On Line Redline Guide

Casting : Buzz Off

Years of Production:

1977

Country of Origin:

Hong Kong

Casting Variations:

Plastic base on 1977 releases

Paint Colors and Variations:

* Golden Machines Gold Chrome
* Blue with Beetle Tampo

Interior Colors:

Black

Other versions of same Casting:

1970 Tribaby
1973 Buzz Off
1974/76 Flying Colors Buzz Off

Comments:

The 1977 versions of the Buzz Off are both based on the Larry Wood's 1970 Tribaby casting.

1977 "Gold Ones" Buzz Off and 1977 Beetle Tampo Buzz Off

The "Gold Ones" version was released in the main line for 1977. The version with "beetle" tampo was made for a detergent promotion that was cancelled.

Proctor and Gamble Promo Models

The "beetle" tampo version was produced in 1977 as one of five models selected for a detergent promotion, believed to be sponsored by Proctor and Gamble. Several of the
castings were "simplified" to reduce costs and all of them have a black plastic bases. It is believed that the cancellation occurred while the Buzz Off was still in production,
resulting in many fewer Buzz off's being made as compared to the other four models. The four models which had completed production went into storage for a few years until
they were sold off as a "lot". The buyer of the cars packaged them in small baggies with a header card and sold them in "dime" stores under the name of "Wisconsin Toy Company".

The Buzz Off, with insufficient quantities to support a promotion, was distributed two ways: some went to Japan and were sold in the red boxes and some
small number of them were sold out of the Mattel factory store. Thus, the blue "beetle" tampo version is by far the rarest version in the Buzz Off family.

1977 Buzz Off Versions for the Japanese Market

The blackwall version of the gold chrome Buzz Off was also provided to the Japanese market but was sold in a blister pack.

1970 Tribaby - 1973 Buzz Off - 1974 Flying Colors Buzz Off - 1976 Flying Colors Buzz Off - 1977 Gold Ones Buzz Off - 1977 Beetle Tampo Buzz Off

Evolution of the Buzz Off

1970 Tribaby - 1973 Buzz Off - 1974 Flying Colors - 1976/77 Plastic Base

The plastic base is common to the 1976 Flying Colors model and both of the 1977 versions.

Prototypes:

An unspun preproduction body of the Golden Machines version is known.

Preproduction Golden Machines Buzz Off vs. Normal Production

The only difference between the unspun preproduction and the normal production version is the shade of orange used in the tampo.

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