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Happy 50th Birthday Hot Wheels!

If you like Barn Finds, then there’s a good chance you have owned a Hot Wheels or two. They are supposedly for kids, but I sure see a lot of old guys sifting through those blister packs at the supermarket! It’s hard to believe that such a simple toy has stuck around for 50 years now. That’s right, today is Hot Wheels’ birthday and to celebrate we wanted to feature this little collection that we found here on eBay. The current bid is proof that these little cars are not just for kids!

We raise our hoods to Hot Wheels and all the fun they have provided kids over the past 50 years years! I have fond memories of setting up our track so it would stretch from the top bunk and do a loop or two at the bottom. Josh and I were playing with cars as kids and are still at it today! Anyway, the bidding for this group of six cars is currently at $1,675 with 35 bids and about a day left. That’s big money for such little cars. We have even seen some go for multiples of that amount!

And just like a real car you should checkout the undercarriage and do your research before buying. I’m no Hot Wheels expert, but the fact the those Olds 442s have the words “Police Cruiser” on the bottom causes me some concern. The Police version of the Olds 442 was normally painted black and white, but these are sporting the rare stars and stripes motif. Are there any Redline experts here who can clear this up for us? Either way, happy birthday Hot Wheels. We love you!

Comments

  1. Avatar Mike

    When I was a kid, I beat these things up. Most were the first series stuff. A collector paid me pretty decent money for them. Now at work (grocery store) there are a couple of people that come in begging to get first crack at the HW shippers when they arrive. Our general merchandise department manager sometimes has to cut open the box and let it sit there while grown men sift through the box before she can put together the display.

    Like 9
  2. Avatar Brad W

    If they say Police cruiser on the base but are painted a nice bright SpectraFlame color then they are 442 restorations. Guys buy the police cruisers and strip them and repaint them. I personally prefer the Spoiler series: jacked up muscle cars minus the hood with huge big blocks installed.

    Like 2
  3. Avatar RoKo

    Those Olds 442’s are fakes. The police cruiser version was released in 1973 and did not come in spectraflame paint. The real Olds 442 models were released in 1971 and made for one year only.

    Like 3
  4. Avatar Newport Pagnell Member

    This was my gateway into my car “problem”. Still have my redlines-spectraflame from the ’60’s and ’70’s.

    Like 4
  5. Avatar Michael

    Agree. The Olds look fake. Wish I still had all of mine. The Hot Heap was my favorite Hot Wheel. The Corgi Wild Honey was my other favorite.

    Like 3
  6. Avatar Gunner

    Like Mike states, I used to beat the first generation hotwheels up as a kid. I guess since having them as a child, they always had a soft spot for me. That and the fact that I am just a gearhead anyway. I actively collected these cars from 1998-2003, and amassed hundreds of them, many I still have (want to buy them?, lol). I saw all kinds of stuff in the stores with grown adults competing for these cars, including fighting for them. Many stories. I look back on it now with humor. Happy Birthday Hotwheels! Still loved, still treasured!

    Like 6
  7. Avatar leiniedude Member

    Great posting Jesse! I am going to guess over 100 comments coming. I am looking at 2 Stingray Hot Wheels on my computer tower now, just waiting to get back to some yellow track time!

    Like 3
  8. Avatar Trey

    Still have all mine from childhood. Over 100. Have the original red lines with metal badges and in very good condition. No blister packs though. Have 3 car cases. 2 Ralley cases and 1 box case. Even have my original Hot Wheels car club material.

    Like 7
  9. Avatar Steve R

    I like the older Hot Wheels, I trashed my fair share of them as a six year old, when they first came out. I’ve never collected them, though I have friends that do. They were smart enough to buy the early car, when they were still readily available at garage sales and flea markets, rather than buying new releases which were marketed as “collector” worthy.

    Steve R

    Like 3
  10. Avatar Michael Welton

    HW reproduced one of my race cars back in the early 2000’s it is called “ Night at the Races”. Was during big car show at the Cow Palace called Grand National Roadster Show. I wish I had received the royalties since the set is now a cult collector set. My good friend owned the Woodie and the trailer. When ever you see a photographer on a tall ladder taking photos of your ride and won’t tell you what he is doing, he is with HW. I’m happy to sell you a complete set in an unopened box. Thanks

    Like 2
    • Avatar Cattoo Member

      How much is a set?

      Like 0
  11. Avatar Jeff

    the Hot Wheel tracks were orange not yellow just to clarify that

    Like 3
    • Avatar Angrymike

      Ha, was thinking the same, but figured I keep my yap shut for once. My trac’s all somehow disappeared after my pop took one to my behind.
      Good times !

      Like 4
  12. Avatar Bob C.

    I believe I had that S’COOL bus when I was a kid.

    Like 1
  13. Avatar Ensign Pulver

    I’m was matchbox kid!!!….and I liked it….until they went to Superfast and lost the lead (?) wheels. Hot Wheels are for punks and hooligans!!!

    Like 3
    • Avatar Tom Member

      Hot Wheels Rule, Matchbox Drool ! You call me a Punk !

      Signed,
      Hooligan

      LOL ! As long as they were cars they were and are cool! Now, Johnny Lightening is what I am talking about !!

      Like 5
  14. Avatar Chevelle Tim

    Definitely aftermarket red line wheels ..
    The red lines are too wide .
    Wrong base also ..
    If you buy these for $1600 , I have some swamp land for sale you may be interested in…

    Like 3
    • Avatar Tom Member

      Amazing. I find it hard to believe people are “cloning” Hot Wheels, unbelievable, but sadly you experts are most likely right.

      Like 2
      • Avatar Troy s

        Whenever money comes into play fraudulent behavior is not far behind, always.

        Like 2
      • Avatar Tom Member

        Well said Troy. Unfortunate but true.

        Like 2
      • Avatar Jay S

        One of the most desirable and sought after Hot Wheels cars that I know of is the Treasure Hunt ’67 Camaro in white with orange racing stripes and rubber tires, released in the mid 90s if I remember right. I’ve seen them going for several hundred dollars(if not a thousand or more) in the original package. There are actually people making knockoffs of this car out of basic $1 cars and putting them up on ebay for $100 or more!

        Like 0
  15. Avatar Paulbz3

    Garage cabinet door and drawer handles…

    Like 20
    • Avatar Bill McCoskey Member

      What a great idea! Now I have a good use for some ratty HW cars in a box!

      Like 2
  16. Avatar Charles G Van De Sampel

    May 2011 Model Kit / Diecast Auction in Milan, IL. Two of these out of a tray of 16, went for $3200 each. Mint. Never played with. Started with 13 bidders, and wound down to just two. This went on for over and hour on just that one tray, and there were still 9 more to be auctioned. The auction started that Saturday morning at 8AM and didn’t finish until 3AM Sunday morning due to all of the kits and diecast.

    Like 2
  17. Avatar Srt8

    I had all of my redlines from the 60’s-70’s until a couple of ungrateful stepkids ripped them off in the mid 90’s

    Like 2
  18. Avatar DrinkinGasoline

    Redline Shop….Largest supplier of repro parts for Hot Wheels.

    Like 1
  19. Avatar Larry D Williams

    I’ve got 135 cars and manuals for hot wheels the two rare ones were put away in 68 the Mongoose and Snake rail dragsters pretty much mint all for 500.00

    Like 0
  20. Avatar Cris Carver

    Had most of the first five years of Hot Wheels. Loved ‘um, wrecked ‘um & lost ‘um. And two years ago, re-bought ‘um!

    Like 2
  21. Avatar Steve A

    Certainly no shortage of stupid people.
    😂😂😂

    Like 0
  22. Avatar CATHOUSE

    If you want to see a truely amazing Hot Wheels collection google a youtube video titled MILLION DOLLAR HOT WHEELS COLLECTION.

    Like 2
  23. Avatar Troy s

    Mine are all thrashed, maybe a few still have all four tires and some remains of paint as it has been a while since I looked at them. What ruined mine the most was this special track, a high banked oval, that had some sort of power shift set up that when they reached a certain point on the track you slammed down on this shifter and it would catapult the car down the track at a very high rate of speed. Most of the time it sent the little car flying across the room into a wall or a piece of furniture. The track came with two mid seventies styled NASCAR stockers, they were probably Monte carlos.
    I even had a hot wheels dirt bike back then which was what I was into as a kid back in the seventies. My dad always warned me about ruining those old hot wheels, said they’d be worth money some day. Well, looks like he was right again, dang!

    Like 4

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