MOLDVILLE is not affiliated with Mold-A-Rama, Inc. of Brookfield IL
Ever wonder what it looks like under the hood of a vintage original Mold-A-Rama of L.A. machine?
This is the serial tag of the early style 1962 Mold-A-Rama of L.A. machine. It is mounted in a very visible position on the right side of the deck of the Model 688 machine, more commonly referred to as a "Type A" machine.
This is the serial tag of the later 1963- model, mounted in the same position on the deck of the late style Mold-A-Rama of L.A. machine. The late style machine is technically called the Model 688-A machine, but is more commonly known as a "Type B" machine.
We at MOLDVILLE.com have 'mashed together' the LIGHT ANIMATION from the early style 1962 Mold-A-Rama of L.A. machine (which had the countdown progress across the plexi backglass) with the LIGHT ANIMATION and ROTATING DISPLAY PEDESTAL of the late style 1963-64 Mold-A-Rama of L.A. machine (which had a four light sequence across the back of the deck), to create the ultimate LIGHT ANIMATION:
The 1976 Ohio license that was still on our first MOLDVILLE.com machine.
Some high-use machines were fitted with an auxiliary plastic supply hopper. This early hopper design (circa 1960s) sat on top of the machine, and included a signage area above and a clear display case below. This hopper, fresh from the barn it sat in for probably 40 years, has created the ultimate MAR collectible: a melted mess of Mickey Mouse display figures (shown below).
A more subtle auxiliary plastic supply hopper design introduced in the early 70s (below) has no display or signage area, and is tucked mostly behind the machine. It is visible on the machine used at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in 1972, and can even be seen in use today on a few machines still in operation.
