Car is shown driving up a road which turns into a bird which resembles a Cuckoo bird. “Coo Coo” probably comes from the bird on the box. By the late 1930’s “coo coo” was slang for crazy. 

Excellent price includes the original box. 350 800”

The following description was taken from “Grand Old Toys web site (Grandoldtoys.com)

            Unprecedented example of one the earliest tin litho mechanical "eccentric" cars produced by Louis Marx. Brilliant near mint condition, all original without any repairs. In addition to being the highest grade example of this toy I've seen in 10 years, it comes complete with its magnificent,  original rare box in excellent condition. Except for photo's it's the first box I've seen in any condition!

This wonderful toy is fresh to the market having resided in a private collection for many years. It works beautifully!

Marx incorporated several ground breaking features into this toy. Most importantly, it was the first mechanical wind-up toy whose driver had movable legs. The movable steering column (which was also new) enabled the driver to stand up and sit down. All previous "eccentric" cars had stationary drivers. It was the first Marx vehicle with a horizontally divided windshield. It was the first to have the Marx logo embossed into the radiator. Previously they had all be lithoed. It was also the first to have a small round gas tank, rather than a square trunk.  

It's "eccentric" actions include moving forward, backwards, circling, or curly cues. As it moves randomly in any direction the driver occasionally stands up and falls back into his seat. This raises the front wheels off the ground causing the vehicle to pivot on its flat "J-hook" metal rod underneath the gas tank. That's not a hitch. 

Another popular misnomer has to do with the driver. Although very suggestively dressed he's not a butler. On the contrary, he just read something in the newspaper which worked him up to a state of craziness (i.e., coo coo) . In fact, it affected him so much that he went out still wearing his smoking jacket, striped pajama (bottoms), and a pair of spats (i.e., formal shoeware).  His newspaper is still neatly folded into his jacket's left pocket. This explains the eccentricity behind this "eccentric" car.

The box illustration is equally distinctive. It shows the Coo Coo Car reared up on end. The driver stares in amazement as the road morphs into a gigantic cuckoo bird! The artist took the scene one step further on the side panels. Now the driver is totally "out to lunch". His jaw dropped, eyeballs bulged, and the rest of his collar let loose when he sees a full, strutting cuckoo bird. The endflaps are colored text. Part of the original price sticker remains. 

Size: 8" x 7" x 3".