Focal Point by Steve Butler July 2025

National Products designed six automotive toys for distribution in 1934 at the 1934 Worlds Fair in Chicago. They were model year 1934 renditions of a Chrysler, DeSoto, Ford, Graham, Hudson and Studebaker and all were made of pot metal (a.k.a. slush cast) and rode on white rubber tires mounted on red wooden wheels. Those with tires marked “Firestone” were distributed at that company’s venue and possibly also at the car company’s venue as well.

The 1934 Ford and the smaller of two 1934 DeSotos were never produced for distribution. For 1936 National Products produced a similarly manufactured promotional tanker. However the truck’s six white rubber tires were truck size and therefore larger, and they lacked any tire company markings. In 2001 the author’s book “Promotional Cars & Trucks 1934-1973” was published. Therein he identified a very scarce tanker truck as being a 1936 Federal. The 7.2-inch tanker truck is pictured herein.

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