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Showcase: Aqua King
Topic Started: Dec 26 2013, 01:28 PM (1,257 Views)
mbx64
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Matchbox Collector
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Oh dear. It is already the fourth day into my 'Week of Showcases' and I have only done two so far, including this one. I should have figured this would be the outcome, considering the two days I missed were Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I guess I set my goals just a little too extravagantly. On the flipside, I am somewhat glad I missed those two days, because it meant that I as too busy partying, talking to family, and having fun to sit down and spend an hour producing a Showcase. Good for me.

So, let us get back on a roll with MB814 Aqua King. I have always highly-praised the Aqua King. It is probably one of Matchbox's best generics ever under the Mattel reign, for its realistic design, beautifully crafted water-bottles, and because it is an out-of-the-ordinary type of truck.
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Castings like this make me ache knowing all of the years Matchbox missed out to produce even more models of this type. They could have been somewhere brilliant right now, because 2011 was the best year Mattel had so far. It seemed like every year outdid the last, until 2012 pulled up. But the fact that the range was being so diversified in 2010-2011 really meant they had gotten somewhere. After the disaster that was Hero City, they had to start from the basics with their generic trucks. The re-build included the average city bus, a tanker, a cement mixer, and trucks of the sort. The average Joes. But as time went on, things began to spread into the fun, under-done types of trucks, like hazard fire trucks, skidsteers, and this water truck.
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The older castings held-up so well that they were able to stay in the lineup as reliable generic models even in the modern day. That is not an easy task to accomplish, to make a model seem new for so many years. It is superb that Matchbox made a full recovery and was really growing into a beautiful range, but it is disheartening to know what the word 'Unstoppable' did to the newly-recovered range.

And, in 2015, Matchbox will have to start all over again. 2012, 2013, and 2014 have taken the crazy side of things, but 2015 is going to harken back to the New Golden Age. It is unfortunate that all the new generic truck models will have to start with the basics, like the average city bus, a tanker, and a cement mixer. That is, if they even can. MB690 MBX Mixer has something like 6 or 7 parts, something that Matchbox could never produce now with the 4 parts limit. How can they even call themselves an 'Unstoppable' brand when they cannot even produce a realistic cement mixer, such a staple of the construction world? It would have to have no windows, no interior, and no trim to work today.
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I like to look at the good side though. I am ecstatic that the brand is going back to its best (under Mattel) in 2015. I could cry with joy. I hope that Mattel understands now that kids do know their toys, and do not want to be treated like kids with their toys. They are all about growing up, and finally, Matchbox will be doing the same.
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I should probably throw in a few quick comments on this model, in list form.
- When it was first previewed, I thought it was yucky. Now I know I was wrong, as the orange and green does work together.
- I am happy to see small disk wheels here. They are correctly proportionate.
- Those water bottles are COOL. They nailed the aqua effect.
- I love its design, both as a casting and its 'Authentic' livery.
- Awesome name. Aqua King just sounds right.
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Please enjoy more photos of the latest Aqua King:
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I own four out of five versions of MB814. The debut version slipped my grasp. I do hope to purchase one some day!
2011 1-100 version B
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2011 First Editions 10-pack (Boy do I miss those. 2015?)
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2012 1-120
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Here they are, all lined-up in no particular order:
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The definite inspiration for MB814 Aqua King, MB695 Utility Tanker (what an improvement in execution):
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The Aqua King really deserves its time in the spotlight. What a magnificent truck.

Oh, and one last thing. If anyone from the Matchbox Team is reading this, I know your little secret about this truck. It made me very upset. . .


Nicolas
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Stampede
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Team Canada
Awesome review, Nicolas! I've got the 2011 version b model, and I am quite pleased with it. When Matchbox tries, they can make really nice models, even generics like this one.
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Dean-o-mite
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Muscle Car
mbx64
Dec 26 2013, 01:28 PM
Oh, and one last thing. If anyone from the Matchbox Team is reading this, I know your little secret about this truck. It made me very upset. . .

Are you referring to the deletion of the 'extra' part - a separate windshield which had been more realistic in earlier releases, but now has to be the same color as the water bottles? I don't understand the reasoning. A car has 5 parts - body, windows, interior, base, axles. This truck had 5 parts - body, water bottle plastic (which also formed the interior), cab windows, base, axles. Why was the deletion of the cab window piece necessary??

Disappointing, but I really thought when it was announced this casting would be "modified" that it would be getting a plastic body. I was relieved to discover that wasn't the case. I really like this casting, even as a non-licensed truck. It still looks the part very well.
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craftymore
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Support your local demo derby.

Has a cross look between what the heavy duty Ford trucks use to look like and the 10 year old GMCs. Cool review Nicolas. For a purely generic work truck it looks nice to me.
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66alfa_gtv
Fullsize
A decent casting, but the new green version is let down by graphics more suited for a baseball uniform.
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daniel60
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Personal Luxury Car
Art form I say!
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Douglas
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SUV
Thanks Nicolas, I enjoyed the review, this is a great model to showcase.

You know I really like the model, since I use to do some creative playing with pictures of it, back when Photobucket was user friendly where I could create crazy things like this. :D

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Edited by Douglas, Dec 27 2013, 01:37 PM.
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Stampede
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Team Canada
Those look sweet, Doug! If only Matchbox made ones like those...
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mbx64
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Dean-O-mite
Dec 26 2013, 02:53 PM
mbx64
Dec 26 2013, 01:28 PM
Oh, and one last thing. If anyone from the Matchbox Team is reading this, I know your little secret about this truck. It made me very upset. . .

Are you referring to the deletion of the 'extra' part - a separate windshield which had been more realistic in earlier releases, but now has to be the same color as the water bottles? I don't understand the reasoning. A car has 5 parts - body, windows, interior, base, axles. This truck had 5 parts - body, water bottle plastic (which also formed the interior), cab windows, base, axles. Why was the deletion of the cab window piece necessary??

Disappointing, but I really thought when it was announced this casting would be "modified" that it would be getting a plastic body. I was relieved to discover that wasn't the case. I really like this casting, even as a non-licensed truck. It still looks the part very well.
Yes, I was. I did not know that the modification was announced; I honestly thought it was a secret. I did not want to proclaim the fact because I knew that some people would just take it and use it against Matchbox endlessly, so I left it to myself for the review. But if it is already out there, than so be it.

I guess, Dean, that where ever they can cut costs, they will. Before the body had 4 parts (diecast body, plastic bottles, plastic windscreen, plastic base) but now it has three (diecast body, plastic windscreen/bottles, plastic base). It is still cheaper to produce it with three parts than four, so they took that route, unfortunately.

@Dug-my-toys: That is really cool! I really like the one with all of the miniature Matchboxes hanging in it. Imagine if there was a real truck like that, going around and visiting cities and towns across the world for kids and collectors alike to buy the latest Matchbox? We can dream . . . :P

Thanks to everyone for the encouraging comments!
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