Ah, the Lamley Award category of all categories. Nothing gets folks riled up like Super Treasure Hunts. There are entire websites and social media accounts dedicated to them. They make grown men cry (and whine). They can turn a bad day into a good day. They turn kids into collectors. They create friends and enemies. And EVERYONE has an opinion about them.
So let’s put those opinions to use. As part of the 2017 Lamley Awards, it is time to choose what is your BEST and WORST Hot Wheels Super Treasure Hunt of 2017. The criteria can be yours, whether it be casting choice, execution, upgrades, looks, or a little of everything. You just choose one for each poll.
So here we go. The BEST Super Poll is first, followed by WORST. And below those are pics of all 15, in the same order as the polls. Have at it.
Take: calling any of these “Worst” does a disservice to these models. I don’t think there are throwaway models. Not even the generics, which just looks so good.
This is why we need a grand prix scoring system. Choose a Top 4, score them, count, bingo. This lets the best come out naturally while giving room for out-of-nowhere picks.
Either way, do choose wisely. And have an outlook that says “this is a close call across the board” rather than “this field is weak”.
I think there is a subjective here as far as the WORST one of the year, but I have to admit the unlicensed models are obviously aren’t going to top the real models we all know & love. With that being said.. I kind of like them all and am sure some like some of the unlicensed picks better than some of the other unlicensed releases.
But I have to clear this one & state that the 2005 Mustang with that hideous blue plastic ass totally detracts it as a top contender. What the hell were they thinking?
For one, I did happen to find it and though It made it as one of many Supers I found this year.. I bear the burden of finding first before my son found it, during a hunt. I really wanted him to find it, so that being the case I offered it up to him and he declined because it’s not the same as if he found it. I had no problem if I had to give it up ’cause of that blue plastic ass!
I had to go with the Toyota Off Road Truck for best. I would love to see Hot Wheels do more off road models. There is so much untapped potential here, what with the way so many off road vehicles are changed and modified. The Defender double cab was a great start. Besides an old, obscure Majorette casting, still NOBODY has done a 1990-2017 Toyota 4runner, which is one of the most popular, famous, and capable off-road vehicle series ever made. Besides that, let’s get some more realistic Broncos (the Zoolander casting was great), Scouts, Samurais (much like the Siku version), and then see some new releases like an FJ-55, 1st gen Power Wagon, a ’50s Travelette, a 1980s Datsun 4-door 720 series, a Nissan Pathfinder, etc. etc.
For worst, it was hard because like closedcl8 said, all of these models are really cool. I actually went with the Camaro, after seeing the negative feedback it garnered on the HW Dream Team Instagram. Plastic base, no opening hood, and sorta cheesy deco…compared to the former Camaro TH and even the mainline Summit Camaro. So while on its own, I believe it to be a great model, a lot of people were disappointed in it due to the expectations it held. I don’t know if that is fair to it, but between it and the mainline Summit, I’d still take the mainline. It just has that ‘heft’ 🙂
Tomica did an excellent 90’s 4 Runner. It’s called the Hilux Surf and not 4 Runner since it’s the Japanese version but it’s worth getting. Nexco also did a later generation 4 Runner. Search Nexco Hilux on Swiftysgarage.net
But I totally agree, bring on more classic 4×4’s!
Ben thanks for the heads up on those models – I had no idea! I wish the castings were a little better, but cool to know they exist – it looks like the Tomica is another 2nd gen and the Nexco is a 4th gen in a police/highway safety type livery.
Part of the issue is actually releasing a certain model, and then that model’s quality being the second issue.
If HW or Matchbox released a 4runner, and had it look anywhere near the 1st one from this post (http://www.toyota-4runner.org/general-discussions/191273-4runner-plastic-models-nice.html), jaws would absolutely drop.
I wonder how many of you knew that the deco on the Cruise Bruiser is based off of former Hot Wheels track/ play set designer Robert Heath’s inlaws demo derby car used over at Irwindale Raceway. Robert did the art for the real car, and this HW was based on that.
I voted Velocita as the best super of the year. I’m a sucker for that shade of purple. The worst, and I usually don’t pick from hunts I have not nabbed in person, BUT I always felt that 16 Angels was a strange one…and it is nearly tied with Cruise Bruiser (or as I like to call it the ‘Reject All Tobacco-mobile’), but Cruise Bruiser was one of my favorite new castings from 2016.
I happened to find (3) Velocita Super’s this year – 1st time I found three of the same Super.. next to finding two Viper Super’s – and it looks way better than the mainline of course. I would have really loved it a lot more it weren’t for that bright white base, but it seems the wheels make up for it.
I really fellin’ love w/the Velocita when it came out in red. I had the Mystery green one, but unloaded it.. should have kept it.
Best: Fairlady Z. Advan livery is classic, wheel choice is good and model itself is a favourite of mine. With that said, I still like the mainline version (in jet black and mc5 wheels) better.
Worst: 2005 Mustang. Hideous casting in a ugly colour scheme and an even uglier cheap blue plastic base. Even the 16 Angels feels like a better STH than this.
Honourable mentions: Toyota truck, NSX and C10. All three look sharp, but not quite as classic as the Nissan imo.
This was really easy for me this year. Best was the Toyota 4×4. Part of the equation is do I like the model and part of it is how much nicer is it than the mainline? This one is such a step above the mainline that it was an easy choice. The Z is definitely fantastic but it didn’t rise above the mainline as much as the Toyota. For the same reason, the Volicita and Cruise Bruiser didn’t come anywhere close to worst models. Both colors are excellent with fantastic wheels that set them apart from the mainline. The 16 Angels is certainly vastly differentiated from the mainline but there’s just no getting around the ugly on that one.
I chose the C10 as the best. Splendid casting in a cool deco with sweet rims.
16 Angels is the worst, by far. I don’t have across-the-board hate for generics (I quite like the Cruise Bruiser and Velocita) but that particular casting is ghastly.
In any other color, the Fairlady would be my pick for best, but black doesn’t translate to Spectraflame well so it ends up looking too much like the mainline. Honorable mention: Chevy II. Hot pink with flames is so ballsy and audacious.
Favorite… 67 C10.. It’s just so pretty. Runner up: Fairlady Z.
Worst, 16 Angels and Velocita. I don’t think too many people are arguing.
Don’t get me wrong as I don’t find it fitting to call any of these models truly disappointing, but I personally had to vote the Chevelle as “the worst”. All of these models look fantastic in their own ways but the Chevelle being the third yellow/gold super of the year was kind of annoying to me. I’m just not a huge fan of the color.
winner: Fairlady Z
loser: Velocita
The ’05 Mustang was tempting, but it needs the windows swapped before it’s displayable.
After 5 years without find any $TH (short card – the problem of living in Europe), I was lucky to find two different models (Viper & Chevelle), so my vote goes to the Chevelle. BUT, I don’t think is the best model. Maybe the Toyota Truck with the ”Falken” livery takes the cake, but also liked the generics (Bruiser Cruiser, Surf Crate & Velocita are really nice).
The WORST model for me is obviously the 16 Angels, not only is an ugly generic with plastic body, even is worst than the 2008 16 Angels $TH (was metal / metal).
And the most DISAPPOINTING model are the ’05 Custom Mustang (I’m a Mustang lover, but the light blue base is hideous) and the ’67 Camaro (love the model, love the colour and deco, love the wheels, even I can stand the plastic base; but, c’mon Mattel, you can keep the opening hood without going bankrupt).
I voted the Camaro for best and the Surf Crate worst. I think the new wheels and classic look just edged out the others by a small margin. The others (in no particular order) are NSX, Viper, C10, Z, 63 Chevy, Toyota truck and Chevelle. I found Viper, Chevelle (2 for first time a week apart) Camaro and C10. I Really wanted to find the NSX and Z, would not leave any, even Surf Crate if I found it lol! Overall a good year for Supers imo!
My vote for best Super goes to the Nissan Fairlady Z. A beautiful casting in any deco, but I especially love the sharp Advan livery. Though I’m not that much of a truck guy, my number 2 would have to go to the Toyota Off-Road Truck. Beautiful color scheme. Lovin’ the Spectraflame dark blue and teal. I’m also a sucker for racing liveries. I think having spent much of my life living just north of the border from Baja made this one feel like home. My underdog pick that I was really rooting for is the ’17 Acura NSX. It is my favorite casting out of the bunch and I would have still loved to have found the Super to add to my collection, but ultimately the Spectraflame gold let me down. It is “unique” I suppose, but nothing like what you’d find in the showroom and maybe a bit gaudy. It feels out of place. If they had done this in a Spectraflame dark red or blue it would have earned my #1 vote for sure.
Worst Super of 2017? Easy, and no need to go into detail. 16 Angels, followed by Velocita.
Never consciously seen one in the UK, although I have an inkling I saw a 16 Angels and recoiled in horror how awful it looks anyway.
The Fairlady is definitely the best. When I imported the K Days RX7 I had the chance to get the Fairlady STH, but I went with the mainline as I thought the wheels looked better. I regret that now as I’ve seen several of those haha.