Matchbox 2000 Time Capsule of the Day

Unlike the Shovel Nose Tractor this Earth Mover still solders on even in 2020, though over time its variations, name (Faun), and metal dump bed have disappeared though the basic casting remains.  Earth Movers are the largest dump trucks on earth as they are designed for large mining sites where heavy rock must be transported and a typical dump truck cannot handle all of that weight.  Using a V-16 diesel engine this dump truck has no problems carrying the heavy loads across the site, buuuut never ever do they go into town thanks to their gigantic size!  Introduced in 1977 the dump truck was based on the actual Faun trucks and uses a metal cab position on the left, detailed headlights, grille and FAUN name stamped on the front (the Faun name was removed after a few years).  In 1984 a crane version was released, though the crane got less use compared to the dump truck.  To the right of the cab is the radiator and exhaust for the motor, while at the rear is t...

This casting was considered one of the longest-serving member of the 1-75 line since it was introduced in 1976 and still does see some occasional use today, the Shovel Nose Tractor.  Unlike other shovel vehicles which likely have a tank track setup, this version uses a tractor body similar in design to the Mercedes Trac with the engine up front and the cab in the middle with four construction tires at each end.  The front has a shovel that works up and down, detailed engine on the sides of the front with a hood scoop on the top, ladder on the sides for access to the cab pinched by the large wheels, and at rear is a trailer hitch for towing.  Over the years the formula has stayed the same with a few times the shovel is replaced by another accessory, and this 2000 version stays the same in green with yellow trim (John Deere anyone?) and light mud graphics on the sides.  Eventually sometime in the mid-2000’s the shovel nose finally got a break from the 1-75 line...

In the 1980’s the Convoys were in full-swing at Matchbox so there was lots of cabs and trailers to mix and match, and some of the cabs were sold as singles in the 1-75 line, and one of them was this Peterbilt truck that saw uses as a tanker truck, dump truck, and this cement truck.  For 2000 the cement truck came back in flat white with dirt on the sides, BILT on the doors, and even the Pete badge on the sides of the hood.  The rear section incorporates the tilting cement drum that rotates in its gray retainer and also has a recess in the metal body for the drum to sit in.  The Peterbilt has been in use since 1982 and has the classic long-nose hood with tall grille, attached quad headlights, side air intake and exhaust stacks that can bend underweight, and six 8-spoke treaded tires.  The interior does not show much with the exception of a detailed driver in the driver’s seat, while the Matchbox 2000 logo is located on the roof of the cab.  This cement an...

The rest of the trucks in this series are construction veterans that get some simple decos that also come with mud splatter as a nice touch, and one of them is this excavator released in 1981 and is based on the Atlas Excavator.  Excavators are designed to take out the most difficult part of a construction site: digging out those holes, especially when they are large ones, or transferring dirt or debris from one site to another.  This Matchbox version is so nicely done that it caused Hot Wheels to stop using the new Excavator casting that debut in 1997 (around the time Mattel bought ownership of Matchbox brand) and it is still in use today even though the shovel is now non-moveable.  This one sports a simple yellow cab with realistic side graphics and dirt on the bottom, and while the cab is metal the base is plastic with faux tracks as the machine moves with military wheels on the base.  The metal cab does rotate 360 degrees and with the moveable arm and shov...

This is a make-up casting from the original 1999 release:  In 1999 the last series that ended in number 100 was supposed to have three castings that migrated from the 1998 sound and flashing series, and while the UFO and Missile Launcher have made it into the 1-100 line, the last three did not: the Ice Cream Truck (Snack Truck) was replaced with the Chevy 4x4 Van, the Tow Truck replaced with the Chevy Camaro Police, and the Ford F-350 rescue truck replaced with the Jeep Cherokee.  That F-350, based on the new and separate Super Duty line released in 1999, was used more in 2000 with a 1:64 collectible version and a 1:18 scale model, so this was the time for Matchbox to try the F-350 casting again for the 1-100 line and it was successful this time around.  The new truck is slightly smaller than the lights and sounds casting with a new utility bed that also incorporates a dump bed that can tilt back; if only the dump bed had a back lid it would be rather useful. ...

Now for the final vehicle in this rescue series and it is brand new for 2000 and something totally different: a battering ram!  Battering rams are heavily-armored vehicles that are designed to enter conflicted areas to bring peace while protecting the law enforcement and the bodystyles can range from simple trucks to small tanks and this truck takes it nearly to the latter with six construction tire wheels, metal body and base, and a tank style gun at the back in white.  The front push bumper pulls out and when it does the gun in the back rotates; this does get in the way of an interior not like it needed it.  The body has nice details that are pretty accurate to most battering ram (or tanks for that matter) and the simple blue and Police decos are very pleasing.  This casting, unfortunately, did not get much use after a few years which are a shame since this wild casting is also very close to the real thing! Specifications: ·  Engine: Turbodiesel...

The new fourth-generation Camaro was sleeker than before with a cab-forward look that is aerodynamic even if a pain to work on the engine from under the hood.  Matchbox released the Camaro Z28 in 1994 and mostly the car seemed invisible thanks to the Tyco-era swash of graphics and wild colors (the Camaro looked better in the Matchbox Premiere series with realistic and clean details).  In 1996 an unlikely turn came up that ultimately made a permanent fixture to this casting: add roof lights and call it a police car.  The Camaro police have been in use more times than the stock version and still continued on for at least a few more years; this version is painted white with the D.A.R.E drug resistance campaign on the sides of the doors with the D.A.R.E. lion.  The sleek look is still there and looks good in the clean white appearance, though the triangular roof lights tend to ruin the look (the V-shaped lights would’ve looked better), the interior is nicely done ...

Matchbox has made a lot of different tow trucks over the years, but none has been used as much as this GMC Wrecker that debut in 1988.  Now for some clarity: despite the release of the new 1988 Chevy and GMC full-size pickups that year the new design was only for the 1500 series as the 2500-3500 heavy duty and SUV’s retained the old squarebody look until 1991; this tow truck is likely based on a regular cab 3500 chassis cab.  I say this because the front grille with GMC logo and square quad headlights looks the same on both the new and old GMC pickups.  To add to the tow truck look is a beefy front bumper with bars to push vehicles, diamond plate running boards, roof lights, and a rear boon that can lower with the press of the arm and retract back when released.  The hook is moveable (at least until 2018) and can attach to many vehicles ‘with some sort of recess on the base to latch onto.’ if not the vehicle can easily slide off the hood.  Due to the wor...

As mentioned in past posts the Ford Econoline vans have been abundant between 1997 and 2000 with the addition of the panel van in 2000 and the box van in 1999.  The first of these was the Ford Econoline Ambulance, released in 1997 to replace the age-old generic Chevrolet ambulance that has been around for a few decades.  The upright look is boxy and all-metal with detailed lights (separate light bar on top of the cab), side steps integrated into the base, and the familiar Econoline front-end with square headlights and the pre-1997 eggcrate grille without the round outer oval that the box van and panel van have.  Unfortunately, this new castings lacks the old ambulance’s opening doors and even an interior despite the increase of window space, plus not to mention the new plastic base without a working suspension.  Despite these negatives this casting got some good use and has produced some nice variations, such as this clean silver with Matchbox EMT heart beep l...

Matchbox has made a lot of Ford police cars over the years, and this 1997 example is just another one of them, released in 1997 alongside the Ford Ambulance (which is also in this series).  The Crown Vic got the aero look that started at Ford with the Ford Sierra and then to the 1986 Taurus, so in 1992 the Crown Vic lost the boxy look of its predecessor for a sleeker design.  In 1997 the rear-end was updated with taillights that span the rear and canted down toward the center, sort of like the rear of a 1959 Chevy Impala.  This version is nicely done in white with a nod to the Ocean City, New Jersey police on the doors and even detailed headlights and taillights.  The front has a detailed grille with slim headlights, 5-spoke wheels, and a detailed base that would become metal in 2001.  Despite the tall stance it never had a working suspension, though the interior has some nice details and one of them being the speed reader and CB radio on top of the dashb...

When the new C5 Corvette premiered in 1997 Matchbox went all-out not only creating the new casting, but also creating the First Shots version with a bare metal zamac as the second vehicle and about four or five different Premiere 5-packs with C1-C4 Corvettes joining the new C5 tooling.  For 2000 the Corvette coupe returns to the red seen in the 1997 1-75 release, but with detailed front signal lights next to the grille slots, Corvette badge on the hood just below the twin bumps, the red roof more defined (only the targa bar B-pillar is part of the metal body), and the rear has detailed quad round taillights, reverse lamps, and RB’s Vette on the plate (who is RB?).  On first examples the Matchbox 2000 logo is on the rear window, and later versions sport a new metal base that gives some needed heft to this casting.  Despite some rough corners the casting looks great aside from lack of exterior mirrors, while the interior has detailed seats and 4-spoke steering wheel ...