SSP / Smash Up Derby - Kenner Toys - 1970's
Today's toy is a racing car series made by Kenner Toys in the 1970 under the name of SSP which stood for "Super Sonic Power"
The key component of the SSP racer was the large gyroscopic wheel that powered the racer. You would feed a "zip cord" into the teeth of the gyroscope wheel and then quickly pull out the cord. The sound of the gryroscope would make a "WIZZZ" sound. The put the car on the ground and it would travel fast and far. Often times you would race against your friends.
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| SSP Racer, showing the Zip Cord |
Here is a commercial for the SSP from the early 70's
Here are a few more photos showing the various type of racers you could buy, and also an advertisement that might appear in a comic book, or Boys Life magazine.
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| Add showing 24 Variations of the SSP |
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| Add from "Boys Life" magazine |
Smash Up Derby
Kenner too the SSP into a different direction in the mid 70's with the introduction of the Smash Up Derby line of SSP. This came as a box set, consisting of two cars and ramps. Kids like to smash things up, anyway, so why not have a toy that allows you to do it as part of the "game".
The concept was that many parts of the car would "break away" when hit. They could also then be snapped back onto the car for the next use. In early advertisement of the SSP toy one of the catch lines was "smash'em". This set took that concept to the next logical level. The biggest problem with these cars was it was very easy to lose a part of the car when it broke apart (or was even stored).
There were several variations of these sets including a Bicentennial red, white and blue version.
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| First Version of the Smash Up Derby Set |
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| Around 1975 a patriotic Bicentennial Set came out |
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| Here is a VW Bug smash up derby car |
Here is a commercial from 1973
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