Hot Wheels - Car of the Day !!!

[Monster]

Classic '36 Ford Coupe
This one was based on the 1936 Ford Coupe and has an opening rumble seat with a detailed interior in the back. It also featured a chopped top and lakester pipes. Models with a white interior are considered rare and are priced 200% higher. All models were issued with a black roof and was manufactured only in the United States.

I was really into Drag Racing at this time and was amazed by the awesome look and performance of the Gasser cars. So, I went to my Dad's workbench, got his diagonal cutters and carefully snipped the axle on each front wheel. Then, using paper clip wire, I soldered the wheels back onto the axle to give it the "raised" front end. It didn't roll worth a sh!t, but man did it look cool !!!
Over time, my axle weld job didn't hold and one side came off. I still have the wheel around here somewhere ... "Someday, I'm gonna fix'er up" !






Dave The Bartender's car, also in Blue, with just a sticker added.

[Monster]

Classic '57 'Bird
Ford's 1957 Thunderbird Convertible served as the basis for this model and featured a forward opening hood. Styling cues included a racing windscreen, a concealed roll bar and a painted or un-painted grille and was manufactured only in the United States.

This car is in Spectraflame Green and is the variation called "Seasider Green" by collectors.



Here we see Spectraflame Light Blue, which is the "Ice Blue" variant.



The Purple care here, shows the forward raising hood.

[Monster]

Custom AMX
Mattel based this model on the 1968 AMX two-door fastback sports coupe from American Motors Corp. (AMC). It was manufactured only in the United States and none were issued with black roofs.

This example is in Spectraflame Yellow.



One of the most popular and desired colors is Hot Pink.



Blister Pack with the card un-punched.



The Metal Collector's Button.



The Ed Shaver AMX was issued by Mattel only in the United Kingdom and was given away at events where Ed Shaver appeared. It was also available through a mail-in offer on cereal by sending in proof-of-purchase points from the backs of U.K. issued Hot Wheels cars and was not available in stores. Only a hadful of examples are commonly known to exist and this AMX only came in Blue, which was the color of his actual car.



Interestingly, 99% of the value comes from the car's tampco stickers, not the car itself.




Dave The Bartender's AMX.

[Dave the Bartender]

Maybe someday my skills will improve to be at least "below average" ! Hey, then y'all can call me Cobra !

Painting the town tonight DTB[/QUOTE]


oohhhh.....low blow. and i thought you where by buddy. i'll have you know that when i painted the 50' i used the best roller that $2.00 could buy at Lowes.[/QUOTE]

Sorry Cobra, you were just an easy target. I forgot people who live in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones ! I must be losing my mind.

Stoned again DTB

p.s. moving into the safety of the basement

[Monster]

Custom Charger
This model was based on the 1968 Dodge Charger two-door hardtop sports coupe and had a black painted front grille. All models were manufactured in the United States and were issued with a White interior. No models had a black roof.

This Redline is an example of a beautifully restored car, painted in Spectraflame Brown with reproduction wheels. Lots of collectors are not interested in restoration cars and will only collect those in original condition.







Here on the undercarriage photo, you can see that the original rivets that attach the chassis to the body have been removed and the car was reassembled with buttonhead screws.



The Collector Badge.

[cobra]

Sorry Cobra, you were just an easy target.
Stoned again DTB

p.s. moving into the safety of the basement

that's what all my ex girl friends would say

[Monster]

Custom Continental Mark III
Lincoln's 1968 Continental Mark III two-door coupe served as the bassis for this model and most examples featured a White interior. Models with a Black interior are less common and are priced 300% higher. This model was manufactured only in the United States and none were issued with a Black roof.

My car is the only example I have in Spectraflame Magenta.






Close-up of the engine compartment.



The Collector's Badge.

[Monster]

Custom Police Cruiser
Mattel based this police car on the 1968 Plymouth Fury four-door hardtop sedan. Designers put a pillar between the front and rear doors to provide support to the roof structure, but the real car had pillar-less doors. The hood and trunk are painted black. Variations exist with either a transparent or translucent red dome light and all models were manufactured in the United States.



The Police Cruiser was the first Hot Wheels car to have a "tampo" (painted pad-printed design), with "POLICE" on the front side doors and a badge on the rear side doors.



A few early pieces exist with black painted fenders (shown in 1969 catalogs), but the paint scheme was changed due to difficulty in painting the fenders.

[Monster]

Maserati Mistral
This model was based on the 1967 Maserati Mistral coupe and features a forward opening hood. Some colors have been found with black painted roofs and because they are more difficult to find, are priced 125% higher. This model was manufactured only in Hong Kong.

This car is in Spectraflame Aqua, one of my favorite colors.




Note the blue tinted windows.



This example is a nice Spectraflame Green.



Collector's Badge.

[Monster]

Mercedes-Benz 280SL
This model was based on the 1967 Mercedes-Benz 280SL roadster and some colors were issued with a black roof and because they are less common, they are priced 125% higher. This model was manufactured only in Hong Kong.

This car is in Spectraflame Copper.





An example in Blue, showing the detailed engine compartment.



Collector's Badge.

[cobra]

ok steve, where's todays car?

[Monster]

ok steve, where's todays car?

Sorry Bruce, out with my Boy Scouts today, I'll get right on it !

[Monster]

Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow
Mattel based this model on the 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow and was issued in silver-gray to resemble the actual car and is very common. Some colors have been found with black roofs, which are less common and are priced 125% higher. All models were manufactured only in Hong Kong and a Pink variation was issued only in the United Kingdom in a special European blister pack.

Here is a model in silver-gray with a black roof.





This one is in Spectraflame Green.



A nice Spectraflame Red car in a blister pack.



A Collector's Badge in a blister pack.

[Monster]

Splittin' Image
Beginning in 1969, Mattel issued concept cars created by their own designers and this model was the first to appear in stores. It features twin cockpits, separated by a pair of tail pipes that extend the full length of the car, from the back of the exposed supercharged engine. This model was manufactured only in the United States.

This Spectraflame Lime (Antifreeze) car is sitting on some of the infamous "Orange Track".



A nice example in Gold.



Mint in original Blister Pack. Note the 78-cent price sticker.




Top view close-up in the Blister Pack.



The Collector's Badge.

[Monster]

Torero
Mattel designers apparently borrowed styling cues from the 1968 Dodge Charger III show car and features a forward opening hood. It was manufactured only in the United States.

Here is a Spectraflame Aqua model.







Mint Blister Pack with a Spectraflame Green car.



Close-up.



The Collector's Badge.