January '07 News Archive

1/28/07 - Talking Cars in January
I've finally gotten around to going through e-mails from the past few months and managed to put together the latest edition of Talking Cars.  Topics include:  Susie The Little Blue Coupe, The Dukes of Hazzard, The Jeffersons, Batman, James Bond, The Van, Snoopy, The Great Race, The Road Warrior and MORE! Click HERE and enjoy.

1/28/07 - Top 100 Movies
I received my copy of Entertainment Weekly featuring the top grossing films of 2006.  Congrats to Cars for being the second highest grosser of 2006, just behind Pirates of the Caribbean.  How did the "car" movies of 2006 stack up? 

1/26/07 - Sponsor News
I got an e-mail today from sponsor Movie Car Mania about some new arrivals.  One of them I knew nothing about.  Check out the 1:18 scale version of Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane's cruiser from ERTL.  Here's the description:

Movie Car Mania just received in the new Ertl release the Dukes of Hazzard Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane Police Car. Instantly recognizable as a Hazzard County Sheriff's Department Police car. Painted in a Plain-Jane coat of white paint, the model is decorated with accurate County Sheriff star logos and Hazzard County tampos on each of the front doors. A Sheriff Tampo is centered between the rear taillights and a pair of "stars and bars" decals fill the front and rear license plate frames.

Click on the link in the upper right column to visit Movie Car Mania today!

UPDATE:  Click HERE for more detailed photos and info about Sheriff Rosco's Police Car. 

1/22/07 - Holy Megabucks, Batman!
The first auction for a carded Hot Wheels '66 Batmobile recently came to an end on eBay.  The winning bid was $101.64!!!  Pretty batty considering this car will be available for .99 cents in the very near future.  I guess someone is willing to shell out big bucks to be the first on his or her block to own this beauty.

UPDATE:  You have another shot at a carded Batmobile.  The same seller has another auction going that ends on January 26.  Click HERE to get involved in the bidding, or wait until February 10, when, as rumor has it, the Batmobile may arrive at K-Mart Days.

1/18/07 - Yeeeeehaaaaaw!
The above pics were spotted on eBay.  Take a good look at Daisy's Jeep.  Notice is says "Dixie" and not "Daisy" like the Hollywood on Wheels release did.  It's hard to tell from the pics, but it still doesn't look like they got the General Lee's rims right.  I'll have to see them in person.  I can't wait to find these in stores. 

1/15/07 - A Sad Day for Collectors
Visitor Dave sent me an e-mail with a press release attached announcing some sad news for die-cast car collectors.  Here are some excerpts from the press release:

I'll post updates as I find out what this means for the future of Johnny Lightning.

1/12/07 - '66 Batmobile Update
The above pic was posted in the forum at www.hotwheelscollectors.com  The angle gives you a good look at the front of the car.  Despite a lack of pinstriping on the front, I'm still pumped about the release of this car as part of Hot Wheels' basic line.  I'm told it will hit stores in a matter of weeks.  Look for more detailed versions and various scales later in the year.

1/8/07 - Which Car Should Be #1?
With the imminent release of the '66 Batmobile from Hot Wheels, I need to replace the #1 entry on my Wish List.  For years, I've been dreaming about a 1:64 scale Batmobile (the Corgi Jr. version was okay, but out-of-date.)  Hot Wheels has finally answered my prayers.  So now I need you to vote for the car to replace the Batmobile at #1 on the Wish List.  Click HERE and cast your vote.  If you feel strongly about a car NOT on the list, e-mail me your write-in vote. 

1/5/07 - Holy Sneak Peek, Batman!
The first pics of a carded Hot Wheels '66 Batmobile were revealed on www.actionfigureinsider.com .
Until I get permission to post the pics, you'll have to visit the site to see them.  Click on the banner above.  (Pics have been posted in the Hollywood Die-Cast Forum, too.)
I have goosebumps!  Wow!

1/2/07 - Today's Finds!
I hit a few stores on the way into work today and came across a lot of new stuff.  Some of it was expected, some were a pleasant surprise.

First, I stopped into Target, where I found the new Batman 2-packs from Hot Wheels.  Comparing the Batmobiles in each of them, there is a very subtle difference distinguishing the two.  The blue details are noticeably lighter on the car pictured on the right, which came with the Joker 2-pack.

At the same store, I also found the Batman Blaster track, which comes with an exclusive black and yellow Batmobile.  I was surprised to find the car rolling back and forth loose inside the packaging.  I have to admit, the car is unusual, but I kinda like it.

At Toys R Us, I came across something unexpected.  Hot Wheels has produced Batman-themed and Superman-themed transporters.  I picked up the Batmobile Transporter to haul my numerous Batmobiles around the living room.  Oddly, the transporter doesn't come with a Batmobile, but there was an interesting Batmobile pictured on the back (above right.)  I'm going to have to do some digging to see if this car will eventually be released by Hot Wheels. 

Oh, and one more Batman-related item.  My sister called me from the store to see if I needed anything from the die-cast aisle.  I asked what they had and she mentioned a 2-pack that included a Batmobile and an orange car.  I asked her to pick it up so I could see it. Apparently, Hot Wheels has included the black and gold Batmobile in random 2-packs.  This particular one also included an orange '70 Hemi Challenger.  Pretty cool find.

1/2/07 - Cars Updates
Two new Movie Moments two-packs  have begun to show up on eBay, meaning they should be appearing at a store near you very soon.  In other news...I noticed that Hot Wheels seems to have finally met the demand for Cars product.  Almost every store I hit had multiples of the hard-to-find cars like Hamm, Brand New Mater and Dirt Track McQueen.  I'm glad I didn't shell out the big bucks that others did early on.  Something that suprised me, however, were some 3-packs found at Target.  I picked up Tractor Tippin' (right) but they also had a courtroom 3-pack and a Tunerz 3-pack.

1/1/07 - Hollywood Die-Cast Checklist Updated!
Kick off the new year and help support this website by purchasing the Hollywood Die-Cast Checklist & Price Guide updated for 2007!  Updates include the most recent1:64 scale releases from 2006.  The checklist is available as a .PDF document, so you'll need Adobe Acrobat or something similar to download it.  Click on the link at the top of the left column, then click on the PayPal link.  After you make a payment of $5 you will be given a link to a page where you can download the PDF file.  If you have difficulty, e-mail me and I'll send you the file as a Word Document. 

If you download the checklist and notice any glaring omissions or errors, please notify me via e-mail and I will make the appropriate changes.  Thanks in advance for your support.

1/1/07 - 2006:  The Year in Review
Happy New Year to all my fellow collectors out there.  I hope 2007 will be as fun and exciting as 2006 was, when it comes to entertainment-related die-cast.  Pixar's Cars, Talladega Nights and a new James Bond flick were just SOME of the highlights of 2006.  Plus, collectors got confirmation of the most exciting news we could hope for regarding a certain black car with red pinstriping and parachute brakes.  Click HERE to take a look back at 2006 in the world of TV and movie die-cast cars.  And I hope everyone has a happy and safe 2007, which just may be remembered at The Year of the Bat.