Buzz Off (1973-77)
In 1973, to reduce production costs, Mattel reissued several castings that were stripped of add-on parts and detail paint, and finished in a variety of enamel colors. All 1973 and later redline cars were produced at the HK factory.
The Buzz Off was a new name for 1973, but the car was essentially the same as the Tri-Baby which was originally produced from 1970-71.
The Buzz Off used a US Tri-Baby body mated to an HK Tri-Baby base. The Buzz Off came standard with the trademark large opening rear hood of the Tri-Baby but without the black paint on the louvered vents. Early production Buzz Offs have a more detailed base; on later runs, much of the detail was omitted.
Buzz Off bases: early production (top), common (center), and plastic (bottom).
Like most 1973 issues, the Buzz Off typically has at least one axle that utilized the new "open hub" wheels. However, some early run cars can be found with cap-style wheels on both axles. This is especially true for fluorescent lime green Buzz Offs for some unknown reason.
A fluorescent lime green Buzz Off with cap wheels.
In 1974, the Buzz Off was included in the new Flying Colors line. The car was produced in a couple different shades of blue and decorated with a yellow pinstripe tampo. A single green Buzz Off (pictured at the bottom of this page) has been found and is believed to be a prototype of some sort, possibly representing an alternate color for the Buzz Off that never made it into production.
From 1976 on, the Buzz Off was produced with a plastic base. In 1977, a new tampo design depicting a beetle with wings on the rear hood and antennae on front was used on a dark blue car. This version of the Buzz Off is rare.
Another 1977 version of the Buzz Off was done in gold-chrome with a red, orange, magenta and black ink tampo with the words "THE GOLD ONE" on the front of the car. In 1977, Mattel began to phase out redline wheels and as a result, the dark blue and gold chrome Buzz Offs also can be found with "blackwall" wheels.
Color chart
| 1973 Enamel colors: |
Comments: |
| dark blue |
uncommon |
| fluorescent lime green |
uncommon |
| fluorescent pink |
hard to find |
| light blue |
hard to find |
| red | hard to find |
| lemon yellow |
hard to find |
| 1974-77
Flying Colors: |
|
| dark blue w/yellow pinstripe |
common |
| medium blue w/yellow pinstripe |
common |
| green w/yellow pinstripe |
very rare; only one known? |
| dark blue w/yellow pinstripe |
uncommon ('76 plastic base) |
| gold chrome |
common ('77 issue) |
| dark blue w/beetle tampo |
rare ('77 issue) |
Above and below: a prototype Buzz Off painted in Spectraflame blue!
A red '73 Buzz Off in the blister!
A '73 Buzz Off rainbow!
A nice group of blue Buzz Offs: '73 blue (L), '74 blue (C), and a '77 dark blue with beetle tampo (R).
Above and below: a rare green '74 Buzz Off with a prototype base. (Courtesy of Bob Rosas)
Photo & info credits: Robert Bowker, Jack Clark, Werner Heidecke, Roy Nakamura, Bruce Pascal
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