5, 5.5, whatever it takes

  
 

A Let's Compare Special

  
 

 

  
  We collector's sure like our nostalgia. Sure there's plenty of new cars and new brands for us to fill or craving, but we also like to go after the classics. And Mattel knows that. Every once in a while they throw something at us that drives us all to the pegs to recapture a favorite. And the new Old Number 5.5 doesn't disappoint. Let's compare it to the original Old Number 5:  
         
 

 
         
  At first glance, the two fire trucks look nearly identical. And that's by design. You can't be nostalgic with a completely new car. But there's a few subtle differences. On the new kid, the headlights have been dropped to the bumper, and the entire nose is now plastic. Chalk that up to raw material costs. But the look works. Also gone is the hood, again, a cost saving measure, but adding a large plastic motor gives the new 5.5 a little more attitude.  
         
 

 
         
 

 
         
  Around back, the tab that held the chassis to the body on the original is gone, but a new license plate area was added to keep the feel of the first truck. Good to see the helmets and egg crate design still in place. The ladders and hoses are identical in style, but thicker on the 5.5.  
         
 

 
         
  Here's another look at the 5.5's beefy mill. Notice also that the 'stacks' (for lack of a better word) are now cast into the body, whereas on the 5 they were separate plastic pieces.  
         
 

 

The seating compartment is the same, with the flat pancake steering wheel and plastic panel behind the firewall.

 
 

 

  
 

Looking down near the rear running board the equipment is still cast the same as the old man. Gone, however, is the 'diamond plate'. The new kid's boards are smooth.

 		  

 
     
 

 
         
  The larger, more modern 5 spokes fill up the wheel wells better than the older blackwalls.  
         
 

  Finally, the biggest change from old to new. The chassis is now plastic. A little disappointing, but an understandable change to keep the new 5.5 in the 1.00 price range. But the new truck does gain exhaust pipes!

 

  
         
  Yep, we like our nostalgia. And speaking strictly for myself, I really do like the new Old Number 5.5. I like the direction Mattel took with this one. It would have been easy to just make a new fire truck, but where's the cool in that? And if the reception is good, perhaps they'll crank out a few more updates to some old favorites.

---Joe

  
         
 

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