Over on Jalopnik’s Opposite Lock section, Juan Barnett raised the idea of having a “Jalopnik” series of Hot Wheels cars that would best represent the site. Everything from a Miata to an RS6 Avant to a Merkur XR4Ti was thrown around for the hypothetical 5-car collection. How about one for our august publication?
At first I thought about switching out Hot Wheels cars for the very JDM Tomica line, but then we’d be unable to include our favorite American Iron
If I were to have my pick, it would be something like this:
1) Any Panther (which model is up for debate)
2) Murilee’s Project Car Hell Impala
3) VW Jetta TDI Sportwagon in Brown
4) Jack’s Green S5
5) Chrysler Minivan
Honorable mentions include the latest V6 Mustang, the 2014 Toyota Corolla, NormSV650’s 40 MPG Saab, any of the [email protected]’s SRT products and Zackman’s Impala.
Of course, these selections would likely be doomed to commercial failure. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to go rip the NSX Concept out of the blister card.
Crab Spirits = http://diecast.spiraln.com/mini/mb_mini-ha-ha_1975.jpg
You forgot the Lincoln MKZ, Derek!
Oy vey! Leave out th eLincoln MKZ.
If I had my way it would be something a bit classier than hot wheels, say, equivalent to Corgi cars.
It’ s not clear to me what the criteria are for models chosen. If they have to have some TTAC cred, I’d say definitely Murilee’s IMpala from Hell. I’d buy that if it were well done. Also a LeMons car or two or three. I suppose there’d have to be a panther, but I wouldn’t be buying it.
I’d like to see:
1. The Ford Evos concept. Gorgeous, far and away more beautiful than any contemporary car.
2. 1960 Valiant. the epitome of automotive art deco.
3. 1964 Chevelle and/or Impala
4. Bathtub Porsche
5. 1940 Ford and/or ’41 Plymouth
6. Tatra
Subaru Tribeca pre-facelift.
How can this list not include a Subaru Tribeca or whatever the hell the flying vagina car was?
My list would be
1. Subaru Tribeca
2. Any boxy, brown, diesel Volvo wagon
3. The Chevy Volt
4. Jack’s Green Audi (mentioned)
5. Some sort of Grand Theft Autoesque car that combines the worst of the Camry and Accord into the Camcord.
Yeah I’ll buy those.
Given the complaints of Ford Love on this site: “30 Years of Ford Jellybeans”
(An actual article I have written involving my diecast collection; but I can’t figure out how to submit it.)
I always tear mine out of the blister packs. My latest pick up was a BTTFesque Toyota pickup. I wish they’d get away from the terrible liverys, though. The e30 M3, that they finally released earlier this year, would have been so much better in a simple, clean white, red, or silver.
They made an E30 M3 in the early 1990s but it was a convertible.
Interesting considering there was never a production e30 M3 convertible. Did it have the widebody?
I had that car, ’twas the last Hot Wheel I bought with my own money…
If you’re tearing them out of the blisters, why not remove the liveries yourself? They come off quite easily with acetone on a cottonswab. I have a few silver E30s without the red and blue stripes on them. The dark blue one doesn’t work so well as the acetone seems to cause problems with metallic blues.
I only managed to snatch one of the gray M3s, so I don’t want to screw it up. Good idea for the ones I can easily find multiples. I’m thinking of doing a full repaint on my extra FR-S.
Pretty comprenshive suggestions so far, I don’t have much to add. Please ensure the Panther is a Grand Marquis with sagging rear air suspension.
Since my kids have gotten into Hot Wheels, I’ve had a whole new reason to collect them all over again. The best part? They haven’t gone up in price in like 20 years.
I think you should use the 5 best Junkyard finds myself. And no Corollas. Unless they were in the junkyard. :)
I Think Sajeev’s Ford Sierra should be in there too.
No contest, its the Subaru Tribeca
Back in my day, Matchbox cars were superior to Hot Wheels. Hot Wheels were always clown cars with corporate tie ins. Since 1996, they are both owned by Mattel anyway.
1. A Panther platform car (which shamefully does not exist in hot wheels form, as far as I know.)
2. An air-cooled Porsche 911.
3. A Jeep Wrangler with the 4L six.
4. A late ’40 Packard.
5. The A team van or Ecto 1.
Matchbox has multiple versions of the Crown Victoria. Most are police or taxi versions.
1. A Panther
2. A LeMons car (battered escort/neon/grenada)
3. Ford Sierra
4. Impala “art car”
5. A Lincoln with an open fuel door.
Using just some of the Hot Wheels cars I’ve found in the last 12 months, my TTAC 10-pack would include:
Scion FR-S
Datsun 510 wagon
E30 M3
1971 Celica
Datsun 280Z
Toyota AE86 Corolla
1st Gen RX-7
VW Brasilia
1964 Chevy Nova wagon
Honrable mention: Datsun 620 pick up and 1971 Plymouth Satellite wagon
It should also be noted that Matchbox has a Cadillac CTS wagon.
BMW 2002
One of each type of wagon available in brown, manual, and diesel. It doesn’t have to be really brown. Bronze, taupe, etc. will do. Forbidden fruit models also could be included.
I think a red Ford Ka needs to be included in there somewhere…
For the Geezer Colection:
’52 Power Wagon
’57 Ranchero
’59 Galaxie
’63 Fury
’70 Barracuda
Just one
Murilee’s Project Car Hell Impala
Panther should be a P75 Touring Sedan.
Tucker ’48
Audi RS2
South African Sierra XR8
Holden Ute V8
First tee shirts, now matchbox cars? Something tells me you guys were told you’re not getting Christmas bonuses this year. Let me suggest you also offer decals, mud flaps, fuzzy dice, etc. and put them into an online catalog, with a link at the top of the site. Every little bit helps.
Since I have one on the shelf, I nominate the VW Brasilia, just for sheer weirdness.
troll
Hummels for the automotive set
/troll
ehehe “NormSV650′s 40 MPG Saab”
Pretty funny when the writers remember that claim
Don’t forget the pink Aspire:
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/tag/ford-aspire/
Hmmmm…. here’s an obscure one, a Datsun/Nissan 200SX (the S12 series) fastback, Hot Wheels did have it in the 80’s, one version had a flip rear end that featured either a damaged rear end or normal. I had this as a kid, the other one I know of was a ’77-’78 Dodge Monaco cop car with a flip passenger door. The 200SX would be for Thomas Kreutzer.
Hot Wheels doesn’t offer any Panther related cars, but Matchbox certainly does; they had in the 80’s and 90’s a ’83-’87 Crown Victoria LTD police car, if memory serves, it had dual exhausts on the bottom, signifying a 351 Windsor. Also offered from Matchbox are a ’95-’98 Crown Victoria, usually a cop car and a ’99+ Crown Vic, seen either as a taxi or police car. This was a childhood favorite of mine; Matchbox also had a ’85-’88 Lincoln Town Car… my dad owned an ’85 in real life, hence why I treasured this one. I think it was a ’85 and up, though I don’t remember exactly which rear end it had, though I lean towards the newer one. Off to Ebay I go for this one.
Also Johnny Lightning made a ’88-’91 Crown Vic LTD to market as the Blues Mobile from Blues Brothers 2000. Somewhat rare nowadays.
Green Light also makes a crap ton of P71’s for their Hot Pursuit series and police car lines.
Hot Wheels also makes several Nissan Skyline GT-R models; the “Ken and Mary” GT-R (1973)a body kitted R32 GT-R and a R34 GT-R. They also had a Hakusaka Skyline GT (’68-’72) as well…… it signifies my Skyline obsession…. just sayin’…..
I think Matchbox made a 00’s Impala, but my memory is hazy on it, though I’m sure it existed and I probably have a cop one in my parents house stashed somewhere.
Hot Wheels made a Range Rover Classic, this one is for Doug Demuro.
Audi RS4: That old review did more to sell this site to people than anything else before or after.
Subaru B9 Tribeca: Flying Vajayjay. Helped get the ball rolling on the site in general.
The Mystery Car/black package car/random choice: Caddy Cimarron, Chevy Cavalier, or Pontiac 2000. The death watch was the sole impetus for this place for many years.
VW Golf: Yes, I know, you’re very important because you helped market it or something. (snore)
Toyota Corolla: Held up as a business model to emulate, and a vehicle model to not.