Hallmark Ornaments: A Hot Wheels Christmas Keepsake

Hallmark has a tradition of producing annual ornaments.  I have collected a few of them over the years primarily those dealing with my favorite redline years.  The Deora is among the first Hot Wheels cars and this ornament is a miniature replica of the car in its blister pack complete with collector button.

Deora

And who can resist a Silhouette with tiny vinyl carrying case?  I couldn't.

Silhouette

Not to mention everyone's elementary school favorite lunchbox and Thermos.

Splittin' Image

In honor of Hot Wheels' 30th anniversary Hallmark created a TwinMill on orange track loop.  Classic. 

TwinMill

The ornaments look great even without a tree and I hang mine from a shelf in the display cabinet with my redlines. Thanks to the Internet many of these are still easily found.  Why not start your collection today?

2011 L.A. Auto Show: Hotwheels 2012 Chevrolet Camaro

Among the unique features that Mattel introduced in 1968 with its Hot Wheels was "Spectraflame" paint.  It was essentially pearl colored paint (translucent), similar to that used on Hot Rods of the 50s and 60s, over bare metal.  Spectraflame paints gave a dramatic look to what were previously rather drab looking enamel paint jobs from the likes of Matchbox and other toy companies.

At the 2011 L.A. Auto Show Chevrolet displayed a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro sporting candy apple green paint over chrome. Spectraflame paint brought to life.

Hot Wheels Camaro ZL1

Here's a great looking new casting marred by one thing:  That bump.

Hot Wheels 2012 First Edition Camaro ZL1

Yes, the one on the roof.  Sure the real car has one.  But the real car has side mirrors, too.  And satellite radio.  The toy car does not.

2011 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Memo to Hot Wheels designers:

If you're gonna lose the mirrors lose the bump.

I Digress A Bit: The Beatles in Mono CD Box

OK.  I get it.  The Beatles Mono Box Set is intended as a supplement to The Beatles Stereo Box Set.  For the hardcore Beatles fan.  It completes your collection of officially released Beatles albums and singles.  But does it?   

 

I love the mini-LP packaging: miniature replicas of the first British album releases. But they're unique to the mono box.  Therefore I own only 12 of their 15 albums in this authentic style packaging.  I can't go out and buy the other three because they don't exist: the remaining three albums were originally issued only in stereo and the stereo releases are in contemporary packaging.

 

I don’t know about you but as a collector I lean towards having complete sets.  I want to own one of every Hot Wheels casting from 1968-1975.  I’m not content to own 95% of them.

PS

Don't get me wrong.  The Beatles Mono box is outstanding and a must have for Beatles fans.  It just comes up a tad short in my perfect world. 

Hot Wheels Astro Funk

Today I opened a Mattel Hot Wheels Astro Funk.  Clearly inspired by show rods of the 60s and Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's Beatnik Bandit and Mysterion in particular.

1960 Beatnik Bandit

Mattel produced a Hot Wheels version in the late '60s.  I've read that Ed Roth was unhappy with the many colors the car came in, none of which were the real car's pearl white.

1968 Hot Wheels Beatnik Bandit

1963 Mysterion

The granddaddy of all bubble tops is considered to be Darryl Starbird's Predicta '56 Thunderbird.

1960 Predicta

It is interesting to note that the designer's rendering of the Astro Funk (below) rides much lower than the production version which reminds me of Johnny Lightning's awkward take of the Mysterion with its too high rear end stance.

Astro Funk artist's rendering

Johnny Lightning Mysterion

Contemporary cars paying homage to the same influences as the Astro Funk include Aaron Grote's Atomic Punk

2008 Atomic Punk

And Dave Shuten's AstroSled

AstroSled

 And the Roswell Rod by Fritz

For some cool reading you must get Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth: His Life, Times and Art (Cartech)

The Joy of Buying Collections

I recently purchased a childhood collection.

Although many people buy collections from other collectors I prefer buying from their original owners.  Knowing that these cars are all original and may have been sealed in their carrying cases for 30 plus years is very appealing.

As a fellow collector shared with me, "Having the privilege of being the second owner of a collection of Redlines is really exciting!"  Yes, indeed.

If you have a collection for sale please contact me htbomb@aol.com.

If you want to read up on the early years of Hot Wheels I suggest Hot Wheels Classic Redline Era as a starting point.

LEGO DC Super Heroes

LEGO has announced that they will bring LEGO SUPER HEROES featuring DC Comic characters to their 2012 lineup. 

I've been wanting the Batman figure released a number of years ago but now a hard to find collectible to display with my Hot Wheels Batmobiles.  Looks like I'll get my chance in January 2012!

If you prefer action figures you don't have to wait and I might suggest the DC Direct Batman: Arkham Asylum Series 1: Batman Action Figure.

Hot Wheels Red Baron

One of the most famous, best-selling and iconic Hot Wheels of all time, Red Baron started life in 1968 as a hugely popular Monogram plastic model kit designed by Tom Daniel.

1968 Red Baron model kit by Monogram

In 1970 Mattel, who owned Monogram for several years, decided to expand its Hot Wheels lineup with cars based on successful model kits: Red Baron, Paddy Wagon and Sand Crab.  Unlike most early Hot Wheels, Red Baron was only produced in one color: Spectraflame red.  Notice that fenders were added by Mattel's designers.

1970 Hot Wheels Red Baron

During the 1960s the Peanuts comic strip brought us Snoopy flying his imaginary Sopwith Camel and fighting the Red Baron.  This would also be the subject of a Monogram plastic model kit.

In 1966 there was a hit single by a Tampa, Florida group called The Royal Guardsman.

The Red Baron model kit was so popular that a real hot rod was built for display at car shows.

1969 Show Car

In 1973 Mattel had to cut production costs and chose to replace the Spectraflame paint with enamel and removed the black crosses from the helmet.

1973 Hot Wheels Red Baron

Look for the 1/12 scale Big Red Baron Monogram kit build-up and Hot Wheels car on display at the Air & Space Museum in Washington, DC.

Big Red Baron and Hot Wheels

According to Tom Daniel the Hot Wheels Red Baron is the second biggest seller of all time.  He suggests it would be the biggest seller if only it was politically correct.

The Hot Wheels Red Baron appeared in the hit movie Toy Story. Buzz Lightyear hops aboard and rides it down the classic orange track, through the loop, and to infinity and beyond via the jump ramp.  Great stuff.

Sadly Tom never received royalties for his Hot Wheels designs because Monogram considered him a paid staff designer.  That wasn't the case when Johnny Lightning introduced many of his other classic designs in the 1990s.  Toy Zone worked with him more recently to create a lineup of toys based on his classic designs.

If you're truly a Red Baron fan, for starters you'll want Tom Daniel's 1:18 Scale Red Baron Hot Rod and the reissue of the classic #6740 Monogram Red Baron with Fokker Triplane 1/24 Scale Plastic Model Kit.  For the kids (or kid in you) try Tom Daniel SHOWROD RACING Track Set with RED BARON Vehicle from Toy Zone

Today I Opened a Hot Wheels Fast Cash

2011 Fast Cash

With a dollar-sign grille, vault doors, combination lock on rear, and metal body this armored hot rod makes a great money clip or business card holder. (According to the package!)



The wing top will indeed hold a dollar bill or business card but not securely as it easily rises and flaps around loose, I suspect so young kids don't hurt their fingers.  Working features add another dimension to Hot Wheels (last year we were introduced to a bottle opener, Carbonator, and a nut wrench, Tooligan. 

The car's design works at two levels: with the top on it looks like a swoopy fastback with spoiler at the rear.  With with the wing-top removed it takes on a cool chop-top hot rod look; the hole for the clip looking like a sunroof.  So if you (or your kids) lose the top no one will know!

I like the metallic green fender's color, though plastic, and chunky diecast engine/grille.  The studded metallic silver body is diecast but looks plastic.  There are numerous currency symbols hidden in the chassis details which is a nice touch. 

This car was influenced by one of my favorite Tom Daniel designs the Jinx Express model kit from the 70s.  The model is a working piggy bank and has a slot for depositing coins in the gun turret and a rear "vault" door that opens with a working combination lock! The door is a large round dial on the back and the Fast Cash has a similar, though non-working, feature. A bit of black paint would bring out the dollar sign in the Fast Cash's grille, another Tom Daniel feature. 

1971 Jinx Express

 A few years later Tom created this variation, the Fast Buck.  Fast Buck, Fast Cash, get it?!  And then there's the Hot Wheels Funny Money also influenced by Tom and covered previously in my blog.

1973 Fast Buck

All in all the Fast Cash is a nice casting that should appeal to the kids as well as adults.  And you're not taking much of a cash risk for a buck and it's only money anyway.
 

 

I have no idea why Amazon suggested this CD by Mumford & Sons but these guys were incredible performing with Bob Dylan on this year's Grammy Awards and Sigh No More has some great songs.



Victory Vintage Signs - Jinx Armor Truck Sign - Tom Daniels Hot Rod Metal Sign