SPEED STUFF

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script> (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-47423994-1', 'fortunecity.ws'); ga('send', 'pageview'); </script> <center> <br> <div> <script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="http://ad.broadcaststation.net/ads/show_ad.php?width=728&height=90"></script> </div> </center> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=105 BGCOLOR="#66CCCC" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04500690ezvthe.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#CCFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>UNOFFICIAL SPEED RACER SHRINE </B></FONT><B>   |  </B><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="UNOFFICIAL SPEED RACER SHRINE "><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SPEEDS JAPANESE BEGINNINGS"><U>SPEED'S JAPANESE BEGINNINGS</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THESE SECRET FILMS WERE FILMED SECRETLY"><U>THESE SECRET FILMS WERE FILMED SECRETLY</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GOOD GUYS"><U>GOOD GUYS</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A ROGUES GALLERY OF DEFEAT"><U>A ROGUES GALLERY OF DEFEAT</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WHATS UP WIT SPEED?"><U>WHAT'S UP WIT SPEED?</U></A>   |   <B>SPEED STUFF</B>   |   <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MORE SPEED MEMORABILIA"><U>MORE SPEED MEMORABILIA</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MAILBAG"><U>MAILBAG</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CONTACT ME"><U>CONTACT ME</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#66CCCC" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="046c8212ezvthe.gif"> <div> <IMG SRC="05958e20.jpg" border=0 width="344" height="226" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> SINCE I DON'T OWN ONE OF THESE UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T HAVE COMPLETE  DETAILS.  THIS ITEM IS FROM THE '70s I BELIEVE.  AND ALTHOUGH THE MACH 5 IS UNMISTAKABLE, SPEED RACER IS REPRESENTED AS A ROBOT.  WHY?  YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE....STILL, I'D LOVE TO HAVE ONE.  CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE A MINT SAMPLE YOU'D BE WILLING TO PART WITH AND WE CAN TALK TURKEY</div> <div> <IMG SRC="05aa3b70.gif" border=0 width="163" height="183" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>HERE'S A REAL NICE, MODERN PIECE--A RADIO CONTROLLED INDOOR RACING SET.  IT'S FROM A COMPANY CALLED EPOCH, AND IT'S  NOT FOR SALE IN THE U.S. OF A.  I CAN PERSONALLY VOUCH FOR THE QUALITY OF THIS ITEM--I ACTUALLY TOOK MINE OUT OF THE PACKAGE AND PLAYED WITH IT.  SWITCH BODIES AND WHEELS AND THE CAR BECOMES THE SHOOTING STAR (RACER X'S CAR, FOR THE UNINITIATED)</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="05f2fad0.gif" border=0 width="303" height="173" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>HERE'S ANOTHER R/C ENTRY--FROM IMAI.  AT LEAST THE BODY, PICTURED ABOVE, IS.  KOYOSHO MAKES THE RUNNING CHASSIS THAT ACCEPTS THE MACH 5 BODY ABOVE.  FOR THEIR "MINI-Z" RACING SERIES, AND LARGER THAN THE EPOCH OFFERING, THIS CAR SHOWS AND GOES--LIKE CRAZY!  A VERY NICE UNIT, I HAVE ONE MYSELF.  SORRY, NO WORKING SAW BLADES, AND I WOULDN'T TRY DRIVING IT UNDERWATER.  BODY, MOTORIZED CHASSIS, RADIO AND OTHER TIDBITS ARE SOLD  IN A COMPLETE SET FROM KOYOSHO--BUT NOT IN THE UNITED STATES!  YOU'LL HAFTA LEAVE THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE TO GET IT, OR FIND A GOOD IMPORTER</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="0673bca0.jpg" border=0 width="315" height="202" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT THE DIE CAST  MACH 5 ABOVE?  NOT MUCH BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN RELEASED YET, AND WON'T BE UNTIL MAY OF '02.  ERTL IS MAKING IT, AND I BELIEVE THE SCALE IS 1/18th.   FROM  THE PICS I'VE SEEN, IT SHOULD BE FABULOUS.  AS FAR AS I KNOW, THIS IS THE ONLY PRODUCTION TOY VERSION OF THE MACH 5--DIE CAST, OR OTHERWISE-- WITH OPENING DOORS.  ATHAT'S ASSUMING THE VERSION TO BE RELEASED IS THE SAME AS SHOWN ABOVE.   I CAN'T WAIT 'TIL MAY!</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=375 BGCOLOR="#66CCCC" TEXT="#080000"> <div> SPEED STUFF</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> THIS IS THE GOLDEN AGE FOR SPEED MERCHANDISE!</div> <div> <IMG SRC="05d9dbf0.gif" border=0 width="413" height="191" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> IMAI'S "FULL VIEW" VERSION OF THE MACH 5, A PLASTIC MODEL KIT THAT I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND.  SEE THE OTHER PICTURES OF THEIR PRODUCTS</div> <bR> <div> Geez, when I was a kid there was NOTHING available in the U.S. as far as Speed Racer was concerned. I had to beg my big brother to buy, build and paint a racecar model so it would only slightly resemble the Mach 5.  Then the knucklehead from down the block broke it 5 minutes after it was complete.  I used to bend wire coat hangers into the shape of the homing robot just to have a prop while playing Speed Racer.  And forget about any kind of action figures!</div> <bR> <div> Well that all changed several years ago.  I guess now the X-generation is pushing and pulling the levers of power, at least at some of the smaller toy companies.  At least for the time being, a plethora of products is available to feed your Speed need.  (Alas, even at this writing, one of the better product manufacturers has apparently kicked the goat skin, sniff...more on that later)</div> <bR> <div> The marketplace has seen several "plastic" models from several manufacturers, action figures, die cast cars, trading cards, racing sets, audio tapes and CDs, video games, video tapes and DVDs.  Have I left anything out?  Oh yeah, a life size, street legal Mach 5 roadster!</div> <bR> <div> I've tried my very hardest to assemble a collection of each and every Speed Racer related "collectible" that is available, or has been available, and most are pictured on these pages.  What few items I don't have I have made every attempt to picture and/or describe.  If you have, or know about something that's not pictured here, by all means let me know, or better yet, send me a picture of it and not only will I post it here, but I'll cite your name and give you a year's supply of pineapple! (DISCLAIMER:  Joke only!  You will not be receiving ANY pineapple)</div> <bR> <div> PICTURED  BELOW,  A  GORGEOUS  MACH  5  MODEL  KIT  FROM  A  JAPANESE  "GARAGE" KIT  MAKER,  CLUB-M.   TRY  AS  I  MIGHT,   I  CAN'T  SEEM  TO  BE  ABLE  TO  ACQUIRE  ONE OF THESE,  ALTHOUGH  I'D  PRACTICALLY  GIVE  MY  I-TEETH  FOR  IT,  OR  AT  LEAST  A  COUPLE  A  MOLARS...  CLUB-M  MAKES (MADE?)  A  HONEY  OF  A  SHOOTING  STAR  TOO</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="060ecc50.jpg" border=0 width="492" height="453" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="06223600.jpg" border=0 width="547" height="352" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> ABOVE:  THE  UNDERCARRIAGE  OF  THE  CLUB-M  MACH  5.  GORGEOUS.  NOTE  THE  WORKING  SAW  BLADES.  BELOW:  CLUB-M'S  EQUALLY  IMPRESSIVE  SHOOTING  STAR.  IF  YOU  KNOW  HOW  I  CAN  GET  EITHER  ONE  OF  THESE,  PRETTY  PLEASE  LET  ME  KNOW...</div> <div> <IMG SRC="063fe690.jpg" border=0 width="510" height="361" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> wHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT OF MODELS, BELOW IS ONE OF IMAI'S SEVERAL VERSIONS OF THEIR MACH 5.  THEY DID ONE BACK IN THE SEVENTIES, BUT THIS IS THE NEWER VERSION--BIGGER AND BETTER.  THERE ARE 4 VERSIONS TOTAL, AND THEY ARE ALL BASED ON THIS ORIGINAL.  ACTUALLY, THE PICTURE IS OF A PROTOTYPE.  SUBSEQUENT EDITIONS ADDED DIFFERENT AND PRE-PAINTED PARTS.  THEY'RE ALL SHOWN BELOW.  ALL IN ALL, THEY'RE ALL VERY NICE.  IF I HAD TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, I'D SAY BUY THE FULL VIEW AND THE HIGH GRADE SPECIAL.  THESE KITS HAVE A BUNCH OF THE SPECIAL FEATURES, AS WELL AS 6 HOLE WHEELS--VERY RARE FOR MACH 5 MODELS.  THE IMAI KITS HAVE A GO V12 ENGINE ALSO!  </div> <div> <IMG SRC="068b86d0.gif" border=0 width="440" height="621" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> THE "SUPER G", A CHROME PLATED SPECIAL EDITION</div> <div> <IMG SRC="069f9f20.gif" border=0 width="505" height="242" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> ANOTHER LOOK AT THE "FULL VIEW" VERSION.  THEY ADDED BELT TREAD TIRES, AND AN UNDERWATER ENGINE COMPARTMENT DETAIL AS WELL AS SOME OTHER TIDBITS</div> <div> <IMG SRC="05c51120.gif" border=0 width="593" height="274" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> THE "HIGH GRADE SPECIAL" OR H.G.S.  THIS ONE ADDS THE LITTLE WINGS, AS FEATURED IN THE EPISODE "THE MOST DANGEROUS RACE."  THAT'S THE EPISODE WITH THE CAR ACROBATIC TEAM FOR THOSE NOT IN THE KNOW.  ANOTHER NOTABLE EDITION IS THE BUBBLE CANOPY.  THE GOLD WHEELS ARE AN OPTION, AVAILABLE SEPARATELY.  YOU KNOW HOW MARKETING IS.  IMAI ALSO OFFERS ALUMINUM WHEELS AS AN OPTION, ALONG WITH SOME NICE FIGURES TO COMPLEMENT THE CARS.SPEED STUFF</div> <div> <IMG SRC="06b011b0.gif" border=0 width="513" height="283" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MORE SPEED MEMORABILIA"><U>CLICK HERE FOR MORE MODELS AND OTHER SPEED MEMORABILIA</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>