MOONBASE CENTRAL

Saturday, 25 July 2020

SHREDDED WHEAT CARS OF THE FUTURE USA

Hello Woodsy,

I just came across this book and thought the ad it reproduced might be of interest given the Future Cars featured recently.

Eagle was always ahead of the pack.

Terranova47

USA

TOY STORIES

Moonbase tales.

I've just landed.

puddinnnngggg!

I can see you!

Mmmmm, marmalade!

1950's Coachman Car Club Show - Southern California

hi woodsy,

this is an additional to my comments on the Lincoln Futura, this vid features the cream of California Custom Culture, George Barris, Ed Roth and Von Dutch are all here. I think this footage is in the bio-flick about Ed Roth voiced by John Goodman.

https://youtu.be/c7kZE0gJYDE

Regards
MJ

Southcoast base

ROAD CHAMPS: THE CLIMB FOR EIGHTIES POWER

Yet another mid-1980's power range I don't know, here we have the 12x12 Power Climbers by Road Champs I saw on an old auction.

I reckon these bad boys, all auctioned, are cousins of the BHS Explorer 12 line we've covered a lot.

They appear to have been offered in blue, green and red. There are several different rear vehicles. The front snow-plough attachment seems to have been standard. I think they are articulated but I'm not sure how much.

Here's the red Power Climber with a few Schaper Stompers, which you may have had as well.

I can't find any film footage of this line on You Tube, although there is lots of Road Champs.

Do you Road Champ?

Friday, 24 July 2020

JUST HAVE A SEAT

The Beginning of the Batmobile

Woodsy, you asked about my Hot Wheels Batmobile collection. I did do a short piece on some of these (under the label Boatmobile), which appeared a few months ago, but I thought I would send in a few more photographs.

The white 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car was a one of a kind prototype, built to show what the cars of the future might look like. Alas, it was not to be. The car appeared in the film It Started With A Kiss (1959), starring Debbie Reynolds and Glenn Ford, for which it was painted red.

After appearing at car shows, and gaining publicity for Lincoln, the car was forgotten, and eventually bought by George Barris. It was then turned into the original TV Batmobile for the 1966-68 series, and the spin-off movie version, becoming one of the greatest TV Star Cars ever. Several replicas have been built.

Hot Wheels included a Futura (in white, with a silver-grey interior) in the Hot Wheels Boulevard series. This is one of the HW premium lines, with a metal body, metal baseplate, and Real Rider wheels.

It comes on a more elaborate card, and is much more expensive than a regular HW model. The Boulevard series only lasted from 2012 to 2013, although the name has just been revived. The Futura was one of the early releases in 2012, and only came in Pearl White, although there was a 30-car set which included a version with pink and purple stripes, and purple rather than clear canopies.

I have not seen this version in the flesh - photos of it are horrible enough. The Futura has not yet appeared in the Mainline, which is a real pity. Johnny Lightning also did a Futura, which they released in different colours.

Paul Adams