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Quacking into the History of Jeep Ducking

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In a world of automotive culture, there exists a peculiar tradition known as “Jeep ducking.” While not as recognized as other automotive manners, such as waving to fellow Jeep drivers or the Jeep wave, this practice holds a special place in the hearts of Jeep enthusiasts worldwide. Originating from humble beginnings, Jeep ducking has evolved into a lighthearted and endearing custom that fosters camaraderie among Jeep owners.

The origins of Jeep ducking can be traced back to the early days of World War II. As the United States military deployed its robust fleet of Willys MB and Ford GPW vehicles, soldiers quickly formed a deep attachment to these rugged and versatile machines. Amidst the harsh realities of war, soldiers found solace and amusement in personalizing their Jeeps, often affixing makeshift mascots and ornaments to the front grille.

One such ornament that gained popularity among servicemen was the rubber duck. While the exact reason behind choosing a duck remains uncertain, theories suggest that it symbolized good luck or served as a whimsical reminder of home amidst the chaos of battlefields. Regardless of its initial significance, the rubber duck became an iconic fixture on many Jeeps, earning it the moniker “Jeep duck.”

After the war, as veterans returned home and civilian versions of Jeeps became available, the tradition of adorning Jeeps with rubber ducks persisted. However, it wasn’t until the latter half of the 20th century that Jeep ducking transformed into a social phenomenon. The modern iteration of Jeep ducking revolves around a simple yet delightful premise: Jeep owners leave rubber ducks on the vehicles of fellow Jeep enthusiasts, often accompanied by a note or a small token of goodwill. The act is spontaneous and driven by a sense of community, with participants taking delight in surprising strangers with a cheerful duck resting on their Jeep’s dashboard or tucked into a door handle.

Part of the charm of Jeep ducking lies in its unpredictability and inclusivity. Whether traversing city streets or navigating rugged off-road trails, Jeep owners never know when they might find a new quacking friend waiting to join them on their journey. In recent years, social media has played a significant role in popularizing Jeep ducking, with dedicated hashtags and online communities springing up to share ducking stories and photos. Enthusiasts swap tales of memorable ducking encounters and coordinate surprise duckings at Jeep gatherings and events.

 

Beyond its entertainment value, Jeep ducking embodies the spirit of camaraderie and goodwill that permeates the Jeep community. It serves as a reminder that, regardless of our differences, we can find joy in simple gestures of kindness and shared passions. In a world often marked by division and discord, Jeep ducking stands as a shining example of how a lighthearted tradition can bring people together, one rubber duck at a time. Take life a day at a time, be nice to people, and wrangle in all the ducks you can!

2024 Hot Wheels F Case Review

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The 2024 Hot Wheels F case is here and we have a review for you! This case is not as good as some of the others we have seen this year, but there are still a few gems to be found here.

The first car we will be taking a look at is the new Porsche 911 Carerra. This time the car is done in the same style of a coupe clip with an attachment on the rear so you can put it on a key ring. It’s awesome to see Mattel using real cars as a basis for these and we hope to see more! The Porsche includes Porsche branding on the side and a Porsche emblem on the front. Overall a basic but great casting that will be very hard to find. Next up is the regular Treasure Hunt for the case, the Ford Mustang Mach-E 1400. This car features a ton of Ford branding throughout. The Treasure Hunt logo can be seen on the rear quarter panel. The car also features mismatched rims which look ok but not great. Our next car is the potential Super for the case, the ’71 El Camino. The regular version of the car features a purple paint job and 5 spoke wheels. The super comes in a much nicer spectraflame purple paint with real riders on better 5 spoke rims. Currently, the Super is going for around $80 but we could see prices dip considerably as more become available. The final car we will look at for the first half of F case is a recolor of the Ford GT40. The car features a fark blue paint with black hood. A white racing strip also makes it ways down the top side of the vehicle. Ford, Hot Wheels, Autolite, and Goodyear graphics grace the side of the car as well. Overall a clean new livery for the GT40.

The second half of the case is lacking on new vehicles but does feature some decent recolors. First up is the Audi RS-E Tron-GT. Originally done in white, the new olive colorway is refreshing. The car also features full headlight and taillight detailing. Both front and rear license plates also read “AMPED UP”. This car is packed with small details that help it punch above its weight class. Next up is the ’94 Audi Avant RS2. This car comes in a red colorway with 5 spoke rims. Like the Audi before, this car also features full front and rear lightning details which we think should be standard on all castings. This car is simple and great for any Audi or wagon lovers! The next car we have is a recolor of the Mighty k. This time the car comes in an off yellow paint scheme with pink and white graphics. The car still features the signature skateboard in the bed. Rear lightning details help make this car just a bit better. Next up, the recolor of the Nissan Patrol Custom. The car now comes in a green and yellow colorway and features white snow detailing and blue windows. The car is done well and the cutouts on the hood are a great detail. The last car on our highlight list is a recolor of the “Texas Toot” Mazda Autozam. The new blue/grey colorway gives it a nice look. The truck retains all of its previous details including front light detailing. The first time around this truck was popular and we expect the same this time.

Overall the F Case is not the greatest case but there are a few things to be found. From an investment standpoint the Super Treasure Hunt is a great find as usual. The Porsche keychain will also be a great hold if you can find any. Cars such as the GT40 and Shelby Daytona from the E Case will also do well.

2024 Hot Wheels E Case Review

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The Hot Wheels 2024 E case has arrived and we have a review of it for you!

The first car we have to look at is a beautiful Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe in Gulf Livery. The car has some great details and sponsorships but it would’ve been amazing to see this get the Super Treasure Hunt treatment like the Glory Chaser from last year. The next car is your regular Treasure Hunt, the Batman Forever Batmobile! This car looks like Mr. Freeze got to it with icy blue rims and windows. The TH logo is actually featured on the far side of the car on the window. We used a flashlight to check it out as the blue reflects well. Overall, a great treasure hunt. Next up is our potential Super Treasure Hunt in the 60’s Fiat 5000 Modification. This car is packed full of Italian inspired racing livery and the exposed engine on the rear of the car is a great touch. The car looks much better in Spectraflame Gold, but even in yellow the car has a good vibe. The fourth car in our lineup is a new casting, the Cadillac Project GTP Hypercar. This car features a nice matte black paint and gold rims. It is exciting to see Hot Wheels branching off into these kinds of race vehicles. The final car in our first half of the review is the 91 Mazda MX-5 Miata. The chrome 5 spokes and red interior give this car a nice touch. The additional taillight details also make it better than the seafoam green Miata from earlier this year.

The first car in the 2nd half of our case review is the Pontiac Aztek. An odd choice of casting and we think this livery would look better on a myriad of other castings. However, amongst the icy blue paint and various parts sponsorships is an easter egg. If you take a peek at the back window of the SUV you will notice a hat and pair of glasses reminiscent of Heisenberg himself. Next up we have a ’57 chevy in a black and white lettering livery that we’ve seen on other castings in the past. This car looks great with white rims and white interior and is sure to be a hit with a variety of collectors. Sticking with the black and white theme we have a Mustang Funny Car from the Hot Wheels Art Car Series. The Dragon and flame on the side of the car look great and are reminiscent of tattoo art. The 4th car we have is another Art Car in the ’70 Dodge Charger R/T. This Charger also comes in a semi-familiar comic book style livery. The 2 colored tires work well with this car and the comic book livery isn’t completely over the top. The last car we will be looking at is the Custom ’72 Chevy Luv. This truck features lots of chrome on the rims, bumper, bed, and interior. The cutout in the hood and full Chevrolet lettering on the tailgate are great touches.

Overall the E case is decent for new cars. From an investment standpoint the best cars to look for will be the Fiat super and the Gulf Daytona. Also included are the civics and the Godzilla Skyline from the D case. Picking up these will be a good investment or possible trade bait.

Hot Wheels 2024 D Case Review

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The 2024 Hot Wheels D Case is here and we have a review of some of the highlights you should be looking for!

The Hot Wheels D case has a ton to offer! The first car on our list is the Nissan GT-R R33 featuring the Godzilla graphic! The car comes in a white paint scheme and while it would’ve been nice to see more detailing on the headlights, the Godzilla graphic and GT-R badge on the rear make up for it. Overall a great car and definitely going to be a hard car to pass on.

The next car on our list is the regular treasure hunt for the series, the Custom ’53 Chevy. This car features a nice lavender paint job with purple pinstripe detailing throughout. A treasure hunt flam can be seen toward the front of the vehicle. The purple windows and translucent purple hood are also great touches. A white top is the final detail that gives this car an awesome aesthetic. Don’t expect to see this car lying around as a peg warmer.

The third vehicle we have is the potential super for the case in the ’89 Mercedes 560. This car is complete with Headlight and taillight detailing. Mercedes, AMG, and 560 badging grace the rear as well. For a mainline this car checks a ton of boxes and looks great, but not quite as good as the Spectraflame Red Super variant. The spectra flame paint pops but the car maintains all the other details from its non super version. A treasure hunt logo is placed on the rear and the wheels are swapped for red 5 spokes. This car has all the makings of potential Super of the Year.

The final car for the first half of the D case is the ’92 Honda Civic EG. While the car is empty on the back, the headlight details, Honda graphics, and Kanji help push this car ahead of some others. Wheel choice is not the best here in our opinion, but with a wheels swap this car is going to be a great custom!

Continuing with some JDM cars, the second half of the case features another civic. The ’73 Honda Civic custom features a yellow paint job and some decent racing graphics from Motul and Bridgestone. This car is lacking a little on light details but the car has a good look to it and will be a good find.

Next, the Mazda RX-7 makes a return but this time features the Police and Kanji combo we’ve seen grace other JDM models. The gold rims on this car really help it stand out but other than that the car is pretty bland. Still a great car and casting.

Moving on to some American muscle we have the ’67 Camaro in a blueprint livery we have seen before. Personally, I think this car has been done really well. It wasn’t until I took a closer look that I noticed the 67 Camaro silhouette on the side of the car. The car also features a top down view of the front and rear of the car placed on the top of the hood. The car is done well and Camaro collectors will surely be looking for this car.

Another American vehicle comes in the D case. This time it’s the ’67 Chevy  C10. This truck is part of the Hot Wheels Art Cars series and features some interesting Hot Wheels graphics. The chrome grill looks good but the best feature has to be the wider rear tires that give this truck such an aggressive look.

The Final highlight of the D case is the Pagani Zonda R. The red paint looks nice partnered with some subtle gold pinstriping and gold rims. A Pagani logo is place on top of the spoiler. This car is simple and clean and will be a good pick up.

Overall the D Case has some nice cars worth picking up. From an investment perspective, the best cars to look out for are the Godzilla Skyline, Super and regular versions of the Mercedes 560, RX-7, C10, and Red EG Civic. These cars will offer your best return on investment. Expect to see the Super go for around $75 once they hit the market and prices settle. The Godzilla R33 has seen sales of nearly $30 but if you’re patient you can expect to pay around $5-10 for this car.

2024 Hot Wheels C Case Review

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The 2024 Hot Wheels C case is in and we are going to do a quick review on the cars you should be looking for when this case hits your local stores.

The first car that caught our eyes is the seafoam green Mazda MX-5 Miata. The unique color of this car helps it stand out. The added Hot Wheels and Mazda graphics are a nice touch. The wing and open top are also features that make this Miata different from the ones we have seen before. This car looks great although we would’ve liked to see a bit more tail light and headlight detailing, but for a mainline we can’t complain too much.

The second car on our list is the regular treasure hunt for this case, the Tooligan. The car comes in a pink and teal colorway that gives off Barbie vibes but it features some useful additions. The spoiler is a functioning wrench, and the base also features a slot for an Allen key, which is a nice touch. It could be nice to have one of these in your car on the off chance you have to tighten a n antenna or some other small job. The car is finished with purple wheels and a treasure hunt flame near the rear quarter panel.

Next up for our C case review is the potential super treasure hunt, the BMW 507. The car has a nice silhouette but is lacking in other details. A BMW logo can be seen on the side fender and an 822 decal makes it way onto the door and hood. Although we didn’t pull a super out of our case, a customer brought in a loose version of the Super which looks incredible. The rubber tires make a world of difference. Partner that with a gold paint job and this is a really good Super for the beginning of the year.

The next model we will be taking a look at is the 1978 Dodge Lil’ Red Express. This truck comes in a beautiful red paint with gold detailing. The best part of the truck is the small message on the door panel. It reads “Will you be my valentine”. This is an awesome idea and could be an interesting way to ask that special someone later this year. The gold rims and smoke stacks also help this truck with its awesome look.

The last car we will be looking at for the first half of the C case is the ’55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser. Always a popular casting, this variant comes in a bronze orange paint with Hot Wheels, NHRA, Vetuskey, and Goodyear branding. Affectionately named The Collector, this car is sure to be high on plenty of collectors lists. The interior of the car is chrome which is not something we love but it is easy to overlook. The Engine is also chromed out and side exhausts can be seen exiting from the fenders. This car is very well put together and one of the best mainlines we have seen this year.

The second half of the case has some interesting fantasy castings and some other popular models. The Knight Dragon was made to commemorate the year of the dragon for the Chinese New Year. The red and gold colorway give off immediate CNY vibes. The car also features a 2024 Dragon symbol on top of the rear quarter panels. The Batman and Robin Batmobile comes in a black and chrome colorway and features a chrome bat on the front grill. This car is very clean looking and another good addition for Batmobile collectors. The Wheelie Chair is a casting we have seen before and this new version features a red white and blue paint scheme. The card features Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham’s signature. He was the first person to ever complete a single and a double backflip in a wheel chair. Next up we have the DMC DeLorean from Back to the Future. This time the car is in Hover Mode which we have seen before but the car looks good once again in 2024. Finally, we have the yellow ’07 Chevy Tahoe featuring Hot Wheels rescue (RSQ) graphics. This is a car that often gets asked about but we are not sure people will be jumping for it in this emergency yellow colorway.

Overall the C case is pretty good as far as new castings are concerned but the thing that will help it the most is the cars rolling over from B case. In each case, we have received 2 Gold Civics and 2 Purple R30s as featured in our B case review. From an investment perspective these two cars will be good to pick up and possibly hold onto for awhile. The BMW super will be your best investment if found in the wild. Other cars to hold onto are the Bel Air Gasser and Valentines truck. Happy hunting and a Happy New Year collectors!