5/17/08 - Crossing the finish line... for now.
Well, I caved (again) and went the eBay route to get me all caught up with my Cars collection (for now.)  Gaspirin & Tow Cap arrived in the mail today (Saturday).  I got it for a fairly reasonable price, especially considering it saves me the gas and frustration of driving from store to store to store and finding nothing new in my area.  Actually, I did find the Bob Cutlass & Darrell Cartrip Movie Moments 2-Pack, and even though I already have each one on a single card, it's nice to see these two packaged together.  I've updated the Cars Gallery.

5/16/08 - Reunited...and it feels so good.
The Motor City Comic Con kicked off today (Friday) and continues through Sunday.  It was the first time The Monkeemobile was displayed in public since Mel purchased the car at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in January and brought it to southeastern Michigan.  The car was parked just a few feet away from one of the original Monkees, Micky Dolenz.  During a pause in his autographing duties, Micky came over to get reunited with the car and chat with its new owner.  It was great to see Mel with a huge grin on his face as he met one of his idols. 

Michael Serrico was instrumental in making this reunion possible after he spotted pics posted right here on this website back in February.  Mike heads up a group of owners with movie & TV car replicas in the Metro Detroit area.  He had his KITT replica on display at the Comic Con.

Also in attendance was Erik Estrada of CHiPs fame.  I had the pleasure of meeting him and having him sign my CHiPs Motorcyle.  He really seemed like a super-nice guy. 

And finally, I had a chance to chat with Paul Harrington of www.canadiandukes.com.  On display was a replica of the General Lee, as well as other vehicles, props and collectibles from The Dukes of Hazzard.  I promised Paul I'd mention the upcoming Hair Dare Dukes Weekend, scheduled to take place on August 22, 2008 in Leamington, Ontario, Canada.  I'm told the event benefits a good cause and features celebrities and cars from the TV show.  Visit www.canadiandukes.com for more information.

5/14/08 - Race Day is Quickly Approaching!
After months of anticipation, Mattel has announced May 20th as the day they will begin taking orders on their Hot Wheels Red Line Club Exclusive Cars Motor Speedway of the South.  I count 36 cars included in this boxed set.  12 of those cars, however, have been previously released.  Still, it's a very impressive package and very tempting to order.  No official price has been announced but speculation puts it around the $150 range. 

5/15 UPDATE:  Mattel revealed the cost of the boxed set:  a whopping $299.99 + $12.95 for shipping and processing.  HOLY MOLY!  Too rich for my blood. 

5/13/08 - Holy Red Line, Batman!
Today (Tuesday) was the first day members of the Hot Wheels Red Line Club were able to place an order for the exclusive RLC '66 TV Series Batmobile.  Here are features of this new offering:

• Spectraflame® true black finish
• Red pinstripes and Batman™ logo tampo
• Neo-Classics™ Redline® wheels
• Full-metal chassis
• Clear windshield
• Black interior

The window of opportunity closes on Monday, May 19.  If you're already a member, the car will cost you $14.99.  If you're not a member, you'll have to purchase membership along with the car.  The Batmobile will ship in October.  Visit www.hotwheelscollectors.com for more information.

5/10/08 - Not Quite KITT
Robert Russell of Shelby Collectibles was kind enough to respond to an e-mail I had sent regarding the upcoming 1:18 scale KITT die-cast car.  He cleared up a misconception caused by online vendors using an image of KITT to solicit orders:

"We are making a '08 GT 500KR black/black which is used as the Knight Rider car.  We don’t call it KITT or Knight Rider, but are making that exact car, the non-pursuit model, the standard Shelby."

5/10/08 - Speed Racer - My Review
I saw Speed Racer on Friday, May 9 after work.  At least I think I did.  It might have just been a weird dream.  If the Wachowski brothers set out to create something unlike anything you've ever seen in a movie, well then, they succeeded.  It DEFINITELY was a unique experience.  Take a little Dick Tracy, sprinkle in a little Willy Wonka, and add a touch of Pee Wee's Big Adventure, and you begin to get the idea.  I really enjoyed the eye-popping color palette, the transitions and backgrounds.  The aspect I enjoyed most about the movie was the casting choices.  Emile Hirsch at times reminded me of a young Elvis Presley, which isn't that much of a stretch, because I read that Elvis partly inspired the original Speed Racer.  Christina Ricci was stunning as Trixie.  Matthew Fox was terrific as Racer X.  But rising above all else was John Goodman as Pops.  Whenever he was on the screen I forgot, for a moment, about all the cartoony stuff, and thoroughly enjoyed his performance.  Personally, I feel he was the best thing about this movie. 

Now the bad:  In a movie that was supposed to get you all fired up about the racing sequences, I was shocked at the quality of those racing sequences.  If I didn't know better, I'd say Mattel was allowed to design the tracks and cars in addition to producing the toys.  There were no real-world physics to the racing.  Nothing looked believable.  The animation felt flat and at times, disorienting and confusing.  The animation in Pixar's Cars was one hundred times more realistic and exciting.  Just as I would find myself enjoying Speed Racer, I would cringe and roll my eyes as the racing sequences got underway. 

Overall, I came away having enjoyed the movie, but because of the actors and characters and not the special effects.  The martial arts fight scenes were a lot of fun.  And I have to admit, I got goosebumps every time I heard the sound effect as Speed deployed the Mach 5's auto-jacks (SHA SHA SHA SHA!)  and those musical notes that had me singing "Here he comes...."   I do recommend taking the little ones to see this film and I'll definitely be buying it on DVD down the road.

5/7/08 - Wizard of Ahhhhs!
I got my Wizard Entertainment e-mail today and was surprised by their "Breaking News" article.  In honor of Speed Racer opening on Friday, the Wizard staff has put together a list of The Top 25 Cars from TV & Movies.  There are some surprising inclusions and shocking OMISSIONS (where is James Bond's Aston Martin DB5?). Judge for yourself and click HERE to check out the list.

5/5/08 - Wal*Mart's Going Batty!
Apparently, Mattel's 1:50 scale Bat-Vehicles are showing up at Wal*Mart stores.  Several eBay auctions have sprung up declaring these are Wal*Mart exclusives.  I found the above pics on eBay.  So far, I've only seen auctions for the '66 Batmobile, Batcycle and the Batmobile from the animated series.  I believe there will be two more vehicles, the '89 movie Batmobile and a version based on the comic books.  I'll hit all my local Wal*Mart stores this week to see what I can find. 

5/4/08 - The Cars of Iron Man
I saw Iron Man last night (Saturday) and found it to be thoroughly entertaining.  Although there were elements that were probably familiar to moviegoers my age (traces of Robocop, Robocop 2 and The Rocketeer, to name a few) I would still rank Iron Man in the Top 5 greatest comic book movies ever made, right up there with Batman, Spider-Man and The X-Men.  Robert Downey, Jr. was fantastic as Tony Stark, portraying him as a very witty and likable hero. 

Now, I wouldn't call Iron Man a CAR movie, but the movie sure did feature some beautiful cars.  The most prominent car was Tony Stark's Audi R8, pictured above left.  An Audi Q7 can be seen later in the film as Iron Man plays catch with his nemesis.  Also spotted in the film is a Rolls Royce Phantom, a '32 Ford Roadster, a Saleen S7, a Tesla Roadster and a Shelby Cobra (pictured above, right, OUCH.)  Oh yeah, and let's not forget the military Humvees.  With any luck, maybe a die-cast car manufacturer will give us the Tony Stark collection in a 1:64 scale boxed set. 

 Go Speed Racer Go Music Video

4/29/08 - Go Speed Racer, GO!
I spotted this music video online promoting the upcoming Speed Racer flick.  The song doesn't deviate too far from the original theme song, which I think is pretty catchy.  Warning:  The video reveals quite a bit, but it just may send you one way or the other if you're on the fence about seeing this movie.  Personally, I'm already planning on being there on opening night. 

4/27/08 - Recent Scores
I'm finally able to add Chuki to the Cars Gallery thanks to a friend from the Cars - The Toys forums.  Chuki arrived in the mail on Saturday.  I still haven't seen this one in my area, although I have seen Lightning Ramone, which is shipping in the same case.  I'm still looking for the Towcap & Gasprin Movie Moments 2-Pack.

Also, I recently spotted the latest wave of Hasbro's Titanium Star Wars vehicles.  The only one that interested me was this latest version of Luke Skywalker's Red Five X-Wing.  This version features opening and closing S-Foils, retractable landing gear and an opening canopy.  Other vehicles in this wave include Anakin's Podracer, Mon Calamari Star Cruiser, Rogue Shadow and Boba Fett's Slave I.  Upcoming waves will include:  Naboo Royal Cruiser, T-16 Skyhopper, AT-ST, Baron Fel's TIE Interceptor, Mace Windu's Jedi Starfighter and "Hot Rod" Jedi Starfighter.  Followed by:  Gongo Bongo Sub, Death Star, TIE Fighter, Obi-Wan's Jedi Interceptor with Hyperspace Ring and Sebulba's Pod Racer.  Visit Rebelscum.com for a complete list of Titanium vehicles. 

4/27/08 - The Quest for Toys
With the release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull less than a month away (May 22), toys from all four movies will start hitting stores in May.  We got a sneak peek of some of Hasbro's Titanium vehicles back in February.  Doing a little Googling, I found a list of vehicles slated for Wave 2:

1x Rocket Sled
1x Jungle Cutter
2x Biplane
2x Cargo Truck
2x Persian Tank
1x Mutt Wilson on Motorcycle
2x Flying Wing
1x Indiana & Henry Jones on Motorcycle

4/25/08 - Craaaazy Cooter Comin' at Ya!
With permission, posted above are pics of Cooter's Tow Truck, scheduled to be included in Johnny Lightning's fifth wave of vehicles from The Dukes of Hazzard line.  Interestingly, JL decided to go with Cooter's first of several different tow trucks used throughout the TV series, the brown Chevrolet with wooden bumper (pictured above, right.)  Tom Zahorsky, JL's Senior Design Manager, said "I thought it would be cool to release the brown version first and then possibly tool a new casting for the other version."

Also slated for this release is Cooter's purple '72 Roadrunner from the season 2 episode Jude Emery.  Expect Release 5 to hit stores at the end of May.

4/19/08 - Take Cover:  Lightning Storm!
Figures.com has posted pics from New York Comic-Con '08 and among those posted is this sneak peek of the upcoming die-cast Lightning Storm McQueen.  Apparently, this will initially be offered to attendees of San Diego Comic-Con in July before reaching the general public.  The clear plastic display stand may be exclusive to the SDCC.  Visit Figures.com for more pics and info. 

4/18/08 - Speed Racer 9-Pack
I first spotted this 9-pack on the Toys R Us website.  I thought it might be an online exclusive, but after I got out of work I swung by TRU on my way home and found this hanging on the pegs with all the other Speed Racer stuff.  This is a much better way of displaying these cars, as opposed to trying to get each one on an individual card.  It retails for $19.99.

4/17/08 - Dukes of Hazzard 5
Johnny Lightning has officially announced the lineup for the next wave of cars from their The Dukes of Hazzard line (or at least 5 of them.)

There’s another “hazzard”ous collection from the Dukes, led-off by a dirty General Lee with special “dirty” paint scheme, and whistlin’ Dixie with newly-tooled rims and tires. Cooter’s Tow Truck sports a newly-tooled boom for haulin’ the General back to the garage, to ready it for a new adventure. Rosco’s Patrol Car is decked out in camo just like it was in Season 3’s “The Great Hazzard Hijack” episode, and the Carnival of Thrills ‘76 Torino sports the familiar white paint job with tampo-printed “Carnival of Thrills” graphics.

4/16/08 - End of a Dry Spell?
There hasn't been a lot of news to report lately, but I was browsing on eBay and noticed a lot of auctions have sprung up for Chuki from Cars.  She is shipping in a case that also includes Lightning Ramone (the same Lightning Ramone found in three-packs.)  It's not much, but at least the dry spell is over.  This has been the worst Cars dry spell since the Sarge recall. 

4/6/08 - Collectors' Collections
The latest submission to the Collectors' Collections gallery comes from Eric P. Primeau of Quebec, Canada.  Eric has an impressive collection of loose and carded vehicles, including Hollywood on Wheels, James Bond, Batman, Thunderbirds and Star Wars.  I really got a kick out of seeing his vintage Kenner Star Wars die-cast vehicles.  I have a few of those myself.  If you'd like to submit photos of your collection for the gallery, send a few clear, well-lit photos to joe@hollywood-diecast.com

4/5/08 - Reel Rides Update
Reed Rides has FINALLY updated their website to include images of four new cars.  Pictured above, from left, are the Delorean from Back to the Future, '81 Cadillac El Dorado from Casino, and the blue and red Mini Coopers from The Italian Job.  There have been reports of finding the El Dorado and the Minis in 1:87 scale in stores already.  Now keep your eyes peeled for all four cars in 1:64 scale.  I gotta tell you, that Delorean Time Machine looks pretty spectacular.  I'm looking forward to finding this one.  Visit the Reel Rides website for more info.

4/3/08 - A Pink RAOK
I've mentioned before on this site that I've been the recipient of "random acts of kindness" from fellow collectors in the past, and whenever possible, I've tried to pay it forward.  But I don't know if I can possibly come up with something in response to this.  Crossing an ocean to get to me, I got this very special car in the mail today:  a 1:64 scale replica of the Pink Panthermobile.  Huw Eastwood of the UK hand-crafted this beauty out of metal.  Huw had been keeping me posted on his progress over the past year as he tried to perfect his method of replicating this car we both share a fondness for.  He surprised me when he told me to expect one in the mail.  Upon receiving it today, I was surprised at how heavy it was, much heavier than your average 1:64 scale die-cast car.  It's a beautiful work of art and I'll proudly display it alongside the other famous cars in my collection.  I can't thank you enough, Huw.  Check out this CLIP on YouTube featuring the car in the opening of the Saturday morning Pink Panther cartoon.  It sure brings back fond memories. 

3/31/08 - The need for SPEED!
I walked into Toys R Us on my lunch break today and was overwhelmed at the amount of Speed Racer product that was put out over the weekend.  My goal was to put together a set of the plastic Hot Wheels cars, but that plan was put on hold when I spotted something else.  Die-cast METAL Speed Racer cars from Hot Wheels (above.)  I didn't expect to find these so soon.  Unfortunately, I was only able to snag three of four.  Apparently, the Mach 5 sold out quickly, but the pleasant cashier told me to check back on Wednesday.  Hanging right next to the Hot Wheels cars were Jada's 1:55 scale cars (below.)

I stopped into Target afterwards.  They, too, had a ton of  Speed Racer stuff, but all of their single cars were in exclusive "Grand Prix" packaging.  They also had an exclusive 3-pack that includes Mach 6, GRX & Grey Ghost.  I passed on those, but couldn't resist the Target-exclusive CHROME three pack that includes Mach 4, 5 & 6.  Check it out (right.)  It's really an eye-catcher.

Coincidentally, when I arrived home with all my Speed Racer loot, my copy of Entertainment Weekly was waiting for me in the mailbox with who else?...Emile Hirsch as Speed Racer on the cover, looking a little bit like Jeff Bridges from Tron.  The article was an interesting read.  Check out the online version by clicking HERE.

3/29/08 - Speed Racer News
Speed Racer single cars will hit Toys R Us on Sunday.  For whatever reason, they had to wait until the 30th to hang them on the pegs.  I'll eventually put a set together.  Most collectors have expressed disappointment that these cars have plastic bodies.  But I recently read some good news in the Hot Wheels Collector Forum:

"There will be a 1:64th collector version of a few of the key cars (die-cast body and chassis) and 2 piece rubber tires in an acrylic case for one particular retailer."

This is great news.  I'll post any additional info when I come across it.  Speed Racer arrives in theaters on May 9.

3/27/08 - General Lee Rare Variant
I was tipped off by my buddy Dennis that a rare variant exists of the new Authentics version of the General Lee.  Limited to 750 pieces, this version is black, but with the familiar decals.  There are currently several auctions on eBay if you're interested in this piece. 

3/20/08 - Speed Racer:  The Movie
While running from store to store looking for new stuff today, I finally came across new product from the upcoming Speed Racer movie.  I heard these new Hot Wheels were hitting stores, but I was only able to find the cars above at Wal*Mart.  Starting from above left, I found the Launching Big Rig with Mach 5.  Then I stumbled across the 4-pack that includes the Mach 4, 5 & 6 as well as Racer X's Shooting Star.  And finally, I found two different 2-packs, each containing an exclusive car. 

I didn't see any of the single-carded cars.  I did, however, get an e-mail from sponsor Movie Car Mania saying he has received cases of the cars pictured below.  Visit Movie Car Mania by clicking on the link in the right column if you're interested.  All cars pictured here have been added to a new Speed Racer Movie gallery. 

3/18/08 - YeeeeHaawwww!
Thanks to my sponsor Pro-Models, I now have in my hands RC2's new American Muscle Authentics version of the General Lee.  Boasting 200 parts, I had to do a side-by-side comparison of the Authentics version to the earlier American Muscle version.  At first glance, the cars appear to be very similar.  But when you put them side-by-side, the first thing you notice is the richer, deeper orange paint job on the Authentics version.  Then you notice the text on the roof of the car is blue, as opposed to the black font on the older model.  Popping the hood, there are noticeable differences in the details of the engine.  I tried to compare the trunk interior on both cars, but the older version's trunk didn't even open.  And finally, you really see the attention to detail when you peek at the interior of the car.  The older version doesn't have a back seat!  The Authentics version has a fully-detailed interior, complete with seatbelts.  And finally, I discovered the headlights rotate to be either exposed or concealed.  In summary, the new Authentics version is the ultimate version of arguably one of the most famous cars of all time.  The price is fairly reasonable to have a car of this amount of detail.  I'm sure this car will sell out quickly. 

3/15/08 - Missing Links
I've finally gotten around to doing something I've been meaning to do for a while now.  Over the years, there have been several websites I've used for reference when digging up info for this site.  Well, I've created a Links Page for your benefit.  You'll find useful forums, galleries of photos, legendary car customizers, and sites dedicated to cars like The Monkeemobile, Mad Max's Interceptor and The Batmobile.  Check out the LINKS PAGE and if you feel there are other non-commercial links that need to be added, send me an E-MAIL or post them in the forum.

3/13/08 - Order Your Display Case TODAY!
Around the holidays, you may remember a display case I received that I use to display my Mattel Cars collection.  Well, now you too can own one!  The manufacturer is ready to make them available to the public.  These things are hand-made and look great.  The glass front slides up to allow you to place and rearrange cars.  No hinges!  It's a nice clean look.  Just click on the thumbnail above to see for yourself.  If you're interested, send an e-mail to:  CarCases@live.com

3/12/08 - 1:18 Scale Die-Cast KITT
For those of you who are fans of the new incarnation of Knight Rider, you'll soon be able to add a 1:18 scale KITT to your die-cast car collection.  Phil Toronto directed me to one site that's taking pre-orders on KITT, made by Shelby Collectibles.  There are no images of the actual product yet, but click HERE for more info.

3/11/08 - Checklist/Price Guide UPDATED!
It's a little overdue, but the Hollywood Die-Cast Checklist/Price Guide has been updated for 2008.  It took several nights to make all the necessary updates, including an alphabetical listing of all of Mattel's Cars releases to-date! (Thanks to the Cars the Toys forum for reference.)  At 35 pages, this is the most thorough checklist of 1:64 scale die-cast from TV and movies you will ever see ANYWHERE.  Please help support this website and download the 2008 Checklist/Price Guide in PDF format!  It costs only $5 and you'll need a PayPal account.  Click on the image above and enjoy!  (If you have any trouble downloading the document, please contact me.)

3/8/08 - North American Free Trade Agreement
I pulled off another successful trade, this time with a neighbor to the north, Canada.  Check out the pics above of the elusive Cars Movie Moments Flik & PT Flea.  I was beginning to think I'd never get this one.  In exchange, I sent him Mack from the Disney Store.  I also recently received Dudley Spare (right) through a trade in the Cars the Toys forum.  Now I'm all caught up, except for the newest releases, like Tow Cap & Gasprin Movie Moments. 

3/4/08 - Drive-In Open for Business!
If you're bored at work, this will help pass the time.  Brandon, of the Cars the Toys forum, has unveiled the most thorough reference of toys and characters from the Pixar movie Cars.  Every character, every variation, every card released by Mattel to-date can be found on this site.  Click on the image above and enjoy!

3/2/08 - 1:18 Poll
With Mattel's release of the 1966 Batmobile in 1:18 scale, as well as Auto Art's Mad Max's Interceptor, it seems all is right in the universe.  BUT, there are still several TV and movie cars that have yet to receive the 1:18 scale die-cast treatment.  I created a poll and invite you to vote for any of the following, or e-mail me with your write-in vote. Maybe a die-cast manufacturer will stand up and take notice.

Archives: 
2/03 3/03 4/03 5/03 6/03 7/03 8/03 9/03 10/03 11/03 12/03
1/04 2/04 3/04 4/04 5/04 6/04 7/04 8/04 9/04 10/04 11/04 12/04 1/05 2/05 3/05 4/05 5/05 6/05 7/05 8/05 9/05 10/05 11/05 12/05 1/06 2/06 3/06 4/06 5/06 6/06 7/06 8/06 9/06 10/06 11/06 12/06
1/07 2/07 3/07 4/07 5/07 6/07 7/07 8/07 9/07 10/07 11/07 12/07
1/08 2/08