Post by ferrari512s on Jan 19, 2014 18:28:18 GMT -5
The Redline Era Wisconsin Toy Hot Wheels!
So what exactly are these "things"?
During 1980 this was the burning question numerous Hot Wheels® collectors asked themselves when these objects mysteriously appeared for retail. This rather odd looking Wisconsin Toy, according to what's printed on the packaging, predominantly contained the name “Hot Wheels” plastered on a cardboard header. By golly willikers, it even included a retro style looking Hot Wheels® car with those freakish infamous redlined slicks! Weird, eh! Well look further below...
The single "Swinging Wing"!
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
Hey wait a minute, where's the figgin’ plastic wing? What gives here? Why is this part where the wing would clip in cast shut!!! Have you no dignity Mattel! Shame on you this blasphemy!
But was it Mattel who changed the appearance of this model or is this a reproduction of some sort by this company called Winconsin Toy and Novelty Co., Inc.? Let's carry on for our answer...
Why were these Wisconsin Toy Hot Wheels® so peculiar?
First of all, it was the outlandish packaging collectors couldn't quite get over. To begin with, it doesn't look authentic at all. The “Hot Wheels®” logo, color and artwork were completely unusual. Like where's the flaming swirl? This was so bizarre that collectors in fact believed these were Hot Wheels® imitations, fakes or knockoffs! And where is that famous Mattel symbol we all know and recognize? That circle no there, I no see it! Well it turns out none of us did either since it wasn't located anywhere on this distinctively lack-lustre packaging. So are these authentic if Mattel didn't bother to print their symbol or trademark on the packaging? Hmmm, sounds very questionable to me. It’s like this Wisconsin Toy distribution company from Milwaukee was trying to avoid any possible lawsuits and cashing in on those die-cast cars that became the number one selling toy of all time.
Furthermore, there was some serious apprehension with the type of wheels applied on these die-cast toys. You see it was the year 1977 when these so called Redline era type wheels were being phased out forever by Mattel (let us bow our heads and pause briefly in a moment of silence...how sad, really sad...those original wheels where legendary, boy could they ever spin on those delrin bearings and those thin music wire axles gave them amazing speed on that iconic orange track...) and eventually discontinued on every Hot Wheels® model.
But hold on there for just a gosh darn moment...
Actually the legendary (3rd rendition of these) redlines wheels (bless their souls) were still being used on the Sizzlers™ brand. These Sizzle electric things were considered part of the Hot Wheels® division of toys and contained the "tyres" until 1978. Let's segue to this topic another time...(Does anyone really want me to discuss these Sizzle things further? Let me know...)
The Wisconsin Toy "Dune Buggy".
Wow! This really looks like pure crap!
Hey where's the frick is the wind shield and canopy? Too cheap to include this extra pieces of plastic?
You no make Tom Daniel happy at all!
But I digress, meanwhile back at the Wisconsin Toy Hot Wheels® factory...
The return of Redline era wheels two or three years after they were discontinued appears to suggest something out of the time space continuum. Perhaps even an element of knock-off or fake Hot Wheels® entered the picture here. Could someone have made these in their garage? The lack of overall quality appears to suggest this. Still, another point of incongruity was the material used on the chassis. Yes indeed, I'm referring to the petrochemical derivative known to us fondly as crap or commonly referred to as plastic! Three of these four Hot Wheels® models were never released with a crappy cheap plastic dishonourable base until now. The only exception here was the Warpath™ (That was a sad day indeed too). So collectors continued to be perplexed... and the myths and legends were created surrounding these Wisconsin Toy Hot Wheels®.
So, are these Hot Wheels® or simply imitation Hot Wheels®?
Hey guys, let's go exploring and find out!
As I do a rather brief segue (Don't mean to but research is steering me here)…
Does anyone recall Muky die-cast cars? Some suggest Mattel sold the tools and dies to this company which I firmly believe, while others boldly suggest these were acquired by different methods. Hence, many considered these Hot Wheels® look alike knock-offs. But they were not! They were distinctively well..., really (a long pause) really (catch your breath here) different...let's just say Muky! Here, let me show you...
Here is the classic Hot Wheels® Chapparal 2G released in 1969. Now isn't this simply amazing! Look at the details and workmanship that went into this die-cast model.
And then it was transformed into this mighty Musky Crapparal. I describe it as kind of funky looking and visually really not that alluring. Like, what's up with the amber glob of a windshield? Who thought of that brilliant idea? Yes indeed, left me kinda in shock and speechless. And those wheels, they are quite not redline type material. Basically I call them type “U-G-L-Y”.
This image is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
Now take a look at the Hot Wheels® Ford Mk IV. What a beauty! Now how can we possibly mess this up?
And when it was made by Muky...Modified to look like this Ford Mk IV.
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek! It's just not the same... What a revolting color. Mind you I do like the decals though. These are definitely interesting
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This image is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
Then we have the ever popular Hot Wheels® Deora with those different colored surfboards. This show car was originally designed by Harry Bradley, Mattel's first Hot Wheels designer and he even designed the Hot Wheels model! Too cool and so California retro styling! So what can Muky do to jolt us out of time?
And now I present you the Muky Deora Flatbed Brigade...
...oh my goodness, and there were many other intrepid variations of this flatbed concept on the poor altered Deora. Yep, it never recovered or ever looked the same again...
The Muky horrid Deora
How revolting!
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeuck!
These image are courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
The story is that a company in ARGENTINA "MUKY" somehow got their hands on the Original Mattel Redline Moldings. They were produced only in Argentina. These cars looked just like the Hot wheels except for the Base, Wheels and plastic glass.
This excerpt is courtesy of (eBRI), eBay Research Institute.
Now, which of these Muky models were unfortunately redlines in a previous life? Me can sadly spot several of these. What about you?
Anyway, here is a small excerpt found at Joes' Die-cast shack regarding the Muky show.
Muky,made in Argentina.
By Bob Frassinetti.
A bit of information on Muky, a die-cast made in Argentina.
We wanted to know about the history and evolution of one of Argentina’s most important die-cast companies: Muky. Our aim was to find some kind of information that could help us to rebuild a piece of our culture, so important to all of us, Argentinians, collectors and historians.
This picture is courtesy of Roy Nakamura
At first we began talking about this with fellow collectors, trying to set a direct contact line with those who have managed this company until its closure in the early 90s. So we began to draw a trace map from scratches: info on the packages of these die-cast cars, comments we've received through numerous ways such as our website or fellow collectors. However, the task appeared gigantic. The puzzle we were trying to complete missed central and important pieces; we lacked precious information and there were no governmental records on the subject. All these made the project a distant dream. Countless stories came up, though blurry and with no certain information. But after many months of hard work we finally got hold of a number… and when the phone rang Mrs. Dell Arciprete, wife of Muky’s last owner, answered.
Unfortunately he had passed away a few years ago.
However she was willing to know about our quest to contact them and surprised with our project.
During our conversation she told us that Bruno, her son, was the one who could help us the most, since he’d always been very interested in this family business and knew all the details. She also told us about their current situation, working in a whole different area –fertilizing- they had managed to keep all the machines from the Muky company in working conditions, although they didn't produce any die-cast at the moment. We were astonished with their care towards the company and it’s legacy.
That distant dream became a reality, as we began to put our new pieces into the picture.
This picture is courtesy of Roy Nakamura
Muky die-cast history begins during the 1970s. According to our sources, it was then when two brothers that were living in California at that time, had bought from Hot wheels several molds that were obsolete to the company and had latter brought them to Argentina and began to produce this tiny marvels called Muky. The De Conti brothers had rented a warehouse in Gualeguay, Entre Ríos –a small a town located on the shore of the Uruguay River, 5 hours away from Buenos Aires- to set the company. They produced in Argentina till the late seventies, when due to a very complicated economical situation our country was going through, they moved production to Brazil.
A few years after, Mr. Dell Aricprete bought Muky.
Unfortunately there is very little information on this first period of Muky, since until now, we were unable to contact either of the De Conti brothers.
Its important no know that inspite of continuing Muky, this was not the same firm. The De Conti brothers owned Super veloz, and Mr. Dell Arciprete’s Muky was Induguay. This can be seen on the lower part of the cars as well as on the packaging.
This picture is courtesy of Roy Nakamura
During our interview with Bruno Dell Arciprete, we asked him about his family’s history with Muky…
Toy Museum: Oh, so you bought the brand when it was already working… by any chance would you know were does that name come from, or if it has any particular significance?
Could we find any cheaper wheels than this?
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
Bruno: Actually I have no idea where it come from. What I know for sure is that we kept that previous trade mark which was Muky. I can remember that after a while we found out that there was a Brazilian cocoa brand named Muky, as well as many other Argentinean companies that had to change to other brand names when they went to register their brand, at least that was what our attorneys told us. But I really have no idea about the origin of the name. And he added, Libio Conti, he was the one who invented the brand and created the company, and worked for many years in Gualeguay renting the building were the factory was organized.
I can’t remember precisely whether if it was in 1984 or 85 when my father bought the company. We kept on producing in there until we were able to purchase a place of our own. As to the molds we kept on using the ones they had made before and included some new ones too.
Super Turbo? No way, this is really the...
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
“So how does the story begin for you and Muky?” we asked.
Bruno said “My father owned a fumigation company many years before he even began to think about diecast toy cars. During the seventies he begins to fly planes and afterwards he opens his own business of fumigation in Entre Ríos, more specifically in Gualeguay. After many years of hard work, he manages to save enough money and gets hold of a die-cast factory already working, which is MUKY. This company was previously owned by someone named Conti.
Come on, you call these disks wheels! They don't even look finished!
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
It is then when our story with Muky begins.
For this wasn’t our main income provider, it was very clear to us that this was something we loved to do.
As soon as we began production they became a boom nationwide.
We had a distribution network in order to get to far away regions. As we expand and the market responds increasing the demand of our products we began to improve the business.
Excuse me, I think there's something wrong with the wielding here. Can you spot this too?
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
So we worked in both fields, diecast and fumigation. Somewhat a wired combination. And although we’re not currently producing diecast cars, we still are in the fumigation business, that has nicely grown in the last few years.
I really don’t know what went through his mind, though it wasn’t the production at first. Then it was just the factory he bought…
I notice plastic bases again! Sheesh!
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
TM: Did Muky cars were always this size?
B: Yes, we tried to keep on the original design –not adding or taking away any detailing-, we also wanted to keep on working with the same prime material. What we did improve was the suspension system. At first they were fully made in Samac, but we altered the lower part of the chassis, and made it in plastic. This, combined it with the Samac model, resulted in a much better running for the car. Plus, this way the item was a more resistant toy for kids to play with.
This alteration began originally in suggestion made by many of our clients; since we thought it was a very good one we put it into practice.
In terms of production process this resulted in a quite interesting twist, since we had use two combined production lines, it resulted in an increase of the produced toys.
TM: There’s also a window color variation you included, isn’t it?
B: Yes, some were made in amber and some others in transparent blue.
TM: Which were the models you designed?
B: Well, there were some trucks we included, two of them Cargo Trucks, one YPF (Petrol) and an other one that carried water and pipes. We also made a trailer house, it was very nice.
Each and every model we made had it’s inspiration in everyday life, we wanted to reflect that…
TM: There were also race tracks…
B: Oh, yes, we had a basic model, and there were accessories such as loops, and turns…
We also had albums. Each model had a dotted line on the upper part of the box with could be cut off and could be stuck in the album. These albums were for free, we handed them during the summer in some of the most important Argentinian beach resorts or in some shops, and we had some very interesting prizes for completed albums.
TM: We found out that one of the prizes was free flights in the company’s plane… is it true?
B: Well, yes indeed, as well as scholarships for high school or College.
So, regarding the Muky models, do you remember how many were made?
B: We had numbered models from 8 to 40. We made around seven new ones such as a Ford 40 a 1930s coupe, a beetle and a Ferrari…
TM: Pardon my asking, but what about the from 1 to 8 models…
B: I really don’t know… we could say it’s an other of Muky’s enigmas.
TM: Ok then, we’ll have to do some research on that in the future…
B: I believe so… Well, as I was telling you, we made around seven new models, it was quite a job since each matrix was very expensive and we needed trained personnel who’s main activity all year long was to imagine, design and perfection that model. That’s why during all the seven years the company went well we managed to launch a model per year.
Like what's with the plastic chassis? Am I asking too much for a die-cast car to be made of die-cast material?
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
TM: When looking at Muky models I saw them very similar to the American Hot Wheels… is there any relation among them, inspiration perhaps?
B: To my knowledge there isn't, at least for the ones we made. Regarding the previous ones, I personally doubt it. You know there’s quite a jealous care for these kind of thing, nationally and internationally, there are patents and legal limitations for imitations. It comes to my mind a situation that happened with one Buby model, if I recall correctly it was a Ford Sierra model that someone tried to copy, but he couldn't go through with it because of this I'm telling you.
TM: Once again may be we should ask Mr. Conti about it…
B: Yes, most definitely. But the thing is that since all of us made our die-cast models inspired on real life cars the key to success was not the very model but the way it was done. Differences appear more clearly between matrix makers who had access to original blueprints and those who didn't.
TM: Blueprints, that’s the secret weapon!
B: Yes, that’s right, and it wasn't very common to access them… so there you had to be talented and a good craftsman.
TM: Did you work with specialist matrix makers, or where they self taught artisans?
B: We had two matrix makers working in Buenos Aires that my father knew, and in Gualeguay we had an automatic plant that didn't require special qualifications, were we had 45 people employed. There were also around 100 families that work in their houses painting some pieces, placing stickups, adding finishing touches to each car by hand.
Plus all our people working in distribution.
TM: Speaking of distribution, did you sell your production to other countries?
B: We sold for some time to Uruguay as well as to Spain through the Camara Argentina del Juguete. But we also sent many individual packages to collectors all around the world.
TM: How did they contact you?
B: Letters mainly, they wrote us asking specifically for the model they needed, and we gladly sent them the item… After we received thank you notes… it was really nice. Although this was just a really small part of our production. Almost 99% of what we produced was sold in Argentina.
TM: The other day when I talked to your mom on the phone she told me about the way you've taken care of all the die-cast machines, that they are still working ready to restart production, but that for the moment you’re not thinking seriously about doing so given the economic circumstances our country is going through…
B: Well, that is correct. I’d love to carry on with my dad’s diecast company… And although the technology we have available at Muky is quite obsolete regarding the new diecast companies, I believe that it would only be a matter of getting started. The thing is, as my mom pointed out correctly, that there are no conditions for us to restart production, gather a group of experts and hard working men, and shortly after that big effort be obliged to close down because of an unexpected turn in our economic laws or whatever other case of instability in our country… Nonetheless we’ll keep on taking care of all our equipment awaiting a better timing…
Now what's wrong with this picture?
Again, those incomplete wheels what’s the deal on that hood…It fits the Custom Corvette Special so well!
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
Judging for our conversation with Muky’s current owner –because the Dell Arciprete family has taken care not only of the machinery but of all legal matters “awaiting a better timing- Muky’s history is not over, it has just stopped for a while to catch its breath and start again.
Hmmm, interesting how all these previous redline models were the Hot Wheels US versions only.
More eBRI...
There will be more on this Muky subject another time. (Actually I'm hoping to never touch this topic again).
Andnow back to Joe's Die-Cast Shack now back to the Wisconsin Toy and Novelty Co. Inc from Milwaukee …
So what is the actual history behind these Wisconsin Toy Company Hot Wheels®?
The Wisconsin Toy Company of Milwaukee purchased some old crap or let just call it "stuff" lying around commonly known to us as excess stock, overstock, and abundance of inventory (Hmmm, I kinda wonder how often this occurred?) from Mattel’s warehouse. This just happened to be merchandise from an abandoned promotion dating back to 1975 (like, no kidding!). Does anyone have any idea who the company is that abandoned this promotion? (How about a subtle clue?)
(As much time past us by this question remained unanswered).
Well, the company who abandoned this Hot Wheels® promotion is Proctor & Gamble. (Hey, what other promotions did they have with Mattel?)
And so, the 1975 made inventory contained four genuine Hot Wheels® die-cast models which were the:
- Dune Buggy
- Swingin’ Wing
- Warpath™
- Volkswagen Bug
This unwanted merchandise happened to contain our beloved redline wheels given that in 1975 these are the only type of wheels Mattel applied on Hot Wheels® from 1973 - 1977 (Redline Line - Type III ( You know the one with the with a hole in the middle of the wheel showing the axle).
There was even a 5th, yes a 5th dimension car (sounds like the beginning of the Twilight Zone) that was considered for this failed promotion. Bob Rosas, Mattel Hot Wheels® engineer, who worked on the Hot Wheels® line in the 1970’s chimed in and was kind enough to share this missing link information with us.
(Paraphrasing here…)
It was 1975 when Mattel entered into a promotional agreement with a large soap producer (Proctor & Gamble), where exclusively designed and produced Hot Wheels® cars would be given away in specially designed packages of soap supplies. (I would have loved to see the prototype packaging for this failed promo).
To make this give away product feasible for Mattel, the engineers made modifications to these Hot Wheels® models they produced for G&P. (Anyone recall the special 10 cars Mattel produced for the Shell promotion in 1973? Remember what happened to them? Take note, actually 15 were chosen, 10 were produced). In this case Mattel cut as many corners as imaginable to bring the production cost down to a bare minimum. Petro chemical derivatives known as plastic were used for the bases and all additional features these five Hot Wheels® previously had were eliminated. Things like moving parts were considered superfluous and cast shut, windshield and canopy was considered unnecessary on a certain model.
The models scheduled to be part of this failed promotion were the:
Dune Daddy – plastic base, missing windshield, missing canopy
Swingin’ Wing – plastic base, no plastic wing, no moving die-cast engine compartment, cast shut
Warpath – plastic base,
Volkwagen Bug – plastic base, no sunroof, cast shut.
The fifth Hot Wheels® casting chosen became a mystery. Further details below…(10 were discussed 5 were produced).
Production
Production for this special batch of Hot Wheels® went through for this promotion however, sometime thereafter, the deal fell through. The reason for this was to do with the cost of the final product. P&G basically backed out of the deal although Mattel had a number of models already produced.
Perhaps some of you will recall this one!
Then again, perhaps not...
Hey! What's this surprise? So it’s this thing (I had no idea).
The order was cancelled just when the Buzz Off sporting the new stunning plastic base was going into production. Only a few Buzz Off models made it through to the production process. This explains why they are so rare. (However, take note it was released after all. Read on…).
The Buzz Off in enamel blue sporting a kooky beetle design! This model was designed by Larry Wood and initially called the Tri-Baby since it contains three powerful engines housed underneath the opening truck door area. This was Larry’s first Hot Wheels® model. Sadly, it never looked quite the same or recovered after the plastic base entered the scene.
The Buzz Off in enamel blue embellished with that sleek and stunning petrochemical substance known as excrement or plastic for the base material! Wow, look at that splendid suspension! It appears Mattel dug real deep into the die-cast manufacturer’s archives to acquire this frugal type of wheel axle technology. Like, do the wheels even spin? (Hardly) Should we even bother to make track accessories for object that rolls like dung?
So much for that famous slogan on the redline blisters, "Fastest Metal Cars in the World!"
This picture is courtesy of Roy Nakamura
As you can see from the picture above, this one sporting the beetle design never even bothered to show up on a blistercard. Furthermore, never issued in North America. Such a pity eh! Here is where things become somewhat interesting...
Before it was even considered for the Wisconsin Toy Co. it was used as something else. Does anyone recall what it is?
Counting down the hands of time...
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There exists a Buzz Off gold chrome color version with this beetle design and the wording "THE GOLD ONE" on the hood. Take a look below...
Many avid Hot Wheels® collectors are not even aware of the Buzz off in goldish chrome with those redlined shoes. Yes indeed, authentic plastic redlined tires. Stunning, eh! Don't all panic now, this is simply a prototype.
This image is courtesy of Ultimate Hotwheels. (Anyone remember these guys?)
This golden chrome Buzz Off was released in 1978 with the new standard cheap blackwall slicks and of course what was the added bonus? Yep you guessed it - with the dull frugal plastic chassis to give it that special splash of crap!
This image is courtesy of Ultimate Hotwheels (I vaguely recall them).
Soooooooooooooooooo, let's get back to our main topic...
Mattel used the most frugal method of packaging this Wisconsin Toy Hot Wheels® they could come up with. (Their marketing department must have worked overtime for this concept). Each of these cars were placed in a plastic like lunch bag with a carded header stapled to bag. The Wisconsin Toy Company sold these rather inexpensively too (like who would have guessed that!)... for approximately $1.00 or a lot less.
Here lies what's left of the mighty Warpath...oh the shame...
RIP
Yes image is from eBRI
Nonetheless, a small number of enthusiasts welcomed the return of redline wheels (Is that really true or am I running out of things to say?) while other Hot Wheels® collectors weren't inspired to acquire these due to the cheapened appearance, questionable packaging, plastic bases and a whole whack of other issues suggesting there's something wrong here. Even today the redline purists do not consider these redlines and never will. (Perhaps it has to do with the time space continuum thingy).
The Custom Volkswagen with the bug design without the sunroof.
Notice Mattel designers playing a little joke with this tampo design. I know, you get it too!
More from eBRI eBRI eBRI
Yet, the bases (although even plastic) never lie since...
Where else, eBRI
The truth lies in the base. The base reveals the truth. Believe in the base and it will believe in you. The Chassis will reveal all.
This image is courtesy of James Pietrowski, RLC member redryder31
Hot Wheels® (name of Mattel product and registration preserved)
Name of the Hot Wheels® car on the base with Trademarks included.
Copyright symbol and year of the die-cast model.
Country where car was produced as well as other patents and foreign patents pending.
If these die-cast cars were not made by Mattel this attention to detail on the plastic chassis would be eliminated or removed completely. Hence it is there which indicates these items are indeed legitimate.
Here is an example of a Muky base with significant modifications since Mattel did not produce it. Take note, the size and shape of this base, as well as the entire model are the exact dimensions of the Hot Wheels® Ford Mk IV. (How is this possible? Psst, read the small excerpt above).
Hey, at least the base was made of metal. We all know what Mattel did with most of these redlines afterwords. Hint...Petrochemical derivative
This image is courtesy of eBRI (Ebay Research Institute)
Nonetheless, these four models were unquestionably economical cheap versions of Hot Wheels® cars. As we can see all four had a flat black plastic chassis (sadly, not even the high gloss chrome finish that gave the base that special pseudo metal appearance was put on these since it also added to the cost). Many other extras the cars were endowed once upon a time (when they were initially released by Mattel) went missing.
Before closing this chapter on Wisconsin I wanted to mention this…
There is a definitely good beer that comes from Milwaukee. Die-cast on the other hand...no so much.
If you take a close look at any Hong Kong made Hot Wheels® still in the blistercards from 1968 - 1972, you will noticed the following print:
Manufactured for Mattel.
This was later revised to "Made for Mattel".
The Wisconsin Toy Company packaging, albeit really cheap and did I mention cost effective, was also made by Mattel and has the following print on the carded header:
Made for Mattel
Notice some semblance of similarity here? (Well at least I do).
So the great debate and discussion amongst redline collectors regarding these four cars continues to this day. Are these considered Redlines? Well, the truth is, these are unquestionably redlines!
These are made by whom?
Answer - (Must I?) Mattel
These were made when?
Answer - During the redline era, circa 1975.
These were packaged by whom?
Answer - A company called Mattel
Due to the outlandish ugly packaging with the name Wisconsin Toy these Hot Wheels® redlines were considered imitations by collectors. And, because of this many redline enthusiasts never bothered collecting these objects. Hence the myths and legends were created, clubs were formed, heck, I even bought the T-Shirt and owned the football! about these not being true redlines. Oh well, who knew!
I suppose at the time when these were available for retail, we should have all rushed out to buy these... but... we just didn't... and these Wisconsin Toy Hot Wheels® were discounted considerably until inventory finally cleared.
Now, imagine if these would have sold quickly...I'm certain we would have more Wisconsin Toy Hot Wheels® released by Mattel or even Mmmmuky!
So the real question everyone is asking is…what are they worth?
Answer:
Well, not that much really, perhaps $15-$20 each!. But wait, there is still a way to maximize your investment! There is this research group called eBRI (eBay Research Institute) and Hot Wheels® with redlines do command mucho high premiums. Sometimes these Wisconsin redlines embellished with the proper wording like, "Prototype", "Pre-Production", "Rare", "Hard to Find","Lost in the Woods","Found at sea","Never released by Mattel", "Forgotten Redlines"or just "Redlines" could fetch extremely high dollar values.
The Wisconsin Toy Swinging Wing!
Boy, that's just plain scary...
From eBRI
Well this is da end...for now! Or is this just the beginning!
Stay tooned for our next article... or articles
"Should Musky Rise Again!" and "What else has Wisconsin Toy Company Released" and "What's the meaning of Stonehenge"!
Reference Material: (You mean we actually used some this time?)
Official Collector's Guide CD-ROM (By Mattel, released 1998)
eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
Carmelo J. Aresco, from Gran Toros.com
Bruce Pascal
Tom Berry, NSPO, RLC, RLOL, Joe's Die-Cast Shack
Bob Rosas from Mattel engineer and designer, RLOL, Ultimate Hotwheels
Larry Wood, Mattel designer
Tom Moore, Mattel
Bob Frassinetti, Muky
Roy Nakamura of RLOL and Joe's Die-Cast Shack
James Pietrowski, RLC member redryder31
Joe Falco from Joe's Die-Cast Shack
Michael Basile, CFR, Ultimate Hotwheels
Carlos Ferreira, Ultimate Hotwheels
So what exactly are these "things"?
During 1980 this was the burning question numerous Hot Wheels® collectors asked themselves when these objects mysteriously appeared for retail. This rather odd looking Wisconsin Toy, according to what's printed on the packaging, predominantly contained the name “Hot Wheels” plastered on a cardboard header. By golly willikers, it even included a retro style looking Hot Wheels® car with those freakish infamous redlined slicks! Weird, eh! Well look further below...
The single "Swinging Wing"!
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
Hey wait a minute, where's the figgin’ plastic wing? What gives here? Why is this part where the wing would clip in cast shut!!! Have you no dignity Mattel! Shame on you this blasphemy!
But was it Mattel who changed the appearance of this model or is this a reproduction of some sort by this company called Winconsin Toy and Novelty Co., Inc.? Let's carry on for our answer...
Why were these Wisconsin Toy Hot Wheels® so peculiar?
First of all, it was the outlandish packaging collectors couldn't quite get over. To begin with, it doesn't look authentic at all. The “Hot Wheels®” logo, color and artwork were completely unusual. Like where's the flaming swirl? This was so bizarre that collectors in fact believed these were Hot Wheels® imitations, fakes or knockoffs! And where is that famous Mattel symbol we all know and recognize? That circle no there, I no see it! Well it turns out none of us did either since it wasn't located anywhere on this distinctively lack-lustre packaging. So are these authentic if Mattel didn't bother to print their symbol or trademark on the packaging? Hmmm, sounds very questionable to me. It’s like this Wisconsin Toy distribution company from Milwaukee was trying to avoid any possible lawsuits and cashing in on those die-cast cars that became the number one selling toy of all time.
Furthermore, there was some serious apprehension with the type of wheels applied on these die-cast toys. You see it was the year 1977 when these so called Redline era type wheels were being phased out forever by Mattel (let us bow our heads and pause briefly in a moment of silence...how sad, really sad...those original wheels where legendary, boy could they ever spin on those delrin bearings and those thin music wire axles gave them amazing speed on that iconic orange track...) and eventually discontinued on every Hot Wheels® model.
But hold on there for just a gosh darn moment...
Actually the legendary (3rd rendition of these) redlines wheels (bless their souls) were still being used on the Sizzlers™ brand. These Sizzle electric things were considered part of the Hot Wheels® division of toys and contained the "tyres" until 1978. Let's segue to this topic another time...(Does anyone really want me to discuss these Sizzle things further? Let me know...)
The Wisconsin Toy "Dune Buggy".
Wow! This really looks like pure crap!
Hey where's the frick is the wind shield and canopy? Too cheap to include this extra pieces of plastic?
You no make Tom Daniel happy at all!
But I digress, meanwhile back at the Wisconsin Toy Hot Wheels® factory...
The return of Redline era wheels two or three years after they were discontinued appears to suggest something out of the time space continuum. Perhaps even an element of knock-off or fake Hot Wheels® entered the picture here. Could someone have made these in their garage? The lack of overall quality appears to suggest this. Still, another point of incongruity was the material used on the chassis. Yes indeed, I'm referring to the petrochemical derivative known to us fondly as crap or commonly referred to as plastic! Three of these four Hot Wheels® models were never released with a crappy cheap plastic dishonourable base until now. The only exception here was the Warpath™ (That was a sad day indeed too). So collectors continued to be perplexed... and the myths and legends were created surrounding these Wisconsin Toy Hot Wheels®.
So, are these Hot Wheels® or simply imitation Hot Wheels®?
Hey guys, let's go exploring and find out!
As I do a rather brief segue (Don't mean to but research is steering me here)…
Does anyone recall Muky die-cast cars? Some suggest Mattel sold the tools and dies to this company which I firmly believe, while others boldly suggest these were acquired by different methods. Hence, many considered these Hot Wheels® look alike knock-offs. But they were not! They were distinctively well..., really (a long pause) really (catch your breath here) different...let's just say Muky! Here, let me show you...
Here is the classic Hot Wheels® Chapparal 2G released in 1969. Now isn't this simply amazing! Look at the details and workmanship that went into this die-cast model.
And then it was transformed into this mighty Musky Crapparal. I describe it as kind of funky looking and visually really not that alluring. Like, what's up with the amber glob of a windshield? Who thought of that brilliant idea? Yes indeed, left me kinda in shock and speechless. And those wheels, they are quite not redline type material. Basically I call them type “U-G-L-Y”.
This image is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
Now take a look at the Hot Wheels® Ford Mk IV. What a beauty! Now how can we possibly mess this up?
And when it was made by Muky...Modified to look like this Ford Mk IV.
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek! It's just not the same... What a revolting color. Mind you I do like the decals though. These are definitely interesting
This image is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
Then we have the ever popular Hot Wheels® Deora with those different colored surfboards. This show car was originally designed by Harry Bradley, Mattel's first Hot Wheels designer and he even designed the Hot Wheels model! Too cool and so California retro styling! So what can Muky do to jolt us out of time?
And now I present you the Muky Deora Flatbed Brigade...
...oh my goodness, and there were many other intrepid variations of this flatbed concept on the poor altered Deora. Yep, it never recovered or ever looked the same again...
The Muky horrid Deora
How revolting!
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeuck!
These image are courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
The story is that a company in ARGENTINA "MUKY" somehow got their hands on the Original Mattel Redline Moldings. They were produced only in Argentina. These cars looked just like the Hot wheels except for the Base, Wheels and plastic glass.
This excerpt is courtesy of (eBRI), eBay Research Institute.
Now, which of these Muky models were unfortunately redlines in a previous life? Me can sadly spot several of these. What about you?
Anyway, here is a small excerpt found at Joes' Die-cast shack regarding the Muky show.
Muky,made in Argentina.
By Bob Frassinetti.
A bit of information on Muky, a die-cast made in Argentina.
We wanted to know about the history and evolution of one of Argentina’s most important die-cast companies: Muky. Our aim was to find some kind of information that could help us to rebuild a piece of our culture, so important to all of us, Argentinians, collectors and historians.
This picture is courtesy of Roy Nakamura
At first we began talking about this with fellow collectors, trying to set a direct contact line with those who have managed this company until its closure in the early 90s. So we began to draw a trace map from scratches: info on the packages of these die-cast cars, comments we've received through numerous ways such as our website or fellow collectors. However, the task appeared gigantic. The puzzle we were trying to complete missed central and important pieces; we lacked precious information and there were no governmental records on the subject. All these made the project a distant dream. Countless stories came up, though blurry and with no certain information. But after many months of hard work we finally got hold of a number… and when the phone rang Mrs. Dell Arciprete, wife of Muky’s last owner, answered.
Unfortunately he had passed away a few years ago.
However she was willing to know about our quest to contact them and surprised with our project.
During our conversation she told us that Bruno, her son, was the one who could help us the most, since he’d always been very interested in this family business and knew all the details. She also told us about their current situation, working in a whole different area –fertilizing- they had managed to keep all the machines from the Muky company in working conditions, although they didn't produce any die-cast at the moment. We were astonished with their care towards the company and it’s legacy.
That distant dream became a reality, as we began to put our new pieces into the picture.
This picture is courtesy of Roy Nakamura
Muky die-cast history begins during the 1970s. According to our sources, it was then when two brothers that were living in California at that time, had bought from Hot wheels several molds that were obsolete to the company and had latter brought them to Argentina and began to produce this tiny marvels called Muky. The De Conti brothers had rented a warehouse in Gualeguay, Entre Ríos –a small a town located on the shore of the Uruguay River, 5 hours away from Buenos Aires- to set the company. They produced in Argentina till the late seventies, when due to a very complicated economical situation our country was going through, they moved production to Brazil.
A few years after, Mr. Dell Aricprete bought Muky.
Unfortunately there is very little information on this first period of Muky, since until now, we were unable to contact either of the De Conti brothers.
Its important no know that inspite of continuing Muky, this was not the same firm. The De Conti brothers owned Super veloz, and Mr. Dell Arciprete’s Muky was Induguay. This can be seen on the lower part of the cars as well as on the packaging.
This picture is courtesy of Roy Nakamura
During our interview with Bruno Dell Arciprete, we asked him about his family’s history with Muky…
Toy Museum: Oh, so you bought the brand when it was already working… by any chance would you know were does that name come from, or if it has any particular significance?
Could we find any cheaper wheels than this?
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
Bruno: Actually I have no idea where it come from. What I know for sure is that we kept that previous trade mark which was Muky. I can remember that after a while we found out that there was a Brazilian cocoa brand named Muky, as well as many other Argentinean companies that had to change to other brand names when they went to register their brand, at least that was what our attorneys told us. But I really have no idea about the origin of the name. And he added, Libio Conti, he was the one who invented the brand and created the company, and worked for many years in Gualeguay renting the building were the factory was organized.
I can’t remember precisely whether if it was in 1984 or 85 when my father bought the company. We kept on producing in there until we were able to purchase a place of our own. As to the molds we kept on using the ones they had made before and included some new ones too.
Super Turbo? No way, this is really the...
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
“So how does the story begin for you and Muky?” we asked.
Bruno said “My father owned a fumigation company many years before he even began to think about diecast toy cars. During the seventies he begins to fly planes and afterwards he opens his own business of fumigation in Entre Ríos, more specifically in Gualeguay. After many years of hard work, he manages to save enough money and gets hold of a die-cast factory already working, which is MUKY. This company was previously owned by someone named Conti.
Come on, you call these disks wheels! They don't even look finished!
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
It is then when our story with Muky begins.
For this wasn’t our main income provider, it was very clear to us that this was something we loved to do.
As soon as we began production they became a boom nationwide.
We had a distribution network in order to get to far away regions. As we expand and the market responds increasing the demand of our products we began to improve the business.
Excuse me, I think there's something wrong with the wielding here. Can you spot this too?
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
So we worked in both fields, diecast and fumigation. Somewhat a wired combination. And although we’re not currently producing diecast cars, we still are in the fumigation business, that has nicely grown in the last few years.
I really don’t know what went through his mind, though it wasn’t the production at first. Then it was just the factory he bought…
I notice plastic bases again! Sheesh!
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
TM: Did Muky cars were always this size?
B: Yes, we tried to keep on the original design –not adding or taking away any detailing-, we also wanted to keep on working with the same prime material. What we did improve was the suspension system. At first they were fully made in Samac, but we altered the lower part of the chassis, and made it in plastic. This, combined it with the Samac model, resulted in a much better running for the car. Plus, this way the item was a more resistant toy for kids to play with.
This alteration began originally in suggestion made by many of our clients; since we thought it was a very good one we put it into practice.
In terms of production process this resulted in a quite interesting twist, since we had use two combined production lines, it resulted in an increase of the produced toys.
TM: There’s also a window color variation you included, isn’t it?
B: Yes, some were made in amber and some others in transparent blue.
TM: Which were the models you designed?
B: Well, there were some trucks we included, two of them Cargo Trucks, one YPF (Petrol) and an other one that carried water and pipes. We also made a trailer house, it was very nice.
Each and every model we made had it’s inspiration in everyday life, we wanted to reflect that…
TM: There were also race tracks…
B: Oh, yes, we had a basic model, and there were accessories such as loops, and turns…
We also had albums. Each model had a dotted line on the upper part of the box with could be cut off and could be stuck in the album. These albums were for free, we handed them during the summer in some of the most important Argentinian beach resorts or in some shops, and we had some very interesting prizes for completed albums.
TM: We found out that one of the prizes was free flights in the company’s plane… is it true?
B: Well, yes indeed, as well as scholarships for high school or College.
So, regarding the Muky models, do you remember how many were made?
B: We had numbered models from 8 to 40. We made around seven new ones such as a Ford 40 a 1930s coupe, a beetle and a Ferrari…
TM: Pardon my asking, but what about the from 1 to 8 models…
B: I really don’t know… we could say it’s an other of Muky’s enigmas.
TM: Ok then, we’ll have to do some research on that in the future…
B: I believe so… Well, as I was telling you, we made around seven new models, it was quite a job since each matrix was very expensive and we needed trained personnel who’s main activity all year long was to imagine, design and perfection that model. That’s why during all the seven years the company went well we managed to launch a model per year.
Like what's with the plastic chassis? Am I asking too much for a die-cast car to be made of die-cast material?
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
TM: When looking at Muky models I saw them very similar to the American Hot Wheels… is there any relation among them, inspiration perhaps?
B: To my knowledge there isn't, at least for the ones we made. Regarding the previous ones, I personally doubt it. You know there’s quite a jealous care for these kind of thing, nationally and internationally, there are patents and legal limitations for imitations. It comes to my mind a situation that happened with one Buby model, if I recall correctly it was a Ford Sierra model that someone tried to copy, but he couldn't go through with it because of this I'm telling you.
TM: Once again may be we should ask Mr. Conti about it…
B: Yes, most definitely. But the thing is that since all of us made our die-cast models inspired on real life cars the key to success was not the very model but the way it was done. Differences appear more clearly between matrix makers who had access to original blueprints and those who didn't.
TM: Blueprints, that’s the secret weapon!
B: Yes, that’s right, and it wasn't very common to access them… so there you had to be talented and a good craftsman.
TM: Did you work with specialist matrix makers, or where they self taught artisans?
B: We had two matrix makers working in Buenos Aires that my father knew, and in Gualeguay we had an automatic plant that didn't require special qualifications, were we had 45 people employed. There were also around 100 families that work in their houses painting some pieces, placing stickups, adding finishing touches to each car by hand.
Plus all our people working in distribution.
TM: Speaking of distribution, did you sell your production to other countries?
B: We sold for some time to Uruguay as well as to Spain through the Camara Argentina del Juguete. But we also sent many individual packages to collectors all around the world.
TM: How did they contact you?
B: Letters mainly, they wrote us asking specifically for the model they needed, and we gladly sent them the item… After we received thank you notes… it was really nice. Although this was just a really small part of our production. Almost 99% of what we produced was sold in Argentina.
TM: The other day when I talked to your mom on the phone she told me about the way you've taken care of all the die-cast machines, that they are still working ready to restart production, but that for the moment you’re not thinking seriously about doing so given the economic circumstances our country is going through…
B: Well, that is correct. I’d love to carry on with my dad’s diecast company… And although the technology we have available at Muky is quite obsolete regarding the new diecast companies, I believe that it would only be a matter of getting started. The thing is, as my mom pointed out correctly, that there are no conditions for us to restart production, gather a group of experts and hard working men, and shortly after that big effort be obliged to close down because of an unexpected turn in our economic laws or whatever other case of instability in our country… Nonetheless we’ll keep on taking care of all our equipment awaiting a better timing…
Now what's wrong with this picture?
Again, those incomplete wheels what’s the deal on that hood…It fits the Custom Corvette Special so well!
This picture is courtesy of eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
Judging for our conversation with Muky’s current owner –because the Dell Arciprete family has taken care not only of the machinery but of all legal matters “awaiting a better timing- Muky’s history is not over, it has just stopped for a while to catch its breath and start again.
Hmmm, interesting how all these previous redline models were the Hot Wheels US versions only.
More eBRI...
There will be more on this Muky subject another time. (Actually I'm hoping to never touch this topic again).
And
So what is the actual history behind these Wisconsin Toy Company Hot Wheels®?
The Wisconsin Toy Company of Milwaukee purchased some old crap or let just call it "stuff" lying around commonly known to us as excess stock, overstock, and abundance of inventory (Hmmm, I kinda wonder how often this occurred?) from Mattel’s warehouse. This just happened to be merchandise from an abandoned promotion dating back to 1975 (like, no kidding!). Does anyone have any idea who the company is that abandoned this promotion? (How about a subtle clue?)
(As much time past us by this question remained unanswered).
Well, the company who abandoned this Hot Wheels® promotion is Proctor & Gamble. (Hey, what other promotions did they have with Mattel?)
And so, the 1975 made inventory contained four genuine Hot Wheels® die-cast models which were the:
- Dune Buggy
- Swingin’ Wing
- Warpath™
- Volkswagen Bug
This unwanted merchandise happened to contain our beloved redline wheels given that in 1975 these are the only type of wheels Mattel applied on Hot Wheels® from 1973 - 1977 (Redline Line - Type III ( You know the one with the with a hole in the middle of the wheel showing the axle).
There was even a 5th, yes a 5th dimension car (sounds like the beginning of the Twilight Zone) that was considered for this failed promotion. Bob Rosas, Mattel Hot Wheels® engineer, who worked on the Hot Wheels® line in the 1970’s chimed in and was kind enough to share this missing link information with us.
(Paraphrasing here…)
It was 1975 when Mattel entered into a promotional agreement with a large soap producer (Proctor & Gamble), where exclusively designed and produced Hot Wheels® cars would be given away in specially designed packages of soap supplies. (I would have loved to see the prototype packaging for this failed promo).
To make this give away product feasible for Mattel, the engineers made modifications to these Hot Wheels® models they produced for G&P. (Anyone recall the special 10 cars Mattel produced for the Shell promotion in 1973? Remember what happened to them? Take note, actually 15 were chosen, 10 were produced). In this case Mattel cut as many corners as imaginable to bring the production cost down to a bare minimum. Petro chemical derivatives known as plastic were used for the bases and all additional features these five Hot Wheels® previously had were eliminated. Things like moving parts were considered superfluous and cast shut, windshield and canopy was considered unnecessary on a certain model.
The models scheduled to be part of this failed promotion were the:
Dune Daddy – plastic base, missing windshield, missing canopy
Swingin’ Wing – plastic base, no plastic wing, no moving die-cast engine compartment, cast shut
Warpath – plastic base,
Volkwagen Bug – plastic base, no sunroof, cast shut.
The fifth Hot Wheels® casting chosen became a mystery. Further details below…(10 were discussed 5 were produced).
Production
Production for this special batch of Hot Wheels® went through for this promotion however, sometime thereafter, the deal fell through. The reason for this was to do with the cost of the final product. P&G basically backed out of the deal although Mattel had a number of models already produced.
Perhaps some of you will recall this one!
Then again, perhaps not...
Hey! What's this surprise? So it’s this thing (I had no idea).
The order was cancelled just when the Buzz Off sporting the new stunning plastic base was going into production. Only a few Buzz Off models made it through to the production process. This explains why they are so rare. (However, take note it was released after all. Read on…).
The Buzz Off in enamel blue sporting a kooky beetle design! This model was designed by Larry Wood and initially called the Tri-Baby since it contains three powerful engines housed underneath the opening truck door area. This was Larry’s first Hot Wheels® model. Sadly, it never looked quite the same or recovered after the plastic base entered the scene.
The Buzz Off in enamel blue embellished with that sleek and stunning petrochemical substance known as excrement or plastic for the base material! Wow, look at that splendid suspension! It appears Mattel dug real deep into the die-cast manufacturer’s archives to acquire this frugal type of wheel axle technology. Like, do the wheels even spin? (Hardly) Should we even bother to make track accessories for object that rolls like dung?
So much for that famous slogan on the redline blisters, "Fastest Metal Cars in the World!"
This picture is courtesy of Roy Nakamura
As you can see from the picture above, this one sporting the beetle design never even bothered to show up on a blistercard. Furthermore, never issued in North America. Such a pity eh! Here is where things become somewhat interesting...
Before it was even considered for the Wisconsin Toy Co. it was used as something else. Does anyone recall what it is?
Counting down the hands of time...
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There exists a Buzz Off gold chrome color version with this beetle design and the wording "THE GOLD ONE" on the hood. Take a look below...
Many avid Hot Wheels® collectors are not even aware of the Buzz off in goldish chrome with those redlined shoes. Yes indeed, authentic plastic redlined tires. Stunning, eh! Don't all panic now, this is simply a prototype.
This image is courtesy of Ultimate Hotwheels. (Anyone remember these guys?)
This golden chrome Buzz Off was released in 1978 with the new standard cheap blackwall slicks and of course what was the added bonus? Yep you guessed it - with the dull frugal plastic chassis to give it that special splash of crap!
This image is courtesy of Ultimate Hotwheels (I vaguely recall them).
Soooooooooooooooooo, let's get back to our main topic...
Mattel used the most frugal method of packaging this Wisconsin Toy Hot Wheels® they could come up with. (Their marketing department must have worked overtime for this concept). Each of these cars were placed in a plastic like lunch bag with a carded header stapled to bag. The Wisconsin Toy Company sold these rather inexpensively too (like who would have guessed that!)... for approximately $1.00 or a lot less.
Here lies what's left of the mighty Warpath...oh the shame...
RIP
Yes image is from eBRI
Nonetheless, a small number of enthusiasts welcomed the return of redline wheels (Is that really true or am I running out of things to say?) while other Hot Wheels® collectors weren't inspired to acquire these due to the cheapened appearance, questionable packaging, plastic bases and a whole whack of other issues suggesting there's something wrong here. Even today the redline purists do not consider these redlines and never will. (Perhaps it has to do with the time space continuum thingy).
The Custom Volkswagen with the bug design without the sunroof.
Notice Mattel designers playing a little joke with this tampo design. I know, you get it too!
More from eBRI eBRI eBRI
Yet, the bases (although even plastic) never lie since...
Where else, eBRI
The truth lies in the base. The base reveals the truth. Believe in the base and it will believe in you. The Chassis will reveal all.
This image is courtesy of James Pietrowski, RLC member redryder31
Hot Wheels® (name of Mattel product and registration preserved)
Name of the Hot Wheels® car on the base with Trademarks included.
Copyright symbol and year of the die-cast model.
Country where car was produced as well as other patents and foreign patents pending.
If these die-cast cars were not made by Mattel this attention to detail on the plastic chassis would be eliminated or removed completely. Hence it is there which indicates these items are indeed legitimate.
Here is an example of a Muky base with significant modifications since Mattel did not produce it. Take note, the size and shape of this base, as well as the entire model are the exact dimensions of the Hot Wheels® Ford Mk IV. (How is this possible? Psst, read the small excerpt above).
Hey, at least the base was made of metal. We all know what Mattel did with most of these redlines afterwords. Hint...Petrochemical derivative
This image is courtesy of eBRI (Ebay Research Institute)
Nonetheless, these four models were unquestionably economical cheap versions of Hot Wheels® cars. As we can see all four had a flat black plastic chassis (sadly, not even the high gloss chrome finish that gave the base that special pseudo metal appearance was put on these since it also added to the cost). Many other extras the cars were endowed once upon a time (when they were initially released by Mattel) went missing.
Before closing this chapter on Wisconsin I wanted to mention this…
There is a definitely good beer that comes from Milwaukee. Die-cast on the other hand...no so much.
If you take a close look at any Hong Kong made Hot Wheels® still in the blistercards from 1968 - 1972, you will noticed the following print:
Manufactured for Mattel.
This was later revised to "Made for Mattel".
The Wisconsin Toy Company packaging, albeit really cheap and did I mention cost effective, was also made by Mattel and has the following print on the carded header:
Made for Mattel
Notice some semblance of similarity here? (Well at least I do).
So the great debate and discussion amongst redline collectors regarding these four cars continues to this day. Are these considered Redlines? Well, the truth is, these are unquestionably redlines!
These are made by whom?
Answer - (Must I?) Mattel
These were made when?
Answer - During the redline era, circa 1975.
These were packaged by whom?
Answer - A company called Mattel
Due to the outlandish ugly packaging with the name Wisconsin Toy these Hot Wheels® redlines were considered imitations by collectors. And, because of this many redline enthusiasts never bothered collecting these objects. Hence the myths and legends were created, clubs were formed, heck, I even bought the T-Shirt and owned the football! about these not being true redlines. Oh well, who knew!
I suppose at the time when these were available for retail, we should have all rushed out to buy these... but... we just didn't... and these Wisconsin Toy Hot Wheels® were discounted considerably until inventory finally cleared.
Now, imagine if these would have sold quickly...I'm certain we would have more Wisconsin Toy Hot Wheels® released by Mattel or even Mmmmuky!
So the real question everyone is asking is…what are they worth?
Answer:
Well, not that much really, perhaps $15-$20 each!. But wait, there is still a way to maximize your investment! There is this research group called eBRI (eBay Research Institute) and Hot Wheels® with redlines do command mucho high premiums. Sometimes these Wisconsin redlines embellished with the proper wording like, "Prototype", "Pre-Production", "Rare", "Hard to Find","Lost in the Woods","Found at sea","Never released by Mattel", "Forgotten Redlines"or just "Redlines" could fetch extremely high dollar values.
The Wisconsin Toy Swinging Wing!
Boy, that's just plain scary...
From eBRI
Well this is da end...for now! Or is this just the beginning!
Stay tooned for our next article... or articles
"Should Musky Rise Again!" and "What else has Wisconsin Toy Company Released" and "What's the meaning of Stonehenge"!
Reference Material: (You mean we actually used some this time?)
Official Collector's Guide CD-ROM (By Mattel, released 1998)
eBRI (eBay Research Institute)
Carmelo J. Aresco, from Gran Toros.com
Bruce Pascal
Tom Berry, NSPO, RLC, RLOL, Joe's Die-Cast Shack
Bob Rosas from Mattel engineer and designer, RLOL, Ultimate Hotwheels
Larry Wood, Mattel designer
Tom Moore, Mattel
Bob Frassinetti, Muky
Roy Nakamura of RLOL and Joe's Die-Cast Shack
James Pietrowski, RLC member redryder31
Joe Falco from Joe's Die-Cast Shack
Michael Basile, CFR, Ultimate Hotwheels
Carlos Ferreira, Ultimate Hotwheels