Hobbies And Interests
Before the 80s
Heading into the decade of the 1980s, Mattel had well established its Hot Wheels line. Since 1968, the company had churned out such collectable toys as the Custom Cougar and Python models. Forty toy cars made up the Hot Wheels range as of 1969, while a few dozen new cars appeared at regular intervals in the next few years. Sales slowed during the 1970s though, as the Vex website notes.
Naming
A major change to the collectable nature of Hot Wheels cars occurred in the 1980s. During this decade, Mattel began to print the name of each car on the bottom end of each toy. This feature, alongside the year of introduction, allows Hot Wheels collectors to identify each toy vehicle.
Innovations
Mattel began to introduce innovations to its Hot Wheels lines starting from the beginning of the 1980s. 1980 saw the release of the first Hi-Rakers. The rake of these models could be adjusted via a separately hinged base that was attached to the toy's rear axles. In 1981, the wheels of new Hot Wheels releases became different; these new wheels had hubs painted gold and slimmer axles, which would move faster when pushed. Further speed improvement came in 1984 in the form of Ultra Hots. Real Riders wheels became available a year earlier, in 1983, and are recognizable thanks to the realistic nature of their rubber tires.
Promotions
Mattel involved its Hot Wheels toys in a few cross-brand promotions during the 1980s. A number of Hot Wheels toys were released in conjunction with McDonald's restaurant deals in 1982, while cars were also available in Kellogg's cereal boxes.
Miscellaneous
The release of new vehicles wasn't the only Hot Wheels-related news during the 1980s. Mattel released the first-ever price guide. The guide allowed collectors to see how much their models were worth. Production of the Hot Wheels lines shifted from Mexico and Hong Kong to Malaysia in 1982, while in Ohio, in the United States, the inaugural Hot Wheels Collectors Convention took place in the city of Toledo in 1987.