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Toe Joe on the road

5K views 24 replies 20 participants last post by  Trisha 
#1 ·
48 years ago, when I was a small boy, the Matchbox Superfast No. 74 Toe Joe was added to my collection of Superfast and Hotwheels cars.

Whilst Toe Joe was not very good on the Hotwheels track and despite its irritating name (why Toe - why not Tow - it still rhymes!) it became a favourite of mine due to its futuristic styling (remember this was 1972) and lurid green colour.

Motor vehicle Font Gas Metal Tableware


The original was lost many moons ago but I was reminded about Toe Joe earlier this year when our club were discussing favourite diecast cars from our childhoods on a Zoom call.

So a trawl of eBay turned up this sorry specimen...

Wheel Tire Vehicle Car Motor vehicle


Not great but good enough for my purposes.

And my purposes?

And Lo did Mr Modifier reach into his box of tricks and withdraw a digital measuring thingy and he placed it upon the sorry purchase and in his spirit of abundance did he double the dimensions and he saw that it was good.

Vehicle Wheel Hood Tire Automotive exterior


A lot of time 3D printing and...

Line Rectangle Font Cutting mat Automotive exterior


Toy Green Vehicle Wheel Motor vehicle


Those of you who are familiar with my Milk Floats will recognise the chassis - albeit stretched by another 3.95mm

Circuit component Hardware programmer Gas Electrical wiring Passive circuit component


Custom printed wheels and inserts (so chuffed with the inserts)

Tire Wheel Green Vehicle Motor vehicle


Hand crafted windshield

Table Rectangle Triangle Automotive design Wood


Lights - orange on the roof, headlights and rear lights....

Green Electrical wiring Gas Engineering Wood


Tire Wheel Vehicle Motor vehicle Hood


Wheel Tire Vehicle Motor vehicle Automotive tire


Like father like son

Wheel Toy Green Motor vehicle Automotive tire


Tire Wheel Motor vehicle Product Automotive design
 

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#8 ·
That is awesome!

I too had Toe Joe as a kid, and absolutely loved it for the same futuristic reason as you. Apart from the colour! My Dad nearly always had his breakdowns painted Chrysler Electric Blue. Of course the family business meant I had to have any diecast breakdown vehicle that came along. Even the ridiculously impossible Corgi VW Type 2, that in real life would have had to have it's front axle chained to the ground to lift the smallest of weights.

My Toe Joe was a bit of a beast on the Hot Wheels drag strips I created, but then there was always a crossover halfway down, and if cars from the previous heat had crashed and blocked it, then Toe Joe would be sent down to clear the path.
 
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#16 ·
Absolutely superb project, still have my old Toe Joe in the attic, sadly it lost it's rear tow bar many many years ago.

Slotcar versions of the Matchbox Saab Sonett III and Maserati Bora are high up on my wishlist, these were the best performers on my Corgi Rockets superloop set, the Toe Joe was too tall though to be fired through the 'super booster' launcher, that was a fun race set.

A wonderful build.
 
#18 ·
... but how did you do all that glass?
ohmy.png
The glass is actually formed in a single plane with 2 bends.

The template took a few bits of paper to get right.

Wood Font Circle Symmetry Wood stain


Bending was done by pinching the shape (cut from a sheet of PETG) in a vice with a small diameter brass rod along the crease line and bending it by hand. It then sits neatly just inside the frame and is secured with a thin bead of epoxy which does not fog the clear plastic.
 

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#20 ·
The Stretcha Fetcha from 1971 was similar in styling - but not quite as pleasing to my eye.

I am contemplating taking Toe Joe off piste and building a Van and an Ambulance using the same cab and bottom half.
 
#24 ·
The Stretcha Fetcha from 1971 was similar in styling - but not quite as pleasing to my eye.

I am contemplating taking Toe Joe off piste and building a Van and an Ambulance using the same cab and bottom half.
A van large enough to hold a car would be awesome...

I'll not mention the fabulous Scottish transporter, but sticking within the Matchbox group, a shorter version of this that used a car crystal box as the lid ? :-

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