Scorching Wheels toy automobiles proceed to outline complete generations of youngsters and hobbyists throughout the globe. Like different notable toy merchandise resembling GI Joe, Barbie, or Transformers, Scorching Wheels’ attraction lies in its simplicity, with Mattel cranking out hundreds of thousands of realistic-looking automobiles sufficiently small to slot in the palm of your hand.
And identical to GI Joe or Barbie, these toys’ worth fluctuates because the years go by, some automobiles rising in worth, others lowering as increasingly reproduced fashions flood the market. That being mentioned, some avid collectors or Scorching Wheels lovers is perhaps sitting on a literal goldmine of plastic automobiles and never even realize it. From ultra-rare seaside cruisers to souped-up muscle automobiles from the Nineteen Sixties, listed below are a number of the most useful Scorching Wheels automobiles ever made, in addition to the greenback worth business consultants place on these hard-to-find miniature fashions.
All costs are based mostly on common gross sales knowledge on the time of writing.
1969 Rear-Loading Pink Seaside Bomb ($175,000)
A Scorching Wheels automobile whose worth exceeds that of an precise Porsche, it’s mentioned that solely two variations of the rear-loading Pink Seaside Bomb have been ever created. With Mattel reportedly sad with the automobile’s design, they quickly changed with it a more moderen mannequin that allowed customers to load the surfboards into the aspect of the automobile relatively than into the rear trunk. Whereas a couple of different ‘69 Seaside Bombs in various colours have cropped up in public circulation, solely two Pink Seaside Bombs have ever been seen.
1968 Over Chrome Mustang ($40,000)
A thriller that continues to befuddle devoted Scorching Wheels followers, Mattel created the 1968 Over Chrome Mustang for media functions, by no means aspiring to promote the automobile to common customers. Many years after its building, one of many few authentic Over Chrome Mustangs had been discovered within the possession of a trailer park resident who handed away. How precisely it bought there stays anybody’s guess, however its worth of $40,000 is past debate.
1968 Over Chrome Camaro ($25,000)
One other automobile made for media and promoting functions, the 1968 Over Chrome contains a uncommon antifreeze end, giving its mild inexperienced coat a definite glistening gleam. A standard automobile utilized in Scorching Wheels’ commercials within the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, round 20 of those Camaros are believed to exist, every one valued at round $25,000.
1969 Mighty Maverick with a Mad Maverick Base ($15,000)
One of many funkiest-looking automobiles ever launched by Scorching Wheels, the 1969 Mad Maverick went by way of an attention-grabbing evolution from its preliminary debut as much as its later circulation. Licensing points pressured Mattel to vary the automobile’s title to the Mighty Maverick. Nevertheless, a couple of authentic base plates that includes the Mad Maverick title dwell on the underside of a choose few Mighty Mavericks. Should you flip your automobile over and see the phrases “Mad Maverick,” you’ll end up in possession of a automobile price $15,000.
1969 Brown Customized Charger ($13,000)
There’s a cause we don’t see many brown automobiles both on the road or in any person’s toy assortment: Who on this planet desires a brown automobile? Recognizing this widespread aversion to brown on the buyer’s behalf, Mattel launched solely a handful of 1969 Brown Customized Chargers. Although the Charger proved a preferred mannequin amongst Scorching Wheels followers on the time, the distinct chocolate-color coat makes the Brown Customized Charger probably the most wanted of the Scorching Wheels Charger fashions.
1971 Purple Olds 442 ($12,000)
As with many of the Scorching Wheels we’ve highlighted so far, the 1971 Purple Olds 442’s difficult manufacturing makes it a coveted merchandise amongst Scorching Wheels collectors. With a solid designed by Larry Wooden – the lead designer for a lot of Scorching Wheels automobiles within the firm’s early life – the ‘71 Purple Olds 442 has been known as the rarest of all Redline automobiles, making it a hot-ticket merchandise for die-hard followers the world over.
1969 Ed Shaver Blue AMX ($10,000)
The truth that Mattel solely bought the 1969 Ed Shaver Blue AMX in the UK accounts for its prestigious fame at the moment. Made to copy the look of native avenue racer Ed Shaver’s customized automobiles, probably the most noticeable element that differentiates the 1969 Blue AMX from its U.S.-based counterparts is the Ed Shaver sticker down the aspect physique. Because of this, a good phrase of warning must be given: make certain that the sticker is genuine when analyzing an actual Ed Shaver Blue Amx – a intelligent forger may have replicated the sticker’s graphic design.
1969 Brown ’31 Woody ($8,000)
One other hard-to-find launch from Scorching Wheels’ Redline interval, rumors proceed to abound what number of 1969 Brown ‘31 Woody automobiles exist on this planet, a few of which embrace prototype fashions that will or could not have been meant for the overall market. As it’s, these automobiles promote for round $8,000, making them much more priceless than the opposite ‘31 Woody automobiles of various colours (blue, purple, yellow, and so forth.).
1971 Spectraflame Purple Bye Focal ($6,000)
Other than the corporate’s brown automobile fashions, purple tends to be seen as one other coloration bestowed on a choose few Scorching Wheels automobiles. Living proof with the 1971 Spectraflame Purple Bye Focal – purple being the least-used coloration for the ‘71 Bye Focal sequence. For anybody that does find one, the Bye Focal sequence has a difficulty with “crumbling,” whereby the automobile’s physique suffers vital stress cracks, generally to the purpose of crumbling away. Whereas it is a telltale signal of a real Bye Focal, correct care must be suggested for dealing with the mannequin.
1969 Python Physique with Cheetah Base ($6,000)
In its earliest manufacturing phases, Mattel dubbed the 1969 Python the 1969 Cheetah earlier than altering its thoughts and rebranding the car to the Python title it holds at the moment. Nevertheless, this sudden change in title got here after a couple of Cheetah fashions had been produced for the corporate; these early automobiles quickly discovered their means onto the overall market. As with the Mighty Maverick, you would possibly wish to flip any ‘69 Pythons in your possession over and take a look at the bottom plate beneath your automobile. If it has the distinct Cheetah title etched within the steel, you’ve gotten a crisp $6,000 in your hand.
1968 Pink Beatnik Bandit ($5,000)
In 1968, Scorching Wheels launched their authentic lineup of automobiles, recognized at the moment as the corporate’s “Candy 16.” Whereas followers pine over all these fashions, the ‘68 Pink Beatnik Bandit stands aside, if just for its distinct coloration. Like brown or purple, pink automobiles are usually arduous to seek out when it comes to Scorching Wheels’ earliest launch, giving the ‘68 Beatnik Bandit the respectable $5,000 worth it holds these days.
1970 Crimson Ferrari 312P with White Inside ($5,000)
In concept, there exists nearly no distinction between Scorching Wheels’ quite a few 1970 Crimson Ferrari 312P fashions, save for one essential element: the inside coloration. Although most Crimson Ferraris have a modern black inside, a couple of dozen got here geared up with a cream-white inside design – a element most individuals look over, and one that offers this mannequin its $5,000 price ticket.
1971 Crimson Olds 442 with Black Inside ($4,500)
Just like the aforementioned 1970 Crimson Ferrari 312P, the 1971 Olds 442 proved to be a preferred launch within the early ‘70s, the commonest coloration being a classy purple coat. In distinction, the Crimson Olds 442 with a black inside noticed a relatively smaller launch, the colour mixture between the inside and exterior paint jobs making it a uncommon discover for collectors. Avid Scorching Wheels fanatics proceed to debate what number of of those automobiles there wxist, the tough estimate being {that a} mere 15 ‘71 Crimson Olds 442s exist with the distinctive black inside.
1972 Inexperienced Open Fireplace ($4,000)
Lord is aware of why Mattel determined to base a Scorching Wheels mannequin off of an AMC Gremlin – the ugliest automobile ever constructed within the U.S. – however the choice prompted them to construct the 1972 Inexperienced Open Fireplace. A automobile simply as odd and arduous to have a look at as its real-world AMC counterpart, the Inexperienced Open Fireplace has been cited because the rarest of the varied Open Fireplace fashions, placing its worth at round $4,000.
1969 Crimson Baron with White Inside ($3,500)
Among the many most well-known and widespread Scorching Wheels objects of all time, the 1969 Crimson Baron has discovered its means into Mattel’s manufacturing assemblies from decade to decade. As many reproductions as there have been, the odd coloration mixture between the Baron’s purple physique and its cream-white inside has been a troublesome mixture for followers to get their arms on, much like the ‘70 Crimson Ferrari or ‘71 Crimson Olds 442 talked about above.
1972 Pink Superfine Turbine ($3,500)
A automobile that nearly seems to be prefer it had been designed by Dr. Seuss, Scorching Wheels’ important designer Larry Wooden constructed the solid for the 1972 Pink Superfine Turbine for a 1973 launch. Although later reissued in 2010, the unique automobile’s sizzling pink exterior makes it a sizzling commodity amongst decided Scorching Wheels collectors. As with most of those uncommon Scorching Wheels fashions, although, an in-depth analysis is suggested to make sure the product’s authenticity – as a result of reputation of the car, a couple of different toy traces launched similar-looking Superfine Generators that most individuals mistake for the real article.