1970s Zingers! Full-Sized Toy Vehicles

These are the Zingers!, the “hairiest, scariest fistfuls of muscle yet,” according to the ads for the line of MPC plastic models introduced in 1971.

h/t: vintag.es

In the days when wild show cars reigned, legendary promoter Bob Larivee Sr. drew crowds by commissioning full-scale versions of top-selling toys. Perhaps the most well-known is the Red Baron, built in 1:1 scale in 1969 by Chuck Miller of Styline Customs based on the Tom Daniel-designed Monogram model.

When Larivee wanted fullsize Zingers!, he called on Styline to build the VW, the van, and the Vettes shown here in these Mike Brenner photo outtakes from a story in the July ’71 HOT ROD. The dune buggy was built by show-car builder and drag-racer Steve Tansy.

The life-size Zingers used real engines with half-scale bodies, and others on the show circuit (and in the model-car line) included a ’57 Chevy and a Super Drag dragster.