Hot Wheels & Matchbox: A Little Bit Of This & A Little Bit Of That

Hello everyone, welcome to another additional feature here on the boulevard. Since I've gotten back into collecting, there's been many times where I've been able to get everything I want in one day. And it's always exciting when that happens. Of course, diecast hunting doesn't always go my way. Most of the times, I end up leaving the store empty handed. Then there's the times when I'm able to find a few remnants from various sets. And that's exactly what happened on a recent diecast hunt. So for today's post, I'm going to be sharing everything I found.

So my first stop that day was Walmart, and as I expected, the basic car pegs were empty. So I then turned my attention to the other pegs, which had some remnants. To my surprise, there were two releases left from the latest Stars & Stripes assortment. To be honest, I wasn't really expecting to see this set yet. You'd think they would have released it a little closer to the Fourth of July, but hey, I'm not complaining. 

Although I would have liked to have found the whole set, I'm definitely happy with the two I found. I'm especially happy that the '84 Corvette is one of the ones I found. Sadly, I only had one other release of this casting prior to this one. So the moment I spotted it, I instantly pulled it from the peg it was hanging from.

Not having many of these is why I'm glad it features a design that's not too wild. In fact, I'd happily drive a C4 that looked exactly like this.

The 1984 Pontiac Firebird is the second one I found. To be honest, I'm a little worried about this casting. I know this is only the third release of it, but this is the second time it has been released as a store exclusive. I was so excited when they first showed it, and I thought they were going to do many mainline releases of it. But that hasn't been the case. So I hope this doesn't end up being another one of the castings that's not used much. Okay, that's enough about the casting itself, let me move on to how I feel about this release of it.

I actually think this release is just as cool as the C4, and I'd probably also happily drive one that looked like this. Now, even though I like it, I do have to say that I wish they would have picked a different exterior color for it. As you know, the previous release was also finished in black. So I would have chose to make this release white instead.

After I got done at Walmart, I decided to check a nearby Target with the hopes of finding some more mainlines. Remember, I'm still on the hunt for the rest of what I want from case B. So I had my fingers crossed that I'd finally be able to complete my want list. Sadly, their mainline pegs were as bare as Walmart's. So I turned my attention to the Matchbox pegs, and that's when I noticed some remnants of the Matchbox Collectors Series. 

Unfortunately, I was only able to get two of the three I wanted from this particular assortment. But once again, I was happy with what I was able to find. I mean, finding any of the releases from the Collectors Series is a win in my book! So the first one I wanted is the 2014 Mercedes-Benz G500 Cabrio.

I don't know how you feel about it, but I think this is an awesome first release. I, for one, am really happy with the design choices made for it. A black Mercedes-Benz will always look superb with black wheels. I also really like how they chose to give it a satin finish. 

The '64 Pontiac Grand Prix is the next release I wanted. And now that I have it, I can honestly say that I like it as much as the previous three. 

There are many different colors they could have picked for this fourth release, but I think white is an okay color for this American classic. I should also mention that I'm very pleased with their decision to use different wheels. 

After I got done at Target, I decided to call it a day. So that's all four of the releases I was able to find. It might have only been a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but it's better than leaving the store empty handed. I still wish I was able to sore some more mainlines, but that's just how things go. So the hunt continues!

Okay, how do you feel about these four? Go ahead and let me know down in the comments section. Alright, that's all for this additional feature. Till next time, thanks for reading, and happy collecting. And remember, these are just toys.

White Booth Wednesday #127

It's once again time for another Wednesday showcase here on the boulevard. Here's this week's featured vehicle.

Vehicle: Toyota 2000 GT

Series: 2013 Hot Wheels Showroom (HW All Stars)

Boulevard Rating: 10

How I Feel About This Release: Earlier this month, I published a Looking At post where I talked about the all five of the releases from the Toyota Car Culture assortment. So I decided to pick another Toyota for this week's edition of White Booth Wednesday. And as you can see, I chose another release of the 2000 GT. Although I like the two premium ones I have, this one is still my favorite due to the fact that it doesn't have a racing theme. Now, I'm sure most of you will think the Super is the better one, but that one has an additional stripe on the top half of it. And as you already know, I like having plain releases. So despite having a side stripe, this one is currently as close as you can get to having a plain release of this casting.

 

So how do you feel about this week's featured vehicle? Go ahead and let me know down in the comments. Till next time, happy collecting.

My Want List: 2022 Hot Wheels Case B - Some But Not All Part 2

Hello, and welcome to the second half of yesterday's post. This one will go over the last five I was able to find. Now, before I begin, I would like to say thank you to those of you that are returning to see the rest of what I got. Alright, let's begin.

It goes without saying that there are many great vehicle builders out there, and that's why the Legends Tour contest was a great idea. Sure, the Hot Wheels design team does a great job at creating new castings, but you have to admit that it's nice to see someone else's idea turned into a diecast model. So that's why I hope they'll continue to hold these events for many years to come. Doing so will lead to the creation of many cool diecast models. 

The previous two Legends Tour releases are okay, but I always thought they looked like something the designers created. Now, don't get me wrong, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. After all, I do like the various cars they create. But I have to admit that I was hoping they'd eventually pick a build that was a little less cartoonish. And thankfully, that's what they did.   

I have to say, this is one HOT 1970 Pontiac Firebird! In fact, I feel it's currently the best looking Legends Tour release. I know they want to have castings that appeal to children, but I think it was about time they picked one like this.  

I really hope this casting gets many releases going forward. I mean, there's so many different things they could do with a casting like this. Just think of all the different stripe designs, flames, and racing liveries they could create for this car. So I'd love to see it used consecutively for the next five years. 

Last year, Hot Wheels wheels finally gave us the McLaren F1, which is my second all-time favorite car. At the time I was excited, but I was also worried that they were going to stop using the FT GTR casting. And I guess I feel that way about a lot of their older castings, but you never know when they'll suddenly stop using a casting. The Lamborghini Diablo is a perfect example of that. Anyway, I felt they could have done a lot more with the F1 GTR casting. And it looks like they will, since it's the next release checked off of my want list.

So how do you feel about wild color schemes? Personally, I don't always like them, but there are times when I do. And this is one of those times. Basically, it all comes down to the colors that are picked. Last year, the Porsche 944 had a recolor, and it's an example of a color scheme I don't like. The blue they picked didn't just didn't go with the red they picked. Fortunately, this release was finished in a color that goes great with red.

Although I like this release, I do wish they would have given it at least one additional decal. If I was the one who created this livery, I would have added the Michelin decal. To be fair though, not having decals is something I can ignore because I'm just happy to see a continued use of this casting.

I'm going to assume that, like me, all of you look forward to the screen time mainline series each year. It's so nice being able to have little replicas of vehicles from various medias. And I feel they are some of the most unique diecast releases. So with that being said, the next release I got is the Disney Steamboat.

Unlike the various other mainline castings, these Screen Time ones do not usually have many differences between each release. And that's understandable since the vehicles do belong to another entity. But I do like when they're able to change the color of these castings, and that's what I like about this release of the Steamboat. Though similar, this one has a dark brown look to its color.

Thanks to the colors they picked, this year's release has more of an old cartoon look to it, and that's why I feel it's the better of the two. Okay, let's move on to the penultimate release. 

So are you also collecting the Borla themed releases? Actually, forget I asked. Of course you are. I mean... who isn't, right? I think we all like being able to have matching themed releases. And I'm definitely in love with the Borla themed ones, which is why I had to have this year's release of the '20 Jeep Gladiator. 

I know that some of the other Borla releases are based on actual vehicles, but I'm not quite sure if this one is. If it's not, then I have to say, the designers did a marvelous job at creating a design that's based on Borla's theme.

Now I want to put the spotlight on the "ATAK" that's above the front wheel. According to Borla's site, "ATAK" stands for Acoustically-Tuned Applied Kinetics, and these are their loudest exhaust systems. So I feel this additional detail was a nice touch because it tells us what exhaust system this release has. And it also tells us that this is the loudest release so far.

When you think of a diecast Humvee, what is the first thing that comes to mind? For me, it's a dark green or tan army vehicle. What doesn't instantly come to mind is a one that has a nice design, and is finished in a cool color. So that's another example of why I like Hot Wheels. Thanks to this brand, we're able to have awesome looking Humvees.  

This release might not be as decorated as the 2019 Baja Blazres release, but I feel they did an okay job at creating one we'd all love. Although... maybe it's just me that thinks that. I don't know about your stores, but there were a lot of these left on the pegs at mine. Anyway, I love the orange they picked, and you could never go wrong with a black stripe design. Furthermore, unlike the F1 GTR, this one features an additional tire decal. 

I'm not going to make a huge stink, but I would have given this release different wheels. But I guess I'm going to have to accept these brown wheels being used for the various off-road releases.

Alright, that's all of the releases I got. There's still a few more I need from case B, and I have no idea when I'll be able to find them. So it might be some time before there is another My Want List post. But I'm just glad I was able to find ten of the ones I wanted.

Okay, what was your favorite release from case B? Go ahead and let me know down in the comments section. Well, that's all for this edition of My Want List. Till next time, thanks for reading, and happy collecting. And remember, these are just toys.

My Want List: 2022 Hot Wheels Case B - Some But Not All Part 1

Hello everyone, welcome to today's edition of My Want List. As you've probably noticed, there wasn't a whole lot of post last month. Things have really been slow, and I know it has to do with the various happenings going on in the world right now. In fact, I almost decided to take a brake from hunting. But just as I was about to, one more trip to the store yielded some results. The only bad thing is that I wasn't able to find everything I wanted from this case, which is why this post is titled the way it is. Of course, something is always better than nothing, especially when there hasn't been much out there as of late. Alright, that's enough small talk, let's get this post started.

It goes without saying that race cars are some of the coolest diecast models to have, and it's no lie that Hot Wheels does a fantastic job creating both replicas as well as their own original vehicles. So with that being said, the first three releases I'm going to talk about are race cars.

One casting I was excited to see is the '70 Chevelle. If you think about it, there really hasn't been that many release of it. In fact, this is the seventh release. The last time it was used was in 2019, and it was in a 5-pack. So I started to think it was about to become a casting that was no longer really used. Fortunately, that's not the case, and I'm very glad because this is an awesome race car. 

Once again, the Hot Wheels designers created a wonderful looking release of this casting, and I do like most of the design choices that were made for it. I especially like how it features three real-life aftermarket decals. The top of this release was also decorated, and that's plus for me. Although... I do think they should have also added the racing number to the hood as well. 

The spotlight also needs to be placed on the wheels. Why is that? Well, this is the first release with the DD8s, and I think they're a nice wheel for this race car. The color of the rim is the only thing I would have done differently. Instead of white, I would have made it chrome. Other than that, I have nothing else bad to say about this release. 

Stomping its dinosaur feet down the drag strip is the "Triassic Five," which is the latest release of the '55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser. 

So which version of this Gasser were you all interested in? Did you have your sights set on the Red Line Club version? Feel free to let me know down in the comments. As for me, I'm just glad they made a mainline version. This is such a cool livery for this car, and it would have been disappointing if it was just a Red Line Club exclusive.

Minus the paint, this version is basically the same as the Red Line Club one. However, it is worth mentioning that three of this version's decals are different than the ones seen on the car they had depicted in the article. But that's not an issue for me, since it still has a total of four, and they are all placed in the same spot. 

Back in 2016, collectors like me were wowed when Hot Wheels released the '73 BMW 3.0 CSL Race Car. They even gave us a recolor that had a different racing number. In the following year, they gave us another mainline release, as well as a premium Forza themed one. And then there were no more releases after that, which is why I came to the conclusion that they were done with the casting. 

At the time, I was a little saddened because white and black were the two main colors they used for its releases. So I felt they should have done more colors. Well, little did I know that in 2022 they were going to release another one, and it was finally going to be one finished in a different color.

This is exactly what I was waiting for! I'm sure many of you had the Super on your want list, but as usual, I just wanted the regular one. And based on the watermark I gave it, I think you can clearly see why. RPM STARZ aside, this is a very nice release. The first two were great because they were replicas of the actual cars, but I was waiting to see what type of livery they'd create for it. And I have to say, I'm very pleased with what I'm looking at. I especially like how they gave it a red base.

I'm also pleased with their decision to decorate the hood, and unlike the Chevelle, this one's hood features the racing number. It also features the Castrol decal, which I feel was a nice addition to the hood's decoration.

Okay, that's enough fun at the race track. Now it's time to head back to the streets because that's where you'd see the next two releases. So with that being said, the next one I'm going to talk about is the Ford Focus RS. My preferred color for this car is blue, which is why I still very much like the debut release. However, I'm now going to have a hard time picking a favorite thanks to this one also being finished in blue. And even though it's slightly lighter, it's still similar to the one used for the debut release.

Since they chose to use a similar blue, I feel they should have picked different wheels for this release. In case you don't have it, the debut release of this casting was also given the PR5s. Anyway, back in 2017, Hot Wheels released a Koni themed release of this casting, and it was given the J5s. Personally, this casting looks really good with them. So I would have given this release white J5s instead. Doing so would have made it stand out a little more. To be fair though, this is still an okay release, and it is perfect for those of you who didn't get the first one. Some of you might even like this one a little more due to the stripe design it has.

As you all know, Hot Wheels has continued their Batman mainline series, and it is a series that I'm very happy to see. I, for one, love being able to have Batman's vehicles finished in different colors. That's why you'll usually see the various releases featured here. So the Arkham Asylum Batmobile is the next release I got.

This continues to be one of my favorite versions of the Batmobile due to its overall shape, and I think they picked a fantastic color for it. It might not be everyone's favorite, but using green is one way to make a Batmobile stand out from the other ones. Further helping with that are the wheels. Most of this casting's releases were given five spoke wheels, so it's nice to finally see one with a different type of wheel.

Okay, I'm going to stop this first part at five releases. The last five I got will be talked about tomorrow. So stay tuned! Be sure to let me know your thoughts on these down in the comments section. Alright, that's all for this first part. Until tomorrow, thanks for reading, and happy collecting. And remember, these are just toys.

White Booth Wednesday #126

It's once again time for another Wednesday showcase here on the boulevard. Here's this week's featured vehicle.

Vehicle: '69 Copo Corvette

Series: 2011 Hot Wheels New Models

Boulevard Rating: 8

How I Feel About This Release: This is another example of a casting that isn't used in the mainline as much as it should, and that's why I currently have two different releases of it. But hey, I'm not going to complain because I'm very happy with this one. It might not have any of the real-life sponsor decals like the other one I have, but it's definitely a cool release. And it's all thanks to the design they created for it. In fact, the design played a huge roll in the rating I gave it. Of course, I also like its exterior color, but the rating I gave it mostly has to do with the design. So what do I like about it? Well, to answer your question, just look at the back half of it. Basically, it's a flame design, and I love the various flame designs they create. Now, this particular one might not be overly flashy like the other flame designs, but it's still a flame design nonetheless. And I think it's a fantastic livery for this race car.

So how do you feel about this week's featured vehicle? Go ahead and let me know down in the comments. Till next time, happy collecting.