Its a given that I am a massive fan of classic Hot Wheels. The Silhouette was my second purchase as a kid and one of the original 'sweet sixteen' which Mattel rolled out as their flagship line in the sixties. The gorgeous spectraflame paintwork, red stripe wheels and radical styling were streets ahead of the competition and an immediate hit. As is usual with a successful design, copies would be made and Zylemex, the die cast toy maker, seems to have led the way. Its small hot rod range released a near identical moulding called simply 'Bubble', differing from its Mattel progenitor by the simple addition of some chrome plastic pipes on the bonnet. Not content to stop there, Zylemex produced a much larger scale model called The Brute. This is a Dinky size car, which although handicapped by Zylemex low production values, is a lovely vehicle. I have managed to find two examples so far, one with a damaged bubble that supplied missing chrome detailing for a second, much better condition version, allowing me to complete a good example from the two.
The silhouette was also my fave Hot Wheels as a kid Bill. The Matchbox version too. When I was recovering from my appendix out aged 10 I would lie on the settee and draw the silhouette and its pals in a sketchbook. For some reason it was graph paper. I lovingly coloured the pictures in with my beloved ginormous tin of felt pens. Superb toys which capture the freedom of the road and of childhood.
ReplyDeleteThe Brute looks amazing too Bill. There is an old model kit of the Silhouette too, the next stage up in size I reckon.
ReplyDeleteDoubt ill find a kit Version of Ed Roths car! but would be nice. Matchbox made the Draguar, a beefier version of a similar shape. Im not sure if Hot Wheels made a large scale version of the Silhouette, I have seen a 1/24 Twinmill.
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