In case you haven’t noticed, automobilia has become incredibly popular over the last few years as vintage vehicle prices have gone bonkers and left a lot of us out of the game. This double set of Amaze-A-Matics cars is listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania, and the seller is asking $60. Finally, something I can afford – other than the seller’s listing says that they won’t ship them, and I don’t live in Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania, so I’m out of luck again. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Gary for the tip!
Most of the vintage vehicle websites, including our own Barn Finds, have shown quite a few fun and affordable pieces of automotive memorabilia over the last year or two, and the trend is going strong, so I hope it doesn’t go away anytime soon. This would already be mine if the seller could ship it, but no-go, so there it sits 1,200 miles away, bummer. The three Hassenfeld brothers started making toys in 1923 in Rhode Island and soon found success. It evolved into Hasbro Industries in 1968, which some would say was the golden age of toys like this. Then came Hasbro Bradley in 1984/85 when they overtook Mattel as the world’s largest toy company, and finally, just plain Hasbro as they’re known today.
The “computer-controlled” Amaze-A-Matics were really unique in this era of the late 1960s, as most people had never heard of or at least seen a computer, let alone had a toy for their kids that used computer technology. You can see on the cover of both boxes – the first one being the “Chrysler Charger III” and the second one being a Mark IV Ford – that a gigantic card is being slid into the back of the 8″ car, and that’s what makes it go. You can program the route to set up cones that the car has to drive around, or you can simulate the Sebring, Le Mans, or other famous racetracks. This would be fun to own! I know it’s just a toy, but how many times have we thought that this old car hobby is getting out of hand with $50,000 Scouts or $15,000 Pintos or whatever. For $60, you can have three cars, two boxes (not in the best shape, but you always want the original box), and relive your childhood, whether you had one of these or not. I hadn’t even heard of them until Gary sent in this tip – thanks, Gary!
The cars appear to be in really nice condition, so that’s good. The seller says all three cars are in working order, and it looks like there is a good amount of the inside-the-box stuff that most of us would want: the orange cones (there would have been four in each box), instruction books, and things like that. The cars are battery-operated and can move backward and forward depending on what is programmed. The plastic cards come both pre-programmed and there are some blank cardboard cards for those creative kids (or adults) who want to program their own routes. Have any of you heard of Hasbro’s Amaze-A-Cars?
Edit: I ended up buying them and they’re on the way as we speak. He shipped them after all, what a great guy! I’ll do a follow-up once they get here.
Scotty, you never cease to find and share fun things I’ve never heard of, and I’m sure one or more of these would have been on my Christmas wish-list in the late sixties if I had known! So cool, so ahead of their time, and so great that you talked the seller into shipping them! Awesome write-up, and yes, please give us a detailed follow-up once they’re in your fortunate hands.
Ha, thanks, Mike! Thanks to Gary for tracking down this unusual thing, or things. I had never heard of them before, and I hope they’re as cool in person as they seem like they would be. The seller turned out to be a fantastic car guy, a really nice person. I lucked out asking about shipping, even though the listing says no shipping.
Your going to be the coolest kid on the block!
Cool catch Scotty ! Looking forward to the update !
This is really cool Scotty. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of these before either. But theres something familiar about them all the same. Toys like this from the 60’s just bring us back, whether we had them or not.
They all look terrific, like they weren’t played with much ( So I guess a low mileage claim will suffice here in my opinion). This was great Scotty, thanks. And also thanks to Gary for finding these rare gems. I was thinking about all the talk of how expensive shipping cars and trucks are these days, you’d think that shipping these would be reasonable.
Never heard of em. Cool š
Oh my Lord I had these 50 years ago and had completely forgotten about them. Seeing the cards in the pictures just brought it all back. So many memories flooding backā¦..might have to ask mom about the milkman now that I think of it.
Ah man, this has dredged up half a memory. I had something that was “programmed” with a cut piece of cardboard, like these, but I cannot remember what it was any more. I’m thinking a space-themed land vehicle, for some reason. I thought maybe a Billy Blastoff Crawler – but it wasn’t controllable. Pretty neat old toys.
Oh, thanks a lot, SG. See the inherent danger here of being a writer and a vintage everything nut? They get first dibs. I happen to know he has a very understanding wife. I never heard of these either, but us kids in “Pressboard Estates” usually didn’t have money for these high falootin’ toys. I can’t find a price new, but rest assured, they weren’t cheap., surely over $25, which was a lot of money for a kid. That would buy a used Sting Ray( type) bike. As mentioned,, this was actually one of the very first ” programmable computer” type toys, and probably paved the way for this marvelous machine I’m using right now. I sure enjoy these types of posts and Scotty is the master.
You are way too kind, Howard, thanks. I’m just a regular goof and happened to luck out on grabbing this tip that Gary sent in. $15 in shipping costs is a steal, the seller is a gem of a human. I sure wish vehicle shipping prices weren’t so crazy, they seemed reasonable just two or three years ago.
Damn! They’re sold, and I live very close to there! I would have grabbed those…really cool!
Good gravy, I remember having one of these ! I would let it go and the dog would chase it, and bring it back to me so… it was not in the greatest of shape Lol !
Thanks for the memories Scotty .
OMG! I forgot all about these. I believe I had one of the yellow ones. I remember trying to cut out my own cards to āprogramā it. They were a pretty neat idea at a time when slot cars were about the only motorized toys around.
I had one of these (a red ‘Astrovette’) as a kid. The technology was more like a player piano than a computer, but it was a great indoor alternative to the Cox .049-powered Shrikes and whatnot we could play with outdoors…
I have one of these too. At least I think I still have it… It’ in the original box. I’ll look for it if anyone is interested in buying. As long as it didn’t get lost in the Lee flood in 2011, its still there. Yeah, I’ll ship…
Sooo cool! I had/have the Ford Mark IVā¦if I do have it, itās buried in the basement or attic. Very cool find and so neat you got three in the deal!
Congratulations! What a great toy for any age.
Nice score! It never hurts to ask.
Pretty sure I’ve never seen these either… looking forward to an update, maybe a road test!
Howard, they weren’t as expensive as you thought. Cost was $4.99 or $5.99. Replacement “programming cards” were a pkg. of 5 or 10 for .99 cents. I was into 1/25 scale models and HO, 1/32 and 1/24 scale slot cars. These cars were roughly 1/25 scale. I received one (the Charger III) for Christmas, and then later during the Spring bought another one (the GT Mark IV) along with some additional cards with my paper-route money from Autoworld in PA. The “big” slot cars were obviously way faster but had some disadvantages. They really hurt if they came off the track and hit you, and the track itself required a lot of “real state”. A simple oval took up your whole living room! So the “A-“matics” won out. Just not in shag-carpeting, which was pretty much the norm, if you had carpet. So I played with these until the Aurora A/FX’s came out. Then the “A-matics” went back into their boxes, never to be played with again. I tried selling them in the “Trading Times” in the mid 70’s, but no interest. So I just trashed ’em! Along with my Hot Wheels, Johnny Lightning 500 track & some cars.Ughhh!………Sorry to be so long winded here, but when I start talking about the good ‘ole days I just start ramblin’
Scotty, when I came across this I had never heard of them either. Thanks for the informative write-up and please do let us know once you’ve received them.
Thanks for tracking down these cool things, Gary!
Gary and all – they showed up yesterday!
I was worried as the shipping box was pretty small, but both boxes were in there, or what was left of the boxes. The seller mentioned they were in rough shape, and he wasn’t kidding. After a lot of clear packing tape, they’re at least holding together now. Normally, I wouldn’t tape up an original box, but these were almost like rice paper that had been used as a floor mat at the Texas State Fair. Well, they weren’t that bad, and all that matters is that the cars and cards inside were in good shape, which they were! Sadly, what I thought were instructions was just sort of a little fold-out ad or brochure, so I have to search to find out how to use these things. There must be some info online somewhere, I’m guessing.
Scotty, check this Ebay listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/375210212490 https://www.samstoybox.com/toys/AmazeAMatics.html
A short video link explaining how they work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvF6J4xvDYU
Thanks, Gary! I missed these until now, thanks for the links, I’ll check out the instructions for sure.
I had one as a kid it did not work well, but cool
Scotty I had the Buick Century Cruiser which looked like a futuristic concept car. It was blue and had the mechanisms to steer left, right, straight and shift to forward, reverse and neutral. Such a cool car. I got it for Xmas in the 70’s and it was so “modern” for that time period. I found this brochure link and it brings it all back. Thanks for doing a great job making a 63 year old feel like a kid again : )
paste the link below to your browser of choice :
https://www.hobbydb.com/marketplaces/hobbydb/subjects/amaze-a-matics-brand
I received the GT for a birthday while on a vacation in Detroit. Had to find an empty parking lot to run it. One side of the card controlled steering and the other side was the forward/reverse. Donāt remember if it could stop. I think it had marks on the card to show travel distance when cutting your own.
Got a set at a garage sale, didn’t work but the cars were cool to play with š
Had a red Astrovette. Looked way cooler than actual. They would only go a limited time until the card traveled the length of the car.
Cool looking car ran on two AA batteries and needed to be in tile floors for best results.
I had long forgotten about these. The late 60ās were a great time for auto toys. Go Speed Racer Go
This was one of my favorite toys, growing up! I still have mine with the plastic cards and the cardboard ones, as well. When I ran out of cards, I found the same thickness cardboard and created dozens of my own. I should have saved the box! What kid saved the original box? I still have all of my Hot Wheels cars and some first year cars, still in their blister packs!
Check on Facebook Marketplace, if you are looking for one. I see them pop up occasionally!
Iām glad the seller is shipping them to you! Make sure that you have a big clear floor to have fun while creating your own obstacle courses!
Awesome find. I love toy cars! My Challenger is surrounded by toy cars, diecast and R/C for the most part but these are incredible! Iām hooked on vintage RCās. I definitely understand the toy car bug! It bit me long!
Scotty, great score! I also do not recall these outright, but a tiny part of me says that they look familiar. Maybe an old TV ad trapped in there somewhere?
I found this on EBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/254038978153
This seller has a lot of vintage fun stuff.