hot wheels-intro

[modularhalfpipe]

What ever happened to Dexter's Demon??

[smautomat]

Hey, what's this song called?

[timdub70]

Watched this show as a kid since I enjoyed playing with Hot Wheels. I even have the Jackrabbit Special Hot Wheels car but it is a little beat up after me and my brother got through with it. It happened to have an opening rear hood since the car was rear-engined. I don't think Mattel has ever brought it back since they have reissued several classics in the past.

[Keven19741]

In reference to ccie12933. if you ever followed the Speed Racer series on T.V. , Spritle and Chim Chim were always NEVER in the trunk of the Mach V whenever Speed would cross the finish line at the end of a race. And furthermore, Speed Racer may have appeared to be cocky at times, but he was always confident of winning a race. So therefore I stand on my statement.

[andersport]

Jacke Wheeler and the Jack Rabbit Special, Speed Racer and the Mach V, Tom Slick and the Thunderbolt Greaseslapper, Tinker and Speed Buggy Peter Perfect and the Turbo Terrific in the Cartoon Network 200 at Watkins Glen. I would like see that.

[andersport]

Jacke Wheeler and the Jack Rabbit Special, Speed Racer and the Mach V, Tom Slick and the Thunderbolt Greaseslapper, Tinker and Speed Buggy Peter Perfect and the Turbo Terrific in the Cartoon Network 200 at Watkins Glen. I would like see taht.

[breseemaxwell]

Is this show lost?

[tdickensheets]

Is this diffet with new Hot Wheels cartoon?

[bangsmoke]

This cartoon was taken off the air by the FCC after one year because they determined it was merely a half hour commercial for the cars made by Mattel.

The main character was voiced by none other than Albert Brooks.

[SteveCarras]

@bangsmoke

And this premiering in the year that Linus the Lionhearted got cancalled, and for the very same reasons [involving Post/General Foods rather than Mattel..]

[kirosuks]

@SteveCarras Wow your right! Was it a matter of getting people to think about racing?

[Keven19741]

My money would have been on Speed Racer beating all of those guys in the Mach 5.

[ccie12933]

@Keven19741 No way -- the Hot Wheels guys don't have monkeys or little kids in the trunk weighing them down.

[diecastracerx]

most excellent engine sound fx

[jtj909]

where did you get that video.... do you have any episodes?

[flapdoodle64]

Yeah, FCC took this off the air because it was indeed just a toy commercial. Luckily, Reagan came 1981 and ever since that time toy companies and corporations have been able to rape the minds of children with impunity. America FTW!!!

[Shoknifeman]

@flapdoodle64 Actually, this was a fun show, not just a commercial... did you ever actually SEE it? (I did)

[flapdoodle64]

@Shoknifeman

Heck yeah, I saw it, and loved it and loved Hot Wheels. Still do.

The fact remains, however, this show was a commercial and Ronald Reagan signed the papers that allowed corporate America to rape the minds of children.

[librarianeric]

@flapdoodle64 Got that right about Ronnie! Sonofabitch. However, Reagan didn't deregulate the airwaves until about eleven years after this show aired.

[snoobeagle]

@flapdoodle64 If today's kids are so weak headed that the series can "rape their minds", perhaps their minds need a good raping. God knows the mentality that led to voting for Obama can't get any worse.

[tdickensheets]

Hot Wheels meets Speed Racer!

[andersport]

@tdickensheets That would be a great race. have jack Wheeler and and the jack rabbit Special go flat out against speed racer and the Mach V at Talladega. That would be a race. i would also like to see those two race against Dexter Carter's Demon, Tom Slick and the Thunderbolt Greasesplapper, Peter Perfect's Turbo Terrific, Dick Dastardly's Mean Machine, and Speed Buggy race around the legendaary (not current) Sebring course. That would be cool.

[formulaonehotwheel]

Cool video!

[oldsoldier2001]

This show was long before my time, but I'll bet it was great. I really like the old-school animation style (anything's better than anime in my opinion). Sadly it seems according to Wikipedia that this show was taken off the air after only 17 episodes because the FCC claimed it was just a half-hour toy advertisement... Sounds like the same B.S. that folks said about nearly every cartoon in the eighties.

[jenzeppelin]

@oldsoldier2001 lol, a half hour toy advertisement...somehow i think many cartoons fall into that zone, lol.

[Shoknifeman]

@oldsoldier2001 You've obviously never seen the best anime (The stuff that was never on TV here, in Japanese)

[45corleone]

Speed Racer rip-off, still watched it every Saturday morning.

[brabon1]

@45corleone me too...even though it was basically a half hour commercial...i used to get out my hot wheels and play along

[45corleone]

@brabon1 Yeah! And if luck helped ypou had the Hot Wjeel of the episode

[brabon1]

@45corleone never did...but i had a great imagination and pretended

never got tired of those little cars

stupid me....there i was carefully collecting comics...but i played with my hot wheels till they fell apart

[moxie96]

@brabon1 can be expensive to replace now.

[jaxxboss]

Daytona, Indianapolis and Bonneville were the only lyrics I could remember and would pop up in my brain sometimes. I actually thought it was a piece from the speed racer cartoon, but it was nver in the lyrics.... maybe thought there was a second stanza or something.

Ahhhhhh, now I remember. Thx

[jdenver2010]

man , i must ?? be seeing things or is it deja vu for mme ?? great video there..^^)

[Donkey9900]

I was born in '66 & loved this show. I even have DC 2 comics based on the cartoon. (in very bad shape) The characters were Jack (drove the Jackrabbit) Janet (Jack's main squeeze) Mickey, Ardeth (drove the woodie wagon & chased after Mickey) Dexter (drove the Demon & was generally a jerk) & Tank. I remember liking Jack in the cartoon, & wanting the Jackrabbit. Finally got one, but within a few months, the right front wheel fell off. I think I still have it at my parents' house somewhere.

[Shoknifeman]

@Donkey9900 the early Hotwheels were notorious for broken or twisted axles and wheels breaking or falling off

[Threetails]

@Shoknifeman The early Hot wheels (1968-71) had removable wheels. I know this because I have seen them in antique stores in good condition except for one missing wheel and noticed that an intact wheel from another one fits perfectly on the white plastic hub.

If the white plastic hub is intact, a wheel from a similar car can be snapped on .

[Shoknifeman]

@Threetails And likely fall off again, soon after... and the twisted axles were so bad that Mattel started to sell an axle fixing kit (Whether it worked very well is not known to me)

[imthedorf1964]

I wish this would be released on DVD.

[bearishone]

lets remember they took cartoons from us a year later, because they"were too un realalistic for young minds" and their generation gave us the everlasting threat of nucular annilation

[Shoknifeman]

I was so disappointed when this show wasnt renewed (Thx to some busybody politicians who wouldnt let the show have any advertising as it was already considered an ad for the Hot Wheels Cars)

[mkl62]

I hope that this show makes it to Boomerang one day. It was not a Hanna-Barbera cartoon, so it was not in the deal that Ted Turner made when he started the network. I don't know who has the rights to it or Skyhawks.

[Garehead]

Thanks so much for posting this!

I'm 46 now and I used to watch and LOVE this show when I was 5 or 6 and haven't seen it since.

I remember the song would give me goosebumps at that age.

[bgtr123]

Same here! Exactly what you said! I went back as soon as I seen this clip!

[MightySaturn5]

@Garehead , lol yeah I'm the same age and remember it the same way.

[TammiWayKewl]

The theme song mentions Daytona, Indianapolis, and Bonneville. I know about the first two,  but where's Bonneville?

[planetside11]

The Bonneville Salt Flats are in Utah. It's where they go with those rocket cars to break land speed records in a straight line. It's not a real "racetrack" like Daytona or Indianapolis.

[trwent]

Except they no longer use that speedway for that purpose much. The Black Rock Desert in northwest Nevada is now the preferred site.

[rgd963]

speed racer came on the late 60's in the USA

[MightySaturn5]

Born in 64'....used to love this show as a 5 year old.

[gemankio]

I was watching Speed Racer as well as Hot Wheels in New York in 1969.

[Borntocoast]

@gemankio I guess my Data was in error! I did not see this show (I was living in the Detroit Area at the time) until 1975.

[MegaChicity]

I saw soeed racer in Chicago in 1969 what do you mean debut in us in 1975?

[Borntocoast]

HOT WHEELS and SKYHAWKS were my two all-time favorate Cartoons. I'm still as mad as a Hornet with that group of Do-Gooders who succeeded in getting both of these shows Banned. Recently I came across a Bootleg DVD that has three Hot Wheels and two Skyhawks Episodes on it. If bothe of these series came out legitamately I'd buy em both IN A HEARTBEAT!

[sibphu]

@Borntocoast i miss dexter's demons!!!

[RX552VBK]

I was born in '64. I have no memory of this show! Damn! Where do you guys find this great stuff? BTW, who did the animation? HB? Filmation?

[TammiWayKewl]

Hot Wheels was produced by Ken Snyder, who also created The Funny Company and Roger Ramjet. The animation studio was Pantomime Pictures.

[westlin02]

@Frankenberry73 would be interested in recieving a copy of your dvds on the hot wheels please email a copy of your list as well

[westlin02]

@Frankenberry73

[andersport]

I liked this show better than Speed Race. I like to see the Jack Rabbit Special race the Mach V, Tom Slick's Thunderbolt Greaseslapper & Spedd Buggy & The Turbo Terrific (Peter Perfect, Wacky Races). That would b one cool race..

[ELAW67]

I was born in 1967...this is the VERY FIRST saturday morning cartoon i remember!!! EVER!...THANX 4 POSTING THIS!

[ronofontario]

I was 6 when this cartoon came out and I thought it was the "coolest" cartoon yet. All I can say is thanx for the fond memories...

[fragmall]

As a kid, I always wanted a Jack Rabbit Special.

Thanks for posting this childhood memory of mine.

[steppenstone808]

@fragmall : I bought a mint Hot Wheels Jack Rabbit Special on eBay for $40.00. It's embossed under the carriage as 1969 Mattel Inc.

[spdskte]

wasn't it the dune buggy that would turn into the jack rabbit special?

[WECENANUFF]

And Hollywood's about to shit on it with a live action movie.

[geminibuzz]

Thanks for posting this! I've looked for this on youtube every so often, and was thrilled to finally find it here. I could have sung this song, but haven't actually heard it in several decades. Memories.

[jackhillty1]

I just had to hear this one more time

[lego790]

Thanks for all the memories!!!!! I might get that sound and the older hot wheels toys.

[Pookatube]

Wow!!! I miss that show so much!!

Is "HOT WHEELS" out on DVD yet?

[gungadin36]

I use to watch this cartoon all the time when I was a kid, it was brand new back then, thanks for finding this video, I have been looking for it for years:)

[fromthesidelines]

This was produced for primary sponsor Mattel Toys (makers of the famous "Hot Wheels" line of cars and accessories). The Federal Trade Commission, investigating charges from Peggy Charren's "Action For Children's Television" watchdog group that the show was "too much of a commercial" for kids, eventually declared the series to be a "program-length commercial" for Mattel, and ordered the "plugs" be toned down. After two seasons, Mattel and ABC cancelled the series.

[SteveCarras]

Peggy Charen's INFAMOUS "ACT". Leave us not forget that word...INFAMOUS watchdog group.

[Sultuxes]

In Brazil the name was changed to "Volantes Audazes"... and Jack´s car, the Jackrabbit, was the "Lebre Especial" (Jackrabbit Special).

[MelodyThePussycat]

Você sabe me dizer em que canal esse desenho foi exibido aqui no Brasil e qual foi o estúdio responsável pela dublagem???

[parkman35]

There was a Hot Wheels collectable car that was out back then called the Red Baron. I think that car appeared in this show if I remember right...great show..

[rayssonation]

Premiered as part of the Super Saturday Morning schedule for ABC that ran from 1969 until 1971. Only 17 episodes were produced in color. Voices of Casey Kasem and Jerry Dexter.

[kristell9]

And Albert Brooks! His first break was this show.

[crispycritterz]

Trivia: I was a Johnny Lightning fan myself.

But I always saw this as a Speed Racer knock off.

[Borntocoast]

Speed Racer was first shown in Japan in 1966. Hot Wheels made its debut in 1969. Speed racer did not make its debut in the US until 1975, so I do not think this was a "knockoff". In any event Comparing Hot Wheels to Speed racer is like trying to compare Holiday World's Voyage to Walt Disney World's Big Thunder Mountain! (LOL)

[steppenstone808]

@Borntocoast : From wikipedia; "Speed Racer premiered on American television in the fall of 1967."

[sibphu]

@Borntocoast i was watching speed racer as an 11-year-old in 1971, WFLD channel 32 in chicago. my cousins and i would come for lunch and watch it, then come home after school and watch a different episode on the same station. by the time 1975 hit, i wasn't so interested in it as a high-schooler. but i recently bought 2 dvd sets.

[Lottech96]

there was an earlier cartoon on this wow!!

[Jazzy9964]

WOW!! I haven't seen or heard that in DECADES!!! Hot Wheels!! thanks for the memories

[dontgd]

It was never clear to me if they were influenced by Speed Racer's success.