This seems accurate to what modern car underbodies look like, a smooth underbody is very important for aerodynamics and therefore fuel efficiency. For race cars it is often even more important not only for fuel efficiency but for downforce.
Also rust protection. Northern cars just having the floor fall out is less of a thing.
why northern? I thought the Southeast was more prone to rusting as the Mexico Gulf is right there?
Probably salt on roads. Sea air kinda rots everything, salty roads just the bottom.
that makes sense, my southern brain didn’t even process that road salts could cause corrosion haha
Salt only lowers melting point around 4°C, below is split. The occasional fire for heating the engine on the other hand…
Edit: Rollsplit being loose gravel.
I don’t pretend to be an expert on salt (though I have certainly listened to the testimony of experts on salt), but I do know there are different compounds that all fall under the general heading of “salt,” despite some of them not being salt at all. And that heading is probably one coined by a layman like myself.
As far as whether the other compounds are responsible for corrosion the way tradition salt would be, I have no idea!
Typically they are – for two of the same reasons, first being that most of the “salt alternatives” in use, the original “salt” in this case being sodium chloride, are also chlorides (potassium or calcium chloride, usually) and it’s that chlorine ion that’s corrosive. They also all turn the meltwater into an electrolyte, forming an easy electrical connection between the various metals in your vehicle’s parts and dramatically accelerating galvanic corrosion.
Technically any compound composed of positive and negatively charged ions that balance out to a net neutral is a salt, chemically speaking, and by definition they are compounds, i.e. held together with weak ionic bonds via their electrostatic charges and not molecules held together with strong covalent bonds. This means they like to liberate their constituent ions easily, allowing whatever-it-is they’re composed of to readily react with something else.
TL;DR: Pretty much all salts, not just sodium chloride salt salt, are corrosion promoters.
All of those plastic covers are a detriment in the north east. All of the salt and sand gets inside of them then you can’t clean it out.
Apparently, in order keep the “die cast” label, either the base or the top are die cast.
Some cars are plastic on top and metal on the bottom, and others are metal on top and plastic on the bottom.
As I recall, the wheels are also no longer 4 separate axel pins. They’re just two long pins. One in the front, one in the back.
Lol hotwheels have a locked diff
With free spinning hubs though!
Amazing to see Hot Wheels change from gas to hybrid to EV over the years.
I had a jeep that changed colours from army green to bright yellow. Also an old school caddy that went from purple to pink. All metal; great toys
Like when you put them under hot water? I had those too.
when I was little I’d take them in the bath with me lol
Mine were bath toys for sure.
Yep those ones.
They still make them. Still metal too. My 3 year old has a few and loves them. I have some old ones and they still work, albeit not as fast as they used to.
Hot wheels from the 70s and 80s were deadly weapons … you stepped on one it was like stepping on a roller skate, you broke one it turned into knife and if you threw one, you could cause a concussion. Even just opening up one of those damned things when you were kid usually meant you severely cut yourself (I know from experience).
Right? They were awesome.
I have one or two hot wheels shaped wounds somewhere on my skull from when my brothers tossed these things at me in a fight … and I returned the favor as well.
I had one of these that had actual rubber tires on the wheels. Pretty sure they were a choking hazard.
not as much profit in making durable toys
Lego would like a word with you.
yup. since my kid was born, we’ve collected them. about 500 last count, all inside, never played with in sand. matchbox ones are cooler though, more real world cars in my opinion.
useless red circle
For anyone looking for a fun way to play with your toy cars, I highly recommend the free tabletop game GASLANDS. Glue some guns to them and blow them up with your friends!
Not just that what if these are electric cars and don’t need all that stuff in the bottom. Hmmm
Cheaper and cheaper as time goes on. My Tonka dump truck was made from steel and it would hurt me more than I could hurt it.
They can just claim it’s an electric car lol
Shrinkflation
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