Tom Daniel Returns: Hot Wheels Mob Rod!

The first new Tom Daniel design produced by Mattel in almost 40 years!

The Mob Rod is based on a sketch Tom did many years ago.  It is a good-looking design but lacks the humor found in many of his best works.  You can find touches from a couple of them: the T'rantula double blower and Ice "T" scalloped front fenders.  

Cover art from Ice "T" model kit reissue (click on the photo above if you want to buy one.)

Cover art from original T'rantula model kit.

Tom's designs for Monogram model kits were used by Mattel for their Hot Wheels when they bought Monogram in the early 70s.  His designs include the Paddy Wagon, Ice "T", S'Cool Bus, Sand rab and influence can be found in many others.  The iconic Red Baron is one of the best selling Hot Wheels of all time and is still sold today.

Hot Wheels '71 Ford Maverick Grabber

Stunning Grabber Yellow paint and authentic-looking tampos.  Love the detailed interior with rear shelf speakers and is that an 8-track player in the dash?!  Also like the way the black interior yields a black grille and trim between the taillights.  Car seems to sit just right.  Ahhhh, the 70s.  Nice.

Hot Wheels Tyrrell P34 Six Wheeler

		I couldn't resist buying this one and comparing it to the Lickety Six from the 70s.  The Tyrrell was a Grand Prix racer and this Hot Wheels is very nicely done with enamel blue paint and diecast engine.   The tampos are reasonably authentic with the "elf" sponsor markings replaced with "Tyrell".  Elf Aquitaine was a French oil company. One flaw is the molded in driver is too small which makes the car seem rather large and it's easy to lose track of the scale with those tiny front wheels. The real P34 utilized small tires to improve aerodynamics but it didn't prove to be a successful concept and the idea was shelved after two seasons.  The cars pictured here raced in the 1976 season and a different more streamlined "B" version raced in '77. Hot Wheels Tyrrell P34. The real deal racing in the late 70s. Note the side window which allowed the driver to see the small tires. Tyrrell P34 with Lickety Six behind. The Lickety Six was clearly inspired and influenced by the Tyrrell. For gorgeous photos of the 1977 Tyrrell and other Formula 1 racers check out  Art of the Formula 1 Race Car by photographer James Mann.

I'd like to see a Hot Wheels AMX/3

I have Custom AMX and AMX/2 redlines and would like an AMX/3 to park next to them.  The AMX/3 Show Car was an exotic, mid-engined successor to the AMX, known as the AMX/3, came fairly close to regular production in 1970. Seven prototypes were made, styled and engineered by AMC with bodies hand-built in Turin, Italy. In mid-1970, the AMX/3 was first unveiled to the Roman press. The reception was enthusiastic. Unfortunately, financial problems at AMC, along with stricter safety and emissions requirements, caused them to abandon the project. In total, six examples of the AMX supercar were constructed.

 

A little AMX history.

The Custom AMX redline (above) was released in 1969 by Mattel based on American Motor's 1968 production AMX.  It is relatively stock in appearance except for the custom hood bulges.  With the Muscle Car wars raging between the Big Three auto makers, AMC, America's last independent car company, was in financial trouble. Their Javelin was sporty looking but couldn't compete with Mustangs and Camaros in the performance department.  They needed an image changer, a statement maker.  The AMX created excitement. Here at last was a two-place sports coupe American Motors could be proud to show off, and that's exactly what they did.  It's styling was essentially that of a truncated Javelin but it looked muscular and very successful.

Designed by in-house stylists Bob Nixon and Fred Hudson, the non-working AMX/2 show car featured a "twin" theme, including dual movable spoilers, and was intended to have a mid-mounted engine. Unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show in early 1969.

 

   











AMX/2 Hot Wheels (above) released in 1971.  The twin engine covers are plastic and hinged so that they can be opened to reveal the engine.

In 1971 the AMX became a badge-change Javelin with performance features added.  Mattel recently released a rather nice version of this car but that's topic for another time.

 

If you're an AMX fan you'll want to check out this fine book (click on the photo to buy).

It's a Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt but it's not Super!

I was lucky enough to find a regular TH Baja Beetle yesterday (on long card; photo borrowed).  Great casting with metal base and big off-road tires.  Wish it were the Super version because the rubber tires remind me of one of my favorite '80s Real Riders, the Baja Bug.  Somewhere along the way the name was changed from Baja Bug to Baja Beetle.  Real Riders was the name of a mainline series produced in the mid-80's that featured "real" rubber tires on plastic hubs instead of the traditional one-piece plastic.



2010 Regular TH



2010 Super TH


1984 Real Rider Baja Bug