16bit.com Figure of the Day Review: Mattel Hot Wheels Land Lord Die-Cast Metal Vehicle

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Mattel Hot Wheels Land Lord Mattel, 1982

Day #2,983: February 4, 2026

Land Lord Street Is Neat Hot Wheels 1982 Basic Cars Item No.: Asst. ? No. 3260 Manufacturer: Mattel Includes: n/a Action Feature: n/a Retail: $1.19 Availability: 1982-1983 Other: Mass retail and also at McDonald's, plus select 2-packs
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If you're buying old toys on eBay, like Hot Wheels, buy them in lots or small collections. I got my Land Lord with a couple of others for about $10 total - which is great for a 40+-year-old packaged toy. I bought this in 2024 because I saw it as a little kid and wanted it. It took a while, but I got it, and I opened it - as you do. It's in really great shape. The metal looks a little discolored, but to be honest I can't remember if the bases didn't have that patina on it when they were new or not. The picture of the bottom of the base is fresh out of the box - I didn't get it greasy or put my filthy hands on it first.

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I remember a lot of cars of this era having looser axels. I've got one of my oldest cars, Firebird Funny Car, on my desk and it has a lot of lateral movement missing from modern cars. The Land Lord's wheels also shift back and forth a bit, which I don't care for quite so much. It still rolls well, and for a toy of its age has a nice heft and great colors.

A lot of Hot Wheels of the early 1980s still felt like they came from the 1970s with bright, comic book-esque bursts of color and big bold lines. The spoiler reads "Street Is Neat," and there's a bright yellow windshield. The box from the spoiler's colors run down the body, culminating in a particularly suggestive arrow with a little explosion just in front of the bumper. I love the orange paint and how sharp it still looks. The tampos look great. The chrome on the engine and even the wheels looks really good. None of this would be particularly noteworthy on a modern car, but this survived storage in multiple homes for over four decades before getting to me. It's wonderful to pick up a toy and see very few signs of visible aging.

I like this car because it's so far off from what we see in toys today, but typical of the 1980s. It reminds me more than a bit of the M.A.S.K. Firefly and a number of other old car toys. They were futuristic and weird, but also not too farfetched. I wonder how kids see them today. I can't imagine anyone born this century takes a bubble top seriously, but I absolutely adore this kind of thing. There is absolutely no reason for anyone to chase down decades-old Hot Wheels given what antique malls and grocery stores are practically giving away, but I'd nudge you to look at this one just for fun. I sold off a few cars as a kid - most of them actually - and I'm always tempted to re-buy them but also... I have a lot of toys.

--Adam Pawlus

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