When we were kids, there was no group of toys we played with more than our cars. Diecasts, Hot Wheels, roll-arounds, scale models, whatever. If they had four wheels, we were all about spending hours building them up, pushing them around on the floor, staging demolition derbies, setting up obstacles and jumps, and cruising down the boulevard (and by “boulevard,” we mean, “the kitchen countertops”). As adults, we’re not really surprised to see our tastes haven’t changed all that much. We’re still as intrigued and inspired as ever with these tiny, beautiful toys. While we can’t really have Hot Wheels tracks and Monogram model replicas sitting on our desks these days, we can still show love for the toys of our nostalgic past.
Floris Hovers ArcheToys
We’re design nerds as it is, so when you show us a well-thought-out, modern, and exceptionally slick line of model cars, you already know we’re slack-jawed and googly-eyed over it. That said, the whole line of ArcheToys are based around classic cars between the ‘30s, ‘40s, and ‘50s, and if their playful dimensions seem a bit cartoonish, it’s because each model is replicated from memory—from the idea of what that vehicle should have looked like—and not from a direct photo. The whole concept is cool, but the finished products are nothing short of astounding. Link
Buck Race Car
The Buck Race Car sees a racer from the 1920s boiled down to its simplest form. That simple form is perfect for a shelf behind your desk. Clad in an eye-catching forest green and accented by the golden helmet the driver is wearing, the Buck Race Car is an attention-getter, one perfect for play or display. Link
Woodbe Wooden Cars
There’s something very beautiful about two-tone wooden toys, and we believe Woodbe does an excellent job of replicating that traditional toy style in their wooden cars. Each car is made from ash and walnut that create a beautiful contrast with one another. Each wheel is made from dark-colored wenge wood, which isn’t just beautiful, but also helps them pick up speed in case you ever want to stage some time trials when the boss isn’t around. Every part of this car is made from crafted wood, and its quality and uniqueness are definitely undeniable. Link
Emanuel Rufo “Classic Race Car” Ferrari 250 GTO
The Ferrari 250 GTO is one of the legendary automobile manufacturer’s most sought vehicles. It has been deemed “The Hottest Car of All Time” by Popular Mechanics, is one of the most popularly built replica cars on the planet, and its going market value is somewhere over $50 million. And now you can own your very own! Sort of. The beautiful Classic Race Car Ferrari 250 GTO design from Emanuel Rufo is a simple, sleek, modern, and very minimal take on this world-famous Ferrari. It features a simple all-wood construction, and is entirely handmade from start to finish. Each car comes with its own individual serial number, which means no two are the same, and each can be customized with a number of your choice from one to thirty-one. Link
Candylab Toys’ Drifter 978
We absolutely love every single thing the folks at Candylab Toys do, but their Drifter 978 is quite simply a work of art. The truck features a solid beachwood shell, as well as ABS plastic rims covered with real rubber tires, a real waxed canvas roof/covering, and a magnetic rooftop surfboard. The vehicle is based on an old ‘70s-style safari/beach cruiser, and is also hand-stitched and made in the U.S.A. The packaging is just as badass, as each comes packed in a retro-style string tie-down collectors box. Link
Candylab Toys’ Pioneer
The old Jeep Wagoneer is one of our favorite classic trucks, and while the design team at Candylab Toys makes no claim to basing their Pioneer on it, we can’t help but notice the striking similarities. The wooden car features real wood sides, beefy rubber tires on white ABS plastic rims, water-based paint and clear urethane coating, as well as a rooftop canoe to give it that extra air of authenticity. The design is simple and clean, but very obviously reminiscent of one of our favorite trucks of all time. Our only problem is that looking at it daily might tempt us too much to get out into the great outdoors and do some camping. Link
Automoblox Mini HR-2 Hotrod Roadster
These guys are new on our radar, but we’re very, very impressed with their styling and quality. The Automoblox are based on a wooden platform that’s easily customizable with a ton of different parts and accessories, but we like their Mini HR-2 Hotrod Roadster right out of the box. Its dimensions and stance are perfect, and we love the addition of the “chrome” headers and carb stacks harkening back to the old hot rod days. It’ll go well on any desk or shelf in your office, but we don’t think we’d be able to let it sit without exploring the long range of customizable parts available. Link
