A Look Back At The Iconic 1982 G.I. Joe MOBAT
Story by Mitchell Smith
Welcome to the Outpost. Today I’m turning back the clock to 1982. The G.I. Joe Mobat originally retailed for $20, and back then that was a lot of cash to shell out for a toy. So owning one of these as a kid would earn you a pretty high status. I did not have that high status as a kid but any GI Joe fan knew about the Mobat and most certainly wanted one. It was a relatively simple design but it is one of the greatest vehicles. There is a lot of detail including a tow rope, tools, and engine covers. The big attraction was it was motorized. Now over 40 years old I have a few that stand strong and sturdy.
Honestly I have never put batteries in mine to see if they even work. Maybe I’ll try that and get back to y’all. And mine didn’t seem to work so maybe I’ll have to do some further digging if I want to get them working. I love the sound of just pushing them around though so maybe I’ll just leave them be. The tank only hold 1 figure but as many of you may know my grandfather and father were both in the armored division and back in the day they all would pile on and hitch a ride when they got tired from walking.
This is a solid vehicle all around and the only weak spot is the nose gun that has a tendency to crack and it is a piece missing on a lot of Mobats. Over all this is a great vehicle and I’m happy to have the ones I have. Who had one of these as a kid? Who was able to get the 2008 version? Make sure to check back for our next discussion.
