From your youth...

[AAW]

Jim,
I LOVE that story! Awesome...

[907rs]

Originally Posted by Ummgawa

I have a 1969 Orange Krate that I restored, A Schwinn StingRay from 1970 that I restored for my then 9 year old Daughter, 5 speed, tall sissy bar, etc. I have a mint GI JOE space capsule with a mint GI JOE in full space man uniform, GI JOE Jeep with trailer (working Cannon and Light). I also have a Major Matt Mason-anybody remember that?

Here is the cool part. I lived in Atlanta in the West End back when it was a safe area to live in (1 mile form Fort McPherson) during the 60's(64-69). Me and my buddies always played under my house in the crawl space and made towns out of the dirt. We had 100's of Hot Wheels. We moved in 69 and lived 23 miles from my previous address. About two years ago, I decided to stop by and knock on the door to my childhood home. The man and woman my parents sold the house to still lived there. I asked them if they minded if I went into the crawl space to see if any of my old Hot Wheels might still be there. They said "Go Ahead". I was under there for about 30 minutes with no luck. Then I remembered that I used to line my Hot Wheels up on the ledge of the foundation in the very back of the basement because my neighbor would get under there and steal them. First let me tell ya that that place was huge when I was 7 years old. It got smaller. Well. I shimmied my fat ass to the back and Lo and Behold, my faithful Hot Wheels were sitting there waiting on my return in 2005. They were all as rough as a night in Jail. I also found my Hot Wheels carrying case, still intact, laying on the ledge. Here is the kicker-I had gotten a new Hot Wheel called the "Boss Hoss" a chrome Mustang with stickers for the doors, badge, etc. It was still there in the original unopened package-right there on the ledge. I picked it up and the package disintegrated almost instantly in my hand. Here is the cool part- the Hot Wheel was in perfect condition. I have it on my shelf in my living room. The rest of the Hot Wheels were rusty and beat to Hell, now living in quiet retirement in the Hot Wheels Case. I'd post a photo but the picture is to high resolution- maybe I can send it to an administrator and they can post it.

Cool story, Jim. Send that pic over and I'll post it up.

[trapin]

This is going to sound kind of weird but I have this poster I used to have hanging in my parents old garage. It's a rear view shot of 4 women in thong bikinis sitting on the back of Harley Davidson motorcycles (you may have seen it, it was a pretty populer poster back in the 80's). I kept the poster up at my friends request but I always felt uneasy looking at it because the girl on the far left was my cousin Dina. LOL!!! She was a model for about 10 years and lived out in California. She sent it to me when I was 15 and told me not to tell my aunt and uncle or my parents where I got it. She was pretty wild back then. She got in a couple of videos for Bon Jovi and dated the bass player for awhile. The day I got it I showed it to my friends and it was all over, they wanted that thing up in the garage or I was getting my ass kicked. They LOVED Dina. My garage was the big hangout when I was in high school. When my Dad saw it he didn't approve but he allowed it. They didn't find out that Dina was one of the girls until years later. She's a really great friend of mine today and I guess it's just something that reminds me of my teenage years. Plus I like to break it out at family functions to embarrass her...it's always good for a few laughs.

I still can't look at it to this day, though. Yikes.

[907rs]

Jims Hot Wheels pics:

[Musclerodz]

My most prized and irreplaceable possession is a denim blanket my grandmother made for me when i was 5 or 6. I litterally wore out the inner lining and luckily she enough enough material to fix it before she died.

My brother still has all our hot wheels, many of the originals although in rough shape, hundreds of them. I still have all our HO train stuff.

Mike

[Ummgawa]

Thanks Bill.

Just so every body knows, the picture of the little girl jumping for joy is my daughter. My wife just happened to have a camera and snapped that picture. It's the first time she ever saw the beach and the ocean. It was pure joy to her. Anytime I feel crappy I look at that picture. I hope you dudes are that lucky.