Best Motorcycle 2014: RLC exclusive

Yesterday this post went up on HWC from HWC Anita:

Hi everyone -

We know you are patiently waiting for updates about your backordered cars. Here is the latest information regarding expected shipment dates.

Y0450 - Long Gone sELECTIONs - 6/28/14

Y0445 - S12 Buick Grand National - 7/30/14

Y0449 - 69 Mustang sELECTIONs - 7/30/2014

Y0453 - S12 Blown Delivery - 8/08/2014

Y0454 - Gulf Racing VW Drag Bus - 8/18/2014

BLR12 - S13 Drag Dairy Chrome - 10/17/2014

BLR13 - S13 Drag Dairy Red - 10/17/2014

BLR14 - S13 Drag Dairy Blue - 10/17/2014

BLR15 - S13 Drag Dairy Purple - 10/17/2014

BLR10 - Beatnik Bandit - 11/14/2014

Mattel sincerely apologizes for the delays you've experienced in receiving orders from the Hot Wheels Collector site and we appreciate your understanding and patience throughout this process.

The topic was closed, not allowing for replies. But to Mattel's credit they have allowed for other threads to start and remain open. You can imagine there have a been a few harsh words from collectors regarding the situation.

Those are some pretty lengthy delays, considering most of those models were purchased in mid to late 2013. We agree that this is very frustrating, but more than that we just want to know what has happened. There have been some very curious events in the last few months, leaving many of us baffled. We see no need to speculate, as corporations have every right to adjust how they do things (to a certain extent), but being left in the dark on some of it has been a little odd.

So why all the designers went silent, we don't know. Why HWC Chris was let go, we don't know. Nor do we really need to know. But why some RLC models are being delayed 6 months to a year? It would be a good thing to at least hear something from someone. Especially since these models are part of a membership that collectors pay to be a part of. We are at the mercy of retail, but membership models directly from Mattel is another thing entirely.

It could be something as drab as a manufacturing issue, which we would be fine with us if it ensured good quality on each of these expensive models. That is our guess. But silence leads to speculation, and I know quite a few people who wonder if all these backorders mean the end of the RLC is near.

We don't see how that would happen, and we sure hope it doesn't. There are some great models on the RLC docket for 2014, including the Gulf '67 Camaro, hot pink '55 Gasser, '83 Silverado 4x4, and Shelby Toyota 2000GT. Wouldn't it be ironic, that as soon as the RLC started catering to a wider variety of collectors, it shuts down? Seems like we have seen that pattern before.

So count us as those who think this is just a glitch, and the show will go on. But we say that cautiously. Mattel has not put its best foot forward in this situation, and we hope that might change.

We welcome your thoughts. What do you think about this great backorder fiasco? We will let you say what you want. Go ahead and let it out...

Drag Bus, '67 Camaro, Chevy Panel, Dairy Delivery be damned. The Blown Delivery is now the king of Hot Wheels.

Right now there is no model that sends the RLC crowd into a fervor more than the affectionately named "BD" by the typing-challenged collector. And for that reason there are many reasons to love and hate it.

Why do we love it?

I don't know. It's big. It is a very creative design, made by the godfather of these types of models, Phil Riehlman. It has a large side panel that can house all kinds of creative decos, from the extremely busy (Dream Halloween) to the stunningly simple (this very HW Racing version). And let's be honest, it is beautiful, whether you are into this era and type of cars or not (personally, I'm not).

Why do we hate it?

Two reasons.

1. Because so many people spend too much time complaining about its (lack of) availability. And all that whining over at HWC creates an atmosphere that frankly makes it hard to enjoy perusing the forums. The HWC forums are still the premiere place to get good Hot Wheels info, from HWC Van's sneaks, to the variation forum, to who is finding what where. But more and more the forums are dominated by this type of chatter about who can't find or buy what, while any mention of our site and other fan sites gets deleted by moderators.

Rules are rules, but it is kind of a bummer. We hope sites, blogs, and channels like ours, T-Hunted, Racegrooves, Memo's Toys, and others help create that appreciation for these great models, while HWC is mired in an onslaught of complaining that is hard to filter through. There are great people on the HWC, starting with the designers that make themselves available and many great collectors, but it is getting harder and harder to filter through the muck to find what they have to say. Models like this fantastic Blown Delivery are great to have, but not at the expense of what was once a great forum.

2. It is nearly impossible for collectors overseas to get one. I have mentioned it several times before, but the biggest eye-opener for me since starting the Lamley Blog has been the enthusiasm about Hot Wheels from collectors in areas like South America and Asia. They are embracing the brand, doing amazing customs, and these collectors are young. They were kids who loved the brand, and now are young adults still embracing Hot Wheels as collectors. There is a future here, but they are being ignored when it comes to collector models. I understand logistics make it very difficult, but I hope Mattel can figure out a way to get these models to overseas collectors soon. They deserve them.

Alright, the soap box has been put away. Back to the BD.

I have two versions of this casting. The blue selections from a couple of years ago, and this brand new version in HW Racing deco. Consider the new version to be our favorite by a mile. How interesting is it, that after several years of all kinds of models in this red, white, and blue Hot Wheels Racing deco, the largest, most premium of premiums is sporting the simplest?

Less is not always more, but it sure is here. I have seen a few comments about how this model needs more. But look at your iphone. When IOS7 was introduced, what happened to those app icons? And look at the Hot Wheels basic cards for 2014. Notice the false "depth" on the logo and art is gone? This is where visual design has evolved, and how great is it to see it on the Blown Delivery?

A little work of art, this Blown Delivery is...

(ebay is saturated with these things right now