Thread: Help - Cars identification

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Hello everybody!

I've got six hot rods... plastic scaled models I mean... which brand/model I am very interested to identify. If you can see the attached image and recognize any of them please email me at talfarlow@hotmail.com. Otherwise, email me as well to send the photo to private address. Thanks!

P.S.: the upper right one is a High Boy, isn't it?

What scale are these cars?... Any Idea what year they were manufactured, my guess is around 1970-74... Are there any markings under the base, dates, codes or names?...

I might be able to help if you can provied a little more info...

Dave Brisco

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your help. Your guess is right, they come from the mid-early seventies. Here you are a more detailed description:
The cars are about 6-8 cm long, so the scale -not specified on them- may be somewhere between 1:50 and 1:32... maybe just 1:43. Anyway, since the wheels and bodies seem to be typically "distorted" to make the hot rod look, it's difficult for me to be more precise about it. Besides, the cement truck is only one centimeter longer than the others, so the scale must be slightly different for the different models to meet a common size.
The only identificative mark is the old "Tonka" logo carved on the cement drum surface (not visible in the photo). I contacted some toy specialists with no success; the seventies seem to be a mystery period.
The bodies are glossy coloured hard plastic made, no paint except for the chromed engines and little more. And the chassis looks like tin, with no screws, but some occasional round drills and stiffening folds.
The tires are rubber made, and they are joined to some sort of flexible axis; this feature kept them perfectly aligned for years, even when accidentally stepping on them.
Many years ago I saw another model from the same collection which I never had, but I remember it was a light blue Volkswagen Beetle inspired hot-rod.
Hope this helps.

Thanks again.
Jose

I had a metallic purple dune buggy from this line as a kid... I also remember a set of four egg-shaped Tonkas that my little brother had around the same time... If my memory is correct it was around 1973... I also seem to remember that my mother may have purchased these through either Avon or from the S&H Greenstamps store... I wish I had more information for you but that is about all I can remember... Good luck in your quest...

Dave Brisco

Thanks Dave, that's a start to my search. And a very nice buggy.
Best regards,
Jose.