Video Archive Search

You know the automotive world is extremely diverse you got Ford Chevy dodge imports for about -- I think it. If the list goes on an odd but believe -- not there is one thing that we all have in common and it's not what you think. Check it out. Little old die cast cars called -- hot wheels and every single one of us only these collected on. Raise them destroy don't burn them because they were eight pounds influence on us. But where did they come from who'd dreamed these things up. Well to tell that story we're gonna have the role -- the -- a little bit it's in the late sixty's the only kind of die cast cars that were available. -- came from companies like Corky and matchbox. And while they were fun. You left the lock to be desired in the and it we're also primarily construction equipment. -- did nothing to capture the hot rod fever that was what went through the country at the time -- However Elliott handler and Mattel. Bolstered by the massive success of the Barbie doll. Realize that there was a void in the market when he saw his grandchildren. Playing with matchbox cars so right then and there. He decided that they're needed to be something better for little boys play -- something hot. So the goal was set to build the fastest metal cars in the world to not only plug into the hot rod sane but also give kids some things. They can really play list with that goal in mind special wheels were designed the use music wire for a -- A small deal already bearing allowed the car to roll extremely fast. We'll also ahead of tiny -- on it to further reduce friction and of course it was removal of so kids could pretend to change a flat tire. However there was more going on here than just they wire Axl. Engineer Howard Newman actually developed a miniature portion more system they gave the cars a working independent suspension. Not that not only looked cool but it also prevented damage to the axles if the car got stepped on -- crushed. Bush happens a lot when you were a kid. At this point they were done to hot wheels to not only put emphasis on was unique wheels and suspension system. But also just how fast he's -- suckers were going to be. However there was a problem. Nobody quite knew what these things should look like me you didn't want to look like a matchbox. So -- hire real car designers like Harry Bradley right out of Detroit. To help solve the problem she. When Harry rolled into Mattel driving his customized 64 el -- Elliott knew that they had found the look that they want -- he did -- and -- to make a mall look that way. Because complete site based off of Carey's actually -- amino. Became one of the first hot wheels -- With the look established in the rakes the good stoops the Expos exhaust. The Red Line men wheels and can be paying jobs. Sixteen cars were rolled out for 1968. They work. -- Custom cougar. Custom Eldorado.

Custom firebird.

must think.

Custom T bird. Custom Volkswagen. -- Ford jay Carr.

Hockey. That python.

The silhouettes. And the defense.

So do you recognize some of those. Did you have some of them into a -- he did. No matter how old you are I'd bet you own some of those cars had a -- your toy box over the years because when those cars came out. -- one crazy the demand for hot wheels cars was seven times what Mattel was expected because nothing looked like -- that nothing real life. But after that would have been all there was stood. They would not last for very long because the -- Behind all wheels cars was not from just to sit on the carpet look good and -- there were made terror race.