Speed Buggy (or “Speedy” to his friends) – an anthropomorphic dune buggy with eyes and a mouth – was designed by master mechanic Tinker and his friends Debbie and Mark.
Speedy (voiced by Mel Blanc) could bolt, zoom, fly, dig, swim, and float his way to the finish line for racing thrills you wouldn’t believe.
Speedy and the gang zipped around the world, collecting winner’s trophies and fighting diabolical criminals, including Dr Kloog, who planned to build an army of slave cars and Professors Krishna and Digby, who used an invisibility potion to steal ancient treasures.
Speedy’s daring adventures brought him into contact with diamond thieves in Africa, a crazed pirate who intended to take over the oceans and a civilisation of Amazon women with a mind-control machine.
Most likely due to the show’s inspiration (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?), the character of Tinker (voiced by Phil Luther Jr) was uncannily similar to Scooby’s beatnik pal, Shaggy.
Mark (voiced by Michael Bell) was the good-looking Freddy equivalent, and Debbie (voiced by Arlene Golonka) was the gorgeous Daphne clone.
The Hanna-Barbera production became a firm favourite, appearing on the three major networks after its initial two-year run on CBS, often as a mid-season replacement, even though the show was in production for only one season.
CBS even installed reruns on its fall 1982 schedule.
Speed Buggy Mel Blanc Tinker
Phil Luther Jr. Debbie
Arlene Golonka
Mark
Michael Bell
Episodes
Speed Buggy Went That-A-Way | Speed Buggy’s Daring Escape | Taggert’s Trophy | Speed Buggy Falls in Love | Kingzilla | Professor Snow and Madame Ice | Out of Sight | Gold Fever | Island of the Giant Plants | Soundmaster | The Ringmaster | The Incredible Changing Man | Secret Safari | Oil’s Well That Ends Well | The Hidden Valley of Amazonia | Captain Schemo and the Underwater City
