75 was probably the last great Matchbox Superfast and toy period, before they started to phase out the toy lines and make the car series a lot more formal. 73-75 were the best years with so many imaginative designs and loads of other toys such as Screamn Demons, Mobile Action Command and the big army playsets. I do miss Matchbox toys. Since Mattel bought them, the car line is now as full as a wet weekend. Bill
Thanks for a look at this classic Matchbox catalogue. By 1975 the Matchbox range was mostly Hot Rods, custom cars, and fantasy designs. The days of realistic models were largely over. But there were still plenty of models with working or opening parts, including the Rola-matics. I only had a few of these models, as by then I had discovered plastic kits - including the Matchbox kit line. In recent years Matchbox have returned to realistic models, including some great cars of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.
It was great to see this 1975 catalog, as I'd never seen a Matchbox catalog before. Paul Adams is correct - by this time, the Hot Wheels influence was quite evident, as virtually none of the realistic vehicles I had as a kid (maybe ten years previously) seems to have made it to the Swinging Seventies. A great artifact - thanks for sharing! SFZ
This would make a great wall poster! I think I had most of the cars shown as a kid, classics all. This was Matchbox's heydey for me, late Sixties to Mid Seventies, when Superfast were racing Hot Wheels and Corgi Rockets to the finish line. Luckily I've managed to find many of the cars shown again at car boot sales, now gracing my bedroom shelves a second time! Yep, I'm just a big kid! Thanks Brian. More to follow.
75 was probably the last great Matchbox Superfast and toy period, before they started to phase out the toy lines and make the car series a lot more formal. 73-75 were the best years with so many imaginative designs and loads of other toys such as Screamn Demons, Mobile Action Command and the big army playsets. I do miss Matchbox toys. Since Mattel bought them, the car line is now as full as a wet weekend. Bill
ReplyDeleteThanks for a look at this classic Matchbox catalogue. By 1975 the Matchbox range was mostly Hot Rods, custom cars, and fantasy designs. The days of realistic models were largely over. But there were still plenty of models with working or opening parts, including the Rola-matics.
ReplyDeleteI only had a few of these models, as by then I had discovered plastic kits - including the Matchbox kit line.
In recent years Matchbox have returned to realistic models, including some great cars of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.
It was great to see this 1975 catalog, as I'd never seen a Matchbox catalog before. Paul Adams is correct - by this time, the Hot Wheels influence was quite evident, as virtually none of the realistic vehicles I had as a kid (maybe ten years previously) seems to have made it to the Swinging Seventies. A great artifact - thanks for sharing! SFZ
ReplyDeleteCool! I had that Hovercraft down in the next to the bottom photo! :)
ReplyDeleteI still have the pink hot rod jeep, it was my sister's, and the Mercedes Tourist.
ReplyDeleteThis would make a great wall poster! I think I had most of the cars shown as a kid, classics all. This was Matchbox's heydey for me, late Sixties to Mid Seventies, when Superfast were racing Hot Wheels and Corgi Rockets to the finish line. Luckily I've managed to find many of the cars shown again at car boot sales, now gracing my bedroom shelves a second time! Yep, I'm just a big kid! Thanks Brian. More to follow.
ReplyDelete