Just as American collectors will be waking from their “Turkey-induced food comas,” Pope Designs will be launching this year’s Christmas Bus sale. Pope’s 2011 Santa Express VW Drag Bus will officially go on-sale this Friday, November 25th with a limited edition quantity of just 16 pieces.

Of those 16, 12 will be “Standard Editions” featuring Metallic Evergreen paint with Pro-Circuit rimmed front tires. The remaining 4 will be the coveted “Diamond Edition” featuring Metallic Gold paint job along with Redline Real Rider tires. Both editions come mounted in an acrylic case with original Pope Designs artwork on the backdrop card.

Each bus will be available for $90 (plus $6 shipping) on a first-come, first served basis via the Pope Designs eBay page. Diamond Editions will be randomly inserted into orders in place of the Standard Edition. Be sure to visit the Pope Designs Sales Page for more information and to see additional photos of the bus!

I recently returned from a 5 day excursion to the Mike Strauss, West Coast Convention held in Los Angeles CA this past October. I haven’t been to a Strauss West Coast Convention since 2008 [Hot Wheels 40th Anniversary]. I was able to go to this year’s convention for 2 reasons; my economic situation has greatly improved and it was the 25th Anniversary of the Strauss West Coast Convention. That second fact intrigued me enough to want to be able to go; so was I glad I went or disappointed; mostly the former and a smidge of the latter.

Here are some of the many reasons I wanted to go before I even got there.

1. I was going to be able to see and room with my good friend Mike Stevens from NH whom I hadn’t see in almost 2 years!
2. Flying to sunny California and being surrounded by Hot Wheels!
3. Seeing many old friends I hadn’t see in a long, long time.
4. Getting back into the swing of what a Strauss Convention is all about; an explosion of cars and many people sharing your hobby.

But this where my expectations and realizations diverge because once I got there, there were some things I experienced that exceeded my expectations and a few that fell short! I knew the hotel location wasn’t great [right outside the LAX airport] but forgave it because at least the hotel itself was pretty nice with a friendly staff and a great floor design conducive to good room to rooming and large event facilities for the convention! Regarding the convention cars themselves; I loved the T1 Drag Bus and Highway Hauler, but was disappointed in the ‘32 Sedan Delivery [a very pedestrian casting in a very pedestrian design] and the ’55 Chevy Panel Charity promo [a great casting with a VERY underwhelming design]. The charity raffle offerings were a mix of boring to mildly exciting [I didn’t win anything but you have to be in it to win it!].

I always enjoy Button Bingo no matter what cars are offered as prizes but this year they were Strauss code 3 Karmann Ghias which are especially nice castings. I didn’t win any games, but I had loads of fun nonetheless. Charity Poker on the other hand is a love/hate relationship for me. I like to play to get the orange version of the Karmann Ghia, but I don’t know enough about playing poker well enough to actually go very far in the game. Still, it was a good time with a few laughs thrown in for good measure!

The charity dinner was also a mixed bag. I always enjoy the conversation at the table and this time was no exception with a combination of old friends and new acquaintances; including some newbies [always great to talk to them] all talking cars and swapping convention stories! The food was standard hotel fare meaning it was blah and inoffensive. The Mattel produced dinner car was the ubiquitous ‘67 Chevy Camaro casting done in a sharp spectraflame blue paint with flame tampos. While I know this is a favorite casting of Mike Strauss my feeling is “ENOUGH WITH THE DAMN ‘67 CAMARO ALREADY!” Out of the multitude of cool HW castings out there, why did it have to be another ’67 Camaro? It did turn out miles ahead of some past Strauss Convention Dinner Car clunkers, [Dueling Hypermites immediately comes to mind], but it would have been nice to see something new.

The Dinner Code 3 was a ’66 VW Bug done in a nice smooth silver finish, and I was finally lucky to win an alternate bright lime version [’95 T-Hunt lite looking almost]. Plus, I was happy that more variations were offered up as prizes this year. I also enjoyed the colorized Convention Coin; celebrating the convention’s 10th Anniversary that was given to all Dinner guests this year. I had previously bought the all-silver version at registration time so the colorized version was a welcome compliment to the silver one.

The Friday night auction was quite exciting this year. There was the usual assortment of temptations for just about everyone like prototypes, Hot Wheels Designer’s artwork, and many other donated goodies. There was nothing I particularly wanted but there were some hot bidding wars erupting on items I would never have dreamed would go so high. But as I have always stated; I never throw stones at what others buy in pursuit of this hobby. My friend Bryan Pope donated an OFF-THE-HOOK 1 of 1 version of his recently SOLD OUT custom: The Hell-Bound T1 Drag Bus that brought in almost $500.00! The donated bus featured a wild roof design with an extra-cool feature; a multi-lick flame design carved out of the metal! It was done by Paul Spradlin of Plano TX. I know Paul and his work well. He’s a great artist, and he and Bryan made for a fantastic pairing.

Another mixed emotion event for me was the RLC Party. The spectraflame pink Olds 442 party car is one of the best RLC Party giveaways in a long time. It could have benefited from either no stripes at all or adding stars to the hood stripes; but these are personal quibbles. While Mattel tried to entertain us by presenting their in-house employee band eponymously named “The Toys”; the band itself was loud and at times a bit shrieky. I don’t want to sound all “GET OFF MY LAWN YOU YOUNG PUNKS” old man-like but I was not in the minority on this point no matter the age of the conventioneer. The prize giveaway portions and information sessions were well done but too widely spaced in between some self indulgent band numbers. However, I have to commend Strauss MC Rick Tippe for getting up with the band to sing his very popular Hot Wheels song! Rick provided a nice voice contrast to the regular singer and produced the most fun song of the night. Alas, I did not win anything again. Friday night turned out to be a great room to room night. Rooms were open late and lots of friends to greet and talk to and many free beers given out! It was fun!

Saturday day was a highlight for me! The anticipated Snake and Mongoose transport trucks were coming! Mattel wisely put the finished retail pieces out for display for everyone to ogle and the real one were finally going to be at the convention and so were drivers Don Prudhomme and Tom McEwen. I had met both of them at two previous events and didn’t need to get in line to get their signatures again so Mike and I went to eat breakfast. When we came back the trucks were in the parking lot of the hotel just sitting there all alone. We jumped at our chance to snap all the photos we want and that’s just what we did! It was a blast. After we had our fill, we went inside to see the autograph line stretching for quite a distance and knew we made the right decision. I did get a photo of DP and TM signing autographs. I was told by friends both drivers were very gracious and friendly!

The Saturday night finale was highly anticipated by all. Everyone wanted to see if predictions were correct and the finale giveaway promo was indeed the much heralded Spectraflame Pink VW Drag Bus! And to everyone’s glee it was! It is a beautiful sight to behold! It’s much better in person than in photos! I tried to buy one or two more for friends back in NJ but the secondary [meaning immediately outside the event room door] price quickly escalated past $150.00, more then my friends wanted to spend at the time! The finale itself was informative but a bit too long at the same time.

The GOOD: The opening awards ceremony moved quickly and nice raffle prizes given out.

The BAD: This is where it shows that I have been to a few too many finales.

The Mattel Q&A session: I have to say the answers this year have been better than in the past but the questions are always the same and I have heard them all before! People need to get original here! I raised my hand but never got called on but they wouldn’t have liked my question anyway. It would have been; “Why in the world do you choose the castings you do to include in some Adult/Nostalgia series themes?”
Some of the castings are just dogs and it shows by them continually hanging on the pegs! Just look at The Master of the Universe castings???? Even with the upcoming new Super Hero cars; the HWS Delivery Van for Harley Quinn? Come on!​

Moving on; even though the raffle prizes that were given out were cool, the process took forever. They could have shaved at least 30 minutes off the length and everyone would have been happier! It was announced that next year’s West Coast convention was moving back to Orange County California!!! I personally really liked when it was in the O.C. [Being from NJ, am I allowed to call it that?] and am glad it’s back. The convention staff didn’t confirm whether it will be back in Irvine or Garden Grove, or even some other O.C. location, but I don’t care; I am happy nonetheless!

Saturday night was a good one for me since I was invited to a Tiki Party thrown by Amy Boylan formerly a Senior VP at Mattel. Amy is the individual responsible for creating the RLC and HWC as well as Mattel’s renewed interest in the adult collectible lines; many of which are still going strong today. Amy is currently the President and COO of West Coast Customs following her run as President of Shelby Motorcars. I have known Amy since her Mattel days and have become good friends with her. It was a great chance to just kick back and relax with friends and drink Tiki Punch! This coming February 2012 in Las Vegas; Amy will be inducted into the Diecast Hall of Fame for her many contributions to the hobby! I def will be there for that! The room to rooming was a bit quieter Saturday night; more so than I was used to; with many of the sellers either having left, beginning to pack down or only had crumbs of items left for sale. It was all becoming one big, brightly colored diecast blur!

Sunday brought the morning toy show and a chance to say goodbye to friends before I hopped on my flight home. I didn’t need anything there but I was able to secure 1 more RLC Party 442 for a friend back home at a great price!

A Strauss West Coast convention is the Mecca for any Hot Wheels collector. I was even able to find a bunch of non-HW diecast as well! I know that is heresy to some but it’s my money! I feel the West Coast convention is great for getting the scoop on the new model year cars, finding Redlines and the newest end of year cars! There are many other cars there but this is what I saw the most this year in addition to an overload of generic 2000-2011 mainlines.

The Strauss National conventions in the spring are best for finding a better variety of harder-to-find older cars since I feel more of a variety of sellers come from surrounding states. Anyone who calls themselves “Real” a Hot Wheels collector needs to make the pilgrimage at least once to either event if they haven’t already done it. It will blow your mind about what is out there!

All in all I personally had a great time at a great event! I shopped, I bought, I got to go to IN-N-OUT twice, I drank, I laughed, I saw people I hadn’t seen in a while like Connie, Don & Cindy, Joey, Amy, and Jeff, [and so many others I cant list them all], and I had so much fun. I would love to do it all again next year in Orange County! You need to go to any convention event with an open mind, a love of cars and your fellow collectors and a modicum of cash, to do everything you want. If you don’t possess any of these attributes you won’t have a good time, you’ll just be sitting in your room alone. What fun is that!

I would love to know if anyone else was there and what experiences they had! I think hearing other’s stories is what fills out the whole convention experience.

The Classic Cord was one Redline that eluded me for over 10 years of collecting. Up until recently, the Cord and the Olds 442 were the only 2 cars I didn’t have in my collection. Fortunately, that changed this past March when fellow collector Scott Jones offered me a fine Magenta piece from his personal collection (pictured below). The true stars of this article however, belong to Anita Smith (aka Chickluu). Anita is a top-notch collector, and I’m honored to have her allow me to showcase some of her fine examples of the Classic Cord. Anita has been collecting for over 8 years. She’s very knowledgeable with Redlines, and has some very pristine examples in her collection.

At one point in history, E. L. Cord controlled Auburn, Duesenberg, Cord, Lycoming, Stinson Aircraft and American Airways. In 1929, Cord introduced the L-29 – the first front-wheel drive automobile. When the stock market crashed, the luxury car market virtually slowed down to a standstill. E. L. Cord then commissioned Gordon Buehrig to create a baby Duesenberg. The result was a medium priced, front-drive car that became the 810 and 812 models introduced in 1936. The cars brought style and performance to the marketplace. Features included a coffin-nose, retractable headlights and V-8 power. The 812 was available in standard and supercharged version, and only 200 of the supercharged “Phaetons” were created. This supercharged 812 was the automobile Mattel modeled their Classic Cord after.

Mattel’s Classic Cord was designed by Larry Wood. This USA only casting featured a metal base and body and a metal engine with a supercharger sticking thru a lift-up hood. It’s plastic interior only came in black. Other features included a clear windshield, a lift off black plastic roof and of course, Redline tires.

Finishes were available in twelve spectraflame colors with the hardest to find currently being Hot Pink. This casting is very desirable among collectors. C8 examples sell in the range of $75-275 loose. The most valuable Cords are Hot Pink models with pristine loose pieces selling in the $1,900-2,500 range!

Credits: Anita Smith balance of the images. Magenta Cord from the RK Stickels collection. Cord Collectors of America text and images, Tomarts guide #6, Spectraflame-the essential guide.

Additional Redlines from Anita’s collection of cars can be seen in the following book, Hot Wheels Classic Redline Era: Hot Wheels – Birth of the Redline by Angelo Von Bogart (Hardcover – Sep 28, 2009).

The 4th Annual Summer Smash is rolling into Warwick, Rhode Island next week and as usual, there’ll be a ton of great limited edition Code 3 customs on hand at the show for collectors to choose from. Liberty Promotions will be returning this year with another great convention car design in addition to this year’s Rhode Island Hot Wheels Club car. Additional souvenir cars have also been made by the likes of Chris Walker, Bryan Pope, Vince Mosely, Jimmy “The Boxman” Chavez, Bone Shaker and M&S Customs.

Get a sneak peek of some of the great creations via the gallery below. Click on any of the thumbnails to see a large version of the images.

Collectors interested in attending Summer Smash should make the jump over to the official Summer Smash website for more information on tickets and accommodations. I hope to see you there!

Here’s a look at some of the latest Hot Wheels products that will be appearing in stores and online.* Found anything that isn’t on the list? Please submit it via the contact page, and we’ll update the list to your credit!

Basic releases: Cars you should be seeing in stores now; they are case code ‘L & M’.

New Models: L – ’11 Challenger Drift Car in green; ’11 Corvette Grand Sport in yellow (pic’d); Super Blitzen in orange (pic’d); ’65 Ford Rancharo in red (pic’d); ’63 Studebaker Champ in blue; Hyundai Genesis Coupe in blue (pic’d); M- Fast Cash in red; ‘70 GTO Judge in blue; ’68 COPO Camaro in orange (pic’d); Mini Challenge in red (pic’d); Nissan Skyline H/T 2000 GT-X in white (pic’d); and Diesel Duty in silver (pic’d).

Vars. HW Collectors Series: L- ’71 Maverick in red; ustom ’56 F-100 in maroon; ’49 Drag Merc. in blue; Ferrari 458 Italia in blue; ’68 El Camino in white/blue; ’71 Dodge Demon in white; ’65 Mustang in burnt red w/flames; ’68 Merc. Cougar in red; ’67 Chevelle SS in black w/HW; Ice Cream Truck in red; ’69 Camaro in maroon; Custom ’53 Chevy in purple; Shelby Cobra 427 S/C in silver; Javelin AMX in burnt orange; ’66 Nova in black w/HW. M- ’63 Corvette in B.red; Passin’ Gasser in lime green; Toyota Land Cruizer FJ40 in white; Bye Focal ll in yellow; ’68 Nova in blue; ’69 Coronet Super Bee in 2tone blue; ’07 Shelby GT500 in black; Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 in red; Nitro Doorslammer in blue; ’69 Firebird T/A in blue w/HW; Charger Drift in red; and Sky Knife in green.

2011 Thrill Racers: L- Toyota RSA in lgt.blue; Nissan Silvia S15 in yellow; M- Off Track in multi-color white; Roll Cage in lgt. green; Ducati 1098R in red; Fire Eater in white.

2011 Track Stars: L- Ultra Rage in black; M- Triumph TRG in yellow. Video Game Heroes: L- Yur So Fast in yellow; M- Surfin’ School Bus in yellow; Night Burner in green.

T-Hunts: L- Custom ’62 Chevy; M- Datsun 240Z; (both supers pic’d).

Other series:

Hot Wheels Garage/Hot Wheels Vintage (Code “G”): ’70 Monte Carlo; ’71 Challenger; ’65 Merc. Comet Cyclone; ’66 Dodge A-100 Van; ’67 Olds. 442; ’70 Ply. Barracuda Conv.; ’68 Hemi Barracuda; ’70 Road Runner; ’71 Dodge Demon; custom ’67 Mustang Coupe. (all pic’d).

2011 Monster Jam: No longer reporting on this series.

Hot Ones – (Code “B”): do out now: – Ferrari F40; ’65 Mustang; Ferrari 308 GTS; Baja Breaker; Twin Mill; ’71 Mustang; ’77 Dodge Van; Zombot; Pontiac Banshee; Ferrari 512.

Coming soon: Nostalgia case “A” Masters of the Universe.

* – Please note that this list was compiled based on information gathered by collectors fromonline research and personal finds at retail locations. The ability to find select pieces will vary based on geographic location and the frequency that your local retailer refreshes their stock.

The "In the Stores" column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club

-Pictures courtesy of HotWheelsCollectors.com, 1stopdiecast.com and others.

Just over a year ago, the DiecastSpace Magical Weekend of Cars rolled into the Swan and Dolphin Hotel at DisneyWorld in Orlando, Florida, and we were fortunate to have Jake and the crew from Tail Fins and Chrome at the event to capture some of the atmosphere and personalities at the convention.

The episode aired on RTV and TUFF TV on May 1st, but the Tail Fins crew has made the full episode available for those who missed it! Segments from the convention include interviews with me, die-cast author Mike Zarnock, die-cast designer Eric Tscherne, DCS Staffer Jason Bennett and female collector, Katerina. As an added bonus, the episode includes a great segment from the Hot Wheels room at the Peterson Automotive Museum.

The convention segments are sprinkled between some cool footage of a pretty impressive police car (1:1 scale!) collection, so make sure you watch the whole episode to see everything from the Magical Weekend!

Be sure to check out the Tail Fins and Chrome website to catch more full length episodes or to see if the show is available on cable TV in your area.

The next Magical Weekend of Cars will be rolling into Anaheim, CA in the Summer of 2012, but there are plenty of great events to attend in the meantime. Check out ToyCarConventions.com for a complete listing of all the DiecastSpace events nationwide.

As I mentioned back in April, Mattel has been promoting their Fearless at the 500 World Record jump attempt, and the main event which happened last weekend just before the start of the Indianapolis 500 went off without a hitch. Not only did they break the record by jumping an off-road truck more than 302 feet, but the true identity of the Team Hot Wheels Yellow Driver was finally revealed as professional race and stunt driver Tanner Foust.

Foust is an accomplished rally and drift car champion and has worked as a stunt driver/double for movies such as Iron Man 2, The Fast and the Furious and The Dukes of Hazzard. More recently he starred as one of the hosts of the American version of Top Gear on the History Channel.

Here’s the video footage of the record breaking jump as well as some behind the scenes footage with Tanner if you haven’t seen the great footage yet.

There’s just a few weeks left until the Collector Experience rolls into Nashville from June 16th thru the 19th, and from the looks of things its going to be one heck of a convention! Collectors who have never attended a DiecastSpace convention before will see first-hand why these events are truly an “experience” and not just cookie cutter show. There’ll be something for everyone in Nashville no matter if you collect Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Johnny Lightning, Greenlight or M2 Machines. All brands of diecast are featured at the Collector Experience!

The three main days of the convention are packed full of great activities like Diecast Bingo, Diecast UNO, Downhill Racing, in-room trading, autograph sessions and vending machine pull sessions featuring the debut of the DiecastSpace Vending Machine that will be packed full of all sorts of goodies and special surprises. Add in the RAOK Party, Legends Dinner and Charity Auction and you have the recipe for a fun filled couple of days.

A variety of special guests are scheduled to attend the Collector Experience as well! Diecast personalities include Hot Wheels Designers Larry Wood, Eric Tscherne and Wayne Scott as well as Diecast Authors Mike Zarnock and Bob Parker. Ben “Cooter” Jones from The Dukes of Hazard is also set to make an appearance, so be sure to bring your General Lee castings for the autograph sessions! You’ll also find several of your favorite Pro Diecast Customizers like Bryan Pope and Chris Walker in attendance with some special limited edition diecast pieces for sale.

Of course, the main reason to attend a convention is for the cars, right? A wide selection of custom convention cars have been created for the weekend. Collectors attending the premium events such as Bingo and UNO will receive their special cars for those activities during the events themselves. Those attending the convention under a general admission ticket will still have the ability to browse and purchase any of the Collector Experience branded souvenir cars. Here’s a sneak peek of come of the various cars that have been created. Click on any image to see a larger version.

If all this weren’t enough, Liberty Promotions will be giving away a FREE VW Drag Bus to anyone who books three or more nights at the convention hotel on the trading floors! Information about tickets and accommodations can be found on ToyCarConventions.com, or you can book your hotel directly by calling (615) 259-2000 and using the group code “DIECAST.”

We hope to see you there!

VW Drag Bus Fans will be happy to see that the Regular and Rebel Run Editions of Liberty Promotion’s Diecast Hall of Fame Bus are now available to all Liberty Legion membership levels. Both versions of the bus were originally scheduled to be on sale last February during the 2011 DiecastSpace Super Convention along with the “Ceremonial Edition” which was only available to attendees of the Hall of Fame Ceremony.

The regular version is limited to 1250 pieces and the Rebel Run version is limited to 250. Each bus is available for $26.99 (USD) plus shipping. Rebel Run versions are randomly inserted into orders and are only available by chance.

Click here to jump over to the Liberty Promotions sale page

Note: At the time of publishing this article, a small quantity of the “Ceremonial Edition” bus has been made available at the DiecastSpace online store. Like the Rebel Run, this version of the Hall of Fame bus is also only limited to 250 pieces and is selling for more than the $59.99 asking price on the secondary markets.

Click here to jump over to the DiecastSpace store to check availability on the Ceremonial Edition bus.

Dips in the economy aside, its a really good time to be a diecast collector. There have never been more options to attend a live event and connect with fellow collectors for some fun in this hobby that we all know and love. This year features large events that will definitely peak your interest no matter what brand or scale you collect. Here’s a quick rundown of each in order of occurrence including links out to their respective sites to get more information:

The Nashville Collector Experience – June 16-19, 2011 – Nashville, TN

Diecastspace returns to their “Collector Experience” style convention that will include special presentations from sponsoring manufacturers as well as your favorite standard events like the Legends Dinner, Camaro Bingo, the RAOK Party, Diecast UNO, In-Room Trading,  Charity Auction, the Customs Contest, Downhill Racing, in-room trading and much more. This convention also marks the debut of the Diecastspace Vending machine which will be packed full of amazing diecast surprises.

Special Guests for Nashville include Hot Wheels Designers Larry Wood, Wayne Scott and Eric Tscherne, Hot Wheels Author Mike Zarnock, Tom Zahorsky from Johnny Lightning and Ben “Cooter” Jones from the Dukes of Hazzard TV Show.

The Canada Convention – July 13-17, 2011 – Toronto, Canada

The Canadian Diecast Convention returns for its second year at an all new location in Toronto. Mattel will be in attendance with the Hot Wheels Live Tour Trailer featuring awesome Hot Wheels displays and exclusive Hot Wheel merchandise that will only be available on the tour. The Official Hot Wheels Vending Machine will also be on hand which is always a blast. Other events will include the Legends dinner, RAOK party, downhill racing, Diecast UNO, Diecast Bingo, the customs contest, a Redlines seminar, in-room trading and much more. Sears will also be sponsoring a special event thats not to be missed!

The Special Guests for this event are still to be announced.

Lightning Fest - July 15-16, 2011 – Dyersville, IA

Lightning Fest is the main event to attend for the die-hard Johnny Lightning collector. Held each year at the RC@ Outlet store in Dyersville, Iowa, this FREE two day event is packed full of great family-friendly activities. Such activites include Gravity Racing, a customs contest, daily raffles, a Design forum, Diecast Bingo, charity auctions, a full-scale car show and in-room trading. The Diecastspace vending machine will laso be on hnad and stocked with lot s of great JL products and surprises.

A yet to be announced special celebrity guest from the Dukes of Hazzard TV show is also planned for the event.

KustomKon – August 4-7, 2011 – Dallas, TX

The Diecastspace KustomKon returns to Dallas this summer and features activities for diecast customizers and regular collectors alike. The focus of the conference will be a series of seminars for those who have never customized before all the way up through the advanced customizer. Regular collectors will enjoy in-room trading, the Legends Dinner, the RAOK Swap, limited edition convention cars and the Sunday toy show. All of your favorite professional diecast customizers are set to attend.

Special celebrity guests George Barris and Little Daddy Dennis Roth will be in attendance as well.

Hot Wheels Summer Smash – August 25-28, Warwick, RI

The Summer Smash returns for its fourth year and is New England’s ONLY diecast convention for 2011. All of your favorite activities are scheduled including a Customs Show for kids & adults, the Sunday Toy Show, Sizzler Racing, the Bob Parker trivia contest, the Liberty Promotions Treasure Quest, a Charity Auction and Dinner, Room to Room Trading, a Saturday Car Cruise, Down Hill Racing for kids & adults, an Interactive Customs Seminar by East Coast Real Riders and more. The Diecastspace vending machine is also scheduled to be on hand.

Special guests schedule to attend include Hot Wheels Designer Larry Wood,  Jimmy “The Box Man” Chavez, Tom Zahorsky from Johnny Lightning, Hot Wheels Author  Mike Zarnock, Hot Wheels and Matchbox Author Bob Parker,  Lee Pearlman from Liberty Promotions,  Chris Walker “Night Stalker”, Vince  V-Man Mosely, and Dave Chang

Last week the latest installment of Mattel’s “Ask a Designer” video series was released on the Official Hot Wheels YouTube channel, and this time around collectors got to have their questions answered by the legendary Larry Wood.

Larry provided some great answers to many of the common questions I’ve heard collectors ask over the years about the Hot Wheels design process and how cars get selected to be made. We also get an update on the 1:1 scale COE that Larry’s been building over the years. I can’t wait until he’s able to bring it around to the conventions!

Collectors who would like the opportunity to meet Larry in person should check out on of the conventions he’ll be attending this summer. He’s currently scheduled to be the guest of honor at the 2011 Collector Experience in Nashville, TN on June 16-19 and at the 4th Annual Hot Wheels Summer Smash in Warwick, Rhode Island on August 25-28.

First let me preface this whole article by declaring that “Yes; I acknowledge that eBay [and its competitors] have revolutionized diecast selling!” There it’s out; so I don’t want anyone reminding me of this fact after you read the rest of this article.

The point I will try to make is simply that I don’t think anyone who calls themselves a diecast collector can honestly say that buying diecast online can fully replace the face to face, hand touching toy experience of buying diecast at a show or convention. Today all someone has to do is go to multiple auction and seller sites or even Google or other search engines and type in something like “Pink Sugar Caddy” or “69 Charger White Lightning,” and anywhere from one to several examples of each might appear – especially if you scan multiple sites; but the experience of going to a toy show and seeing one of the aforementioned cars or any other Holy Grail [HG] one might be looking for is a much more gratifying experience.

I’ve noticed that the local “big” toy show in my area of North Jersey has changed a little for the worse over the last 5 years. It was hanging on valiantly, but has since been affected by the electronic marketplace. It’s shrunk from two rooms to one. The number of vendors depending on the time of the year is much lower (or fewer vendors buy up more tables to make the show look larger), and there are less live shows than 5 years ago. Plus, no one wants to drive to a neighboring state for a show because it’s either too far, it costs too much for gas/tolls, or there’s not enough of a draw to warrant taking the chance to go. Even at diecast conventions the Sunday toy show isn’t the draw it used to be as compared to when I started going to conventions in 2001. I see other areas where this may not be the case like in California, Texas or the Midwest where there seems to be a couple of shows every month. I sometimes long to live there just to be able to scout out different vendors!

The “Online Experience”

The internet has changed that experience forever. I’m going to sound like a really old man with the way this will sound, but even 10 years ago the net hadn’t changed the fun of a live show for everyone. This ever increasing “instant gratification” world we live in allows diecast collectors to find their HGs much easier. A collector in Germany can find their HG in Utah and have it shipped to their doorstep in a matter of days. However, even with all the wonderful things a collector can find on the net, I’ve both heard and personally experienced the pitfalls of internet collectible buying. My experiences mainly apply to older packaged and loose cars rather than new packaged ones, but even then you can sometimes be disappointed in what you receive. I purchased some loose redlines on eBay many years ago, and once they arrived they definitely weren’t what I expected. Sometimes there were more flaws and corrosion in the paint than what was described and other times the package looked as though it was dragged behind a tricycle before being put into the shipping box. That being said, most vendors turn out to be honest than not and work with you but, it can still be a major letdown and hassle. Again, understand that I’m focusing on older diecast collectibles – both loose and packaged in this example. New stuff sold online tends to be much more hassle free.

The “In-Person” Advantage

On the other hand, if you found the same car at a show, you could take your time to look it over, shine a light on it and find its flaws. You might also have the opportunity to haggle a bit on the price and come away with a much more pleasing experience. You also won’t have to factor in shipping costs and in-transit damage. Yes, less than reputable dealers can also be found at these shows, but its easier to stay away from them. I know you can see an internet seller’s feedback, but now more than ever that means less and less. Vendors who build up bad reps often shut down and open up with different screen names to start the process all over again. Plus, many online sellers must find it somewhat challenging to sell online as well. People today are quick to judge or write terrible feedback before actually trying to resolve an issue. Selling fees can eat into your profit more so than a flat table fee at a show, and shipping mishaps can periodically occur.

I love when I look at some of the cars in my collection and can remember where I was when I bought them, what I paid for them, and more often than not, who I bought it from – especially if there’s a back story about the experience. I’ve been fortunate enough to buy cars (both new and old) in 13 states and 3 foreign countries. I’ve found Treasure Hunts in Aruba, Euro-only Hot Wheels variations in Germany and so much more. One Sunday in May 2008, I was at the Pomona CA Speedway Swap Meet at 6am and found a beautiful, packaged Light my Firebird Redline within the first 20 minutes of walking around. It wasn’t even daylight yet!

The “Vendor Experience”

Every year on a weekend in August, I assist my good friend Bill in selling Hot Wheels at a large outdoor toy show held in Macungie PA. We leave late Friday morning, meet our friends Tony and Lisa, and make a two day trip out of it. We scope out the early vendors on Friday and see where our space will be in case we need to negotiate a better spot. We do some early price and stock comparisons to what Bill sells and see how we will fare. I’ve found some great cars from people just throwing out a blanket on the ground for that day. The remainder of that day is a whirlwind that consists of dinner, returning to the motel, unloading the truck into the room and hanging out with a few margaritas before collapsing for a few hours before rising at 4:30am to load the truck back up again.

Our trip back to the event grounds consists of a stop at Wawa for ice tea and Mrs. Freshley’s cupcakes (the breakfast of champions!!) to fuel us up for the big day. Over the years we’ve perfected it down to a science and it all falls into place like clockwork. It’s probably 5:45am when we start unloading the truck, and within 10 minutes people are coming to our site with flashlights or illuminated head bands to shine their lights at our wares – all saying the same thing; “Whatcha got? Whatcha got?” It’s like a swarm of swallows diving for an old lady’s bag of bread!

By daybreak we are pretty much set up and the fun begins. Year and after year we see a lot of the same cast of characters; many of whom we only know by our own made up nicknames like Bad Santa or 4-4-2 Guy. We see collectors we know from back in NJ and always meet new people who may be experiencing Macungie for the first time or are back after a long hiatus. Our day consists of seven to nine hours of sitting outside where we can endur mist, rain, unrelenting sun and humidity along with the lulls and frenzies of customers. Every now and then we try to take breaks to go scout out what other diecast is around. Depending on buyer traffic and the weather, we pack up around 2pm and go out to eat before heading home. Its always a great weekend enjoying the company of friends and talking with people who love toys. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything!

Personal Interaction

The personal interaction between diecast buyer and diecast seller is an art form. Like the hagglers at an Istanbul open air market, both buyer and seller should have some form of respect for each other. Neither should get ticked off if they don’t get what they want or the offer price is too low or high. If the seller can’t handle haggling, don’t sell, and if the buyer can’t handle the pressure of haggling or rejection of offer then just pay the asking price or walk away. Even if the seller rejects your offer but you wind up buying the car anyway. At least you tried. If you find something special and really want it; who cares what you paid for it; it isn’t anyone else’s money but yours. Sometimes the great feeling of finding that special treasured car and being able to make an informed decision before you buy it is worth being there in person no matter what the price. Other potential buyers for that same car should also show mutual respect and let the potential buyer who is currently interested in the car finish his transaction before they swoop in to try to buy it.

Anyone who has been to a diecast convention has seen guys walking around the halls with a case of cars to sell. Theses collectors are typically selling Hot Wheels Redlines and may or may not be a conventioneer – but that doesn’t stop people from stopping and looking at what’s for the offer. I often think this type of seller is kind of like the guys on NYC streets selling “RALEX” watches, “COUCH” purses or “ROYBAN” sunglasses. Sure the NYC stuff is probably HOT or knock-offs, but both my wife and I have looked, haggled and succumbed to the power of a deal. Sometimes around Christmas our family goes into the city to see the Rockefeller Center Tree, gaze at the store displays and go out to eat. The ladies in our party always look for the “handbag sellers” and proudly buy their $25.00 COUCH bag. If the aforementioned convention seller has good stuff, he usually generates good buzz and people seek him out. I have bought great cars from these sellers!

Diecast…with a scent?!?!

Going room to room shopping at a convention or table to table shopping at a show is a great experience. Picking up that potential car to add to your collection, feeling its weight in your hand, studying it, thinking about where it would go in the pecking order of your display or collection, and quickly crunching numbers in your mind about how much you want to spend or how much you can haggle can never be fully replaced by a “BUY IT NOW” button. I have to admit that I have even discreetly smelled a potential purchase! Sometimes because older cars look too perfect and smell too heavily like solvent or cleaner but also sometimes because the smell of older diecast brings back memories of the cars in my collection as a kid or how my display case smells at home when I open it. If I am the only one who has ever done this then so be it. If you are afraid to admit you have done it, then stay in the shadows. But if you’ve never done it, I urge you to try giving a car a quick, subtle sniff and see what response your senses may send you the next time you are examining that potential older “FIND” to add to your collection. It may just be the determining factor between buying it or putting it back!

Let me know your thoughts on the live sale experience and if you agree or disagree. Again it’s just my opinion, and I welcome you to share yours via the comment section below!

Collectors who regularly attend conventions are most likely familiar with Mattel’s popular Hot Wheels Vending Machine that has become a feature attraction over the years. Standing in a massive line of fellow diecast enthusiasts while waiting for a chance to see what mysterious Hot Wheels goodness will fall from the innards of the giant metal box is one activity that many collectors look forward to at each event.

If you haven’t had a chance to attend one of the many conventions that the vending machine makes a stop at then, picture if you will, a snack style vending machine – the type with spiral bars that moves your selection towards you after making your desired “letter/number” selection. However, the snacks have been replaced with premium limited edition Hot Wheels products that are normally available for members of the HotWheelsCollectors.com Redline Club, and the identity of the item you’ve selected remains hidden behind frosted glass until its pulled from the spring-hinged door at the bottom of the machine. Add in the antics of Mattel’s Chris Parker, who runs the vending machine events and you have a recipe for fun turned up to “11!”

Mattel’s Hot Wheels vending machine has appeared at many conventions over the years including numerous DiecastSpace conventions, the annual Summer Smash in Rhode Island, the Wild Weekend of Hot Wheels and of course, the official Hot Wheels Conventions that occur each spring and fall. Unfortunately, the vending machine is not always available for every event. The team over at DiecastSpace recognized the value that the vending machine has brought to their events and has come up with a solution to ensure that the fun continues on.

This June, the brand new “Diecastspace Vending Machine” will make its debut at the Nashville Collector Experience in Nashville, Tennessee. As you can see from the rendering, it will be decked out in flames and will proudly display the Diecastspace logo – but, while the outside looks great, collectors know that its whats on the inside that counts! Convention attendees can expect to find all sorts of products from the major diecast manufacturers being stocked in the machine. This means collectors could find Hot Wheels products, convention pieces, White Lightnings, Green Machines, Liberty Promotions products, M2 Machines Chase Pieces and much more coming with their pulls. Rumor has it that even the customizers will be getting in on the fun and will be producing limited edition pieces that will be part of the mix!

The new vending machine is certainly an exciting new development for the DiecastSpace family of conventions and I’ll be sure to share photos of it when the vinyl-wrapping process is complete. Be sure to visit ToyCarConventions.com for information on tickets and accommodations for the Nashville Collector Experience so you can be part of the fun!

This year marks the 100th-anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 and Mattel will be making its mark on the day with a spectacular stunt being coined as “Fearless at the 500". Approximately 1 hour before the start of the race, a custom built 1:1 scale vehicle will be released from a nine story, live size Hot Wheels track.

The track itself is being placed in the infield area of the speedway’s fourth turn and will take approximately 3 weeks to construct. An artist’s rendering of the track and tower can been seen to the right. The identity of the truck’s driver will remain unknown until the completion of the stunt at which point it will be revealed. The stunt itself has been designed to be a record breaking jump of 302 feet with a landing area somewhere near the speedway’s short chute near turns three and four.

Promotional tickets with prime seating for the stunt in the grandstand facing the landing are being offered up for $80 and $90. The ticket package includes a Hot Wheel replica, discounts and a $5 coupon for IMS merchandise.

Check out the teaser video below.

Those who have to deal with a daily commute to and from work probably notice new billboards every now and then, but tend to ignore them as time goes on. However, citizens of Bogata, Columbia certainly won’t be able to ignore this amazing new life-sized loop-de-loop that was constructed on an overpass.

The idea was for the billboard was conceived by ad giant Ogilvy and Mather’s Columbia branch. Its curious that South America was chosen for the debut location, but certainly doesn’t make it any less cool!

Here’s a look at some of the latest Hot Wheels products that will be appearing in stores and online.* Found anything that isn’t on the list? Please submit it via the contact page, and we’ll update the list to your credit!

Basic releases: Cars you should be seeing in stores now; they are case code ‘F’; being stocked now.

New Models: Back To The Future Time Machine (pic’d); Danica Patrick 2010 Chevy Impala (pic’d); Porsche 911 GT3 RS in met. gray (pic’d).

2011 Thrill Racers: Olds 442 W-30 in red; Tread-Air in black; Jet Threat 3.0 in black.

2011 Track Stars: Formula Street in chrome/green.

Video Game Heroes: Fast Fish in blue; Circle Tracker in lgt. blue.

Vars. HW Collectors Series: Ford Mustang GT Concept in maroon Fire Dept. (pic’d); ’69 Ford Mustang in HW’s trim; Dixie Challenger in red fire dept.; Tri & Stop Me in white beach patrol; ’67 Pontiac Firebird in met. gray; ’97 Corvette in blue w/flames; Acura NSX in met. gray/red; ’68 Chevy Nova in green; Custom ’53 Chevy in red w/flames; ’71 Dodge Charger in met. pink; Ferrari 458 Italia in met. gray.

T-Hunts: ’64 Pontiac GTO in blue w/flames, (both pic’d).

Exclusives: Walmart – Excl. Colors incl. ’41 Willy’s in white w/HW’s trim; ’69 Ford Torino Talladega in orange; ’70 Monte Carlo in yellow. Easter Eggsclusives: ’08 Viper (pic’d); Brutalistic; Rodger Dodger; VW New Beetle Cup; Blast Lane; Ford Thunderbolt; ’68 Nova; ’69 Camaro Z28.

Kroger stores: St. Patrick’s Day cars; and Mardi Gras cars. (one each pic’d). K-Day Excl. Colors: ’71 Maverick in green; Chevy Camaro Concept in yellow; Ply. Duster Thruster in purple; ’10 Ford Mustang GT in black.

5-Pack: HW Hot Rods, (pic’d).

Other series:

2011 Garage series: code “C” is in: Ferrari Dino 246 GTS; Ferrari 365 GTB 4 Daytona; ’69 Dodge Coronet Super Bee; ’62 Ford Mustang Concept; ’70 Dodge Hemi Challenger; Corvette Stigray Concept; ’56 Ford Panel; ’57 Chevy Bel-Air. (all pic’d).

Color Shifters: Code ‘D’ is out.

Speed Packs: Code “B” is expected.

HW “Vintage” series: code “D”, is due?

Rapid Transit: Release 2 out now.

IRL – Modern Racing. – Still coming.

2011 Monster Jam: 80 truck series. Case code ‘H’ is out: Thrasher #7; Barbarian #15; Wrecking Crew #26; Pillage Idiot #32; Spike #51; Storm Damage #53; Ironman #54; Spiderman #55; Time Flys #56. (2 pic’d).

2011 Speed Machines – “A” includes: Panoz GTR-1; ’09 Nissan Skyline GT-R; Lotus Sport Elise; Ferrari 599 XX; ’01 Acura NSX; Ford GT; ’96 McLaren F1 GTR; Porsche Cayman S; Saleen S7; ’09 VW Scirocco GT24; Lamborghini LP 670 SV.

* – Please note that this list was compiled based on information gathered by collectors fromonline research and personal finds at retail locations. The ability to find select pieces will vary based on geographic location and the frequency that your local retailer refreshes their stock.

The "In the Stores" column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club

-Pictures courtesy of HotWheelsCollectors.com, 1stopdiecast.com and others.

In 1970, Mattel introduced the Hot Wheels Club in advertisements on the back of blisterpacks and catalogs, (shown below on the back of a 1970 Canadian blister pack). Hot Wheels fans were enticed to join the club with a picture of a chrome-plated "Mustang Boss Hoss" that was exclusively provided to club members only.

Collectors could join the club for the insanely low price of $1.00, and if you did, you not only got the car, but also got the 1970 Hot Wheels "Annual" magazine, a sheet of Hot Wheels stickers, an iron-on patch, a membership card, a membership certificate and a metal badge showing the "Silver Special" car. Who wouldn’t join for a dollar? When Mattel could not supply enough Club Kits, they mailed new members an envelope with a letter indicating that their car would be sent separately.

While never shown in ads for the club, two other chrome club cars were also produced – the Heavy Chevy and King Kuda. Most members got a Boss Hoss judging by the number of these cars that are around today compared to the number of chrome Kuda’s and Chevys that are seen. All three club cars were made with white and black plastic interiors. A spectraflame colored Heavy Chevy and King Kuda were already part of the 1970 main line, and the Boss Hoss was later released to the main line in 1971.

Complete Hot Wheels Club Kits are now valued between $125-200.

Click any image to see the larger version.

The King Kuda #7 with excessive playwear is from RK Stickels childhood collection.

Note: Most kits included the Chrome Boss Hoss

Credits: Images from the RK Stickels collection. I would like to thank the following collectors for there support as well: Michael Zarnock for help in gathering club kit images and supporting literature, www.redlinespoilers.com: for help in gathering text, rare 2-Pak, BP Canadian art, club kit images, BP King Kuda, Tomarts guide #6, Spectraflame-the essential guide.

On Thursday March 10, Hot Wheels lit up Circular Quay, showcasing groundbreaking 3D projection technology at Customs House in Sydney, Australia. In a spine tingling show, the notorious Hot Wheels™ Skull Racers shattered the facade of Customs House as they competed in the ultimate speed racing battle.

Brought to life by international digital advertising agency Muse Amsterdam, in collaboration with PostPanic and BeamSystems, the projection featured footage of the world’s fastest vehicles in a stunt ridden challenge, travelling through the Customs House facade and into a fantasy world. Hot Wheels fans, young and old, were kept on the edge of their seats as the racers smashed their way through one of Sydney’s most historic buildings.

As cool as this looks on YouTube, I can only image how amazing it must have been in person!

The 2011 DCX Expo rolls into the Fairplex in Pomona, CA as part of the RCX Expo on March 19th and 20th, and in celebration of the event Diehard-Diecast.com is offering up a limited run of custom VW Drag Buses. In years past these buses had only been made available to collectors who were physically attending the expo. This year two different versions of the bus have been created to accommodate both those who can make it and those who can only order online.

The first “INTERNET ONLY” version features black paint with this year’s DCX logo with flames design. The basic piece comes with plastic wheels and the chase piece features redline real rider tires. This bus comes on a custom DCX/Diehard Diecast card and is limited to just 150 pieces. Orders for this bus can be placed online for $70 each (USD) and you can choose whether you’d like to have it shipped or if you’d like to pick it up in person at the show.

Click any image to see the larger version

The second “ATTENDEE” version of the bus features bright green paint with the same logo and flame design. The basic piece comes with plastic wheels and the chase piece features redline real rider tires. It also comes on a custom DCX/Diehard Diecast card (with matching bright green color) and is limited to just 150 pieces. This version of the bus can also be ordered online for $65 each (USD) but MUST BE PICKED UP IN PERSON AT THE EVENT. The Attendee version will not be available for shipping.

Click here to jump over to Diehard-Diecast and place your order.

Of course, attending the expo in person is the best option and the line up of vendors is looking great. This year’s confirmed exhibitors include Lionel NASCAR Collectibles, M2 Machines, Ertl Collectibles, The Custom Crew and GreenLight Collectibles. The popular “Customs Alley” returns as well and will feature Jimmy “The Box Man” Chavez, Jay Holt of Execution Customs, Sheri Abbey of Sheri’s Wheels and Alvaro Gonzalez of Pipe Customs. FREE passes to the 2011 DCX Expo are available by contacting Diehard-Diecast via the Contact page on their website.

Hot Wheels Redlines collector Scott Jones recently put together this great photo montage to share with the collecting community. If you’re into Redlines then you’ll surely enjoy feasting your eyes on these great shots.

Some of Scott’s photos can also be seen in the occasional Stick’s Redline Garage post here on DiecastAudio.

DiecastAudio is proud to welcome TomsDiecastCars.com as the newest advertiser here on the site. Tom’s offers a wide variety of Hot Wheels products as well as various lines from Johnny Lightning, GreenLight and Racing Champions.

For a limited time, DiecastAudio readers can take advantage of a 5% discount off of all purchases by using the promo-code “DIECASTAUDIO.” Give’em a try next time you’re looking to make a purchase for your collection and let use know what you think!

Collectors in the Ohio area should take not of this great Spring event hosted by the Northeast Ohio Hot Wheels Club. There will be room to room trading, 90+ vendor/dealer tables, an event car, a customs contest, downhill racing, and much more.

Here are the details:

When: May 15, 2011 from 9:30am to 1:30pm
Where: Holiday Inn, 15471 Royalton Rd, Strongsville, OH 44136
Website or Map: http://www.neohwc.com
Event Type: Hot Wheels, &, diecast, show
Organized By: Northeast Ohio Hot Wheels Club

Earlier this week Mattel debuted their upcoming “Wall Tracks” product line at the 2011 New York Toy Fair. This unique twist on traditional Hot Wheels track sets takes familiar looking stunt track segments and moves them off the floor and onto the walls with the help of 3M adhesive Command strips. Known for being able to hold tremendous amounts of weight, the use of 3M strips ensures that removing or reconfiguring the track will keep your walls in perfect condition.

Kids and collectors alike can expect to see Hot Wheels Wall Tracks sets to hit retailers this coming fall in plenty of time for the 2011 holiday season. The starter set should retail for around $30 (USD) and are compatible with existing Hot Wheels track sets which will allow the action to continue on from the wall to the floor for even more fun!

Check out this video from Mattel’s booth at the Toy Fair for a demonstration of a Wall Tracks setup in action.

Hot off the heels of the recently sold-out DragBus.com membership package comes the announcement of an all new DiecastSpace.com site geared specifically for fans of the Hot Wheels Dairy Delivery casting. The website itself will have its debut and official launch on February 26th at the Super Convention in Las Vegas Nevada. At that time you’ll be able to join the site for free and start interacting with fellow Dairy-D collectors.

DiecastSpace has also announced the availability of a limited edition premium membership package that includes the following items:

• (6) Dairy Deliveries (1 every other month starting in May)
• (1) 1/24 DivCruizer (Ships June 1)
• (1) 25% Off coupon to use for one year
• (1) DairyCollector.Com Sweatshirt
• (1) 2011 Dallas KustomKon Dairy Alternate Color Chase Piece Member Only
• (1) Christmas Chase Dairy with Real Rubber Tires Exclusive to Members Only

There are only 50 premium membership packages available and are currently on sale now for $250 (USD) each in the DiecastSpace Store. The DragBus.com premium membership package sold out in less than 12 hours, so be sure to act fast if you’d like to take advantage of this great offer.

Click here to jump over to the DCS Store to check availability and purchase.

Actor Jeremy Piven has teamed up with Mattel to star in this hilarious video entitled “The Fifth Racer” that launched on FunnyOrDie.com today. Piven plays the role of a coffee guy who desperately wants to be the fifth member of Team Hot Wheels and shows off his best stunts to see if he’s got what it takes to make the team.

The video seems to be produced in support of promoting Mattel’s Hot Wheels fan page on Facebook. Hopefully this will be the first of many viral video efforts coming from the Hot Wheels brand!

What do you think of the video? Leave your thoughts via the comments section below.

Welcome to Part 2 of the Heavyweights post. Be sure to check out the first part of this series for even more information and great pictures!

In the previous post, my heavyweight collection consisted mainly of original wreckers, a snorkel, a racer rig, a fuel tanker, a moving van and many restored scoopers and ambulances. Most redline purists prefer original redlines, and I appreciate that view. On the other hand, restoring one is the next best approach if the casting is trashed. Part 1 also only covered a portion of the various Heavyweight models. In this post I’ll review the remainder of the lineup as I was able to complete my redline collection in the past few years with some cool finds. I’ll also feature some blisters as an added bonus.

Introduced in 1970, the Heavyweights series has to be one of the most unique looking concepts in the redline era. The futuristic truck designs by Ira Gilford typically featured wrap around windshields and unique functioning body parts. Some were even issued in a two-part cab and trailer combination which was a first for Hot Wheels.

The Heavyweights line was available in 11 spectraflame colors and white enamel. The cabs were traditionally finished in white enamel or red or blue spectraflame. The series was issued on three different blister cards: one pictured a Fire Truck, another a Cement Mixer, and the third showcased a Tow Truck. Heavyweights are very collectable, and you can expect to pay between $25-$90 depending on the casting and condition.

Heavyweights were very popular in my neighborhood when I was growing up. My friends and I had crazy imaginations and these castings fueled our obsessions with race cars, orange track and of course, Hot Wheels!  The Scooper, Mixer, Dump truck, and Waste Wagon easily transformed the average sandbox into a major construction site just waiting to begin excavated. The gang was also pretty excited when it came to building that replica F-1 or LeMans track with a double supercharger setup and “miles” of orange track! My brother Rich and I had plenty of Grand Prix cars, along with a Wrecker and a Fire Engine. My buddy Peter had a Race Rig, Andy had a few Fuel Tankers, and John supplied the Ambulances. We certainly had no shortage of vehicles to fuel our play time!

Click any image to see the larger versions

Note: As a child I had a lot of redlines that I was able to salvage and feature in past posts. Unfortunately, I lost or traded most of my heavyweights, and the fire truck is my only surviving casting.

Credits: Images from the RK Stickels collection. I would like to thank the following collectors for there support as well: Adams Toys & Collectables: BP of the Fuel Tanker and Snorkel. RedlineJohnny: BP Race Team, and German issue Scooper. Ultrahots for the BP: Crumbler Snorkel. Dan Spaulding: BP Fire Engine and trio of Wreckers. Tomarts guide #6, Spectraflame-the essential guide.

Sure, I’m I diecast collector – but I also have an extreme love for all things related to tech and gadgets. I still have yet to make it out to Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show (someday, someday!!), but if I had this year I would have witnessed what could quite possibly be a nice combination of both my interests. That combination comes in the form of what will be called the “Hot Wheels Video Racer.”

Each 1:64 scale car features a built in miniature POV (point-of-view) camera in the front AND a tiny LCD screen on the bottom that can be used to instantly view your recorded footage without needing to connect the car to another display device. A simple button push on top of the car starts and stops the record at will. Mattel has also created an easy to use software editing program geared towards kids that will allow you to transfer the video footage off the car onto a computer where it can be edited and customized with music. An additional feature that makes this product even cooler is the included protective case for the car. The case allows the car to be used outside (attached to a bike or skateboard, etc) for an even better video capture experience.

Each Hot Wheel’s Video Racer will retail for $59.99 USD and will be hitting store shelves this fall. Check out the video below from the Mattel booth at CES 2011.

Artist Chris Burden has created what could quite possibly be the coolest Hot Wheels track I have ever seen. Dubbed Metropolis II, this art sculpture represents the insanely huge volume of traffic in Los Angeles by featuring 1,200 custom-designed cars and 18 lanes. The piece is accented with other items to make it a true “Metropolis” – which include 13 toy trains and tracks as well as buildings made of wood block, tiles, Legos and Lincoln Logs that dot the landscape.

Burden estimates that 100,000 cars circulate through the city every hour – wow!! Check out the video below for a look at this amazing creation.

Collectors who have eagerly been waiting to see what type of holiday creation Chris “NightStalker” Walker comes up with this year will be pleasantly surprised to see that this year’s sale will include three different castings to choose from! Each casting will be sold individually and will not be offered as a set.

A run-down of each piece is shown below. Click on any image to see the larger version.

Rudolph’s Rod Shop Panel:

Painted in pearl red with real rider tires. Rudolph’s Custom Rod Shop graphics adorn the sides and top of this little gem. These are limited to only 10 and come numbered in an acrylic case.

Price is $55.

Alien Projects Custom Convoy:

Dressed in pearl white and green paint with red real-riders. “Happy Holidays from Alien Projects” graphics on the side as a little homage to Alien Projects.  Limited to only 10 and numbered in an acrylic case.

Price is $65.

NightStalker’s Holiday VW Bus:

Painted with candy spectraflame red over chrome with Pro Circuit wheels.  Custom Holiday graphics adorn this wonderful piece. Comes limited to 20 and numbered in an acrylic case.

Price is $75.

Two notable aspects of this sale are the prices and the “added bonus.” Chris will be offering up each piece at a price point that ranges between $55 and $75 depending on the casting. Your wallet will certainly like that! He has also hinted that each person who makes a purchase will get a special “die-cast treat” as well. Now that’s some holiday spirit!

The sale starts on Thursday, December 2nd at 6PM PST (9PM EST) on the Night Stalker Customs website. A purchasing button will become active when the sale begins. Chris advises that if the sale button doesn’t show up, your computer may be "cached."  Dump your cookies and reset your browser to see the updated page.

When you think back on your childhood and playing with Hot Wheels there are a few models that could possibly define that era. We all had the Splittin’ Image, Turbo Fire and the Twin Mill in our black wheel carry case. The Twin Mill really stands out as a true fantasy car, and its always at the center of any redline bench racing session.

The Twin Mill was designed by Ira Gilford and was released in 1969 as a USA only casting. It had a metal base & body, a plastic interior that came in assorted colors, redline tires, twin plastic exposed chrome engines and a clear windshield. Some castings can be found with gold-tinted motors. The silver interior version is very hard to find.

A few examples exist with the angle of the rear fender cut more inward. These are known as “Cut Fender” variations, and they tend to fetch premium pricing the ranges between $400-$700 loose. Some castings carried chrome rear wheels (similar to the HK wheels on other castings) that were found on very late runs. Note: These are correct U.S. Wheels. Magenta, Hot Pink, Light Green, Yellow are among the most common colors with these wheels.

Finishes were available in eighteen spectraflame colors with the hardest to find being metallic magenta. This casting is very desirable among collectors and affordable to buy. C8 examples sell in the range of $40-$90 loose.

What’s cool about the Twin Mill casting is that it was the first life-size car created based on a Hot Wheels design. The full-sized Twin Mill was commissioned for the Hot Wheels 30th anniversary in 1998 and unveiled in 2001 at SEMA. The twin Chevrolet motors, supplied by General Motors Performance Products are not just for show – this car is fully operational! The current version of the Twin Mill® is painted in PPG’s Hot Wheels Spectra- flame® Anti-freeze. Note the original 1998 model was painted dark red, antifreeze is a repaint.

Click any image to see the larger version.

Credits: Images from the RK Stickels collection. Full size Twin Mill courtesy of SEMA and Mattel. Tomarts guide #6, Spectraflame-the essential guide.

There are a growing number of collectors in the diecast community who question the merits of collecting customized pieces or the so-called Code 3 class of diecast.  That question is becoming more relevant as an increasing number of diecast customizers appear on the scene and that the Diecastspace.com KustomKon Conference (the first ever event geared specifically for diecast customizers) just wrapped up this month in Dallas. Here is a short explanation of Code 3 diecast (or Codes 1 and 2 for that matter) for those of you that may be unfamiliar with the term(s).

Code 1

A Code 1 diecast refers to a casting/model built by an established manufacturer that is available to the general public via some form of mass market outlet.  Examples of this are Mattel’s Hot Wheels and Matchbox, Johnny Lightning, Greenlight Collectibles, etc. which are sold thru outlets like Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, and Target, a local independent hobby/toy store, supermarkets, drug stores etc, etc, or thru a hobby specialist website like Milezone.com or 1stopdiecast.com.

There is also a new, smaller group of Code 1 diecast that has also come into play only within the last few years. Three players have emerged bringing forth their own lines of brand new castings and covering them with some pretty wild themes. This new breed of diecast manufacturer includes Dave Chang’s Kustomcity EVO line, Lou Tanahara’s Custom Crew Sledster line, and the recently introduced Dreamliner line by Chris “Nightstalker” Walker’s Alien Projects. All of these independents have conceived fresh castings, produced on a limited basis, by independent manufacturers, and are sold thru venues like conventions and internet websites. All of these brands have a growing fan base of admirers and collectors, as well as escalating prices for their rarer models. These newcomers bring a fresh perspective as to the direction the diecast collecting hobby is going in years to come.

Code 2

A Code 2 diecast car is a casting/model that is built by an established diecast manufacturer again like Mattel, Jada, or M2 Machines etc, etc to be sold exclusively by only a select retail outlet(s) or website like McDonalds kids’ meal promos or only being sold to select people who are part of a members only club like Mattel’s RLC, the older Snap-On dealer exclusives or the Johnny Lightning Collectors Club.  These Code 2 cars are usually sold in a limited quantity run or sold only for a short time or maybe even both.

Another type of Code 2 cars are ones made for specific diecast conventions by various major manufacturers. The cars are generally commissioned by a private party or convention promoter and sold only to people admitted by paid admission to the event. This even applies to the convention’s traditional Sunday toy show where the general public is invited in. Usually the public is either let in shortly after the convention-goers have entered or are charged a fee to enter. Examples of this type of Code 2 cars include pieces offered by the Strauss conventions, The Gathering of Friends, Lightning Fest and other events. If a non-club member or non convention-goer wanted to purchase these cars they would have to go on a secondary market like eBay or a toy show.  These cars are also usually made in limited quantity, and no more are made once the outlet that commissioned the car is sold out. 

Sometimes there are occasions when the Code 1 and Code 2 lines are blurred and things get a little confusing. Examples of cars like this are; Target exclusive tin cars, Wal-mart exclusive paint jobs, K-Mart day exclusive cars and even cars for the K-Mart and Toys R Us mail-away promotions.

I feel that cars exclusive to Target, Wal-Mart, or K-Day but can be bought at the store level are prime examples of cars that fall into the Code 1 category.  Even though the cars are usually more limited in production that most Code 1 cars and there will be people who don’t have access to the stores selling these cars in their area; they are still available to the general public in and they are still made in much higher numbers than most Code 2 cars.

I feel cars like the ones that are part of K-Mart and Toys R Us mail-away promotions tend to fall into the Code 2 category. These pieces typically require the collector to gather receipts and proofs of purchase in order to receive them. If you don’t go to those particular stores and collect the necessary requirements needed to obtain the car, you would have to buy or trade for them elsewhere. Other examples of Code 2 cars include those made exclusively as a corporate promotion. Examples of these would include pieces from the likes of Snap-On tools or cars for a diecast hobby specialist website. These cars are also usually made in a limited number, are available for a limited time, and may only be available as a mail-in, in-store offer, or through the a specific website. It often helps to join the mailing lists for these locations so you’ll get advance notice of their impending sales.

Code 3

Code 3 diecast cars are simpler to explain, but are often categorized into different sub-categories.  This type of diecast is typically created from an established manufacturer’s casting, stripped of their original paint, tampos and packaging; then re-painted and re-packaged by someone else.  There has been a surge in the sales of custom diecast pieces during the last 4 years. Most custom diecast pieces, but not all (I would say 85%), are created from Hot Wheels castings. Some “diecast customizers” come up with pretty amazing designs that are quite different from what is typically found on Code 1 and 2 cars. Some Code 2 cars do rise above the sometimes humdrum norm of diecast design and are very distinctive; but most never capture the uniqueness of Code 3 customs.  

One of the largest and most well-known Code 3 customizers is Liberty Promotions [LP].  They produce models with custom themes in quantities that tend to average around 2500 cars per run.  LP’s models are collected by a broad array of collectors, and the secondary market prices for some of their rarer “Rebel Run” issues can become very expensive. I would even believe that some newbie collectors are unaware that LP’s cars are actually customs. I usually joke with my friends that LP has become so well known their cars should be classified as a Code 2 ½!

The current crop of top customizers who sell their work include a diverse spectrum of people like Jimmy “The Boxman” Chavez who is known for both his wild packaging (and indoor sunglasses!) to others like Diecastspace.com Diecast Hall of Fame inductees Bryan Pope of Pope Designs, Chris “Nightstalker” Walker of Alien Projects, Vince “V-Man” Mosley, Jay Holt of Execution Customs and Sherry Abbey. These customizers have built a large following of adoring fans who try to gobble up their customs as soon as they become available. They have been honored over and over again with custom contest awards for their creations.

Popular “up and comers” in the customizing arena are folks like Dino LaSpada (LB Customz),  Tony Monzon (SDChopShop) and “Crazy” Kazy Kishi and Chojiro of Japan- who are crafting wild and far out pieces that win the admiration of their peers and dazzle people like me who can barely draw stick figures! There are also many, many more great customizers out there just producing for the love of customizing. I can’t even begin to list all of their names, but I have been fascinated with their work for a long time.

The next type of code 3 cars has really exploded over the last few years; the RAOK!  What’s a RAOK you ask?  It’s a gift of a car given from one person to another as a sign of friendship without expectation of a return gift.  It’s a [R]andom [A]ct [O]f [K]indness gift!  Custom RAOKs are passed out between friends/acquaintances at a convention or a local club party/meeting.  Most Custom ROAKs are usually created/commissioned by the giver and are in a baggie with a custom printed header card. I love receiving RAOKs and am very appreciative of all the cars I have been given over the years from so many different people; especially since there is no way I can reciprocate for reasons previously mentioned in the last paragraph.

Code 3 cars also figure prominently at diecast conventions. For many years the Strauss series of conventions have used Code 3 cars as prizes for their Button Bingo, Poker, and Dinner giveaways as well as their Newsletter member appreciation car. Most Code 3 cars given away by Strauss come in a vast array of colors with some very low production numbers that add to their collectability. Other conventions venues like Diecastspace.com and the RIHWC Summer Smash conventions utilize code 3 cars as their convention and souvenir pieces. These are usually made by a wide selection of admired customizers who add an air of distinction to the piece. Many of these pieces are also becoming very collectible and sought after.

And even after all of the examples I have brought up about various Code 3 diecast cars; many people still don’t think they are worth collecting.  So here are my answers to the many questions/concerns still out there about collecting Code 3 cars:

Q/C) Some people think that since Code 3 cars aren’t built by a major manufacturer, their collectability and future value suffer.
A) Untrue.  As cited above many Liberty Promotions Rebel Runs go up in value.  This is also the case for many Strauss, Pope Designs, Nightstalker, and Dave Chang EVO customs as well. 

Q/C) Some people feel they can’t justify the purchase price of some customs for sale.
A)  Many people only have a limited amount of funds these days and need to spend their money wisely.   This is all the more reason to buy only the diecast you really like.  If you factor in the time, materials, and limited production numbers of many diecast for sale vehicles; you can see why they cost what they do.  Most people buy customs because they enjoy the individuality of the cars vs. the commonality of mainline diecast or relate to the theme and appreciate the time it took build the car.

Q/C) I never seem to know when the customs for sale cars are available and miss out.
A)  This is where the buyer has to do their due diligence and invest a little time.  There are a few things you can do to insure you are in the loop or know when you can buy a customizer’s next offering.

1. Join a customizer’s website email announcement list.  Most customizers have one and you will always know when one of their cars is up for sale either online or at a convention.  You’ll have to have fast fingers to buy most customs online so set your alarm for five minutes before sale time to make sure you’re on the net and ready to buy.
2. If you have the time or can afford to do so, go to a diecast convention at least once in your collecting career.  Conventions will open your eyes up to a whole new side of collecting.  Here is where you can make friends and connections and learn about custom collecting first hand.
3. Scan auction sites like eBay, Scoomer, and The Toy Peddler or go to your local hobby show.  Even though you may possibly have to pay higher secondary market prices for a custom, you can pick and choose the designs you like best.  There will always be folks who buy a custom piece to try and flip it for a profit.  This may take it away from someone interested who won’t flip it but capitalism is what makes the world go around.  Only the collector has the power and final say whether the price of admission is too high or not.

So, should diecast collectors consider collecting custom pieces?  It boils down to so many factors and tastes that some say there isn’t just a yes or no answer but I say yes; collect the customs you like and can afford. They will bring a fresh perspective and centerpiece to your collection as well as a hot topic amongst your friends both enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. 

As the title of this article says, the beauty of a custom is truly in the eye of the collector and if you pursue the beauty of custom diecast, I’m sure you will find it to be a great new place to explore. As always, I welcome everyone’s opinion and thoughts about this article.  Let me know what you think in the comments section below!

There are plenty of surprises in store for the 2011 DiecastSpace Super Convention coming to Las Vegas this coming February. The latest fun tidbit to be released is that “Woodie” will be the very first diecast car to be inducted into the Diecast Hall of Fame!

Owned by John Rhodes (aka Oggie Doggie), Woodie has been on the move since 2002 and has traveled from British Columbia to Newfoundland in Canada, visited ALL 50 United States including Puerto Rico and has been to 6 of the 7 Continents (missing only Antarctica).

Find out more about Woodie and his adventures at www.woodiesadventure.com. Information on tickets and accommodations for the 2011 Super Convention can be found on ToyCarConventions.com.

The Mod Quad has to be one of the most unusual designed concept cars of the Hot Wheels Redline era. The casting was designed by Howard Rees was issued in 1970 and 1971.

At first glance one wonders what this casting resembles. It’s look certainly takes cues from the Rod & Custom dream car show circuit and seemingly pays homage to some of the custom car greats. Its got the Tommy Ivo 4 motor configuration in the front and rear, the bubble top of a Roth, Cushenberry or Starbird custom and the lengthened body of a 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado on steroids!

This casting was issued in both USA and Hong Kong versions. It has a hinged canopy that opens to reveal a detailed plastic interior that came in assorted colors. One unique clue as to what version you have is the color of the canopy glass. The Hong Kong version has blue canopy glass. The USA version has clear canopy glass with a molded circle.

The finish was available in 13 spectraflame colors with the most desirable being metallic light blue (see image below). This casting is very hard to find in a C7 or better condition and can be very pricey. A blister fresh metallic light blue can bring $175 or better. As always, it pays to be patient and keep hunting. I once found the metallic rose version with a few flee bites for $12.00!

Click any image to view the larger version

Credits: Big thanks to my left coast buddy Scott Jones and his endless help with rare pieces and added insight. Tomarts guide #6, and Spectraflame-the essential guide. Blue, Aqua, and blister mods courtesy Scott Jones collection, balance RK Stickels collection.

This week DiecastSpace announced a new exciting event for 2011 that will focus on fans of the uber-popular Hot Wheels Volkswagen Drag Bus. On May 13, 14 and 15th the illustrious Trump Taj Mahal Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey will play host to the first-ever VIP Drag Bus Getaway.

This amazing collector opportunity is only open to the FIRST 25 PEOPLE to register. The ticket is $1000 per person which includes, hotel accommodations for two nights, a special VIP party on Friday night, a special dinner on Saturday night,  (5) Exclusive VW Drag Buses, a VIP Event button-down shirt and a host of other cool giveaways and functions to take part in.

The VIP Drag Bus Getaway weekend will always remain a 25 person event regardless of how many people want to attend. Collectors who are unable to register before it sells out will be able to try again the following year.

Tickets for this amazing collector weekend will be available starting on Saturday, October 9th 2010 at 10AM PST (1pm EST) and again, this is only open to the FIRST 25 PEOPLE. Purchases can be made by going to www.toycarconventions.com and clicking on conventions. You can also call in your ticket order at 1-877-832-2779 but be early, as there is already a ton of buzz about this going around!

Special thanks to Mark Kasimoff (aka RaceGrooves) for shooting this great video highlighting the Hot Wheels/Kmart Collector Day experience and for taking viewers through a nice up-close look at the cars that he purchased. Collectors need to start making more videos like this!

One of the first castings to debut in the Grand Prix series of Redlines was the Brabham Repco F1. It was based on the 1966 World Championship winning racer designed by John Cooper, built by Geoff Brabham and driven by Jack Brabham. The original car used an all aluminum Oldsmobile V8 powerplant and was tuned by Australian engine tuner Repco. See pictures of the original 1:1 scale Repco below.

Mattel’s Hong Kong casting was released on 1969 and featured a metal base, a plastic interior in assorted colors redline tires, a plastic exposed engine, and a blue windshield. The white interior version is very hard to find as are the castings with metal chrome engines. Finishes were available in nine spectraflame colors. The hardest color to find is light metallic brown. The dark green (racing green) enamel version (the true team Brabham racing color) is also very hard to find.

This casting is very desirable among racing collectors. C7 examples sell in the range of $40-$90.

Click on any image to see the larger versions.

Credits: Images from the RK Stickels collection. Tomarts guide #6, Spectraflame – The Essential Guide and Scott Jones.

I love Hot Wheels! I am a 45 year old man that loves Hot Wheels cars!  It’s not that it’s been eating me up inside because I haven’t ever been able to say it out loud, I just like saying it.  I love the fact that I collect something many people find unique or quite frankly…odd!  But what’s even more odd is the fact that as much as I love Hot Wheels, I am equally passionate about collecting “different” or “orphan” makes of diecast just as much as Hot Wheels. When I say “different” or “orphan” makes I mean makes that no longer exist or have lower visibility in the diecast world.  Discontinued makes I like include [but aren’t limited to in the least] Playart, Corgi Junior/Husky, Kidco, Zylmex, and Impy/Lone Star. Some current, lower visibility makes I like to collect are Tomica, Siku, and Majorette. 

I have been fascinated by cars since I was very young. I loved to look at them, memorize them, and read and study about them. I also loved to play with little ones!  In the late Sixties, when I was only 2 years old, my Dad bought me over 200 Matchboxes from a much older kid in the neighborhood who needed Christmas money that year.  There were so many cool cars in that box and I played with those cars until they were completely destroyed; which is very hard to do to old Matchboxes. Back in the day, kids played with toy cars much longer than today where there are so many more toy choices at an earlier age.  I was also fortunate enough to have relatives in Germany and visit them quite often as a child.  They would have dozens of cars waiting for me before I arrived including Siku, Majorette, and euro Matchboxes plus would buy me more while I was there which was usually the whole summer off from school.  I would then be able to bring all these unique cars back and impress my friends with them which were much different than your “garden variety” U.S. Matchbox and Hot Wheels of the day.

Furthermore, near my hometown were Woolworth’s, local independent toy stores and regional department stores [anyone remembers Two Guys stores?] not to mention a big hometown 5 &10 [who remembers those?] all stocked with Matchboxes, Hot Wheels, Playart [aka Roadmates or Peelers], Zylmex, and Corgi Juniors. But being a kid I played with these cars like a typical kid would.  I raced them down orange tracks, plowed them through the dirt, played smash up derby, flung them across the sidewalk/driveway, and put them behind the back wheels of my Dad’s Impala. Pre-1969 Matchbox Mercedes Buses with the bubble tops and MG 1100s were especially fun to crush! [Sorry Matchbox fans!] 

Having all these different cars made a lasting impression on me; so when I began to truly become exposed to the world of toy shows and later the internet I saw the same cars I had as a kid and began to snap them up.  I also collected the newer versions of these makes when I could find them.  To me, the thrill of finding a Playart 1968 Plymouth Barracuda or a Siku 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado that still has its jeweled headlights in decently mint shape at a flea market or toy show rivals the joy of finding a great Hot Wheels Redline.  I am still looking for an affordable Impy Flyers Vauxhall Firenza that’s also in clean shape.

I am usually very, Very, VERY, picky about what kind of discontinued orphan cars I collect or any older diecast in general for that matter.  My friend Jeff Koch once jokingly called me a “prissy little B*%@H” [at least I think he was joking] when it came to the condition and what type of car I collected. He probably was justified about that title and I probably am a tad particular about what I buy; but Jeff if you’re out there; please clear that up!

A few years ago I found two Zylmex 1971 Ford Thunderbirds, one mud brown and one sky blue, in dead mint condition for $1.00 a piece in a box at a toy show!  I thought I had died and gone to heaven!  I had these exact two cars as a kid and I used them as my special F.B.I. guy cars! I used to watch the old ABC TV show, The F.B.I., with my Dad every Sunday night and either Efrem Zimbalist Jr. or someone on the show was always driving a Thunderbird.  As a kid, those were my “special” cars, the ones I only gently played with and wouldn’t let anyone else touch! 

I also had a “special” case for my “special” cars and it was chock full of things like a red Playart ’69 Mustang, a rainbow of Hot Wheels Sugar Caddys, a Matchbox Superfast Iso Grifo, and a Corgi Juniors Ogle, plus a smattering of everything else.  But eventually as I got older, I gave my cars away to either my younger cousins or friends of my parents who had younger kids. This is why today I cherish finding cars from my childhood and treat them with great care once I get them home.  I remember studying the Sears Roebuck Christmas catalogs then asking for [and getting] the Hot Wheels Redline sets. I remember getting Woolworth’s Peelers in my Christmas stocking and buying Corgi Juniors with my pocket money when I went to Two Guys.  I can even remember first finding Majorettes in the U.S. around 1973 in a Shop-Rite supermarket and my father refusing to buy them because they were $1.29 each; so my uncle who visiting from South Jersey and shopping with us wound up buying them for me. I also recall the fun of matching my toy cars to cars I saw on the street or TV! 

I now love to read about the history of diecast cars and how they came about. Stories about how Elliot Handler didn’t want his grandkids to play with a competitor’s car or the steep decline of Corgi Juniors not because the cars didn’t sell but because of the terrible economic climate facing Britain and the fatal business decisions of the parent company; like our own history, toys have interesting ones also.

Today, nothing appeals to me more than when a company comes out with an oddball car in its line like the recently cancelled Motormax Fresh Cherries line [R.I.P.!], Hot Wheels Australian Ford XB Falcon and Brazilian VW SP2, Matchbox’s ‘69 Cadillac Sedan De Ville or new Volvo 1800, Greenlight’s ‘71 Javelin Alabama State trooper car [a real life car if you didn’t know], or Tomica’s Mitsuoka Viewt [look that one up]!  I really don’t meet too many diecast collectors who collect quite the same combination of cars I do.  I love Superbirds and ’57 Chevys in diecast and real life but after a while of seeing row after row of them at car shows or on the peg, I kind of like seeing the odd Pinto or De Soto.  Some cars I would love to see done in 1:64 scale are a ’76 Chrysler Cordoba [and pronounce it “cor-DO-ba” as Mr. Montalban so eloquently did in his commercials], or a ’78 Chevy Caprice coupe [I had one; great car!] or maybe something really off the wall like a Borgward Isabella  or ’57 Nash Ambassador hardtop coupe!  Like I said, I like’em odd!

What unique diecast cars do you collect and why do you collect them? I love talking to other collectors about why they collect the cars they do.  I love to hear about someone’s oddball “FIND” and why they love that oddball car.   You should be proud of your oddball collection and tell everyone about it who wants to hear. I definitely have an open ear; let me know!

Don’t be afraid to go to your window right now; open it wide up, and yell as loud as you can:

“I AM A @@-YEAR OLD MAN/WOMAN AND I LOVE TO COLLECT TOY CARS”

It’s really very liberating!

Here’s a look at some of the latest Hot Wheels products that will be appearing in stores and online.* Found anything that isn’t on the list? Please submit it via the contact page and we’ll update the list to your credit!

Basic releases:

Here are the next case code cars you should be seeing in stores now. They are case code ‘M’; being stocked now.

New Models: Scorcher in purple (pic’d); Yur So Fast in white (pic’d); ’10 Ford Shelby GT500 in yellow (pic’d); the Brave and the Bold ‘Batmobile’ (pic’d); Sand Blaster in tan camo. (pic’d); Ducati 1098R in red (pic’d); ’67 chevelle SS 396 in blue (pic’d); ’10 Aston Martin DBS in silver (pic’d); Howlin’ Heat in gold (pic’d); Back Slider in silver and blue (pic’d).

HW Racing: Canyon Carver in copper red. HW Hot Rods: ¼ mile coupe in green; ’37 Ford Woodie in white.

Night Burnerz: ’70 Ply. Road Runner in gold. Mystery cars: Purple Passion in pink; Aston Martin V8 Vantage in orange.

All Stars: Mazda Furai in red; ’10 Lamborghini Gallardo in white; Ferrari 308 GTS in blue.

HW Performance: Pro Stock Firebird in orange. Faster Than Ever: ’65 Mustang Fastback in red.

HW City Works: Four-1 in black; ’07 Caddy Escalade in yellow Taxi trim.

Track Stars: Phototype H-24 in drk. red.

HW City: Scorchin’ Scooter in silver.

Muscle Mania: AMC Javelin AMX in red/wht./blue; ’70 Ply. Superbird in yellow; AAR Cuda in blue.

HW Garage: Ferrari P4 in blue; H2GO in blk./wht. (pic’d).

Race World: City- 5 Alarm in green. Desert- Sand Stinger in red.

Treasure Hunts: Ford GTX1 in blue (pic’d).

Exclusives:

Walmart – Special selection of cars packed with key chains and tagged as ‘Key to Speed’ cars.

10 packs: ’70 Ford Torino in yellow.

Other series:

2010 Delivery series: Code “M” expected this month; releases to include: Hooker Headers Power Panel 2nd color; Centerline ’56 Flashsider (pic’d); Bell GMC Motorhome 2nd color; Ed. Pink ’50’s Chevy 2nd color (pic’d); Holley ’62 Chevy pickup 1st. & 2nd. colors (pic’d); Mr.Gasket ’72 Ford Ranchero; Good Year ’55 Chevy Panel; Crower ’59 Caddy Funny Car 2nd. color (pic’d).

HW Garage series: Code “L”, are expected soon

Larrys Garage; Phil’s Garage; and Waynes Garage will return soon.

Speed Machines: Case code ‘H’ expected soon.

Monster Jam 2010: No new releases this month.

2010 Dragstrip Demons: Case code ‘E’ expected soon.

IZOD Indycar series: No new releases.

A Sneak Peek: Here’s a look at the RLC rewards cars for this year.

Special release: A 12 car packed case of 2 different cars from the Danica Patrick NASCAR release.

As previously reported, Jimmy “The Boxman” Chavez has created some really amazing limited edition custom pieces under his ProToyType brand for this year’s Summer Smash. In the event you won’t be able to make it to Rhode Island (did I mention Summer Smash starts TODAY?!) you can now check out the select over on Diehard-Diecast and contact them if you would like to make a purchase. Check out this amazing Custom Convoy that wasn’t included in my initial post!

Diehard-Diecast also has the latest Delivery Series cases in stock which the premier versions of the 49 Ford COE, 64 GMC Panel and VW Variant. They are being offered by the case or singles too. Just click on the CONTACT button, let them know which cars you want and they will send you a PayPal invoice. Check out the select on the Diehard-Diecast.com Hot Wheels page.

Attendees of the first-ever Canadian Diecast Convention will now have one more exciting event to attend as the 1:1 scale Hot Wheels Ford Mustang Color Shifter will be making at stop in Niagara Ontario on Saturday, September 11th.

The Mustang is covered in the very same thermochromatic paint that is used on 1:64 scale Hot Wheels Color Shifters and will change from blue to white when exposed to hot or cold water. The Mustang’s appearance is part of a cross-country tour that stops at more than 50 festivals and events across Canada to promote the Hot Wheels Color Shifter products.

This event will give convention goers and children a chance to water down the full-size car and see its color change before their very eyes. Perhaps even Hot Wheels Designer Larry Wood will get a chance at shooting the water canon at it!

Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this fantastic new event at the first-ever Canadian Diecast Convention coming to the Sheraton at the Falls on September 9-12, 2010! Information on tickets and accommodations for the convention can be found on ToyCarConventions.com.

Fresh off the debut of Danica Patrick’s "Designed by Hot Wheels" #7 Chevrolet race car last week comes the release of this great Hot Wheels commercial created in support of the upcoming "Keys to Speed" national retail promotion. Hopefully this will be the first of several new commercials coming our way into the fall! Check out the commercial below as well as photos of Danica with her 1:1 scale race car and the die-cast version.

In 2009, Larry Wood officially announced his retirement after 40 years with Mattel and what better way to pay tribute to a designer that has brought us so many cool casting then to  feature the Tri Baby. The Tri Baby was the first “concept car” Larry produced for Mattel.

This casting was released in 1970 in both a USA and Hong Kong version. It has a swing-up hinged rear opening engine cover that reveals 3 detailed turbine engines. It also features a wrap-around windshield in clear and blue glass, a plastic interior in assorted colors and redline tires. As with all early redlines, the base and body are cast in metal.  The finish was available in 10 spectra-flame colors with the hardest to find being metallic hot pink.

This casting is very desirable among collectors. C9 sell in the range of $40-$90.

Casting Comparison

Credits: Images from the RK Stickels collection. Tomarts guide #6, and Spectraflame – The Essential Guide.

This year’s 2010 Summer Smash invades Warwick, Rhode Island in just a few weeks, and shots of the many cars that will be available at the event have started to surface. Liberty Promotions returns to the Smash as the primary convention car manufacturer, and after a look at the pictures below, I’m sure you’ll agree that the attending collectors are certainly in for a treat!

Pictured here are the standard version of the Summer Smash Drag Bus and the 2010 Rhode Island Hot Wheels Club car. Click any image to see the larger version.

Tickets for the 2010 Summer Smash are still available at the official Hot Wheels Summer Smash website. Accommodations at the Crowne Plaza Hotel are almost sold out for this year. Collectors buying tickets after the rooms sell out will be booked into an overflow hotel down the street.

Here’s a look at some of the latest Hot Wheels products that will be appearing in stores and online.* Found anything that isn’t on the list? Please submit it via the contact page and we’ll update the list to your credit!

Basic releases:

Here are the next case code cars you should be seeing in stores now. They are case code ‘L’; being stocked now through end of July.

New Models: Nissan GT-R R34 in silver (pic’d); ’62 Ford Mustang Concept recolor in yel; Custom ’10 Camaro SS in orange (pic’d); ’08 Dodge Viper SRT-10 ACR in black; ’67 Pontiac Firebird 400 in blue; Scoopa di Fuego in silver (pic’d); International release – Volkswagen SP2 in orange (pic’d).

HW Racing: Datsun 510 Bluebird in white; Ford GT-LM in green.

Hot Action: ’56 Merc. in 2-tone purple.

HW Hot Rods: Willy’s coupe in red; ’40 Ford Pickup in silver.

Night Burnerz: Super Gnat in black.

Mystery cars: . ’70 Pontiac GTO in olive (pic’d); Honda Civic Si in blue. All Stars: Scirocco GT24 in Dark red (pic’d); ’73 Ford Falcon XB in yellow (pic’d).

HW Performance: Camaro Convertible concept in dark green; ’08 Dodge Challenger SRT8 in K&N black.

Faster Than Ever: Corvette Grand Sport in red.

HW City Works: ’09 Ford F-150 in red.

Race World: Battle- XS-IVE in blue. Underground- Enforcer in green. Jungle- Custom ’41 Jeep CJ-2A in safari tan. Movie Stunts- Tri & Stop Me in dark red; Flame Stopper in orange with a stunt camera crane, in off road or spoked wheels (both pic’d).

Treasure Hunts: Ford GTX-1 in blue; Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe in orange (pic’d).

Exclusives: TRU – Special colors – Hummer H2 SUT in silver; Ferrari F430 Challenge in blue; ’55 Chevy Bel Air in blue; in conjuction with the 20 car Mail In offer for a ’70 Monte Carlo in spectra blue with Real Rubber tires. (pic’d).

10 packs: ’68 Chevy Nova in orange (pic’d).

Other series:

2010 Delivery series: code “L” expected in July; car releases to include: Hooker Headers Power Panel 2nd color; Centerline ’56 Flashsider; Bell GMC Motorhome 2nd color; Wynn’s Supervan 2nd color; ’29 Ford Pickup; Penzoil Convoy Custom (pic’d); Doug’s Headers Deco Del. (pic’d); Mr.Gasket ’72 Ford Ranchero(pic’d); B&M ’32 Ford Sedan Delivery; Conoco ’77 Dodge Van (pic’d).

HW Garage series: code “K”, are expected in July: Larrys Garage: Passin’ Gasser in red. Phil’s Garage: Willy’s in purple/white (pic’d); ’68 Ply. Barracuda in blue; ’70 Chevelle in black; Ferrari 288 GTO in yellow. Waynes Garage: ’57 Chevy Bel Air in slate blue; ’70 Chevelle SS Wagon in yellow (pic’d); Neet Streeter in pink; Fish’d & Chip’d in green; Rolling Thunder in blue (pic’d); Vairy 8 in orange/white (pic’d).

Speed Machines: Case code ‘G’ expected in June: 8 pictured.

Monster Jam 2010: Case code ‘M’ expected; Grave Digger; Airborne Ranger; Iron Warrior (pic’d); Shark Wreak; El Toro Loco; Monster Mutt; Backwards Bob (pic’d); Shocker; Cuttin’ Coroners (pic’d); Obsession; Eradicator; Prowler (pic’d).

2010 Dragstrip Demons: Case code ‘D’ expected in June; but delayed shipments are just now coming in.

IZOD Indycar series: Case codes A-B-C are all out now.

A Sneak Peek: Now you can really see the brand-new design from legend Tom Daniel — the Mob Rod™ — taking shape! Here is the first shot of the metal casting. Note the big blown engine. So what color will the first edition be when it debuts in the HWC™ Series Nine Real Riders® segment? We could tell you, but then we’d have to… well, you know…!

Also, look for the Garage series sets to be showing up soon at your select local Walmart stores.

* – Please note that this list was compiled based on information gathered by collectors from online research and personal finds at retail locations. The ability to find select pieces will vary based on geographic location and the frequency that your local retailer refreshes their stock.

The "In the Stores" column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club

The judges certainly had their work cut out for them after seeing the great Pro entries in the 2010 Magical Weekend of Cars Customs Contest.

The following slideshows feature entries from the Mild, Spicy, Wild and Sets classes. Which are your favorites? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

+++ Pro, Mild +++

+++ Pro, Spicy +++

+++ Pro, Wild +++

+++ Pro, Sets +++

The Classic 57 T-Bird had a body built for speed, and it’s factory styling was ahead of its time. It’s 2-seat roadster style made it an instant Hot Rod sensation as well as a customizer’s dream. The racers loved the “little birds” as well. They could pull out the factory small block V-8 and install 428 drag motors with dual quad carbs that would break speed records all day long.

The Mattel version of the Classic 57 T-Bird was released in 1969-1971, and was truly racing inspired with the aero cowl behind the drivers seat and drag pipes poking from behind the front wheel openings. Without a doubt, Mattel’s T-Bird was ready to race the orange track drag strip from the get-go.

The T-Bird was only released as a USA casting and featured a metal base, a lift up hood which reveals a metal engine, a plastic interior (in assorted colors), clear glass and redline tires. The finish was available in 18 spectraflame colors. Metallic Pink has traditionally been the most desirable color. This casting is very hard to find in a C7 or better condition and can be very pricey.

Click on any image to see the larger version

Credits: Images from the RK Stickel’s collection, Blister T-Bird, and T-Bird with red headlights from the Scott Jones collection. Tomarts guide #6, and Spectraflame – The Essential Guide.

Mattel recently shared this cool Hot Wheels Crazy Tracks video with their rapidly growing community on Facebook. Its pretty cool that collectors and kids alike are capturing their wickedly awesomel track creations on video. But, its even cooler that Mattel is paying attention and creating compilation videos like this.

There were a lot of fantastic entries in the Customs Contest at the 2010 Magical Weekend of Cars in Orlando, Florida. This is the first post of many that will showcase all the great work these customizers have put into their entries. This slideshow features only diorama pieces along with the tremendous efforts submitted by the kids.

Stay tuned for more pictures featuring the customs from both the Amateur and Pro classes.

There’s just about a week to go, until the start of the 2010 Magical Weekend of Cars in Orlando, Florida and things are ramping up to bring this event to a whole new level. This time around collectors will get to interact with whole new set of vendors like The Franklin Mint, BBR Models, Spark, Minichamps, LeMans Miniatures and Kyosho – and these new vendors are all in addition the traditional brands that sponsor and attend each DiecastSpace convention.

In addition to the new vendors, Hot Wheels Designer Wayne Scott has been added to the guest lineup which already includes the likes of Big Daddy Don Gartlits, Phil Rhielman, Eric Tscherne, Mike Zarnock, Lee Pearlman, Chris Walker and Bryan Pope. Eric Tscherne recently posted this little teaser of the artwork that he’s preparing for the show that features renditions of himself and Chip Foose done up Pixar Cars Movie style!

The general admission has also been expanded to 30,000 square feet to accommodate upwards of 18 full scale hot rods. Rumor has it that two of those cars will be creations from the popular TV show Overhaulin’.

While most add-on events have sold out, there are still tickets available for the Liberty Promotions Drag Bus Breakfast. General Admission tickets for $60 (with a convention car) or $25 (without a car) are still available until Friday, June 18th. Additional rooms have also been added to the convention room block and are available of a first-come first-served basis. Please visit the official convention page on ToyCarConventions.com for more details.

Its been a long time since I’ve featured a picture of someone “out in the wild” showing their love of Hot Wheels, so I was stoked (yeah, I said stoked!) to come across this picture of this awesome 1:1 scale Hot Wheels pickup! Special thanks to Loretta Parker for snapping the picture and sharing it on Facebook!

Have you seen someone proudly displaying their love of Hot Wheels? Reach out to me via the contact form and we can share your picture with the rest of the collecting community!