1968: The year Mattel launched the Redline Era

You can view the page at [url=http://www.redlinesonline.com/vb/content.php?150-1968-The-year-Mattel-launched-the-Redline-Era]http://www.redlinesonline.com/vb/content.php?150-1968-The-year-Mattel-launched-the-Redline-Era[/url]

Donald, thank you for posting this. It is ironic that you mention this:

[B]Sep 7[/B] [COLOR=red][B]Hot Wheels were launched by Mattel.

[/B][/COLOR][B]Nov 6[/B] Richard Nixon was elected 37th President of USA.

I have a Sept 1968 issue of LIFE Magazine with Richard Nixon on the cover with a story of him becoming the next president and inside is a Mattel Hot Wheels as that I have always treasured.

[video]http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/c9f155bc40bc77f613cab17617f43157f58330f.jpg[/video]

[QUOTE=redlinemanJK;416311]
I have a Sept 1968 issue of LIFE Magazine with Richard Nixon on the cover with a story of him becoming the next president and inside is a Mattel Hot Wheels as that I have always treasured.

[video]http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/c9f155bc40bc77f613cab17617f43157f58330f.jpg[/video][/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=;][/QUOTE]
The picture from LIFE looks like it came straight off the 1968 TV ad.

:laugh::laugh::001_smile::001_smile:

[B][URL="http://todayinspacehistory.wordpress.com/2007/12/21/december-21-1858-apollo-8-launches-into-orbit/"]December 21, 1968 – Apollo 8 launches into orbit[/URL][/B]

[URL="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Ap8-KSC-68PC-329.jpg"][IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/Ap8-KSC-68PC-329.jpg/398px-Ap8-KSC-68PC-329.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL="http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1968.html"]Lots of memories here too http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1968.html[/URL]

Thanks for the great photo. I can't believe I missed that one! :blush::001_tongue:

You know what they say about getting old.

First thing to go is...

what was I saying.:001_tongue:

[QUOTE=;][/QUOTE]
Donald, the LIFE ad very well could have been from a Mattel TV ad, I remember those commercials for HWs, Creep Crawlers, etc., seems like yesterday.

:wink:

[QUOTE=;][/QUOTE]
In 1968 I was 7. Too young to fully understand the radical political climate that was that was unfolding all around me. I do remember my parents being glued to the T.V. (black & white with no remote) looking for news about the Vietnam War & other current news. The Appollo space missions were of great importance to me. Our school would bring in a T.V. for us to watch the ones that happened during school hours. My parents owned a 1967 Delta 88 Oldsmobile with power windows, my brother and I would have window races as we drove down the road!! I received my first Hot Wheel track set but I don't recall the cars at this time, 1 was green. I dreamed of owning a schwinn "krate" bike with it's harley style springer front fork. The $50.00 price tag was a lot out of my parents affordability at that time!! As you can tell the 1960's are a very fond period for me. Thanks for taking me back!!

[QUOTE=;][/QUOTE]
Sept 7 ... Why do you believe that this was the date of the release? Have any documentation supporting this?

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There has been an entry on Wikipedia since September 27, 2004 showing Sept 7 as the release date. I do not know who wrote the original entry and where they got their information. However, there are numerous sites that have used that date on their websites, and they may or may not have used Wikipedia as their source.

I see no reason to question the date. It has been in a Wiki article for the past eight years and no one challenged it, including Mattel.

If someone could have provided evidence that Sept. 7 is incorrect, there was nothing stopping them from coming forward and having the date changed.

[U][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Wheels"]Wikipedia Article[/URL][/U]

[U][URL="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hotwheels/110334465654882"]Facebook Hot Wheels Page[/URL]
[/U]
[U][URL="http://www.ehow.com/list_6825337_hot-wheels-clubs-ohio.html"]Hot Wheels Clubs in Ohio[/URL][/U]

[U][URL="http://diecaststickerman.webs.com/mboxhotwheelshistory.htm"]Diecast Collector & Restoration[/URL][/U]

etc.

DW