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Friday, April 28, 2017

A long time ago, in a Kmart far, far away.....

It was September of 2012.  I was in a Kmart out of town, checking out their Hot Wheels when I ran into this:

Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt

Newer collectors might see this & go "Wow.  Four ugly cars on ugly cards.  Good for you, dude...."  Apparently, in 2012, Treasure Hunts still came with green stripes.  

Okay, they aren't "$uper Treasure Hunt", but still, it's kinda bizarre to see four Treasure Hunt on same pegs.  Why did I just spend 10 minutes looking for the date when this happened & the picture of the cars?  Because it happened again today:

Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt

This time, in a Walmart dump bin.  Maybe there were more.  I didn't go thru half the cars in there.

Hot Wheels Hidden Treasure Hunt

Okay, again, they aren't the $upers, but five of them this time.  lol  I didn't take one, because I had already found one few weeks ago(probably same store).  It's actually a really cool casting.  Thinking back, I wish I had picked up another one, so I can keep one & give one to one of my nephews.  Too late!  :D


Sunday, April 23, 2017

Tomica Limited Vintage NEO LV-N144a Nissan Atlas(F24) Hanamidai Auto Co. Safety Loader

Tomica Limited Vintage NEO LV-N144a Nissan Atlas Hanamidai  Safety Loader

I got couple of Tomica transporters in the mail earlier this month.  Mainline/basic Isuzu Elf(w/orange Isuzu Bellett!) & the TLV Nissan Atlas....  Wait.  So the cheap mainline transporter comes with this beautiful Bellett on the back, but the spendy Nissan Hanamidai safety loader has no sweet bonuses!?

tomica isuzu elf transporter

Oh, my bad.  It too also come equipped with the beautiful orange Isuzu Bellett(this is a bull***t lie, I'm sorry lol).

Tomica Limited Vintage NEO LV-N144a Nissan Atlas Hanamidai  Safety Loader

Okay, jokes aside, this one caused a minor controversy when it was released in March.  Its MSRP was roughly $48, preorder price for me from amiami was $36-ish(before shipping), but as March approached, they quickly sold out & comes the secondary market prices(think eBay) of over $100!!  Yeah, nuts.  Whatever.

For me, the intrigue was this "Hanamidai" name.  Hanami is traditional cherry blossom flower viewing in Japan.  Grownups hit the park, enjoy the cherry blossoms & party.  The "dai" in the name would translate to something like a "stand", or "platform" in this case.  Naturally, I thought the name was a cute nickname given for its slick slide-action flatbed.  Until I googled it.

Yes, still probably have come from a nickname, but Hanamidai is the actual name of the company that builds these safety loader trucks.  They are located in Iwaki, Fukushima.  Very cool, as I used to visit my grandparents there every summer as a kid.  Pics:

 LV-N144a

Tomica Limited Vintage NEO LV-N144a Nissan Atlas Hanamidai  Safety Loader

Tomica Limited Vintage NEO LV-N144a Nissan Atlas Hanamidai  Safety Loader


Tomica Limited Vintage   Safety Loader

tlv Safety Loader

Tomica Limited Vintage   Nissan Atlas Hanamidai  Safety Loader

Tomica Limited Vintage NEO LV-N144a Nissan Atlas Hanamidai  Safety Loader

Tomica Limited Vintage NEO LV-N144a Nissan Atlas Hanamidai  Safety Loader

  LV-N144a Nissan Atlas

Tomica Limited Vintage  Nissan Atlas Hanamidai  Safety Loader

トミカリミテッドヴィンテージ NEO LV-N144a 日産アトラス(F24)花見台自動車セフテーローダ

Tomica Limited Vintage NEO LV-N144a Nissan Atlas Hanamidai  Safety Loader

Look, dude!  Those wheel stops are painted Isuzu Bellett-Orange!!

トミカリミテッドヴィンテージ  花見台自動車セフテーローダ

Tomica Limited Vintage NEO LV-N144a Nissan Atlas Hanamidai  Safety Loader

Tomica Limited Vintage  Safety Loader

トミカリミテッドヴィンテージ  セフテーローダ

tlv Safety Loader

Tomica  Safety Loader

tomica Hanamidai

Tomica Limited Vintage NEO LV-N144a Nissan Atlas Hanamidai  Safety Loader

Tomica Limited Vintage nissan transporter

tlv transporter

tomica limited vintage transporter

Tomica Limited Vintage flatbed

Tomica Limited Vintage NEO LV-N144a Nissan Atlas Hanamidai  Safety Loader

Tomica Limited Vintage  LV-N144a Nissan Atlas flatbed

Tomica Limited Vintage Nissan Atlas

Tomica Limited Vintage    Safety Loader

tomica limited vintage tow truck

tomica limited vintage flatbed tow truck

Tomica Limited Vintage  carrier transporter

Yeah baby.  Third transporter featured this month!

1/64 transporters carriers tow trucks hot wheels

Link to the other two: Scion/Chevy + Ford/Shelby


Sunday, April 16, 2017

Hot Wheels 17th Annual Collectors Nationals Pittsburgh, PA '55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser

Hot Wheels 17th Annual Collectors Nationals Pittsburgh, PA '55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser

If carded, I think these two cars go for like $500 combined these days?  Mind boggling.  This 17th Nationals Gasser might've been the most I've ever paid for a single hot wheels & it was $166.50, shipped.  It's Bel Air Gasser.  It's cool, but why would I pay that?  It is what it is.

Hot Wheels 17th Annual Collectors Nationals Pittsburgh, PA '55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser

Hot Wheels  Nationals '55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser

Hot Wheels  Collectors Nationals Chevy Bel Air Gasser

Hot Wheels 17th Annual Collectors Nationals Pittsburgh, PA '55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser

Hot Wheels  Nationals  Gasser

hot wheels nationals gasser

There we go.  It's a car that typically run close to $200 on eBay!  Yeah, it's cool loose, but why would I uncard that!?  Again, it is what it is:

hot wheels nationals chevy bel air gasser

Hot Wheels  Nationals  '55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser

Hot Wheels  Wicked Gasser

hot wheels pittsburgh chevy bel air gasser

Hot Wheels  Nationals  '55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser

hot wheels wicked chevy bel air gasser

Hot Wheels collectors Nationals  '55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser

Hot Wheels  17th annual collectors Nationals  '55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser

Hot Wheels  Nationals convention  '55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser

Hot Wheels  convention  '55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser

OMG, this has been an expensive post.  :(