V-RROOM!

I saw this ad for a Mattel bike, never knew that Mattel sold a bicycle !:

how did I miss this ?

Here's another ad for the noise maker accessory only:

source: https://corporate.mattel.com/brand-portfolio/v-rroom

So I was wondering about the sound, how was it, how loud ? Looking on Youtube I found some videos:

Bill Conrad providing the voiceover !

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-y8mG8cRv4

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzGqY2zHuSo

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-EGZwAdHJo

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZMkQ-JTPjU

How did I live without one of these ?  Basically with playing cards clothes-pinned to the spokes - also I probably aged out ?  9 years old in 1964, too big for that kid stuff :)

How did it make the sounds ?  It was patented (always a good place to check):

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3160984A/en%C2%A0

It was mechanical NOT electronic:

I don't quite understand it - I'm an EE not a mechanical engineer :)  But it sounds sorta like an electric motor driven drum ?  They still work even after 60 years so fairly well made :)

Here is one that doesn't have a motor, just a mechanical lever actuated thing:

made in Hawthorne, California, USA ?

source: https://www.ebay.com/itm/306899158135

A little out of my price range :)

Here is a catalog page from the 1964 Penny's Christmas catalog (formerly General Merchandise of Milwaukee !):

Here is the inflated price for the Vrroom "motor":

Best Regards,
Chuck, WB9KZY
http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm