Super Toy Sale Featuring GoBots and Transformers in 1986

This Menard’s newspaper ad from September 28 in 1986 is just what we need on this Sunday morning. Check it out, kids, because we get to see everything from My Little Pony to G.I. Joe in this old newspaper ad, and the quality of the images is incredible!

I want to focus on the GoBots and Transformers toys right now, so I have cropped those two sections from the ad and offer them in an enlarged form so that we can all get a close look at the toys. In these two blocks we find:

• GoBots Power Suits – I know that my thoughts on GoBots have changed over the years, switching from a dislike to an appreciation of the toys, but that doesn’t make me interested in racing out and buying the Power Suits. Even today these look like cheap toys. Though if I could find them for $1.88/each . . .
• GoBots – Priced at $2.77 in this ad, the basic GoBots toy cars are actually a bit better quality than Hasbro’s Transformers mini-cars. There, I said it. But if you tell anyone that I said it I’ll deny I even know what a go bot is.
• Super GoBots – After reviewing Staks Transport a few years ago (review here) I’ve thought about buying more of the Super GoBots. If anyone is selling MIB Super GoBots for the $5.99/each as shown in this ad, please give me a call.
• The Transformers Special Team Mini-Vehicles – Otherwise known as Blast Off and Streetwise, it’s kinda cool to see a newspaper ad use the “special team” designation to describe these toys. And only $2.99/each for the small component parts to the 1986 combiners? Awesome!
• Autobot Cars – I like that this ad shows both the robot and vehicle modes for Mirage and Hound since it makes for a remarkable image. And that product description is a blast!

These old ads are always a treat, but this one is so loaded with fun toylines that even after staring at the Transformers and GoBots for too long you should click through to the Google newspaper archive and see the entire page.

Related articles

• 1983 G.I. Joe Glider Toy Commercial (battlegrip.com)
• 1986 Menards Newspaper Ad Featuring G.I. Joe, Transformers, and GoBots (battlegrip.com)