Gerry Gaetz is the perfect age for the early days of the Hot Wheels phenomenon when kids from a bygone era were captivated by the wild pint-sized custom rides that relied heavily upon gravity to race down an orange plastic track.
The scale model toy cars looked fast at a standstill and were indeed fast when kids raced them on the toy tracks.
Gerry never lost his enthusiasm for Hot Wheels cars and carried his enthusiasm well into adulthood as a collector of the small-scale toy vehicles.
Jim Sutherland
Gerry’s hobby is only part of his game plan because he and his wife Janet are also the proud owners of a wild custom 1932 Ford Model B pickup truck that looks like it was built to be part of the famous Hot Wheels collection-only in full scale mode.
Gerry’s hot rod Ford truck bears some resemblance to the famous Hot Wheels Bone Shaker truck, although his goal was to create his own vision of a potential Hot Wheels model that was not the Bone Shaker- but was instead a kindred spirit.
Mission accomplished in our opinion here at MyStarCollectorCar because Gerry and Janet’s ’32 Ford truck is the best of both worlds and would be a worthy addition to the vintage Hot Wheels lineup.
Gerry was always a big fan of the 1932 Ford models because they are an excellent platform for a custom hot rod project. He began his search for a suitable candidate many years ago and was able to locate his hot rod in 2008.
The ’32 Ford was well on its way to the ideal custom car when Gerry and Janet became its latest owner. It has an all-Ford powertrain that included a 1969 Ford Mustang 302 small block hooked up to a ’69 C-4 three-speed automatic transmission.
The Ford-on-Ford trend was extended to the narrowed 8-inch Ford rear end, so this Blue Oval beauty is a big hit with Ford fans.
It is also a big hit with kids because it has a strong Hot Wheels vibe, including Hot Wheels decals on its front cowl and red line tires, along with a sizable collection of Hot Wheels toys in its bed.
The most important part of the equation is Gerry and Janet drive their ’32 Ford Hot Wheels tribute truck whenever they have the opportunity. They added a custom bench front seat, complete with console, to enhance the comfort factor on the road and chose not to put a collector license plate on the truck because Gerry and Janet do not want to limit their range for trips.
The late 1960s Ford powertrain is a big improvement from the trucks original early 1930s powertrain, so Gerry and Janet “can fly down the road”, in his words, although its lowered stance makes bumps and potholes a challenge along the way.
Nevertheless, Gerry’s love for vintage Hot Wheels toy hot rods is the driving force behind ownership (with wife Janet) of a full-scale Hot Wheels hot rod straight out of the imagination of a lifelong fan like him.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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