Sizzlers

Sizzlers was a line of motorized Hot Wheels cars produced from 1970 to 1978. The line was engineered by George Soulakis, who also recommended the TampoPrint process to apply tampos on Hot Wheels cars.
==History==
The Sizzlers were a 1970s Hot Wheels spin off with a built-in motor and a tiny rechargeable battery. They were introduced in 1970 and became an instant smash. Sizzlers run on the regular "orange" Hot Wheels track, and Mattel created special race sets with U-Turns, multi-level spirals and loops to take advantage of the cars' electric motor. Two lane race sets such as the California/8 race set were developed that allowed Sizzlers to race side-by side, until Mattel created the black Fat Track, which is three lanes wide, with steep banked curves, and designed to allow Sizzlers to run free. In action, Sizzlers display a unique, competitive "passing action" when running on the Fat Track, as if each car were piloted by an impatient driver trying to jockey ahead of the rest. The Fat Track sets included the "Big O", "California 500", and Super Circuit" race sets, and accessories such as the "Scramble Start" (a four-car starting gate), "Lap Computer" four car lap counter, and "Race-Timer" stop watch.
Six cars were made in 1970, 12 cars were made in 1971, and 4 cars were made in 1972. The "Fat Daddy" Sizzlers (oversized bodies with huge tires) were introduced in 1973. Mattel put the Sizzlers on a hiatus after that year, and in 1976 they created Sizzlers II. That next year, the Night Ridin' Sizzlers (which had headlights you could turn on or off) were created. Because of faded popularity (possibly due to poor marketing), Mattel permanently stopped Sizzlers production in 1978.
Sizzlers were (and are) charged with four or two D battery chargers called the Juice Machine and Goose Pump respectively. Later, the Power Pit was introduced—which was an electric charger that plugged into any household AC outlet and resembled a race track garage or pit stop. A 90-second charge of the tiny internal Ni-Cad battery gives up to five minutes of frenetic run time. It has been said that the 90-second charge time was "the longest minute and a half in a kid's life" as they waited impatiently for the car to charge sufficiently to get back into the race.
The Sizzler electric technology spun off into the Hot Line trains, which ran on track similar to regular Hot Wheels, and the Earthshakers construction vehicles. Both lines of vehicles were charged using the Juice Machine or Power Pit.
In the 1990s, toy company Playing Mantis re-released Sizzlers in NASCAR stock car models and reproduced the Fat Track as the "Stocker 400" and "Mach 500" track sets. The Juice machine was renamed the "Mega-Charger" and incorporated a more efficient "trickle charge" rather than the "dump charge" of the original machines. Interest in the Sizzlers line began to increase once again. They were taken off the market after Mattel filed a lawsuit against Playing Mantis. However, Sizzlers returned again in 2007, when Mattel struck an exclusive deal with Target stores to re-release Sizzlers cars, the "Big O" Fat track, Juice Machine and car carrying case—all in the original packaging from the 1970s. As of January 2009, the Sizzlers line has been discontinued by Target.
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==1970 Single Packs==
Each 1970 Sizzlers single pack was released in a clear plastic case, and came with a single sticker sheet of Racing Decals. Each model came in multiple Spectraflame color variations.
Name 	Toy #	Country	Notes	Photo (Loose)	Photo (Sealed)
Ford Mk IV 	6500 	Mexico 	 	100px 	
Angeleno M70 	6501 	Mexico 	 	100px 	
Mustang Boss 302 	6502 	Mexico 	 	100px 	100px
Firebird Trans-Am	6503 	Mexico 	 	 	
Revvin' Heaven 	6504 	Mexico 	 	 	
Hot Head 	6505 	Mexico 	 	 	
== Track Sets==
Name 	Toy #	Country	Notes	Photo
Juice Machine 	6511 	 	 	
Laguna Oval Set	6512 	 	 	
== 1971 Single Packs==
Name 	Year	Toy #	Country	Notes	Photo (Loose)	Photo (Sealed)
Side-Burn 	1971	6519 	Mexico 	 	 	
Spoil Sport 	1971	6520 	Mexico 	 	100px 	
Back Fire 	1971	6526 	Mexico 	 	100px 	
Anteater 	1971	6527 	Mexico 	 	 	
'Cuda Trans-Am 	1971	6528 	Mexico 	 	 	
Camaro Trans-Am 	1971	6529 	Mexico 	 	 	
Indy Eagle (Sizzlers)	1971	6532 	Mexico 	 	 	
March Formula 1 	1971	6535 	Mexico 	 	100px 	
Ferrari Can-Am 	1971	6538 	Mexico 	 	 	
Live Wire (Sizzlers) 	1971	6550 	Mexico 	 	100px 	
Straight Scoop 	1971	6551 	Mexico 	 	100px 	
Hot Wings 	1971	6552 	Mexico 	 	 	
==1972 Single Packs==
Name 	Toy #	Country	Notes	Photo (Loose)	Photo (Sealed)
Up-Roar 	5884 	Mexico 	 	 	
Co-Motion	6553 	Mexico 	 	 	
==Track Sets==
Name 	Toy #	Country	Notes	Photo
Juice Machine 	 	 	 	
Fat Track Super Circuit Race Set 	6563 	 	 	
Fat Track Big O Layout 	6559 	 	 	
Fat Track Big O Set 	6009 	 	 	
Fat Track California 500 Layout 	6560 	 	 	
Fat Track California 500 Race Set	6562 	 	 	
High-Winder Set 	6543 	 	 	
National Champ Race Set 	6510 	 	 	
Newport Pacer Set 	6513 	 	 	
Laguna Oval Set 	6512 	 	 	
California 8 Race Set 	6514 	 	 	
Pacific 8 Race Set 	6509 	 	 	
==Known Castings==
Double boiler.JPG|Double Boiler
Image Not Available.jpg|Ferrari P4 (Sizzlers)
Flat Out.jpg|Flat Out (Sizzlers)
Porsche Carrera 10.jpg|Porsche Carrera 10 (Sizzlers)
==2007==
In 2007, the series was rebooted and exclusive to Target. All were made in China and had NCRL wheels. The series was discontinued by 2009.
Casting 	Color 	Tampo 	Toy #	Notes / Variations	Photo Loose	Photo Boxed
'57 Chevy 	Yellow 	White flames on sides 	L2805	 	 	
'67 Ford Mark IV 	Blue 	White & black stripes on top, hood, & trunk, "8" on hood and sides 	K4769	 	 	
'69 Pontiac Firebird T/A 	Orange 	White & black stripes on top, hood, & trunk, "5" on sides 	K4770	 	 	
'69 Pontiac Firebird T/A 	Red 	White & black stripes on hood & sides 	K4780	 	100px 	
'70 Camaro T/A 	Silver 	Black & gold stripes on hood, top, trunk & sides, "70" on hood, top, & sides 	K4779	 	100px 	
'70 Camaro T/A 	Yellow 	Wide black stripe on hood & top, chevy emblem on top & sides, "2" on hood, top, & sides	K4773	 	 	
'70 Ford Mustang Boss 302	Apple green	Black stripes on hood & sides 	K4777	 	 	
'70 Ford Mustang Boss 302	White 	Blue stripes on hood & sides, "2" on sides 	K4771	 	 	
'70 Plymouth 'Cuda T/A 	Blue 	Black tampo on hood & sides, Hot Wheels logo on sides, "5" on hood 	K4778	 	 	
'70 Plymouth 'Cuda T/A 	Yellow 	Black tampo on hood & sides, Hot Wheels logo on sides, "5" on hood 	K4772	 	 	
Angeleno 	Dark Blue 	"7" on hood & sides 	K4776	 	 	
Heavy Chevy 	Olive 	Black stripes on top & trunk 	L2806	 	 	
Live Wire 	Light Green	None 	K4775	 	 	
Olds 442 	Green 	White stripes on hood & sides, "442" & "W-30" on sides 	L2807	 	 	
Rodger Dodger 	Dark Red 	Yellow & orange flames on sides 	L2804	 	 	
Spoil Sport 	Red 	None 	K4774	 	 	
==Gallery==
Bruce Pascal Clear Sizzlers.jpg|Clear Prototypes so designers could identify any issues in the casting (Bruce Pascal Collection)
Sizzler Wedge Proto.JPG|Prototype 
Sizzler Wedge Proto (2).JPG
Brabham_Repco_F1 Sizzlers.JPG|Brabham Repco F1 Sizzler Prototype
Juice Machine fadded.JPG|Juice Machine (with faded stickers)
Sizzlers Euro Promo.JPG|European Ad
Dec 97 Feb 98 Newsletter Sizzlers (2).jpg|Dec '97 - Feb '98 Newsletter Article on Sizzlers
Dec 97 Feb 98 Newsletter Sizzlers.jpg
Wheels Wings 71 catalog Sizzlers.jpg|Sizzlers Ad in a '71 Catalog
Wheels Wings 71 catalog (13).jpg|From Wheels & Wings '71 Catatlog
Wheels Wings 71 catalog (14).jpg
Wheels Wings 71 catalog (15).jpg|...and accessories
Wheels Wings 71 catalog (15) - Copy.jpg|Fat Track
Wheels Wings 71 catalog (16).jpg
==See Also== 
Category:Sizzlers
Category:Hot Wheels by Series
Category:1970 Hot Wheels
Category:1971 Hot Wheels
Category:2007 Hot Wheels