HomerS Posted July 28, 2021 Posted July 28, 2021 Matchbox has been hit (Plymouth Savoy) or miss (more without an interior) in the recent years. Here's a few interesting ones coming out next year...... 1
Dave Van Posted July 28, 2021 Posted July 28, 2021 Matchbox, first thing I collected, has been doing some cool stuff. The cab forward is neat! 1
junkyardjeff Posted July 28, 2021 Posted July 28, 2021 Gave up on Hot Wheels and started collecting Matchbox again.
Oldcarfan27 Posted July 28, 2021 Posted July 28, 2021 Always loved their opening features! Matchbox were always my favorite. Pocket Cars were second.
alan barton Posted July 28, 2021 Posted July 28, 2021 How ironic! As an Aussie I was brought up on Matchbox cars (product of the British Empire and all that) but I mean, how many Vauxhalls and Bedford trucks do you want, even as a kid? In 1969 I instantly fell in love with Hot Wheels because they were the first company to ever make hot rods in a 1/64th scale toy. Nowadays, Hot Wheels has completely lost its way and seems obsessed with making cars out of toasters, spiders, and wheelchairs, not to mention JDM (yawn!) while Matchbox is producing terrific, original subjects like Rolling Bones coupes, 34 Plymouth Sedans, 34 Chevy coupes and Henry J gassers. And the weird thing is, they are both owned by Mattel! Cheers Alan
Mark Posted July 29, 2021 Posted July 29, 2021 2 hours ago, alan barton said: Nowadays, Hot Wheels has completely lost its way and seems obsessed with making cars out of toasters, spiders, and wheelchairs, not to mention JDM (yawn!) while Matchbox is producing terrific, original subjects like Rolling Bones coupes, 34 Plymouth Sedans, 34 Chevy coupes and Henry J gassers. And the weird thing is, they are both owned by Mattel! The two brands offering different products makes sense..."brand separation". I think it's better than blurring the lines by having two brand names on similar items.
alan barton Posted July 29, 2021 Posted July 29, 2021 (edited) Yeah, you are probably right Mark, but I like my hot rods to be by Hot Wheels, not Matchbox. It's an image thing, ya know! After all, Hot wheels invented the concept of hot rod diecast, they should be true to their heritage. Truth is, as long as SOMEONE keeps making cool toys for this old bloke to play with, I'm good with that. But as I said first, the irony of it all! Cheers Alan Edited July 29, 2021 by alan barton
Richard Bartrop Posted July 29, 2021 Posted July 29, 2021 18 hours ago, alan barton said: After all, Hot wheels invented the concept of hot rod diecast, they should be true to their heritage. This 1965 Tootisetoy suggests otherwise.
alan barton Posted July 29, 2021 Posted July 29, 2021 Touche! YEah, I've got that one in my collection so I should have known better. Cheers Alan
AC Norton Posted July 29, 2021 Posted July 29, 2021 On 7/28/2021 at 7:13 PM, alan barton said: How ironic! As an Aussie I was brought up on Matchbox cars (product of the British Empire and all that) but I mean, how many Vauxhalls and Bedford trucks do you want, even as a kid? In 1969 I instantly fell in love with Hot Wheels because they were the first company to ever make hot rods in a 1/64th scale toy. Nowadays, Hot Wheels has completely lost its way and seems obsessed with making cars out of toasters, spiders, and wheelchairs, not to mention JDM (yawn!) while Matchbox is producing terrific, original subjects like Rolling Bones coupes, 34 Plymouth Sedans, 34 Chevy coupes and Henry J gassers. And the weird thing is, they are both owned by Mattel! Cheers Alan I HAVE LOTS OF EACH OF HOT WHEELS AND MB, AS WELL AS OTHER 1/64 VEHICLES, BUT YOUR COMMENT ABOUT ' LOST THERE WAY' STANDS SO TRUE....THE AMOUNT OF PURE JUNK ONE NOW SEE'S ON THE PEG'S IS SICKENING....YEARS BACK WHEN I SPOTTED THE FIRST HW TOILET SEAT I KNEW TROUBLE WAS BREWING...LOL...THEY ARE TARGETING CHILDREN I SUPPOSE, AND YOUR COMMENT ABOUT JDM...YAWN...IS ALSO FACT...HOT WHEELS HAVE HIT THAT MARKET HARD THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND I CAN TELL YOU HERE IN CANADA IT'S ABOUT ALL THEY ALL JUMP FOR....MATCHBOX AND MAISTO ALL THE WAY FOR THIS GUY.....the ACE...?
slusher Posted July 30, 2021 Posted July 30, 2021 I have bunch Matchbox cars like the ones I had when I was a kid and some Hotwheels but Matchbox was my favorite..
Oldcarfan27 Posted July 30, 2021 Posted July 30, 2021 I thought it had to do with licensing costs. To keep prices on the cars at or near a dollar they eliminated opening features first, then started doing freelance designs next (no licensing or copyright issues). Lately, I'm seeing a lot more plastic and less diecast than used to be. I call these "Freak Cars" because they don't look like anything that would ever be driven on the road.
Brian Austin Posted July 30, 2021 Posted July 30, 2021 Hot Wheels always had unrealistic freaky cars. :-) Lots of plastic in this series as well. https://hotwheels.fandom.com/wiki/Zowees
TonyK Posted July 30, 2021 Posted July 30, 2021 Still have my Matchbox cars from the 60's and still buy them if and when I see one I like. Limited to what I might see at the department store. Have tried looking for them online but I must not be looking at the right sites. Still buy Hot Wheels too. They make some cool "real" cars but there is a lot of junk also.
Tom Geiger Posted July 30, 2021 Posted July 30, 2021 Yes I have fond childhood memories of Matchbox cars from the early 1960s. When my family went shopping at the PX there was a Matchbox car carousel display on the camera department counter. The promise / bribe of a shiny new car each visit “if I was good” insured my parents a pleasant shopping trip! In 1967 I participated in the Pinewood Derby. I remember thinking how great it would be if I had a track like that for my Matchbox cars. Then in 1968, there it was! Hot Wheels with the famous orange track! Like Alan, I was totally taken and spent untold money collecting the cars and track! Today I try not to collect 1/64 scale vehicles since I could go way overboard!
junkyardjeff Posted July 30, 2021 Posted July 30, 2021 The regular wheel Matchboxes could be played in the dirt without bending the axles.
Dave Van Posted July 30, 2021 Posted July 30, 2021 16 hours ago, Brian Austin said: Hot Wheels always had unrealistic freaky cars. ? Lots of plastic in this series as well. https://hotwheels.fandom.com/wiki/Zowees I have most of the Zoowies.......cool little cars.....very unrealistic!
webestang Posted July 30, 2021 Posted July 30, 2021 LOVE Matchbox!!!!! On the die-cast forum I'm on MB is going to make a 57 Ford as well............!
Brian Austin Posted July 31, 2021 Posted July 31, 2021 (edited) Matchbox did have some strange toys in their various lines throughout the '70s as well. Some even seem inspired by the Zingers. Ever see their automotive/aircraft answer to Mr. Potatohead? http://www.realpriceguides.com/matchbox/catalogs/1972/r8.jpg http://www.realpriceguides.com/matchbox/catalogs/1972.htm (Other catalog years are available as well. See bottom of linked page.) Now I meant to mention I did happen to see HW and MB models at a local supermarket (hadn't seen them in a long while) just the other day, and the HW were priced at $1 while the MB were $1.25 or so. The MB models did appear to be more realistic, and mostly accurate in body shape. Their Mini seemed a bit small in relation to the packaging compared to the other models. I was surprised it wasn't scaled larger. I've pretty well stopped collecting these things some years ago so I didn't consider bringing any home, but it was nice to see what they were up to. :-) Edited July 31, 2021 by Brian Austin
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