Wrapping up 2023 with one that's particularly near and dear to my heart, the Gadgetmobile! Inspector Gadget was one of my favorites as a kid, and I've long wanted a 1/24 representation in my collection.
Go, Gadget, Go!
Saturday, December 30. 2023I'm Commencin' Broadcastin' t'you Today from My New Bucket
Sunday, December 24. 2023
I recently had someone point out how many trucks I've posted recently, and it's true - I've built about half as many trucks this year as I have the previous 25 years combined. Well, add another one to the list. The Blue Mule from White Line Fever may not exactly fit the "toy" theme by itself, but I consider it a cumulation of all the blue cabovers I had had when I was younger:
Awesome Edition
Saturday, December 23. 2023
I think one of the things I like about the LEGO 2K Drive sets is how, despite being wholly new and original, there's something "Classic LEGO" about them. They don't have the polished look of their Speed Champions line, or the obvious tie-in appeal of their various licensed properties...they're just good, relatively small sets that you can bang together in an evening and have a cool little vehicle when you're done.
...and Mean!
Friday, December 22. 2023
Dan Patrick started out in tractor pulls in the early 1970s, becoming a professional pulling competitor by 1983 and soon moving on to funny car pulling with his custom-built War Lord. His work was good enough to allow him to start building and selling chassis to competitors, which followed him to monster trucks as he moved on to become the head fabricator for Bigfoot 4x4. In 1992 he left Bigfoot 4x4 to form Patrick Enterprises Incorporated, where he developed the first standardized monster truck chassis. Over 100 PEI chassis would be built and sold over the years, with Patrick providing hte chassis for nearly every MonsterJam fleet trucks from 1999-2010.
...Dirty...
Thursday, December 21. 2023
Near as I can tell, the toy that was Black Gold was a mash-up of Kenneth and Paula Geuin's trucks - the name and (loosely interpreted) graphics from Paula's rig on the body of Kenneth's Oklahoman. I don't know if this female driver/two-person team was the inspiration for the cartoon's duo of Red and Redder, but if not it's at least a fun parallel.
...Bad...
Wednesday, December 20. 2023
Back in the days before tractors, farmers would boast about the strength of their teams and - like with the later moonshine runners having to prove their mettle - would hold competitions to see who was, in fact, the best. This naturally translated to tractor pulls, with the National Tractor Pullers Association being formed in 1969, and in 1983 trucks were officially added to the pulling lineup. One of the most famous names in the sport was Allen Gaines, a farmer and mechanic who became a four-time national champion and Kentucky Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee. Arguably his most famous creation was the exhibition pulling truck Orange Blossom Special II.
They're Big...
Tuesday, December 19. 2023
The 80s is often referred to as the "decade of excess." It was the era of big hair, power metal, and "greed is good." The amps could go up to eleven, and so could our trucks. And so what started as an ad for Bob Chandler's off-road supplier became the face of an entire motorsport.
Monkey See Monkey D'oh
Monday, December 18. 2023
As with most of the vehicles from the Simpsons universe, Mr. Plow features a similar-to-but-legally-distinct-from design coupled with details changing at the whim of the animator. But I think I got pretty close, and this may be my favorite Springfield-ian vehicle that I've completed so far.
For A Few Donuts More
Sunday, December 17. 2023
Arguably the most famous car in the Simpsons garage, the Canyonero joins the collection and gives us the first four main vehicles from Hit and Run. It doesn't quite finish off my work in Springfield, though, as there is still one more famous ride that will be posted tomorrow...
If it Doesn't Say Micro Machines, It's Not the Real Thing!
Saturday, December 16. 2023
No surprise that when Galoob offered up a whole series of cars that were even more portable than Hot Wheels or Matchbox, it was a mega hit. I had amassed a decent little collection by the time Micro Machines wrapped up their original run, and it all started with the "Street Racers" set with the Dodge Charger.
The Original Collectibles
Friday, December 15. 2023
I'd done a Matchbox-inspired model a few years ago, based on the C4 Corvette that was such a favorite of mine when I was younger. But that car was kind of the exception rather than the rule: most of my Matchbox vehicles were workhorses, and I wanted to revisit the idea of a 1/24 tribute to the big rigs, construction equipment, rescue vehicles, and tow trucks that kept my 1/64 playsets humming.
The '60s Weren't Good to You, Were They?
Thursday, December 14. 2023
Amazing what a paint job and a new set of wheels can do. I mean, there was definitely more to it than that, but those two changes alone make Sarge a whole new man–er, Jeep.
Let's Roll, Kato!
Wednesday, December 13. 2023
OK, so this one doesn't quite fit the "toys and games" theme as neatly as most of the others I've done this year. But a decent 1/25 Black Beauty has been on my wanted list for enough years that there was no way I was going to skip it. Besides, I figure that with the number of toys that had been available until now, I can consider it a replica of those as much as anything else.