The
1980 Hess training van is the first Hess RV vehicle toy truck in what became an American tradition. Find info, pictures and Hess toy trucks for sale on a daily basis here. This toy is the fifteenth Hess toy produced in the line since
1964 Mac tanker truck. What makes this vehicle so special was the detail and attention to scale relative to the actual Hess training van that was used to conduct field training seminars at Hess gasoline stations. This Hess toy was a significant swing towards creating something different much like the
1966 Hess Voyager.
This toy vehicle originally sold for $3.29 at participating stations and was the first vehicle to be sold in the $3 dollar price range. There were 600,000 of these produced. This toy for set the stage for 1980 Hess van value making it a top dollar collectible. Known as the “work of art in miniature” the Hess training van was an instant success. Some of the cool features are an operating side door located on the passenger side, lighted Hess side logos, a pop-up TV antenna and head and tail lights that worked at the same time. There seem to be variations available for example there some vans without door handles, side mirrors and or windshield wipers. Another observation was the discoloration of the seams of some RV’s due to the glue used during assembly.
