Sunday, February 16, 2025

Durham Industries, Inc. No. 5758 Sidewinders Star Mission Robot

Durham Industries, Inc. No. 5758 Sidewinders Star Mission Robot - Zobor and Zerak Fronts

The earliest and perhaps best of the Zeroid copies that I'm aware of were made by Durham Industries, Inc., a company in New York specializing in wind-up toys manufactured in Hong Kong. These have a 1978 copyright and are approximately the same size as the original Ideal robots but a bit taller, using a wind-up mechanism instead of the CU-24 motor and batteries. To date, I've only seen two different models, a Zobor-clone and a Zerak-clone, sharing many components but with arm and head details, plus color differences, distinguishing them from one another.

The upper body most closely resembles Zobor while the lower body Zerak, going as far as to emulate the two chrome "lights" and the bumper details - however these don't include the trail hitch associated with the orignal Zeroids. The arms are somewhat retained as are the hands. The best details are the heads which are very close to the original.

Durham Industries, Inc. No. 5758 Sidewinders Star Mission Robot - Zobor and Zerak Backs
Durham Industries, Inc. No. 5758 Sidewinders Star Mission Robot  Bottom

Durham Industries, Inc. No. 5758 Sidewinders Star Mission Robot - Zerak Knock-Off

Durham's version of Zerak comes in a similar color - I originally thought that my loose one had a broken antenna then realized that it came with the unadorned spike.

Durham Industries, Inc. No. 5758 Sidewinders Star Mission Robot - Zobor Knock-Off

Durham's version of Zobor comes in a similar color but more of an orange - note the swapped chest sticker which I thought was a misapplication to my loose example but it turns out that's they way they came.

 

 

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Saturday, February 15, 2025

Durham Industries, Inc. No. 5758 Sidewinders Star Mission Robot - Zobor Knock-Off

Durham's No. 5758 Sidewinders Star Mission Robot - Zobor Knock-Off

Some time in the mid-70's (packaging has 1978) Durham produced two Zeroid Knock-offs. These had the basic shape of the robots copied but ran using a wind-up mechanism. As the Zeroid moves forward (there is no reverse) the head rotates left-to-right and back. The complex casting is dummied-down to something very simple with chest stickers (notice that the sitckers are reversed - the Zobor knock-off has the Zerak panel and the Zerak knock-off has the Zobor reel-to-reel tape panel) so the legs and torso are simplified, although for some reason the arms and hands resembled those of the actual Zeroids (though cast without any chrome). The heads are fairly decent copies of the Ideal heads only Zerak has lost the "V" part of the antenna.

What I find interesting on these is the card background art - it's very much like the original Ideal art and features Zorr and a Zintar with "Wind-Up Walking Action" in a red splatter. As far as I know these were only molded to resemble Zobor and Zerak. Comparison shot below.

Durham's No. 5758 Sidewinders Star Mission Robot - Zobor Knock-Off

 

All content, including images and editorial, is Copyright ©1999-2025 John Eaton and/or contributors unless otherwise stated. If there are any comments or objections, please contact John Eaton

Durham Industries, Inc. No. 5758 Sidewinders Star Mission Robot - Zerak Knock-Off

Durham's Sidewinders Star Mission Robot - Zerak Knock-Off

Some time in the mid-70's (packaging has 1978) Durham produced two Zeroid Knock-offs. These had the basic shape of the robots copied but ran using a wind-up mechanism. As the Zeroid moves forward (there is no reverse) the head rotates left-to-right and back. The complex casting is dummied-down to something very simple with chest stickers (notice that the sitckers are reversed - the Zobor knock-off has the Zerak panel and the Zerak knock-off has the Zobor reel-to-reel tape panel) so the legs and torso are simplified, although for some reason the arms and hands resembled those of the actual Zeroids (though cast without any chrome). The heads are fairly decent copies of the Ideal heads only Zerak has lost the "V" part of the antenna.

What I find interesting on these is the card background art - it's very much like the original Ideal art and features Zorr and a Zintar with "Wind-Up Walking Action" in a red splatter. As far as I know these were only molded to resemble Zobor and Zerak. Comparison shot below.

Durham's Sidewinders Star Mission Robot - Zerak Knock-Off Comparison

 

All content, including images and editorial, is Copyright ©1999-2025 John Eaton and/or contributors unless otherwise stated. If there are any comments or objections, please contact John Eaton.


Ideal 4771-2 Zerak the Blue Destroyer Instructions

Ideal 4771-2 Zerak the Blue Destroyer Instructions

These are the instructions from the later Header-Carded Zerak the Blue Destroyer package - they're the same as what was printed on the earlier tall boxes.

 

All content, including images and editorial, is Copyright ©1999-2025 John Eaton and/or contributors unless otherwise stated. If there are any comments or objections, please contact John Eaton

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Ideal 4773-8 Zintar the Silver Explorer Instructions

Ideal 4773-8 Zintar the Silver Explorer Instructions

These are the instructions from the later Header-Carded ZZintar the Silver Explorer - they're the same as what was printed on the earlier tall boxes.

 

All content, including images and editorial, is Copyright ©1999-2025 John Eaton and/or contributors unless otherwise stated. If there are any comments or objections, please contact John Eaton

Ideal 4772-0 Zobor the Bronze Transporter Instructions

Ideal 4772-0 Zobor the Bronze Transporter Instructions

These are the instructions from the later Header-Carded Zobor the Bronze Transporter - they're the same as what was printed on the earlier tall boxes.

 

All content, including images and editorial, is Copyright ©1999-2025 John Eaton and/or contributors unless otherwise stated. If there are any comments or objections, please contact John Eaton.

Saturday, February 8, 2025

Ideal 4763-9 Zogg w/Laser Beam Instructions

Ideal 4763-9 Zogg w/Laser Beam Instructions

2L-0071 Zogg Operating Instructions

Photo if the instructions that were included in my Zogg w/Laser Beam box.


All content, including images and editorial, is Copyright ©1999-2025 John Eaton and/or contributors unless otherwise stated. If there are any comments or objections, please contact John Eaton.