Tomica Emergency Vehicles

Please excuse me while this blog is not so briefly taken over by my latest fascination: imported Tomica cars. My October 26th post featured photography of childhood Tomica, and my exploration into various diecast models since the inception of this blog eventually led me back to these fun little cars. I received my first box of almost two dozen, and plan to show them in detail starting with these four fire/rescue vehicles, each outfitted with those familiar, slotted Tomica wheels... Go! Go! Tomica!

Hino Aerial Ladder Fire Truck #108
The obvious appeal of this firetruck is the outstanding, 3-stage aerial ladder that rotates 360 degrees... just wow! Sure this line of Tomica are akin to the mainline Matchbox vehicles, but you won't find features like this on a regular Mattel casting.

Nissan NV350 Caravan Fire Chief Car #27

I love a Fire Chief vehicle in all red, and this heavy casting has an opening hatchback. One could quibble with the painted back window, but in order to keep the cost down, it was like necessary because of the hatchback costruction. Love this one!

  

Honda Insight Patrol Car #83

I love the red chevron lightbar on this casting, which also features an opening hatchback. The wheels on this car have "suspension", like the childhood Tomica I still have a few of. Great little cop car!

Morita Fire Fighting Ambulance #119
The last, and probably my favorite of these is the Morita Ambulance, with it's side-loading stretcher doors- wonderful! There are some great details in this casting, and I love the oversized light bar. Like the Hino ladder truck, it has a metal body and chassis, making this brick the heaviest of these...

TOMICA/HOT WHEELS/MATCHBOX COMPARISONS:

Tomica Hino Aerial Ladder Truck with Hot Wheels 5-Alarm & Matchbox Fire Tamer ...

Tomica Nissan Caravan Fire Chief with Hot Wheels Fire Chief Super Van and Matchbox Chevy Tahoe Fire Watch...

Tomica Morita Ambulance with Hot Wheels "Rettungswagen" Speedbox & Matchbox Metro Ambulance...

Tomica Honda Insight Patrol with Matchbox BMW X5 & HWPD Dodge Charger Drift car ...

The opening doors and that incredible ladder on the Hino Firetruck make these so much fun! Sure, they are cheap little imported cars from Japan (actually made in Vietnam), but like Matchbox and Hot Wheels, Tomica have their own style and endearing features. I paid considerably more for them, but their exotic appeal is irresistible to my Western sensibilities.

Make It FAST- Make It FUN!