MUNCLE MIKES · CASTING GUIDE
Tri-BabyThree turbines under one rear hatch
Tri-Baby looks fairly restrained with its rear hatch shut. Open it carefully and the three upright turbines explain the name. The hatch area also gives collectors a useful way to compare its early US and Hong Kong versions.
Four wheels, three turbines
Tri-Baby arrived in 1970 and was made in the United States and Hong Kong. Its hinged rear cover conceals three turbine units. The name describes that engine arrangement, not the number of wheels.
Examine the hatch hinge and the edge where the cover meets the body. A cover that sits unevenly deserves a closer photograph, but do not force it flat or repeatedly work a stiff hinge.
Compare the body beneath the hatch
The US body has an extension beneath the hatch that the Hong Kong version lacks. Hong Kong headlights have more squared corners. These physical details help when reflections make the glazing color difficult to judge.
Clear glazing and a light cream interior are common on US cars. Hong Kong examples commonly have blue glazing and a dark interior, although light interiors also exist. Record the complete combination, including the country mark underneath, rather than using one color as the deciding feature.
Where Buzz Off fits
The design continued under the Buzz Off name in 1973. Packaging alone can be misleading: Spectraflame Tri-Baby examples are documented in Buzz Off packaging. Read the car as well as the card.
The Buzz Off guide covers the later name. When comparing loose examples, photograph the hatch open and closed, the base lettering and both sides. Disclose a replacement cover or refinished body separately from ordinary paint wear.
