“The world’s fastest friction-powered cars!”
In 1968, Cragstan released Wild Wheels, a line of friction-powered plastic model cars and trucks.
Each Wild Wheels replica was approximately 4-inches long and incorporated a gyro-powered motor, allowing the toy to move forward when pushed. Cragstan packaged the line in rigid Perspex display boxes, often with backing cards adorned with vibrant and psychedelic design elements. The see-through cases also doubled as “garages” for the car or truck when not in use.
Over four years, Cragstan released more than 30 different Wild Wheels, grouped in the following descriptive categories:
| 1140 Classics 1937 Ford 1927 Ford 1932 Packard 1941 Lincoln |
1142 Dirty Diggers Bulldozer Front-End Loader Power Shovel Earth Mover |
| 1143 Super Sports Ford GT Ferrari Sebring Chevrolet Chaparral Porsche Carrera |
1144 Tough Trucks Cement Mixer Wrecker Stake Dump |
| 1145 Tough Trucks Fire Pumper Delivery Van Oil Tanker Armored Car |
1149 Dune Buggies VW Beach Buggy Jeep Buggy Manx Surf Buggy Open Buggy |
| 1150 Historics 1905 Bianchi 1906 Bianchi 15-20 V 1906 Fiat 1909 Bianchi Landaulet |
1151 Big Rigs Open Hauler Moving Van Auto Transport Tanker |
| 1152 Old Macks Dumper Tanker Moving Van Canvastop |
1153 Super Sports Dodge Charger Plymouth Barracuda Mercury Cyclone Mustang 2+2 GT Pontiac Hardtop Corvette Mako Shark |
| 1596 Antique Cars 1904 Spyker Tourer 1907 Rolls-Royce 1911 Maxwell Roadster 1912 Packard Landaulet |
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
The attention to detail and variety in the Wild Wheels series make them sought-after collectibles today.
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