#373 HOT WHEELS! - CRACK UPS (1985 and 1986)

As a kid, when I was maybe four years old, I got a Hot Wheels track. It had the form of an X, with two launchers on two edges and two rubber bands on the opposite sides. By pushing the big red buttons on the launchers, two cars would accelerate towards the middle of the track, and sometimes they would collide with each other. The first car was an american police car, the second one a red sports car.

The interesting part of the game was the cars. They belonged to a special series of Hot Wheels! called "Crack Ups". Then they crashed, some part would change its aspect to simulate a real crash. In this case, one front door of the police car and the front of the runaway sports car passed from looking "normal" to "wrecked". The good thing about it, is that they could be repaired again for the next crash: those parts were fix with a spring, that allowed to turn it in a way that one of two sides was visible, and the opposite side remained hidden, creating an amazing effect.

The Police Car can also be decorated as a taxi or fire chief car. In this case, I own the white (Crash Patrol) and also the light blue (Crunch Chief) versions, both with police decoration, and both from 1985.

As you can deduce from the description above, these cars had quite a rough play. They are difficult to find in good condition. Although I lost mine, I have later found the same models I had in good condition. The "Cruiser" is especially fragile, since the bonnet of the car is made of plastic, and it is sometimes missing. There are various versions made of this model: the four depicted in the picture below and even more that I do not own.

Basher in yellow from 1985 

Stocker Smasher in red from 1986

Smash Mobile in Maroon from 1986

Smash Mobile in blue from 1986

These series was, I think, quite successful, since there were many models with this feature made in later years. The two models described above were the first ones (1985), but later, more models were released, all of them with many different decorations, colours and tampographies. Cars were available in individual blister packs, or in special boxes with playsets, like the one shown at the beginning of this article.

Apart from these two, I also have some models that I am presenting now:

Top Bopper in silver (top crash) from 1985
Bangster in green (top crash) from 1985

200SX Smash Hit in green (rear crash) from 1985

  

Side Grinder in black (side crash) from 1986

In case I find more, they will be posted in this same entry.

UPDATE:

Sport Crasher in black from 1985 

UPDATE2 (JAN/2017): Patrol Crash with a different base. I bought it to resell it, but now I will keep it. This one seems to be more modern.

UPDATE 3 (NOV/2019): This is a new model, called

Front Ender in red from 1986 (Based on a Buick Regal)

UPDATE 4 (FEB/2023): This is a new model, called

Blind Sider in white from 1986

 

 

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: Hot Wheels! Crack Ups: Crash Patrol, Crunch Chief, Stocker Smasher, Basher, Smash Mobile, Top Bopper, Bangster, Smash Hit, Side Grinder and Front Ender.
• Alternate Names: Auto da Scontro (Italy)
• Scale: Approx 1:64
• Year: 1985 and 1986
• Company: Hot Wheels! - Mattel (U.S.A.)
• Size: Approx. 6 to 7 cm