It came from the Sketchpad…

During the show rod era of the 1960s and ’70s, wild sketches done for magazines became full-size cars, 1/24-scale plastic model cars and/or 1/64-scale diecast cars. Shown here are four examples that came from Rod & Custom magazine. First, the Horn Toad. Before there was a Horn Toad, there was this sketch by Tom Daniel

Tonka Scramblers

“Another innovation for Tonka!” This four-page brochure announced the launch of eight Tonka Scramblers in 1971. It highlighted their “Torque Thrust” spring motors. The Tonka Scramblers were spring powered and featured a metal body and chassis. Three of the eight cars are shown here. Tonka Scramblers were available in a display box. One panel of

“The Wild World of Custom Show Rods”

This one-page, one-sided flyer is from 1986. When these model kits appeared in Monogram’s 1987 catalog, it was the first time they’d been offered in years. The Big Red Baron had last appeared in a Monogram catalog in 1971, Pie Wagon in 1974, and Bad Medicine and T’rantula in 1976. All four kits were designed

Tootsietoy Super Slicks

Tootsietoy Super Slicks were in Strombecker catalogs from 1971 through 1982. With a twin-engine bubble top show rod, a C-Cab and four dune buggies, these “die-cast metal fun cars” reflected custom car fads of the ’60s and ’70s. Each car had a metal body and a plastic chassis. The Super Slicks Six Pack, a box

“Stars and their Cars” by George Barris

What kind of car does a star drive? George Barris shares some stories in this paperback published in 1973. Among them: David Carradine asked Barris to paint a 1957 BMW the color of a peach. Redd Foxx had a dune buggy covered in velvet. Elvis Presley traveled in a Cadillac limo equipped with a gold-plated

Topper Toys Zoomer-Boomer

The Topper Toys Zoomer-Boomer series included 12 cars and trucks plus some accessories. The copyright date on the boxes is 1970. The cars and trucks could roll like a normal toy or be powered by a Zoomer-Boomer power unit and motor that were sold separately. The Zoomer-Boomer Motor and Case is copyright 1971. Remove two

“The One and Only Crazy Car Book”

This 48-page book is copyright 1973 by Sloan Walker and published by the Young Readers Press. It includes 35 “crazy-zany autos,” such as show rods, race cars, and TV and movie cars. The book was reprinted with a different cover in 1984 by Wanderer Books. It was joined by “The Only Other Crazy Car Book,”