Strange 1/6 mystery: Barbie's Pink Cadillac.

[Masao]

Lately, I have been trying to track a mystery. I am sure that at some time over the years I have seen a Barbie 1959 Cadillac El Dorado. One problem: it seems it never existed.

1959 was the year that Barbie was introduced. The 1959 Cadillac El dorado is one of the most iconic cars of all time. It is often depicted as a pink Cadillac. Barbie's official color is pink.

It is very strange that in the history of Barbie, this car has never existed...or am I missing something?

Maybe it was an off brand. Maybe it was made as a RadioShack r/c. Maybe I just noticed something that everyone missed.

Does anyone else remember a 1/6 scale Cadillac El Dorado before the Ghostbusters version?

 

[Mondragon]

I thought Barbie always drove a pink Corvette?

Although it was strange she drove the same car (mold) as Big Jim's LazerVette yet they were different scaled figures?

Same car Barbie got the Vette yet her partner was relegated to a pink moped

Big Jim got the Vette but at least his ahem "partner" got the Howler!

I think they also drove the same camper van, this was so embarrassing for Jim, as he was so out of scale with Barbie, he really had to flex against Ken or GI Joe, to make up for his height.

LOL sorry, that didn't help at all.

 

[BACON!]

When I was a kid I had ALL the Big Jim vehicles. the lazer Vette operated with rubberbands to make the cannons appear from under the hood. The howler had a removable cowl, and Yes, I even had the camper. Big Jim was the pinnacle of my 8 year old collecting hobby

 

[evenflow]

Odd but I remember my niece having a pink cadillac for her barbie dolls but I may be misremembering.

 

[MarkKing]

A lot of 1/6 are really expensive now. Most are RCs and cannot be opened by doors. I find Barbie the beat option

Cars look small, but cost and selection cant be beat imo.

I always wanted a Kitt...and Modifying a Barbie Corvette maybe the only option

 

[lerath666]

GOOD NEWS FOR YOU. YOU'RE NOT INSANE.

My sister had that pink monstrosity when we were kids.

I remember it was NOT a barbie-branded vehicle. it was from one of the knock-off lines, and we would have had it sometime around 1987-1990.
I know my mom made a big deal about it as she said she had that car at one point. ALSO my Dad is MR Frugal, and would not have shelled out for an official one.

But that's ALL I remember.

I hope this helps.

 

[rocbolt]

I thought Barbie always drove a pink Corvette?

Although it was strange she drove the same car (mold) as Big Jim's LazerVette yet they were different scaled figures?

I think they also drove the same camper van, this was so embarrassing for Jim, as they were so out of scale, he didn't stand a chance against Ken or GI Joe.

LOL sorry, that didn't help at all.

There was a Barbie Ferrari

 

[Mondragon]

.

There was a Barbie ______!

1960s
Austin-Healey roadster ...

Hot Rod

1970s
Dune Buggy

StarVette Corvette

Star Travler -

1980s
retro 57 Chevy (? the OP might be confusing this one for a 1959 Cadillac El Dorado)

VW G Cabriolet

Jeep

WWII Half-Track

Ferrari

1990s
Porsche Carrera

Mustang

Jaguar XJS

2000s ...?

 

[Mondragon]

When I was a kid I had ALL the Big Jim vehicles. the lazer Vette operated with rubberbands to make the cannons appear from under the hood. The howler had a removable cowl, and Yes, I even had the camper. Big Jim was the pinnacle of my 8 year old collecting hobby

Apparently not as celebrated in the collector realm, yet Mattel's P.A.C.K! was a fantastic toy line, great characters and vehicles- For me they were the 1975 A-Team a decade ahead of their time.
Plus the Jack Kirby box art, and John Buscema mini comics.

Though Blitz-Rig was never produced (I imagine it would have been the rescue-rig redone in PACK colors), they did have the off road Beast!

 

[MarkKing]

I just find barbies have the best variety. Lots of the 1/6 scale Vehicles, although scaled, cannot fit figures bc although they have inside seats no leg room for gigs.

Barbies you can kind of fudge

 

[Galacticat]

Don't forget the Jem Roadster (vintage Rolls). It looks pretty cool when painted. Also, those dolls were a LOT bigger than Barbie- so there is more space/it's a better scale.

Here's someone else's custom showing scale a bit:
photo from: Custom Action Man /Hasbro German Staff car

 

[Mondragon]

Though her first car was the Austin Healey^
Apparently new film retroactively gave her a 1956/57 vintage vet

Also was testing who's paying attention in a Barbie thread, and nobody called out the absurdity of the Barbie Tank Destroyer Half-Track above.

 

[Galacticat]

I'm not sure I understand you- what is a tank destroyer half-track?

I thought it was hilarious in the movie that she got a too small scale FOUR seated Corvette to drive- totally not to scale, just like the actual toys, haha... I think they did the 4 seats so they could have the back seat scene with Ken (and also because the car would then mimic the 4-seater look in that "Barbie Girl" Aqua video- which I STRONGLY SUSPECT was the original inspiration for the entire film.

 

[KingGrayskull]

I was actually going to ask what’s the story behind the tank as I couldn’t find anything. Got me.

Has the original question been answered?

 

[Mondragon]

I'm not sure I understand you- what is a tank destroyer half-track?

I thought it was hilarious in the movie that she got a too small scale FOUR seated Corvette to drive- totally not to scale, just like the actual toys, haha... I think they did the 4 seats so they could have the back seat scene with Ken (and also because the car would then mimic the 4-seater look in that "Barbie Girl" Aqua video- which I STRONGLY SUSPECT was the original inspiration for the entire film.

LOL It has nothing to do with the movie, I haven't seen it,
In my post above^ was a chronological list of Barbie vehicles (although nowhere near complete), I imagined likely none here would actually give a f about any of it, so for fun inserted an outrageously obvious GI Joe vehicle to see who if anyone was paying attention = Nobody!

I was actually going to ask what’s the story behind the tank as I couldn’t find anything. Got me.

Has the original question been answered?

As to the OP's original question about the "Barbie 1959 Cadillac El Dorado", I think lerath666 identified a NOT barbie-branded vehicle from a knock-off line, which accounts for the OP's remembered 59 pink Cadillac.
If anyone has a pic of it please post!

? Or if it was an actual Barbie branded vehicle, they might be remembering the 80s Barbie 57 Chevy, also posted above^.

I am curious if the OP's "mystery" was solved?

 

[rocbolt]

I was actually going to ask what’s the story behind the tank as I couldn’t find anything. Got me.

Fotoshop by Adobé

 

[Masao]

Yes, nothing helpful here, but hilarious.

 

[jaztermareal]

I just know that I would totally buy that fake Barbie halftrack if it was real. Come on Mattel!!!

 

[Mondragon]

Yes, nothing helpful here, but hilarious.

Your'e welcome.

 

[Masao]

The Ferrari and the Boxster are the closest to scale.