New Zealand NZ Made Tonka Trucks
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 Circa early 1980's Farm Tractor with Backhoe and Loader Attachments |
 Circa mid 1970's #352 Front End Loader |
 Circa 1964 Dump |
 Circa mid 1960's #926 Pumper. Courtesy the Patrick O'Neil Collection |
The model #926 Pumper has a few design details that make it unique from the USA manufactured units. The floor of the bed is smooth (detail A) not ribbed as on USA models. The hose on the reel is clear (detail B) not black. (detail C) shows the hose connector painted red not natural or unfinished and the doors are unfinished, not painted red. Difficult to see, the running boards have a different pattern.
Circa mid 1960's #136 House Boat Set. Courtesy the Patrick O'Neil Collection
 Circa 1965 Jeep. Part of #136 House Boat Set |
 Circa 1965 House Boat |
Model #136 made in New Zealand had a few design details that set it apart from U.S.A. manufactured House Boat Set. New in 1961, the U.S.A. made, one year only, #136 Houseboat Set featured a style-side pickup pulling a tilt bed trailer loaded with a houseboat. The houseboat was red and white with red railing. The houseboat motor was red and white. Compare these design details to the New Zealand made model #136 featured above and the differences are obvious.
Tonka began manufacturing in NZ soon after the ink dried on the paperwork in 1964. The Jeep featured with this NZ House Boat Set has U.S.A. on the whitewalls indicating that this set was probably manufactured soon after Tonka cranked up the assembly line. Also of interest...the graphic on the carton shows the Jeep with a spare tire mounted on the right rear quarter panel. However, there are no provisions to mount the spare.
