SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: How Hot Wheels Work | STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW

[bell]. [music]. Hey everybody, Chuck here for another. one of our uh Christmas ccentric. episodes with our 12 days of [music]. Christmas toys playlist. And today I'm. very pleased to introduce to you an. episode that [music] I liked quite a bit. because when I was a kid, I love me some. Hot Wheels. And so this is that episode, How Hot Wheels Work. Pretty interesting. story. [music]. Hope you guys enjoy it. >> Welcome to [music] Stuff You Should Know. from how stuffuffs.com.

Hey and welcome to the podcast. I'm Josh. Clark. There's Charles [music] W. Chuck. Bryant and Jerry. >> You know that just sounded like. >> what? >> Like that's what happens. Like you're. having a nightmare and Yumi wakes you up. in the middle of the night and you just. goes, "Hey, welcome to the podcast." And. then she slaps you across the face real. hard. >> Mhm. Mhm. >> That's true. >> Yeah. >> That is what that sounded like. >> That's what it sounded like. It. >> was pretty accurate. I don't know what. got into me. Uh, you were just.

supercharged about this topic. That was. terrible. What? >> Supercharged. >> I don't get it. >> It's like a supercharged engine. >> Oh, I I didn't even think about that. >> Oh, good. Well, that makes me feel a. little better. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> you know, Jerry, by the way, before when. I told her what we were doing, said, "Oh. my gosh, that was my favorite toy when I. was a kid.". >> Nice. Hot Wheels are pretty great. >> Yeah. I I had a quite a collection and I. don't know where they are today. >> Oh, really? They're missing, huh? >> Yeah. I don't know if they were thrown.

out or if uh if uh. my brother has them or they're in my. mom's attic or what cuz I'm kind of. curious if I have any valuables. >> You need to find them. >> Yeah. >> They could be apparently as far as Hot. Wheels collectors go, they could be in. mint condition all the way down to. beater condition. >> Oh, is that how they rank them? >> Yeah. >> Uh mine would be beaters cuz I played. with them like crazy. >> That's good. I mean, that's what they're. for. Sure. You know, and there's value. for a beater, too. Like some people. apparently harvest them for parts to to.

rebuild like a, you know, a new. Frankenstein model. >> Oh, really? >> Yeah. >> That's pretty neat. >> There's a lot of stuff you can do with. them. >> Yeah. And we should thank the fifth. grader who wrote this article, too. [laughter]. >> Sad face. >> I complained about that out loud to. Holly. I was like, this article actually. says sad face like as a sentence. >> Yeah, I know. >> Had issues. I'm glad you said something. >> Yeah. What if it was a fifth grader? [laughter]. >> Your feelings are all hurt.

>> I think your feelings are hurt either. way now. >> Sad face. [laughter]. >> So, uh, we're talking about Hot Wheels. today. I had a couple. Um, my favorite. toy was G.I. Joe, but I I appreciated. Hot Wheels. >> Yeah, I had G.I. Joe, too. >> We should do a G.I. Joe episode. sometime. >> I had the older ones, though. You. probably had. >> the huge ones. Yeah. >> Yeah. No, I had the real ones. >> Yeah. [laughter]. Oh. >> yeah, >> I don't that's fighting words, >> man. The ones that I had were so. awesome. They were like there was a huge.

vast collection of all of them. There. was like Cobra. [laughter] The Cobra. didn't exist when you were collecting. G.I. Joes. >> No, but how could you say like, oh, that. one that's 10 in tall and has real. clothes and fuzzy hair and the kung fu. grip is inferior to this little plastic. thing. >> I think you just said it all. [laughter]. The fuzzy hair says it right there. I don't really mean that, Chuck. I I. don't have a dog in that fight. Like, if. you like the big GI Joes, that's cool. I.

got no problems. >> Yeah. Um, as a quick side note, I have. to tell this story. >> Okay. >> When uh you know how I used to do book. reports and you would have to have a. visual aid. [clears throat]. >> Yeah. >> Um, I might have told this before. If I. do, I apologize. >> I don't recognize it. >> Um, I did a report on Franco Harris when. elementary school cuz he was a. >> the football player. Yeah. Uh I don't. know why I did on Franco Harris. Yeah. >> But um I got my mom to make me a little. Pittsburgh Steelers uniform for my GI. Joe because he looked like Franco. Harris. >> Nice. >> Yeah. And that was my visual aid.

>> You still have it? >> No, of course not. >> We had the GI Joes, but I think the. Steelers uniform is gone bye-bye. >> That's sad. >> Yeah. >> You know, I'm sure your mom put a lot of. work into that. >> Now I feel guilty. >> Uh so Chuck, I have a question for you. >> Yes. Did you know that the number one. vehicle manufacturer on the planet is in. fact Hot Wheels? I did. It It kind of. It's astounding until you stop and think. about it. >> Sure. >> Like apparently since 1968 when Hot.

Wheels were first introduced, more than. 4 billion Hot Wheels have been produced. That's more than the big four Detroit. automakers combined. You're like, "Wow.". And then you think, "Oh, yeah. It costs. a minute fraction of the cost to build a. Hot Wheels than it does a normal car. >> Yeah. >> Plus also, it's not like you're gonna. go, I want this uh Buick Cutless Supreme. in every color it comes in,

>> right? >> You know, with a Hot Wheels, you can do. that. >> Yeah. What's the the Lego stat is. they're the biggest manufacturer of. tires? >> Yeah, they're Yeah. >> I wonder though, do these not count as. tires because they're plastic? to count. as wheels? >> I don't know, man. >> Because four billion times four, that's. 16 billion tires. >> That's a really great question. >> I might have to challenge Lego. Or maybe. just look up how many tires they. manufacture. >> Old Kurt Christensen is not going to be. happy about this. >> Who was that? >> The founder of Lego.

>> Oh, >> remember? >> Oh, yeah. That's right. I thought you. were saying old. >> No. >> Remember? Yeah. >> So, um, let's talk about the history of. this stuff. Huh. >> Okay. So, Hot Wheels, like I said, have. been around since 1968. And anybody. who's heard the Barbie trademark podcast. will recognize the name Elliot Handler. That's Ruth Handler, the inventor of. Barbie trademarks husband. >> Sure. Um, and Elliot apparently saw a.

real chance to muscle in on an already. extent market by a company called Tao. that had a line of miniature metal cars, diecast cars is what they're called. Yeah. Called Matchbox cars. >> That's right. >> By the time Hot Wheels came around, Matchbox was already there and had. established a market and Mattel said, "Let's get in on that.". >> Yeah. And the rumor is that uh he saw. his grandchildren playing with them. >> and said uh they kind of stink. I can.

make these better and cooler. >> Right. >> And he had a um as the story goes had a. designer um which we'll talk about in a. second called Harry Bradley. >> Sure. >> And he had a hot rod and Elliot was in. the parking lot one day and said, "Man, those are some Hot Wheels you got. there.". >> And and apparently if you go look look. at the old original commercials for Hot. Wheels, >> do they say that? That's how Well, that's how they pronounce it. Hot. Wheels. >> Oh, instead of Hot Wheels. >> Yeah. The emphasis is on the hot. It.

sounds awkward. They're like, "Race your. Hot Wheels. You can You can race them. Just go buy some Hot Wheels." [laughter]. That's what they That's how they say it. Collect all your Hot Wheels. >> Yeah. But that makes more sense in the. context of a sentence. >> It does. But having been raised, >> right? Right. >> You know, post. >> the Infinity Hot Wheels is wrong. Yeah, Hot Wheels. Hot Wheels. >> Now I'm trying to picture the guy in the. parking lot saying, "Those are some Hot. Wheels you got on your there." You'd.

say, "Hot Wheels you got there." You. know? >> Yeah. >> Oh boy. We can sure waste some time. >> We sure can. >> Uh but the first uh 1968 is like you. said when the first line came out of 16. Hot Wheels, [laughter] they were sold. initially for 59 cent a piece. Yeah. Um, and like you said, the guy whose car. originally inspired the name Hot Wheels, um, was Harry Bradley, and he was the.

designer of that first 16 cars. They. were also called, um, California Customs. Miniatures was that first original 16. group of Hot Wheels [laughter] um, that. were released in 1968. So, and Harry. Bradley designed them all, including. apparently he got his hands on um the. first one, by the way, that came out was. a Chevy Camaro. >> The second one that came out was the. Chevy Corvette, >> of course. >> And apparently the Chevy Corvette came. out before the actual Corvette came out.

>> Yeah, the 69 Corvette that is. >> So, Harry Bradley was an old hand in not. just miniature car design, but car. design in general. He was an old GM. designer and I guess he had connections. still at GM and. probably under the table in a possibly. illegal way got his hands on the. blueprints for the Corvette that hadn't. been released yet and Hot Wheels beat GM. to the punch in releasing the 1968. Corvette. >> Yeah. 69. Um, thank you.

>> That's all right. The uh Yeah, as the. lore goes, he supposedly knew that the. cafeteria door was unlocked, so he snuck. in. Mhm. >> Uh through the cafeteria door. But. >> that's called industrial espionage. >> Yeah, that sounds like a story, like. just lore. >> Okay. >> But maybe so maybe he committed. industrial espionage. >> Yeah. >> Um so like you said, the the those were. the two of the first 16 in that original. lineup, uh that original collection, which if you have any of those,

>> yeah, you're doing okay. >> Yeah. you got some money that you're. sitting on. >> cuz I mean like they went all out on. those that original line. >> Oh yeah. >> Like there were bushings to the. suspension. >> Yeah. >> Um and the I mean the chassis um it had. suspension like shocks like you could. press them down and it would bounce. back. >> I had some of those. I don't know think. they were from 68 but when did they quit. making those? It said up until uh. >> 77 was when they stopped making the um. >> Oh, no. 70 is when the suspension got an.

overhaul. >> Okay. So, for the first couple years, like they were really putting a lot into. these things. Um the tires were Redline. Racing Slicks. >> Yeah. >> Um and the things the the whole reason. they went to so much trouble is because. they really wanted to destroy their. competitor Matchbox. And one of the ways. they did that was by making these things. far more functional um than the. Matchboxes were, the Matchbox cars were. So they they really could race. Yeah.

>> And if you put a Matchbox car up against. a comparable Hot Wheels, say the same. model car. Yeah. >> Um the Hot Wheels will destroy it every. time in the head-to-head race, >> as we saw on the internet. >> Yeah. >> A guy did that, of course. Uh he took a. two Volkswagens and two Audi 8s I think. >> and uh one Matchbox and one Hot Wheel. and he said they won by at least a car. length uh every time he tried. >> Right. >> And this was no loop-de-loop or. anything. This was just the straight. race,

>> right? >> Um they painted them originally in. Spectra Flame which was very shiny and. sparkly and expensive. Um and I don't. think we said that all Hot Wheels are. built at 164th scale. >> Yeah, that's a big point. >> But not necessarily all Matchbot cars. They kind of vary here and there, >> right? >> Um, but like you said, uh, that Spectra. Flame and the Redline tires, uh, didn't. only lasted till 77 and the suspension. only lasted till 1970. And they, sadly,

a lot of that had to do with the fact. that they moved them from Hawthorne, California to Hong Kong. >> Yeah. >> And uh, like any product, you're like, hey, you can make it for half as much if. you make it in China. So, let's move. let's ship the operations overseas. >> Well, not only that, it's the Spectra. Flame paint is pretty expensive. It's. awesome. It looks great. Yeah. But it's. pretty expensive. So, um with with any. collector's item, as they started to. downgrade the components and the parts. and the the manufacturing, Yeah. and.

ultimately the final product, all that. did was make the original stuff all the. more valuable today. >> because there's fewer and fewer of them. as the years go on, proportionately. speaking. Yeah, they had actual axles. like you know it was like a real they. were designed by car designers. >> uh and they were made apparently to. reach 200 scale miles per hour. >> Yeah, that's pretty cool. >> That's way cool. >> Yeah. Remember like uh in the cockroach. episode we talked about how they're the. fastest animal on the planet relatively. speaking.

>> Uhhuh. >> Pretty neat stuff. >> Yeah. >> Um so Chuck, right out of the gate, Mattel had a hit on its hands. >> Oh yes. >> Um they released them in 1968. By 1970, Hot Wheels was a uh Saturday morning. cartoon. >> Yeah. >> In the vein of like Dune Buggy and. Scooby-Doo and all those guys. Hannah. Barbara. >> Dune Buggy. >> or Speed Buggy. >> Speed Buggy. >> Yeah. Remember Speed Buggy? >> Yeah. It was like a a Dune Buggy that. could talk and it was basically.

>> Wonder Bug. >> No, it's Speed Buggy. >> Okay. >> Um Wonderug if you took Shaggy and put. some like racing goggles on him. >> Yeah. and then turned Scooby-Doo into a. speed a dune buggy. >> Yeah, >> that's speed buggy. >> Oh, was that a cartoon? >> Yeah, they went around solving mysteries. and stuff like that. >> Yeah, Wonder Bug was uh I think that was. live action. >> Oh, this was a cartoon. >> Said Marty Croft. >> This is exactly like Scooby-Doo by the. people who did Scooby-Doo, using the. same people who did the voices for. Scooby-Doo. It it just vaguely changed.

the characters. Hot Wheels was virtually. the same thing except it was about. racing clubs. There were the bad guys. and the good guys. And. >> do you know what this proves? >> What. >> is the 1970s the dune buggy was a very. popular thing? >> Mhm. >> You remember seeing those on the road? >> Mhm. >> Like I used to see them all the time. Not all the time, but in the 70s it was. a common thing. >> Yeah. >> You don't see them anymore. >> Very rarely. >> Nope. No Gremlins, no yugos, no no. Wonderbugs. >> You know, I like Gremlins. Do you? >> Uh they're okay. For me though, the.

kudigra of car design is the AMC Pacer. >> Yeah. >> It's like the for Micah kitchen of cars. Yeah. It's beautiful in all the weirdest. ways. >> So much window. >> That would be my sought after uh Hot. Wheels. If I had a Hot Wheels that I if. I just could have one Hot Wheel. >> Yeah. >> It would I don't know if that would be. it, but I'd be happy with that one. >> Now, do they have that as a Hot Wheel? >> Oh, yeah. >> Okay. And if you look up AMC Gremlin Hot.

Wheels, >> they went to town on those. They had. some with like the the intakes like. sticking out of the hood and um just all. sorts of just awesome different. variations like indie car gremlins and. stuff like that. >> Yeah, >> because and that raises a pretty good. point. Hot Wheels has always been about. the the racing design. Like they've. designed them to look like racing cars, but they've also manufactured them to. actually be able to win a race. like we. talked about with Matchbox. >> Yeah. And one of the differences uh that.

is one of the main differences between. the Matchbox and the Hot Wheel is they. were just much more interested in being. sportier. Like you could get you could. get a Matchbox like a delivery truck, >> right? >> You know, they they had they had and but. the Matchboxes looked more real. They. they all were about looking realistic. and not necessarily performance. >> Yeah. >> Um and hey, if you want a bread truck, you can get a bread truck, >> right? Exactly. But you can't get a. bread truck hot wheel, >> right? >> You know, >> uh we'll talk more about all of this jam.

right after this. [music]. [music]. >> You want to go ahead and talk about some. of the other differences between. Matchbox and Hot Wheel? Yeah, sure. >> Since we're at it, um, Matchbox or I'm. sorry, Hot Wheel is the one that is more. likely to have uh branded versions.

>> Oh, man. And do they ever. >> like the Ghostbusters Ectomobile, >> right? Um, or even more than that, like. they have a a deal with Eminem Mars for. 2015. Oh, they do. >> So, they have like a Twix trucks and a. Skittles van and like all this stuff. They have licensing with DC and Marvel. this year. Fast and the Furious. I know. they had a line. >> Yeah. So, they they're really big time. into branded and a lot of times they'll. have like a [clears throat] store will.

just have exclusives. >> access to an exclusive line of Skittles. cars or something like that that you can. only get at KB Toys. >> Yeah, I think they have a NASCAR deal, too, if I'm not mistaken. >> I would not be surprised. Uh, and the. Hot Wheels usually have a little bit um. wider a longer axle and wider wheels um. because it's just cooler if that wheel. sticks out from the body a little bit, you know. >> Well, plus also supposedly, and we'll. talk about this a little more, when you. shrink a car down to scale, it looks a.

little weird. >> Yeah, you might as well go ahead and. bring that up. >> Okay. >> It looks weird. You can't just shrink it. and have it in the same proportion and. have it look normal, >> right? like it'll be as far as like. shrinking a car down by scale. It will. be in the exact same proportion, but it. it's just off a little bit. Like so what. they do to make a Hot Wheels raceable is. they expand the wheel well a little. more. >> Yeah. >> They break it out a little bit. Yeah.

>> Which is why the wheels stick out some. on a on a Hot Wheels but not on a. Matchbox. >> That's right. Because matchboxes are all. about realism. To heck with how it looks. as long as it's real. >> Uh the um one of the my favorite ones. and I had one of these that they. mentioned this article was the Red. Baron. >> Mhm. >> The the person who wrote this said it. was an inexplicable an inexplicably cool. helmet over the cockpit. Um I don't know. about inexplicable. It was just the roof. of the car. >> was a helmet, right? >> Um but I looked it up again today and I.

was like, "Oh yeah, I had that thing.". But it was uh. It wasn't a Nazi helmet per se, but it. was that shape of the helmet, >> right? >> Uh like the US soldiers have that shape. now, you know, where it's cut lower. around the ears, >> right? >> Instead of just a straight, you know, like the World War II helmet, >> right? >> But the Nazis used those first, you. know, cuz it's a better design. >> uh for war. And it also had a a black. iron cross on the side of it. >> Well, hence the Red Baron, right? >> Yeah. But it was [clears throat] it's.

easy now as an adult to look and say, "Hm, that looks like a little Nazi hot. rod.". >> Yeah. But the Red Baron was World War I. He was pre-Nazi Germany. >> Yeah. And it was also, I think, at the. time just like looked like the biker. gang. >> Sure. >> Uh would wear like those helmet with the. iron cross. >> Yeah. And all of it was Southern. California hot rod culture is what gave. rise to Hot Wheels. So it makes sense. >> Yeah. I don't I don't think there was. any like uh surreptitious uh intent. >> Yeah. Um, so like I said, right out of. the gate, Hot Wheels was a hit. They had.

a cartoon within a year or so of the. first 16 being released. >> Sure. >> Um, the second release they had, uh, I. think 22 new cars. >> Yeah. 33 total. >> And then, um, the third year they they. had another they released 33 after that, right? >> Oh, no. Yeah, I'm sorry. 33 by 1970. >> So, they did 16, 24, and then 33. And. all of them came in like different. colors, right? So, like I said, if you. had one, that didn't mean you had them. all. You wanted to collect them all.

>> So, kids were going crazy for it. And. another way that Mattel very wisely. targeted children was to get in with. fast food. >> Yeah. >> Uh in 1970, the first Hot Wheels came. out as a toy at Jack in the Boxes. >> Oh, really? >> Yeah. The big one though, the one that. like put them over the top was in 1983. when kids who were uh lucky enough to be. taken to McDonald's for dinner, >> the happy meal. >> to get a [laughter] Exactly.

>> Hot Wheel, >> which is what they called them at the. time, uh were could get one of 14 Hot. Wheels. Yeah. >> In 1983. And they had some cool ones. They had a Chevy Citation. >> Did they really? >> Yeah. They had one that was one of my. favorites, actually. It was a um Toyota. Mini Trek, which is a like a station. wagon camper. And it even said painted. on the side, good time camper that you. could get in your Happy Meal, which if I. could have one Hot Wheel, it would.

probably be that. >> You know what they were doing now that I. look back through my adult eyes? >> Like snorting pot? >> No, they were giving you a bunch of. crappy ones because you wanted to keep. coming back to get the cool one. >> Yeah, probably. You're like, "Ah, I got. a citation." I'm like, "Can I go back. because I want to get the hot rod?". >> Right. >> That's exactly what they were doing. >> Sure, >> man. I feel so like manipulated. >> What did you think they were doing with. Happy Meals? >> Well, I mean, I know it was all. manipulation to get you to try and own.

all of them, >> right? >> But they should have been all cool ones, but you can't do that because the the. regular kid might be like, "No, I got I. got the cool one. I'm fine." But if you. get this the citation, >> right, >> you feel jipped off and you really want. to go back and get one of the hot rods. >> Yeah. >> It it's My eyes are wide open, my. friend. >> Well, that's why our friends down under. in Australia have like outlawed. marketing directly to children, which I. think is a fantastic move. >> Oh, really? >> Yeah. That's so unfair to market.

directly to children. It's just it. almost literally is like taking candy. from a baby, >> right? Like kids aren't. sophisticated enough to psychologically. defend themselves from being like. bombarded with by adults to say, "Go. tell your parents to buy you this. You. can't function correctly without this. trapper keeper, so go get it.". >> The trapper keeper. >> Yeah. >> What uh did they make a law? >> Yeah. >> Really? >> Yeah. It's a big one. Very progressive. law. I think all countries should adopt.

Um, well, in 1983, I agree. wholeheartedly, by the way, in 1983 is. when that Happy Meal thing happened. And. also the same year they moved from Hong. Kong to Malaysia. Um, and it and it said. that's when they added their economy. cars. So, that must have coincided with. the citation. >> Yeah, the citation, man. One of the most. disappointing Happy Meal toys you could. possibly get. >> Yeah, because it reminded you of your. dad who drove a Citation,

>> right? who was always mad. >> Yeah. [laughter]. >> Oh dear. >> So, uh, Chuckers. >> Yes. >> After 1983, not a lot happened. Hot. Wheels just kept going on, expanding. more and more and more. >> Sure. >> Um, I think they had another Happy Meals. joint in ' 91 or something like that. Um, >> and uh, in 1995 they said, "We need to. we need to do something big." And they. did. They released something called a.

treasure hunt series which was a. purposefully limited release car series. of cars. >> Yeah. >> Um I think they they did uh 12 models at. 10,000 each originally. >> and and hence the name treasure hunt. They were hard to find. >> Yeah. And one of the cooler ones for me. uh was the Oldsmobile 442. >> Yeah. The thing is neat. a dude at my uh. church had an a 442 and it was just. awesome, man. He was he had like the.

only muscle car in the youth group and. um [laughter] years like two years ago I. my brother I was talking about uh this. dude Jason Singleton. I was like, "Whatever happened to him?" He's like, "Oh, he still lives in so and so." And. he went and you know what, dude? I went, "No." He went, "He still got it.". >> Oh, yeah. Why would you get rid of it? >> He still he still has the car. I went to. his Facebook page and it is like the. center of his life. I'm sure. >> it's his baby. I mean, he's had that. thing since like 1986. and just it's juiced up and he used to.

scare the daylights out of me in that. thing. But it was also exhilarating, you. know, to be riding with him and he, you. know, like 200 feet of drag. He would. lay like power breaking and he would get. like four sets of tires a year, >> right? [laughter] He'd be in the. passenger seat going save me Jesus. [laughter]. >> Yeah. Yeah, I was very scared cuz I was, you know, I didn't flirt with the wild. side back then. >> No, the Oldsmobile 442 is as close as. you got, huh? >> Yep. It was exhilarating. >> And then, uh, so that was 1995. This.

treasure hunt thing kind of went. >> um, it didn't go exactly as planned. >> Mattel was like, "Oh, we could make even. more money if we. >> put these into wider release." Yeah. So, the original 10,000 releases were redone. again and again and again. So, Treasure. Hunt kind of became common place. >> Sure. But it was a good idea and it. tapped into this whole idea of. collecting. Like Mattel was like, "We. know you're out there and we're going to. design these just for you." Yeah. And. we'll talk more about collectors. Um but.

just to kind of button up the history of. Hot Wheels, it all came full circle in. 1996. when um Mattel bought Tao and hence Hot. Wheels bought Matchbox. >> So they're all owned by Mattel at this. point. >> Yes. >> All right. We'll get to the uh design. and collecting right after this. [music].

>> [music]. >> So, back then, if you wanted to do a smaller. version of a larger car and scale it. down, um you didn't have computer AED. design and stuff, sometimes you might. have had a blueprint, which helped, but. sometimes you just had to get out there. in the parking lot with a tape measure. Yeah. >> And just take uh some measurements and. then. >> um you know, be good at math,

>> right? basically. >> And like like we said, Harry Bradley, who's the daddy of the Hot Wheels. designs, who's the guy who did the first. 16, um he was a GM designer originally, uh in his footsteps followed Howard. Reese and then after that, Larry Wood. and they those are some of like the. legendary Hot Wheels designers. >> That's the Mount Rushmore of Hot Wheels. >> pretty much. Yeah. Um and yeah, they. would just literally go out and and. measure these things. And that was one. way that Hot Wheels were born. Another.

way was that, and this definitely. differentiates Hot Wheels from Matchbox, is that there are Hot Wheels that only. exist in the Hot Wheels world. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> They they are called the fantasy cars. Like they're just the designers. imagination come to life, >> right? Whereas Matchbox only, I believe, has uh red trucks. [laughter]. >> Exactly. Well, they only have cars that. are based on real cars, right? >> Right.

>> Hot Wheels has a whole fantasy line. >> It's interesting that they're owned by. the same company still and they just. have kept that distinction. >> Yeah. >> You know, I guess some people are. Matchbox kids and some kids are Hot. Wheels kids. I had both, I think. >> I had a bread truck. >> Is that why you keep going to the bread. truck? Well, >> no, I didn't have a bread truck, but I. do remember having a couple of like. weird utility type vehicles. >> Uh that I don't remember. They were. probably gifts or stocking stuffers or. something. I don't think I like sought. it out.

>> I was always into Tonka trucks. I. thought Tonka was great. They were. obviously much bigger, but those were. like construction vehicles, like dump. trucks and stuff like that. And still. today, um that Volvo dump truck, the. giant one. >> Yeah. >> Um with the huge wheels, I think is one. of the coolest vehicles ever created. Yeah, >> I think I had one of those when I was a. kid. >> I didn't have a lot of Tonka stuff. >> Um, one of my favorite Hot Wheels though. was the Little Red Express truck. >> I don't remember that. >> If you saw it, you might it might ring a.

bell. It was basically uh can't remember. what kind of truck it was. I think it. was a Dodge, but it was just a cool red. stepside pickup truck and it had the two. uh the two vertical mufflers on each. side that went up above the truck. >> I think I know what you're talking. about. Yeah. >> Yeah. It's really cool. And if you go to. the um the uh Peterson Automotive Museum. in LA. >> Oh yeah, >> they have a really cool exhibit there. that I haven't been to in person, but I. was looking at it online. Permanent. exhibit where they have the real life.

versions of the Hot Wheel cars and they. have a little red express truck, a full. size one. Yeah. And I saw it and I was. like, whoa. >> Did you just die from nostalgia? >> Might have teared up a little bit at the. desk. Um, but they have, you know, the. the gussied up Corvettes with the big. chrome engines coming out of the hood. And. >> do they have the 442? >> Uh, I don't know if they have the 442, but I'm. >> They will when your friend dies. >> Yeah, [laughter]. >> I bet it's in his will. >> I'll go straight to the museum.

>> Yeah. >> Uh, I'm going to go to this thing though. at some point. I don't know on this next. LA trip or not, but um it's right there. near the Labraa Tarpits, I think. >> Oh, yeah. >> So, I want to go check it out. >> I've been there. >> Yeah, >> it's neat. >> It is neat. Uh but back to the design, these days you're not going to need a. tape measure and stuff like that. You're. going to Photoshop uh designs and you're. going to even get a 3D printer to maybe. do your prototype. >> That had to have helped them. tremendously. Oh, yeah. Because, you. know, with if you're designing real life.

cars and you have a 3D printer, that's. pretty handy. But with Hot Wheels, like. you can print out pretty much exactly. what it's going to look like. Sure. And. once they have the um the uh prototype. done, they'll make a they'll make a mold. out of it and then inject it with molten. metal under tremendous pressure. >> Yeah. >> And that's why it's called diecast. You. create a dye that you cast all of the. ensuing ones from. >> Yeah. And I think they're made with less. metal than they used to be. >> Um but they they still have metal.

components, right? >> Oh, yeah. >> I haven't seen a new one in a while. I. haven't either, but I'm almost positive. they do. And apparently they're still. about like a dollar. >> Oh, really? >> Yeah. I was on the Hot Wheels collector. site today and like they kept making. reference to about a dollar. So So just. what's called the mainline. >> Yeah. >> The ones that they make on mass, >> the citation. >> Exactly. Um I'll bet if you got your. hands on that 1983 citation, it'd be. worth a few bucks. You're right. >> Um but they kept referring to the the. mainline stuff. So about a dollar. Well,

they've just kept making their. manufacturing cheaper and cheaper, so. they've maintained that cost, I guess. >> Yeah. Uh, so as far as collecting goes, uh, the most valuable, and that is not, um, this crazy one made out of diamonds. for the 40th anniversary, uh, which. we'll talk about in a minute, but the. most valuable regular hot wheel is the, uh, the 68 Beach Bomb, which was a VW. bus in hot pink that had um, real. surfboards sticking out of the back of.

it. >> Yeah. Originally, um, they only. released, I think, 25 of them like that. There were a couple of problems. It was. difficult to manufacture them with the. surfboards sticking out of the back, even though it was more realistic. >> Sure. >> And it also um was terrible on like a. loop-de-loop track. >> Yeah. >> Cuz I guess the surfboards would either. weigh them down or it would get stuck. >> Yeah. >> So, they they only made just a few of. these things. the the beach bomb that. was the highest selling um the Hot. Wheels ever was a pink one. They made.

even fewer of those because apparently a. lot of boys were like, "I'm not playing. with some pink van even if it does have. cool surfboards sticking out of the. back.". >> So the thing sold for like I think 70. something $75,000. in 2000. Yeah. And it has since sold. again in 2011 I saw in like LA magazine. for like 125,000. >> Yeah. It's a lot of money for a tiny. little car. >> Yeah, it is. And that's the highest one. ever apparently. Um by a long shot, too.

>> Yeah. Um I mean I've seen others that. were worth like uh 10 grand and stuff. like I think one of those 442 originals. is like 10 grand. >> Yeah. I guess like a 1970 mongoose or. Cobra are worth about 10 grand these. days. Um, and a lot of them, just like. with any collector's item, um, you'll. see if there was just a few of them. made, obviously they're going to be. worth a lot more. Um, if there was. something that where they adjusted the. design, like for example, the uh, Python.

was originally called the Cheetah. >> Yeah. And then they found out that a. real life executive with real life. lawyers at GM owned the name Cheetah. >> Yeah. >> Because apparently GM executives just. own names for cars that could. potentially be used. >> like every anast animal name. >> Right. Exactly. Uh so they changed it to. the the Python, but they're they that. was after they'd started manufacturing. the cheetah. So there's some out there. that say cheetah. >> Yeah. >> Uh stamped on the bottom. And if you. have one of those, it's worth 10 grand.

>> Yeah. It's funny to think about. It's. the same with Star Wars. Like sometimes. the the mistake ones are the ones that. are super valuable because. >> like there was some recall, but they're. like, "Oh, but you want that one. >> because the uh Boba Fett's rocket really. shot out before kids started choking on. them, >> right? Or catching on fire.". >> Yeah. And that's the one you want. >> Yeah. >> But like you said, it's all about. scarcity and supply and demand. >> Dude, this whole thing has reminded me. of um a really great gallery I put. together about hilarious knockoff toys.

>> Oh, that's a good one. >> Yeah. Go to stuffyougenc.com and look. that up. It's pretty awesome. There's. some really strange interpretations of. beloved toys, including Star Wars toys, that people. >> who make counterfeit toys come up with. to try to skirt trademark law maybe or. something. Or else they just fully don't. understand the toy and what its allure. is, so they just make it in this weird. interpretation. It's pretty hilarious. stuff. >> Yeah, it's a good one. We'll post that. again. >> Okay. Um, and then I did mention the.

diamond studded one. I always think. these things are just ridiculous, but. um, like to take any like the diamond. studded bra was worth, you know. >> Oh, yeah. I forgot million bucks. I just. always think it's kind of dumb. But they. did make a 40th anniversary in uh. edition in 19 I'm sorry in 2008 with uh. 2700 little diamonds and rubies for tail. lights and uh black diamonds for the. tires and all that stuff. 18 karat white.

gold body. But um it's worth 140 or it. cost $140,000 to put together. But I'm sure you know. >> it's goddy. It's a gaudy Hot Wheels. >> Yeah. >> The car is cool. It looks like Mad Max's. car. Oh, you got Is that a picture of. it? Yeah, I don't think I saw that. >> Can you identify that car? >> Uh, what is that? It looks familiar. >> It does look familiar to me. >> Sort of like a Delorean, but I don't. think it is. >> I don't think so either. >> No, man. That new Mad Max looks good, though. >> Oh, they're remaking Mad Max.

>> Well, there's a a new. reboot, I guess, is what they call it. these days. >> Cool. Who's in it? >> Um, what's his face? Uh, that played uh. Bane. >> Um, who's that guy? Tom uh Tom, what's. his face? >> Hu? >> No, not Tom Hston. But uh it looks it's. the same director. >> Tom Hardy. >> Yeah, Tom Hardy. But it's the same. director from all the MadMax series. So. it's. >> Oh, really? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. And it just looks. the whole It's supposed to be just like.

one long intense chase battle. >> Yeah. >> Sounds a lot like a Mad Max movie. Yep. That's what you want. >> Have you ever seen Vanishing Point? >> Uh I think so. What is that? It was like. uh man, I can't remember the car, but. the car was basically the star. It was. one long car chase from like. >> I think um Colorado to California. >> Yeah, I remember that. >> That's a good one from the 70s. >> Yeah, two-lane black top, too. >> Challenger. >> That's another Challenger. The car.

>> Yeah, >> I haven't seen that one. >> Yeah, that's a good one. That one. weirdly had uh James Taylor in it. [laughter]. >> when he was young and like on drugs and. cool. Were they apologizing to France? >> No, I don't know what the deal was. >> Did you hear about that? >> No. >> So that whole Charlie Hebdo um like. solidarity march, the US sent like Yeah. >> I think the assistant deputy in charge. of the USDA or something like that. >> Um so to apologize, John Kerry had um.

James Taylor go to France to perform. You've Got a Friend. >> Shut up. >> For the French government. >> Yeah. Just talk about embarrassing. I. know. Isn't it? >> Send Guns and Roses or something at. least like [laughter] Well, not send. guns Guns and Roses from 1988. >> I I would like Guns and Roses, man. >> Oo. >> Uh, one more thing about collecting. If. you wanted to be the coolest collector. of Hot Wheels on the planet, you would.

have to build a time machine and go back. to 1987 to my hometown of Toledo, Ohio. >> Oh, yeah. which is where the first ever. Hot Wheels convention, collector's. convention was held. I really wish I. would have gone to that because I was. there at the time. >> What year was it? >> 87. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. >> I can't believe we sent James Taylor. I'm still just like, >> yeah, >> I can't focus on anything. >> Well, if you want to know more about. James Taylor or Hot Wheels or just about.

anything there is in the universe, you. can type it into the search bar at. houseuffworks.com. And uh since I said search bar, it's. time for listener mail. >> Uh I'm going to call this um minimum. wage argument, not argument, proposal. >> All right. >> Uh listen to how homelessness works from. quite a few years ago. And you guys. commented that part of the problem was. that low minimum wage in comparison to. cost of renting a two-bedroom apartment. [music]. Uh you'd have to work something like 87. per hours uh 87 hours per week to afford. it. With the implication we need to.

raise minimum wage. Uh after hearing. this, a clear solution occurred to me. I. think uh disagreements on raising. minimum wage as a result was simple. misunderstanding. Uh on the raise side, people believe this wage should be set. at a level that would allow someone to. raise a few children and live a modest. but reasonably comfortable level or at. least a safe level. On the don't raise. it side, people believe minimum wage is. just a starting point for working. Uh. like for teenagers at their summer job. or after school. Uh this side believes.

workers should uh were never intended to. and should not expect to be able to. support a family that pays minimum wage. Uh so here's my solution. Since we're a democracy here, let's just. decide what it is supposed to accomplish. and then set it at the appropriate level. to do that. If we decide as a nation. that someone should be able to raise a. family, rent a two-bedroom apartment. while earning a wage, minimum wage, let's just figure out what that would. cost and set the wage there. or figure. in rent, clothing, food, uh, [music]. utilities, transportation, etc. Let's.

say it's 27 grand per year, then set it. at that rate. On the other hand, if we. as a nation [music] decide that minimum. wage is just a starting point and not. meant to support a family, it's intended. for people with no work history or. experience and low to no marketable. skills, and we need to set minimum wage. at a relatively low level and let the. market uh, the free market will. ultimately determine the wage for entry-. level workers. and workers historically. have been able to increase compensation. by gaining skills and good work history. Uh with this settled, any argument about.

setting minimum wage at a living wage. would be mistaken because we all just. decided that people are not [music]. meant to live on minimum wage and. certainly not meant to support a family. That is from Joe Prohaskca in uh Reno, Nevada. And uh interesting. I look forward to. seeing the rebuttal emails. >> Yeah, I love that kind of stuff. Yeah, >> it's a great proposal. I mean, I I think. that is what it's based on. >> Sure. >> But as far as I know, the cost of living. calculations are really out of date.

>> Yeah. >> And take a lot of stuff into account. that doesn't really apply any longer. >> Plus, regardless of what you think it. should or should not be, the fact is. adults with two kids are still going to. be working these jobs. It's not just. going to be teenagers looking to. advance. But it would be nice to to put. that issue to bed to say like this is. what we're trying to achieve or this is. not what we're trying to achieve, >> right? >> At the very least to get everybody. talking. >> Yeah. Cuz should some teenager at his. first job make like 14 bucks an hour? >> I don't know. >> I don't know if that's sending the right.

message either. >> I don't know. >> I don't know. >> We'll leave it up to you guys, our dear. listeners. >> When I started working, it was like. three bucks an hour or something. It was. ridiculously low. >> That is ridiculously low. >> Yeah. Uh, if you want to let us know how. you feel about Joe's proposal, was it. Joe? >> I believe it was Joe. >> Reno Joe. >> Reno Joe. >> Uh, you can tweet to us at syskodcast. You can post it on facebook.com/stuffyou. should know. You can put it in an email.

at stuffpodcast@ousstuffworks.com. [music]. And, uh, just for kicks, you can hang. around our home on the web, stuffyous. knowow.com. For more on this [music] and thousands. of other topics, visit house. stuffworks.com. Hey friends, just want to let you know. our friends at Squarespace have. partnered with the dude Jeff Bridges in.

a really cool thing called. www.dreamingwithff.com. And this is something Jeff Bridges. actually came up with. It's a project. where he has his friends in various. locations around LA with these cool. relaxing sounds and guided meditations. and stories designed to lull you asleep. It's really neat. And he's also the face. of No Kid Hungry, which is a great. charity group you should look into. So. check out ww.dreamingwith.com. dreamingwithjff.com. and uh see what the dude in Squarespace. has going.