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Sunday, March 13, 2016

#655 MATCHBOX - VARIOUS SUPERFAST MODELS (1973)

A few Matchbox models, all of them marked 1973. A good year!
 
N°3d Monteverdi Hai
 



 
 
N°6e Mercedes 350SL - orange model, pictured with Lamborghini Countach and Hot Rocker.
 




 
 
 
 
N°21e Rod Roller
 



 
N°27e Lamborghini Countach – two versions
 







 
N°28e Stoat (Rolamatics) – two versions
 





 
N°33d Datsun 126X
 



 
N°47d Beach Hopper (Rolamatics)
 





 
N°65d Saab Sonett III
 



 
 
N°67c Hot Rocker (Rolamatics) - green model, pictured with Lamborghini Countach and Mercedes 350SL
 





UPDATE 1 (May/2017) Added second Beach Hopper with metallic base.
 
FACTS AND FIGURES:
  • Name: MONTEVERDI HAI (Nr. 3d), MERCEDES 350SL (Nr. 6e), ROD ROLLER (Nr. 21e), LAMBORGHINI COUNTACH (Nr. 27e), STOAT (Nr. 28e), DATSUN 126X (Nr. 33d), BEACH HOPPER (Nr. 47d), SAAB SONNET III (Nr. 65d) and HOT ROCKER (Nr. 67c)
  • Scale: Approx. 1:64
  • Year: 1973
  • Company: Matchbox (Great Britain)
  • Size: Around 8 cm

Thursday, March 10, 2016

#654 MOTU - SY-KLONE vs. SPIKOR (1985)


Sy-Klone and Spikor are two of the figures I keep since my childhood, and therefore are among my favorites.
From my point of view, Spikor is based on an amazing concept, has a great action feature (I include.here its plastic spike skin) and an impressive colour and accesory. I like everything in this figure, for example the cool head with spikes and yellow eyes, which give it a very menacing look. The extendable fork/hand in combination with the twist waist is also great. Spikor´s skin, unfortunately, is after so many years a bit fragile. One of the spikes almost fell while I was cleaning it, and I had to glue it with superglue. I will be very careful with the figure from now on.
By the way... for the variant collectors. This figure of Spikor is Made in France.
Something similar can be said of Sy-Klone, as a kid I loved its colour combination with yellow/blue/red. Very basic colours. Today I am not so fond of it, but I still love its action feature, and its futuristic look with the image on its chest and the ring over its head. The first version I had was bought in Spain (marked "France") and had soft head. The versions with soft head can be usually found without the red ring over it. When biting the head (yes, we all did that), the ring tended to fall off. Later I got a hard head version (not marked with any Country of Origin - "No COO") in which that same ring is much more difficult to detach. Its only accesory was a round yellow shield.

I think this figure would later inspire Tornadorr/Spinwit, that featured a similar move, but, in my opinion, made perfect. 
Both figures get some additional points for its own designed body cast, making them very different from all the others. This is for me a very important thing.
FACTS and FIGURES:
  • Name: SY-KLONE (Ref. 7997) and SPIKOR (Ref. 7986)
  • Toy Line: MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (Wave 4)
  • Year: 1985
  • Company: Mattel (U.S.A.)
  • Size of the figures: Around 14 cm
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