Mattel HotWheels

roddie wrote:Rod, we probably had the same Matchbox suitcase back in the day. I remember mine looked like this one with the Ford GT print.

Yep. That's the one. It's still around here somewhere (full of cars).

Back on topic.. I thought I'd share some photos of a few 2018 (50th Anniversary) models that I've bought recently. These aren't "all" the one's I've bought this year.. but are a few that I remembered to photograph. There's dozens of miniatures in my collection that have not been documented with a photo.

As I've mentioned previously.. I don't usually pay a premium for the miniatures. They're "current" releases.. and usually cost $1.00 or less. Well........... I splurged when I saw the one below for $3.97..




wait for it......................  



It immediately caught my eye. There's just something about old Volkswagens that strikes a happy-nerve with me.  

Then there's this Datsun 240-Z Borla/G-ready edition...





Funny thing; I passed on a white "Fairlady-Z" model a few weeks ago and haven't seen another one since... but not for the lack of looking.  

Today while out shopping... I bought this one.. (one of my all-time favorite automobiles..) a retro 2017 representation by the Ford Motor Company..





It was the only Hot Wheels Ford GT on the rack.. so I grabbed it. Cost me 94 cents... plus 7% RI state sales tax.  

This noon time I watched "Motor Week" on PBS with John Davis.  Been watching him for years.  They drove one of the new GT's, all black and evil looking.  $495K.  One of the first ones out the door auctioned for 4 times that amount.  I think over the next four years they are building 4000 of them.  

Seems a recent issue of "Automobile" magazine reported that buyers had to agree not to sell for a specified period of time and the buyer finked out upsetting FoMoCo no end.





Bob

rsv1cox wrote:This noon time I watched "Motor Week" on PBS with John Davis.  Been watching him for years.  They drove one of the new GT's, all black and evil looking.  $495K.  One of the first ones out the door auctioned for 4 times that amount.  I think over the next four years they are building 4000 of them.  

Seems a recent issue of "Automobile" magazine reported that buyers had to agree not to sell for a specified period of time and the buyer finked out upsetting FoMoCo no end.

Bob

I can certainly appreciate the "retro" versions that Ford has built in this century.. but they can't hold a candle to the excitement that the original GT40 created on the racetrack back in the 1960's. Supercars "today" seem like they're a "dime-a-dozen".. whatever they cost to actually buy. Give me an analog racing engine and gearbox.. any day of the week.

That's funny. Pat Goss on the same PBS episode spoke of the same thing. Today, nothing on new cars under the hood is adjustable, No points, condensers, carburetors.

I have the best of both worlds, a new Honda Accord EX that does everything and requires nothing, and a 1977 MG Midget that demands attention.

Bob

rsv1cox wrote:That's funny.  Pat Goss on the same PBS episode spoke of the same thing.  Today, nothing on new cars under the hood is adjustable, No points, condensers, carburetors.

I have the best of both worlds, a new Honda Accord EX that does everything and requires nothing, and a 1977 MG Midget that demands attention.  

Bob

Bob, It used to be that any guy who was mechanically-minded could fix his car.. or at least understand what needed to be done, if he didn't have the tools. Today; you need pay some "kid" top-dollar.. just get out of bed......

some recent purchases..

This is a Mattel "Hot Wheels" 50th anniversary 1967 Chevrolet Camaro.. with the tin "collector-button".. just like the original, back in the day. My very first "Hot-Wheels" car was just like this one. I've wanted to find this car for my collection.




Next is a Mattel "Hot Wheels" 1969 Dodge Charger 500!! Another one of my favorites!!




Next comes a special miniature being offered. A "Mattel/Matchbox" reproduction of the Ford GT40.








Hot Wheels released a repro "2017" version of the machine (I have it..) that's cool.. but can't touch the original for styling IMHO..









I have the original "Lesney/Matchbox" version.

It's an addiction.. I'll admit. Stemming from my youth; I've once again started collecting 1/64th scale miniatures, For the last 3-4 years, I've been buying (mostly) the $1 American Muscle-car series of cars that I see on the rack at my local WalMart store. I also watch the "Matchbox-Series" offerings. Mattel bought the Matchbox Series line from Lesney/England.. some time ago.

Tonight I was shopping at my local WalMart.. and saw "x3" miniatures that I was interested in..I bought them..





I have a LOT of cars now.... and my wife repeatedly asks me what I'm going to do with them. I thought that one of "you" could help me out with an answer..

Crazy. I just popped in to see what's up. Heck, Hot Wheels? I have about 350, or 400; the idea was to give them to the grandkids. They are just cars that I thought were neat-nothing special. I did buy them the 6 lane race track, with the gate at the finish line.

I'll keep looking around in here.

I have about 200 Hot Wheels, mainly vintage race cars, drag cars and muscle cars.

Back in 2011 I saw some hot Wheels models that I instantly fell in love with, the Vintage Racing Series.
I think the shop had four different models so I bought one of each. As soon as I got home, I googled them and found that there was a run of 30 being released six at a time.

After a search on eBay I found some suppliers who were very reasonable in price and shipping so gradually obtained the set of 30. Looking at the receipts they averaged out, with shipping, at about NZ$10 each (about US$6.50ea at that time) for NZ$300 for all 30 (about US$195.00 at that time).

The six rows on the bottom of the photo, right side in, are the Vintage Racing series.


If you eBay search Hot Wheels Vintage Racing you will be amazed at what they are asking for individual cars now.

The cheapest one (prices without shipping) was NZ$4.51, (one only) the next cheapest one was NZ$9.80 (one only) and the next cheapest one was NZ$30.14. From there, they rapidly rIse all the way up to NZ$827.80 (about US$550.00) for the Datsun BRE 510. The cheapest price I could find for the Datsun was NZ$422.20, (about US$280.00).
A seller has the four Richard Petty cars from the set listed at NZ$978.59 (about US$650.00.

Whether they get those amounts for them I don’t know but it would appear the set is going for a lot more than I paid for it.

So Roddie, show this to your good lady and tell her by buying Hot Wheels you’re saving wisely for your retirement.  

Davenz13 wrote:

So Roddie, show this to your good lady and tell her by buying Hot Wheels you’re saving wisely for your retirement.  

Hey Dave, Most of the Hot Wheels/Matchbox miniatures that I'm buying, probably won't be worth much more than I paid for them.. for decades to come. I only have a few "premium" issues.. and even "they" were likely produced by the thousands.

I get a warm & fuzzy feeling when I look at my collection.. because I would never have amassed this many vehicles when I was a kid.

Don't be silly Happy people!!!!!! It's all good... Love hot wheels. Mark

Hey Roddie
I spotted the Ranchero's so got a couple.I also got a cool Mercury and a very cool  Pro stock Camaro.
I'll have to keep and eye out for more of the HW Speed Graphics to see what else they have

True meaning of Hot Wheels!!!!

Davenz13 wrote:Hey Roddie
I spotted the Ranchero's so got a couple.I also got a cool Mercury and a very cool  Pro stock Camaro.
I'll have to keep and eye out for more of the HW Speed Graphics to see what else they have

NICE! Very cool Camaro! I have a few different Camaro's.. but my favorites are my 1967's.. because my very 1st Hot Wheels car (now long-gone) was a 1967 Camaro.. from back when I was 8 years old (1968)

Here's a re-posting of a 50th anniv. edition that I bought a few years ago.. (it has a metal/metal construction.. more $$ than standard-issue models)



Then I found this "Fast and Furious" edition recently.. also a metal/metal construction.. (again.. more $$)



Here's my "Flames edition" 1968 Mercury Cougar..

I think I have more that I haven't photographed... My "Chevelle" and "Nova" examples are numerous..

a few more Camaro's from the ones I put out in the shed..





just now noticing a blemish/debris on the door of this 1970 "Hotchkis-edition" car..  

Here's a cool Matchbox 1956 Ford F100 "Moon-edition" model. I have a growing # of Mattel/Matchbox-miniatures.



I have the very same truck in a multi-vehicle (5-piece) "Coffee Cruisers" set that I had bought previously.

We had the Fast and Furious and the 50yrs series down here but I don’t remember ever seeing the 69 Convertible or the 70 All Hustle No Disco card series here. One of the problems of living off the beaten track, not everything trickles down this far.
That Ford pickup is very cool

Davenz13 wrote:We had the Fast and Furious and the 50yrs series down here but I don’t remember ever seeing the 69 Convertible or the 70 All Hustle No Disco card series here. One of the problems of living off the beaten track, not everything trickles down this far.
That Ford pickup is very cool

Thanks Dave, I'm a sucker for trucks.. and I've bought quite a few. Hot Wheels puts out a ton of custom-creations that don't particularly appeal to me.. but there have been some scale-model truck series that I liked and purchased. The Mattel/Matchbox-line seems to be strictly scale-models.. which is why I've been leaning more toward them as of recent.

Some of my domestic/American truck collection..  








and of course.. you have to have a NASA truck..  




Those are just some of my "Mattel/Matchbox" domestic/American trucks. I suppose that we can include this 1961 Ford "Ranchero"..



As for my "Hot Wheels" domestic/American trucks..












then.. if you're gonna include the Ford Ranchero in the domestic truck category.. then you have to include the Chevy El Camino..

Burgers and Hot Wheels , what could be more nutritious for us old folks??? It is amazing to see these toys from our past still selling!!! Makes me feel good to know with all the high tech stuff go'in on nowadays , it's great to see there's something that we past prime people can relate to!!! Doesn't take much anymore, maybe there is hope for our youth!!!!??? Mark

Oldenginerod wrote:

roddie wrote:Rod, we probably had the same Matchbox suitcase back in the day. I remember mine looked like this one with the Ford GT print.

Yep.  That's the one.  It's still around here somewhere (full of cars).

my brother still has mine, says i sold it to him for beer money?????

Mark Boesen wrote:

Oldenginerod wrote:

roddie wrote:Rod, we probably had the same Matchbox suitcase back in the day. I remember mine looked like this one with the Ford GT print.

Yep.  That's the one.  It's still around here somewhere (full of cars).

my brother still has mine, says i sold it to him for beer money?????