Matchboxes rule, Hot Wheels drool

Sweet Greyhound Scenicruisers straight from the 50s.

If you missed it, check out Part 1, What's Your Favorite Matchbox?

Greyhound PD-4501 Scenicruisers

All righty, I’ve hired a spelunking team and we’ve reached the catacombs of my mini Matchbox collection. First up this week is a pair of sweet, sweet Greyhounds. These beautiful babies are sportin’ those delicious vintage orange windows and these things even have most of their decals left. One is in better condition than the other, but I think this style is pretty cool with the raised roof in the rear. They were Greyhound Scenicruisers from the mid-1950s.

You know these things are packed with hope and heartbreak, going from NYC to LA, home from the war, or back to a lover. Here’s a cool, albeit a bit jumpy, video of one running.

Vista-tastic! Just look at these gorgeous greenhouses.

Comin' or goin' these beautiful babies cruise in style.

1964 Chevy Impala Taxi

Next is what looks to be a 1964 Impala four-door Taxi. These seem to be in all the backgrounds of car-chase scenes from the mid-1960s all the way through ChiPs. This post-fin version I think has clean lines and just embodies that Deeetroit Float. You know this thing just rolled around corners and pitched over the hills in San Francisco in the peripheral vision of the Bullitt Mustang. This one was produced from 1965-68 according to the Matchbox Fandom page. This particular one sports a driver and still has its trailer hitch.

Where ya headed Mac? I tried to give this one a little Super 8 vintage feel.

Aerodynamics, smooth as a brick.

Deeetroit Float.

Now we jump across the pond a bit to Germany with this gorgeous Unimog. These things had many, many uses and as a rally driver, I’ve seen them used most often as radio relay trucks for the New England Forest Rally, Rally New York, and Black River Stages. I’ve always thought these things were the coolest go-anywhere rigs with room to sleep in the back if necessary.

Unimagic.

1967 Mercedes Unimog

This sample’s on the cheery side with its bright color palette. I see this type maybe on a pastoral farm somewhere nestled in an alpine valley in Austria, with a bed full of strudel, pretzels, and bier. I like the colors on this rig and the spare tire tucked in underneath the bed is a cool detail.

Mercedes Unimog, Matchbox style.

Home on the farm. Let's round up some strudel.

How many kegs of bier vil dees hold?

Wendy?!? Light of my life! Would you like an ice cream?

1963 Commer Ice Cream Canteen

OK, now it’s time for ice cream. This one, to me, for some reason reminds me of the last scene in The Shining, when the Jack Nicholson character is shown in the historic picture at an Overlook Hotel function from years past. He’s sort of frozen in time, arms outstretched, smiling that Jack smile. Same with our friendly ice cream hawker here, frozen in time.

This rig has a cool, large sunroof and the truck is open on both sides. I see it parked in a tourist destination somewhere near the White Cliffs of Dover. This one was produced by Matchbox in 1967. There was another version too, made from 1963-66. That one had a different livery, but this one’s a bit more cheery.

So that’s what I have for now. I’m about three-quarters of the way through the case. Still to come are a couple of Lotus Grand Prix racecars, some farm trucks, a Snow-Trac and a couple of cool BP tow trucks, among others.

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