Mantis

Mantis
Debut series	1970 Hot Wheels
Produced	1970 - 1987 (Original) 1996 - 2012 (Retooled)
Designer	Ira Gilford
Number	6423

Description

This casting was first released as Mantis for 1970. It has an opening canopy and an exposed metal engine/exh. pipes. For the 1973 release the name was changed to Double Vision and solid louvers replaced the exposed rear-mounted engine. The casting was later renamed Speed Seeker for three releases from 1984 through 1987. After a nine-year absence it was again released a few more times with a new name of Speed Machine. The major difference for the latest release is that the canopy doesn't open.

The 1970 Model Cars were packaged with a metal or plastic Collector's Button.

Versions

Col #	Year	Series	Color	Tampo	Base Color / Type	Window Color	Interior Color	Wheel Type	Toy #	Country	Notes	Photo
	1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Blue		ZAMAC	Blue tint	Brown or White	RL		Hong Kong
	1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Aqua		ZAMAC	Blue tint	Brown	RL		Hong Kong
	1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Copper		ZAMAC	Blue tint	Brown	RL		Hong Kong
	1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Gold		ZAMAC	Clear	White	RL		Hong Kong
	1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Green		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong
	1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Light Green		ZAMAC	Blue tint	Brown	RL		Hong Kong
	1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Magenta		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong
	1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Olive		ZAMAC	Blue tint	Brown	RL		Hong Kong
	1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Orange		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong
	1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Pink		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong
	1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Purple		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong
	1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Red		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong
	1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Yellow		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong
	1973	Mainline	Enamel Fluorescent Lime Green		ZAMAC	Blue tint	Black	RL		Hong Kong	Named Double Vision No Expose Engine
	1973	Mainline	Enamel Fluorescent Lime Green		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong	Named Double Vision Expose Engine
	1973	Mainline	Enamel Dark Blue		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong	Named Double Vision
	1973	Mainline	Enamel Dark Green		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong	Named Double Vision
	1973	Mainline	Enamel Fluorescent Pink		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong	Named Double Vision
	1973	Mainline	Enamel Lemon Yellow		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong	Named Double Vision
	1973	Mainline	Enamel Light Blue		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong	Named Double Vision
	1973	Mainline	Enamel Light Green		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong	Named Double Vision
	1973	Mainline	Enamel Orange		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong	Named Double Vision
	1973	Mainline	Enamel Plum		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong	Named Double Vision
	1973	Mainline	Enamel Red		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong	Named Double Vision
	1973	Mainline	Enamel Yellow		ZAMAC			RL		Hong Kong	Named Double Vision
	1983	Mainline	Dark Blue		ZAMAC			BW		French	French Release
	1984	Ultra Hots	Spectraflame Dark Red	White, Yellow & Black lightning bolts	ZAMAC	Black tint	Black	UH	7299	Malaysia	In Germany it was carded as "Rekordbrecher"
	1984	Ultra Hots	Spectraflame Dark Red	White, Yellow & Black lightning bolts	ZAMAC	Black tint	Black	UH	7299	Hong Kong	In Germany it was carded as "Rekordbrecher"
	1985	Stamper 3-Pack	Spectraflame Gold	White, Yellow & Red lightning bolts	ZAMAC	Yellow tint	Yellow	UH	9348	Malaysia	Named Speed Seeker
	1987	Mainline	White	Red, Green & Black snake	ZAMAC	Yellow tint	Yellow	UH	1512	Malaysia	Named Speed Seeker
	1988	Automagic III	Greyish-Purple to Turquoise	Blue, White & Purple snake	ZAMAC	Black tint	Black	BW	7285	Malaysia	Named Speed Seeker Appears in a Color Racers 3-Pack as well
	1988	Color Racers	Red to Light Blue								Single Pack

Retooled Version

In 1996 the casting was retooled so that the canopy doesn't open and was renamed Speed Machine until later years.

Col #	Year	Series	Color	Tampo	Base Color / Type	Window Color	Interior Color	Wheel Type	Toy #	Country	Notes	Photo
412	1996	Street Eaters 1/4	Metallic Green	Red, Yellow, Black beast face	ZAMAC	Red tint	Red	5SP	15258	Malaysia	Named Speed Machine
412	1996	Street Eaters 1/4	Metallic Green	Red, Yellow, Black beast face	ZAMAC	Red tint	Red	7SP	15258	Malaysia	Named Speed Machine
561	1997	White Ice 1/4	Pearl White	Black HW logo on rear	ZAMAC	Red tint	white	3SP	16934	Malaysia	Named Speed Machine
	1998	Bonus Car	Dark Purple	White, orange, Black "Q4" "98", BONUS CAR""	ZAMAC	Clear	Tan	3SP		Malaysia	Named Speed Machine
747	1998	Tech Tones 3/4	Black	Metallic Copper spots	ZAMAC	Clear	Tan	SB	18813	Malaysia	Named Speed Machine Each car is unique as the spots are random
1088	1999	Mainline	Black	Yellow, Orange, Red, White "SPEED SEEKER"	ZAMAC	Yellow tint	White	Gold 5DOT	24102	Malaysia	Named Speed Machine
	2000	Star Explorers 5-Pack	Purple	Red & Yellow "Space Invasion 2000" w/ Black city skyline on the sides.	ZAMAC	Yellow tint	White	3SP	25363	Thailand	Named Speed Machine
	2001	Shark Park 5-Pack	Green	Blue & Yellow graphics, Hammerhead	ZAMAC	Blue tint	white	5SP	50012	Thailand	Named Speed Machine
	2002	Insectiride 5-Pack	Matte Black	Silver & Red Beetle image, Insectiride Beetle	Orange / Metal	Red tint	white	5DOT	54399	Thailand	Named Speed Machine
	2004	Batman 5-Pack	Metallic Purple	The Joker etc	Black / Metal	Red tint	White	Red Y5	B3601	Thailand	Named Speed Machine
	2011	The Hot Ones	Metalflake Green	Light Blue & Yellow stripes, "84" on top	ZAMAC	Blue tint	Gray	HO	W1563	Thailand	Base code(s): D28, D29
								WLHO			Chase Base code(s):
	2012	HWC.com 11: Neo-Classics 4/6	Spectraflame Green	Light green pinstripes across top	Chrome / Metal	Light blue tint	White	NCRL	X0535	China	Named Double Vision 4,000 produced
	2012	RLC Party	Spectraflame Pink	None	Dark Chrome / Metal	Light blue tint	Tan	NCRL	X0572	China	Named Double Vision

Gallery

1970 Fan Club NEW Castings Art

Larry Wood Collection

German Packaging 1984

Pre-production version of the Street Eaters release, using the original tooling and HH wheels. From the Larry Wood collection.

Resin Prototype from a '71 Catalog

Black Prototype (Randy Leffingwell)

Color Changers prototype (1990 Mattel Catalog)

Purple Blank Base (Bruce Pascal collection)

Orange Blank Base (Bruce Pascal collection)

Brass Mantis (Bruce Pascal collection)

Pre-production version of the 2001 Shark Park 5-Pack release, in silver with SB wheels.

Star Explorers 5-Pack

Speed seeker by Baffalie

Ira Gilford sketch powered by ©Bruce Pascal

Speed seeker by Baffalie

blue Mantis with white Interior

RLC 2012

Speed Machine was Playable in Hot wheels mechanix PC 1999 Hot Wheels

Speed Machine was Playable in Hot wheels mechanix PC 2001 original Colors Game

Speed Machine was Playable in Hot wheels mechanix PC 2001 5-Pack, Shark Park

White Ice Series Speed Machine(AKA Speed Seeker and Mantis)

1998 Tech Tones

97 White Ice

2011 Hot Ones release says "Hot Wheel" on the base instead of "Hot Wheels"