I was just wondering because I have one and can not find them anywhere. I tried finding them on ebay but theres nothing. I tried using google to find information but yet nothing. Someone please give me some information. I don't know if this thing is worth anything.

well, I'm no expert, but I don't see any other replys here...

From what I can decipher from the Tomarts guide, these came out around 1983 (?)...it was Mattels attempt at making an even cheaper version of thier 99 cent car... same castings as the main ones, but I think all had plastic bases and non-opening parts.
It depends on which car you have and what condition it's in. They are listed in the Tomarts guide. Post which model it is...

:rolleyes:

well using the powers of deduction here...

cant be the 'Speed machine' cast, becuase he did say 'Speed Machines' (plural)
and I just did a quick search on e-bay and found plenty of the cast you pictured.
and yes, this was actually a whole separate line back in the 80's with different packaging.

..also this may be a still packaged car he's talking about because if he couldn't look up/find info on it, how else would he know it was a Speed Machine?

Yes, it was quite the talk back when they came out.

I mean, can you imagine? A Hot Wheel with a PLASTIC base? Even at 50 cents each they didn't sell too well around here. Who would have guessed that later almost all HWs would have plastic bases and they would still charge full price

If I remember correctly the canapy opens up on this casting.

This was the begining of HW attempt at new castings that resembled anything but a car. There was a Zombot, a shark, a snake, a bat and a few other vehicles casted that looked like animals and not cars.
Then Mattel changed the wheels to look like CD covers and called them Ultra Hots.
At least that is what it looked like they did at the time. (IMO)
I hope this helps a bit.
Richard

Good info...but just to go back to the original poist at the top and the majority of responses...
I think we pretty well determined that we are talking about the Speed Machines as a whole special release by Mattel... they ALL had basic wheels and plastic bases...and did NOT include the car pictured above... was just a co-incidence that one release of that cast was called "Speed Machine"

The casting pictured was not part of the Speed Machines line from the early 1980's. The car pictured has "SPEED SEEKER" on it.
Speed machines were simplified verisons of existing HW cars. They were painted in bright but plain enamel colors with little to no tampos.
Castings included were:
1. AMERICAN VICTORY
2. BUBBLE GUNNER
3. DUMPIN A
4. HARE SPLITTER
5. INSIDE STORY
6. LOWDOWN
7. MUSTANG STOCKER
8. PACKIN PACER
9. POISON PINTO
10 ROCK BUSTER
11 SECOND WIND
12 SHOW HOSS II
13 SPACE RACER
14 SUPER VAN
15 T TOTALLER
16 TOP ELIMINATOR
17 TURBO WEDGE
18 VEGA BOMB
19 VETTE VAN
20 Z WHIZ

I have all but the Dumpin A. These are some of mny favorite HW however they werent very successful when released are are hard to come by now.

I have all but the Dumpin A. These are some of mny favorite HW however they werent very successful when released are are hard to come by now.


Because they had a plastic base and all of us HW collectors back then thought they were pretty much junk.... I mean, really, a HW with a plastic base? What a piece of crap!!! :lol:


Who knew that is what the majority of the line would end up as... of course, i buy very few HWs now.. compared to the 2 or 3 of each car I bought back from 1980 to 1993 or so

I dont think all of them had plastic bases?
My Top Eliminator, Vega Bomb and Show Hoss II funny cars all have a metal interior/base.
Otherwise Mac is definitely right, most collectors and probably most toy buyers thought they were cheap and pale imitations.

I dont think all of them had plastic bases?
My Top Eliminator, Vega Bomb and Show Hoss II funny cars all have a metal interior/base.
Otherwise Mac is definitely right, most collectors and probably most toy buyers thought they were cheap and pale imitations.


That would make sense, a plastic base would never survive on the open body cars