Yes, the name of this website is “thunderjetheaven” and it is almost exclusively a blog about Thunderjets and slot car and slot track-related activities and concerns. However, as I said in my very first posts, I was, and remain, first and foremost a 1:64 die cast collector, and particularly a connoisseur of Lesney-era Matchbox cars and accessories. To that end, I’m going to share a video here that I made back in January of 2019. This was on the 1 year anniversary of my father passing on to the next stage of life. Lately I’ve been remembering how the act of cleaning up my basement and setting up my “toy room” the previous year helped me get through that time, and so, although this was never intended for “public consumption”, I’m going to post it here. This is the first display of my Matchbox collection I set up after cleaning out and repainting this room.
As the title card of the video indicates, this is a display of those highly sought after Matchbox cars from 1969-1971 we collectors call “Transitionals”, the cars made during the changeover from the original “regular” wheels to the new “Superfast” wheels, an invention rushed into production in response to “the Hot Wheels threat.” The first Matchbox “Superfasts” hit the market right around Christmas of 1969, but the bodies were the same as the cars that came before them, making for a chaotic 1.5 year run of fascinating cross-overs and rarities. Lined up in numerical order by series number 1 through 75, these are my all-time favorite Matchboxes, and though my collection has grown since this video was made (and I’m happy to say that not all the variations I own are shown here, as I have more cars than shelf space!) I thought there might be someone out there who would enjoy seeing it, perhaps in comparison to their own collection.
These are, after all, some that cars that populate the diorama around my track, so it’s apropos.
Fear not, race fans; we will return to our regularly scheduled programming as soon as I get some yard work done!
I remember that video and really like the presentation of your collection. Mine is certainly Hodge podge and no were as extensive yet. Some beautiful cars and collection!