Hot Wheels Flower Car?

[Steven Prange]

Here's a link to a new Hot Wheels car that I got yesterday. It's a 1953 Cadillac Custom Pick-Up that, for the life of me, looks like a purple flower car without the stainless steel deck. They have a Soap Box Derby car in the bed. I wonder how hard it'd be to make a deck for it and sell it as a conversion kit......

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t251/BronzeGiant/CaddyP_U.jpg

[Brady D Smith]

That would be great.

[Dwayne Brooks]

Steve you had to post that didn't you! I was just considering selling off my entire collection but now I have to get that Caddy! Grrrrrr...

[Russell Dalziel]

That would be great.

Brady Where are You going to Park them The Garage at Plumb-Smith is Full LOL


Russ

[Charles E Snyder, II]

I haven't seen this one yet.

Thanks for posting the picture. I'll have to keep an eye out and pick up a couple of these.

It really wouldn't be too hard to make a deck for one of these. I'll have to give it a try when I find one. If anyone else gets it done before I get a chance, post some pictures.

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

Likewise, thank you for the heads up. Miniature hearse hunting commences tomorrow.

[Joe Melanson]

Got mine, This one is cool :cool:

Check ebay

[Larry N Reeves II]

If you go to Wal Mart around 10 PM, when the pallets come out, look for a box that says "Hot Wheels Cars 72 pcs" then look for a 3 letter/ 3 number code that starts with J.

EX: JJC998

If you happen to score this way, feel free to send me any from the case that have a green stripe ;)

By the way, there is also a 1959 Cadillac Funny Car (hearse) being released in the Hot Wheels Classics line...

[Charles E Snyder, II]

By the way, there is also a 1959 Cadillac Funny Car (hearse) being released in the Hot Wheels Classics line...Oh thanks Larry! :rolleyes: That's another one that I need to add to my list. If you guys keep showing and mentioning these cars, I will never get caught up on my "want list". :o

[Paul Steinberg]

It is a a vicious cycle... The more they produce, the more people buy.... the more people buy, the more that they produce... Reminds me of the Beanie Baby's Collectibles, where they were hawking them on Saturday morning children's television programs.. :D

[Cary Livingston]

It's a vicious cycle that some of us never get out of. I have all my Matchbox cars and Hotwheels from when I was a kid 40 years ago. And I have been buying more and more and more for the last 30 years. I should curse Chuck
Snyder for introducing me to a Matchbox Forum. Now I have to look at that site daily too. :D

[Steven Prange]

I should curse Chuck
Snyder for introducing me to a Matchbox Forum. Now I have to look at that site daily too. :D

OH!!?? There's a Matchbox forum........I never though of that.

[Charles E Snyder, II]

OH!!?? There's a Matchbox forum........I never though of that.Try this Steve...

http://www.mboxcommunity.com/forums/

It will take you straight to the forums. Their forums are set up with the same program as this (PCS) forum is. You can go in and check it out. You need to register to post. I'm an addict!

I was collecting die cast for longer than I can remember. And like Cary, I have a shoe box full of my cars from when I was a kid. Other than my original collection, I have around 6,000 die cast here from all the brands. There are always more to pick up and to look for.

[Steven Prange]

I dunno how many I have but they're everywhere. I can't open a drawer or a cabinet without finding Hot Wheels or Matchbox cars.

[Steve Lichtman]

I just picked up four of these Caddies at Walmart tonight. If you can't find one at yours, let me know and I can get you one of mine!

I'm going to work on the "flower deck" a little later this evening, we'll see what happens.

[Charles E Snyder, II]

Good luck Steve. I hope that it comes out good for you!

I haven't seen any of these yet, so I might take you up on your offer if I haven't found one by Flint. I'll spend the summer looking and I'll let you know if you should bring one with you to the meet for me.

[Steve Lichtman]

I'll bring whatever are left to Flint anyway. They don't take up much space.

[John Royark JR]

I also picked up a few, and am working on the deck, have no idea how good or bad, it will turn out yet, since I dont have much skill in fabricating models, but my idea seems like it may come together.

[Mike Stevens]

I found 2 of the 53 Flower cars today at WalMart. They were not on the single blister pack for a buck. They were in the 10 car multi pack. The 10 packs come with maybe 2 or 3 items you may want. The other 7 could be tossed for no great loss. Some of them have wheels is the only way you would know they were suppose to be a car. Take note, this is said by a guy who has a 55 Buick that is only 6 inches off the ground and only about 54 inches tall at the roof. It has 57 Eldorado quarters and 56 Chevy front fenders and a Carson style lift off top. The body has been sectioned. So I don't qualifly as someone who does not like a custom car.
I will keep watching for the single car on the standard HotWheels package.
Mike

[Paul Steinberg]

I found 2 of the 53 Flower cars today at WalMart. They were not on the single blister pack for a buck. They were in the 10 car multi pack. The 10 packs come with maybe 2 or 3 items you may want. The other 7 could be tossed for no great loss. Some of them have wheels is the only way you would know they were suppose to be a car. Take note, this is said by a guy who has a 55 Buick that is only 6 inches off the ground and only about 54 inches tall at the roof. It has 57 Eldorado quarters and 56 Chevy front fenders and a Carson style lift off top. The body has been sectioned. So I don't qualifly as someone who does not like a custom car.
I will keep watching for the single car on the standard HotWheels package.
Mike

Claims like this are only believed when accompanied by actual pictures. Until them, I am the King of Siam...I am I am....... :D

[Cary Livingston]

I finally "scored" a few of these at my local Wallyworld today and immediately liberated one from the pack. Heres a thought.....Why not start "Build Off". I know mine is going to get a deck and some other touches. Post your progress pics. I've cheated though.....I made a 64 M-M Flower Car out of the Matchbox ambulance 15 years ago.......:p
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/2386/60483150.th.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV186Ber)

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/7130/87861113.th.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Pq1kfX_A)

[John Royark JR]

I have my deck almost completed, not completly happy with it, but since I am not very talented at things like this it may be the best I can do. I would post a pic but not sure if I am allowed to.

[Dwayne Brooks]

Hope this photo link works, one of my friends on NHAA just finished his flower deck...
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/109/l_f73667b4e97f42b5a3ec9a8699c04a7a.jpg
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/104/l_d01667cecb7f4749b71678259aef9d15.jpg

[Dwayne Brooks]

SAWEET!!! The photos worked... hope this gives all of you some ideas for your conversions...

[Richard Vyse]

Now that looks great!

[John ED Renstrom]

now if some one can only do something with those wheels you got a nice model

[Dwayne Brooks]

now if some one can only do something with those wheels you got a nice model

I know what you mean John, Hot Wheels puts some ugly wheels on some of their cars. With some of my die-cast cars from when I was a kid i'd go to the hobby store & buy slot car wheels & rubber tires & put them on my favorite cars with homemade axles. Still have a few of them too! Was making "Realriders" Hot Wheels before Mattel ever thought of it LOL

[Patrick J. Martin]

Beautiful job, Dwayne!

What is the deck built from? How was it built? Is it possible to make a mold of the deck and then do castings of it? I suspect many of us here would be interested in such castings if they were possible!

[Dwayne Brooks]

Beautiful job, Dwayne!

What is the deck built from? How was it built? Is it possible to make a mold of the deck and then do castings of it? I suspect many of us here would be interested in such castings if they were possible!

Patrick I didn't build that flower car, one of my online friends over on NHAA built it. He has done several Hot Wheels & Matchbox professional cars. He goes by the screen name "Dr Feelgood" and is a good guy with alot of talent on die-cast cars & the REAL thing too! Here's another shot of his most recent "customized" Hot Wheels collection... notice the VERY cool hightop ambulance... he molded that entire roof by hand, I have pix somewhere of it in progress. He also made the one hearse into a Superior Crown with the chrome beltline over the roof:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3309/3661270937_0d7d63589a.jpg?v=0
If you need me to I can get the two of you in contact with eachother...

[Richard Vyse]

Patrick I didn't build that flower car, one of my online friends over on NHAA built it. He has done several Hot Wheels & Matchbox professional cars. He goes by the screen name "Dr Feelgood" and is a good guy with alot of talent on die-cast cars & the REAL thing too! Here's another shot of his most recent "customized" Hot Wheels collection... notice the VERY cool hightop ambulance... he molded that entire roof by hand, I have pix somewhere of it in progress. He also made the one hearse into a Superior Crown with the chrome beltline over the roof:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3309/3661270937_0d7d63589a.jpg?v=0
If you need me to I can get the two of you in contact with eachother...

I would like one of those ambulances at the bottom of the picture that does not have wheels yet.

[Dwayne Brooks]

Patrick, I wrote "Dr. Feelgood" & he sent me the following reply for you as to how the flower car deck was built & what he used:

Pretty much all i did was cut out the race car in back, fill the bed with bondo, got a small piece of sheet styrene and cut it so it fits as the deck, after the styrene is contoured to fit as the deck, trace its shape on the paper, draw whatever size the deck lid should be. once the deck lid shape is drawn, transfer to styrene and cut it out. then just make the side of the lid out of another styrene piece and glued it all on the car.
for the railing i got a sprue piece from an old model kit (i keep the boxes of old model parts i dont use for future stuff.) the sprue is just a long rounded piece of plastic, like a small pretzel stick, hold both ends while heating the middle so it melts, once the middle starts melting, slowly pull both ends so it creates a plastic string as thin as you need( i use this on ww2 models as wiring in cockpits, electrical cables and antennas and such) once i had the the plastic wire made, measure, bend edges, cut and glue to deck and lid. then paint!
It didnt fit back in the package otherwise i would have put it back in.
The sad thing is, this was the only one i had, a friend in my hearse club gave it to me. Him, my dad and i used to collect hot wheels, we would be at stores at 8am when they opened to get the good ones, but they came out with the same ones over and over with different paint jobs that my dad and i said "screw it.." if i could find some more i would have a fleet of flower cars because that one took less than 2 days when i had nothing to do...
i hope you got the info you wanted and i havent been rambling too much!


Richard, i'm pretty sure the hightop ambulance does have all it's tires... you just can't see them. He built it as a "lowrider ambulance" with freeway skirts to totally hide the rear wheels & the front tires are set back in & the axle stuffed upward to make it sit on the ground. He did a great job with it, even making his own tunnel lights, lenses, siren, & other goodies. I'll ask him for some build pix. By the way, the builder's real name is Nik White & he's in Northridge, CA gotta give credit where credit is due. Nik has several REAL procars too!

[Russell Dalziel]

Patrick, I wrote "Dr. Feelgood" & he sent me the following reply for you as to how the flower car deck was built & what he used:


Richard, i'm pretty sure the hightop ambulance does have all it's tires... you just can't see them. He built it as a "lowrider ambulance" with freeway skirts to totally hide the rear wheels & the front tires are set back in & the axle stuffed upward to make it sit on the ground. He did a great job with it, even making his own tunnel lights, lenses, siren, & other goodies. I'll ask him for some build pix. By the way, the builder's real name is Nik White & he's in Northridge, CA gotta give credit where credit is due. Nik has several REAL procars too!

BUT IS HE A PCS MEMBER??? If not HE Needs to Be


Russ

[Dwayne Brooks]

BUT IS HE A PCS MEMBER??? If not HE Needs to Be



Russell, he's a fellow NHAA member but not with the PCS yet. He's been into hearses & ambulances for a while now (he has a '63 Caddy ambulance that's came a LONG way from when he bought it) and a couple other coaches. Actually his '63 ambulance is the one in the Youtube video Richard Vyse posted a while back on here (white '63 ambulance with red crosses on the doors) where he was "running hot" around a corner! He's kind of a newcomer to the online coach club scene & I told him I posted some pix of his flower car & that people LOVE it... and he said "I'm flattered!!!" so hopefully he'll join up here on the PCS too & start posting!

[Russell Dalziel]

Russell, he's a fellow NHAA member but not with the PCS yet. He's been into hearses & ambulances for a while now (he has a '63 Caddy ambulance that's came a LONG way from when he bought it) and a couple other coaches. Actually his '63 ambulance is the one in the Youtube video Richard Vyse posted a while back on here (white '63 ambulance with red crosses on the doors) where he was "running hot" around a corner! He's kind of a newcomer to the online coach club scene & I told him I posted some pix of his flower car & that people LOVE it... and he said "I'm flattered!!!" so hopefully he'll join up here on the PCS too & start posting!

GOOD JOB Dwayne.
Keep Up the Good Work ( Both of You)

Russ

[John Royark JR]

That flower car deck looks awesome!! Now I do not have to post pics of mine, it looks very bad compaired to this. (I knew it was low quality anyway, as I have no talent).

[Dwayne Brooks]

FINALLY! Found some of the Hot Wheels flower car die-cast... & bought all of them they had @ Wal-Mart!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2475/3696405846_16a2909ffc.jpg?v=0

[Charles E Snyder, II]

I have yet to try a customization of these, but if anyone is interested, I will have a few extras in Flint. I think that I have about 8 or 10 of these now. Great work on the flower decks so far. I can't wait to see what comes about from now until Flint!

[Dwayne Brooks]

Nik is making some more flower cars now... says he may sell them on Ebay if there's a market for them...
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/66/l_2643acd294b1403cbc2bf11b8f9af866.jpg

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

Been working on some Hot Wheels flower cars for the last couple weeks at a glacial pace as time allows. Since short wheelbase procars do nothing for me...

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/9761/hotmod1.jpg

My vision becomes clear.

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/2218/hotmod3.jpg

Building decks. No, I'm not a modeler.

http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/512/hotmod5.jpg

Bodyworked, painted, cleared, assembled, detailed. Need a break from glue fumes before heading back to finishing decks on this initial batch.

[Dwayne Brooks]

Very nice work Atti... those look great in a more appropriate wheelbase

[Martyn Donaldson]

Hot Wheels has a habit of installing the "wrong" windshield in anything they produce that looks remotely like a professional car.... The Hot Wheels '63 Hearse from a few years ago had a '65 - '70 windshield, and now this '53 has a wrap-around windshield:eek: The only 1:1 scale Cadillac to have this feature in 1953 was the limited production Eldorado. So a '53 Flower Car with an Eldo windshield is a rare car indeed!!!
Don't get me wrong, I like it, and it's the closest thing we have to a 1/64 scale Flower Car as evidenced by the conversions of the talented modelers on this board. It just amazes me that Matchbox is consistently more realistic when both brands are basically produced under one roof (Mattel).

I'll get off my soap box now... Happy collecting and modeling:)

[Mike Stevens]

You all may want to start looking for the NEW flower car. It is no longer purple. It is out in gold now. My son got me one just before the Miller-Meteor Reunion last weekend. We knew this would happen as soon as they got the market saturated with purple cars. Kevin found this one in a two pack. The stock number is: R0958-C920 The bar code numbers are: 0 27084 79761 9There is another number on the blister pack back just above the bar code. That number is: Asst. No. R0958
Just thought you would like to know this.
The other car in the two pack is a 09 Corvette.
Mike

[Charles E Snyder, II]

The gold one is also out in a single pack. I picked up one the other day.

I found the 2 packs while we were in Flint at the Meijer across the highway from the hotel. The single pack I found in Wal-Mart here in Hermitage.

They are out there! Keep your eyes open for them.

I wonder what color they will come out in next. Knowing HotWheels, they will be in about a dozen colors before the end of the year.

[Dwayne Brooks]

Hot Wheels has a habit of installing the "wrong" windshield in anything they produce that looks remotely like a professional car.... The Hot Wheels '63 Hearse from a few years ago had a '65 - '70 windshield, and now this '53 has a wrap-around windshield:eek: The only 1:1 scale Cadillac to have this feature in 1953 was the limited production Eldorado. So a '53 Flower Car with an Eldo windshield is a rare car indeed!!!
Don't get me wrong, I like it, and it's the closest thing we have to a 1/64 scale Flower Car as evidenced by the conversions of the talented modelers on this board. It just amazes me that Matchbox is consistently more realistic when both brands are basically produced under one roof (Mattel).

I'll get off my soap box now... Happy collecting and modeling:)

I know what you mean Martyn, Hot Wheels seems to do their own thing on about every car they build and stay away from being "correct". I still like their cars 10 times better than Matchbox though. Honestly the Matchbox hearse is the first new Matchbox car i've collected in the last 8 years. Matchbox doesn't know how to build appealing cars usually, at least to collectors unless you collect the fire trucks & box ambulances. The tri-bar spinner on some versions of the hearse is the only nice looking wheel they've ever put on a die-cast, the rest look cheap & unappealing. I've collected die-cast for years & own thousands in every scale, and the Matchbox cars just never "look" good to me. Now I love the hearse & have it in almost every variation, so hopefully when the ambulance is released it'll be another one to seek out for display!

[Martyn Donaldson]

I agree 100% Dwayne. I also collect die cast in every scale, but when it comes to 1/64, most purchases of new models are Hot Wheels or JL. Aside from the recent Matchbox hearses and the upcoming ambulance, my Matchbox collection is all vintage Lesney from the '60s thru the Superfast era.

[Charles E Snyder, II]

Matchbox is getting better though.

Mattel has only owned MB since 1997 and if you think about it, that really isn't a long time. They purchased MB from Tyco, who had all but run the MB name into the ground. During the Tyco years, they came up with the whole Hero City thing and started to cater to the kids. Tyco thought that they could sell the whole line to kids under 10 years old. When Mattel purchased the brand, they had a long way to go to bring it back up to not only collector status, but to also include models that would appeal to the kids. During the late 90s, the brand was very stagnate. There were no new models to speak of at all. Over the past 7 or 8 years, MB has introduced several new models every year.

Mattel works hard to keep the MB and HW lines separate. The MB line has a lot of licensed vehicles in it. MB has a lot of newer every day cars as well as some classics. The HW line has a whole lot more generic cars so to speak. HW has a lot of cars that they have taken artistic liberties on to make them "more appealing" in their eyes. That would include the windshield on the Cadillac.

The hearse is just one of the new models that I like. Just to name a few of my favorites... the Budget Moving Truck, the new Motorhome, the 1971 Vista Cruiser and the 1954 Jaguar are all very nice looking models. And was already mentioned, they have brought out several new firetrucks and a couple of nice box ambulances.

I am like the most of the others in the fact that I do not own very many newer MB at this time, but every year, they come out with something new that I like and my numbers of MB are growing.

[Steve Lichtman]

Found this at WalMart this morning, now it's available in gold. Same car, same little race car in the back.

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

Wheel change looks better.

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/97/l_8b845c219b27421e837c15ab79696fa9.jpg

Gold is proving more difficult to find than purple so far.

[John ED Renstrom]

I have not messed with these cars for some time now but if I remember right they crimped the axles in a block in the casting for the chassis. they have given them all that lowrider look. if one were to put a block on the bottom and slide the axles threw it to get it back up were it belongs it would be a lot nicer looking. the air is out of the air ride look to me is a turn off. but other then there wild color schemes stickers and stripes that they use to attract the younger crowd, there casting are pretty nice. I wounder if they did the study to figure out that the kids will go for the wild colors first. or is it some adults idea of what a kid should want? :rolleyes:

[Dwayne Brooks]

Finally found the new gold color in a single pack @ Wal-Mart this past weekend... along with a new arrival in the mail from an ebay battle to aquire the 1959 cadillac hearse "funny car"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2436/3940071846_d27c96a67f.jpg

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

Math (numbers really aren't my friends):

3 Wal-Marts; 1 Toys-R-Us; each hit twice a week panning for gold. Was averaging 1 gold '53 every two stops +/-, that is until the 18th or so. Nothing since. Last night I caught an employee stocking HW for the first time; 1400 individually packaged cars at one Wal-Mart and not one single gold '53 (plenty of other new things not previously seen though). Tonight I stopped at another location with almost 800 HW on shelves - again nothing. May be specific to what is shipped in this region(?) but the odds of finding one are dropping drastically.

If you want one and see it on a shelf, grab it. All I'm sayin'... ;)

One of the golds I snagged is noticeably darker and makes for a nice variation.

[Mike Stevens]

I found 2 gold 53s at a local WallyWorld yesterday. Didn't even have to look for them. They were just hanging on the front of the display for all to see. But not now.
It may be about time for them to come out in a new color.
Have not found any of the dream machine hearses that Dwayne listed in another posting here. I will have to keep looking for them.
Mike

[Josh Horton]

I got two gold ones the other day at walmart. I also got a 50 Chevy ambulance. I will post it in another thread.

[Lonnie Reppert]

I picked up 3 of the gold cars last night at Wal-Mart, (haven't seen the purple ones). I have one promised already, but would be glad to share the others with anyone who wants them (no charge of course) since I am not a miniture collector.

[Todd Merrifield]

I've passed up about 12 of the gold ones now, they seem real common. Every Wal-Mart around here has at least 3 or 4 of them.

Purple has come and gone. I haven't seen any of those for a while.

[Sarah Snook]

I've passed up about 12 of the gold ones now, they seem real common. Every Wal-Mart around here has at least 3 or 4 of them.
Really? I have yet to find one even. Anytime I go to Walmart, Target, or the local grocery stores, I check for them and I haven't seen one in person yet.

Sarah

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

Sheesh Sarah! Have you asked your students to look for you..? :D

If you want a couple, email your address again. Got it covered~

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/9752/dsc02114i.jpg

[Jon Power]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Could this be the reason the stocks are low elsewhere? :D

[Sarah Snook]

Sheesh Sarah! Have you asked your students to look for you..? :D
Holy cow! If you still lived in NE Ohio, I'd think that you bought all of the ones in Akron.

[LeeAnn Boston]

I just got one!! Josh Horton brought one to me this weekend at our meet in Jasper, GA. Thanks, Josh! Lonnie, if you were holding one for me, thanks for thinking about me, but if you want to you can pass it on to someone else. Thanks again!!

[Richard Vyse]

I got two at Wal*Mart today. Yeah!

[Andrew G. Zajkowski]

Has anyone noticed that these seem to be numbered car's i finnally got 2 gold one's along with my 2 purple one's ,the number i'm talking about is located on the bottom the gold ones are #B24 and #B27 the purple one is
#B19, the second not sure of .

[Rick Cox]

Someone needs to post a pic of one after they have converted it to a flower car....

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/2397/hotmod6.jpg

...or you could scroll through earlier posts in this thread. ;)

[Rick Cox]

Thanks Atti,
I am bad for going just to the last page of a post!!:)

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

Ah - the joy of new experiences...

Tonight during a routine Walmart in-and-out a 6ish year old standing with his mother was holding a '53 Custom Cadillac as I rounded the corner to the Hot Wheels section. Figures. Only person there and 'prolly the only Caddy too. I've never been jealous of a child before!

The one he was holding was lime green with a white top/white scallops, gold downhill racer. The card was different too.

Of course I piled through the rest on the shelves and couldn't find another. Snagged 2 gold, ran through the self checkout, found the kid again still shopping, then offered to swap them for his gold. With a dumbfounded look he glanced at Mom. No reply from either. I then offered 1 gold '53 and a $5 bill to the kid. Mom was noticeably irked so I left. Wasn't until I arrived home that the thought crossed my mind to have taken a picture of it~

New color is out regardless. Happy hunting!

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/1020/dsc02714m.jpg

Ended up having to trade for these. *Very* difficult to find in stores - most likely to find them in hobby stores. Better paint with Real Riders rubber tires. #2 of 6 in the 2009 Holiday Rods series. :thumbsup:

Also read the next color of this casting in the mainline will be red.

[Chuck Kramer]

The newest color out around here is a Silvery Lt. Blue color! I picked up a few, didn't go thru all the racks looking and I'm sure I left some there!

[Josh Horton]

I got one of the blue ones today. I wish they would paint a hearse that blue. It's close to my hearse color.
Attila, will you post a picture of the green one's pack? I haven't seen any green ones and would like to know what to look for.

[Josh Horton]

Here is a picture,http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w310/abnorml_13/100_0270.jpg

[Josh Horton]

Here is a picture,
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w310/abnorml_13/100_0270.jpg

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

That blue looks sharp. Heard a few weeks back to look for them the end of Nov. Haven't seen them yet though...

Here is the Holiday packaging Josh~

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4895/dsc02970b.jpg

Notice that it has Real Rider rubber tires.

[Josh Horton]

I haven't seen but one blue flower car and it was behind a few other cars. There are plenty of the gold still on the rake. I have enough so I have been leaving them.
The only holiday packaging I have seen is about half the size and says you can hang it on the tree.

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

5 Walmarts this evening in 1 hour 45 minutes; 2 stores had 'em - so this is what I learned tonight:

Case codes 995CDN & 995CEE have the new blue color, packed 2 per case of 72 and always on the top layer:

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/4047/dsc02974mj.jpg
http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/2965/dsc02975o.jpg

Also of note, these cases are packed with the Fire-Eater Treasure Hunt:

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/7917/dsc02976c.jpg

Even found 2 $TH - a first. Happy hunting!

[Charles E Snyder, II]

Very good find there Attila!

Thanks for posting the case codes of all these recent finds. It really does help identify cases for me. I can now check out pallets and see if it is worth digging a case out from the bottom.

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

Actually, this was the fourth - followed by blue. The red previously mentioned turned out being in the Holiday Rods series and not the mainline:

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/8608/dsc03045m.jpg

Flash washed the color lighter than real life and took the metallic out. Sharper in person (akin to Imola Red) and again with Real Riders.

More difficult to find than green and the prices on the secondary market reflect as such. Now that the holiday cars shipping is about over, the chances of finding these in stores is next to nil. Current prices are $6-10 for green, $8-15 for red. (Retail was either $3 or $4.)

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

New for '10? Our little beloved '53 casting is a Treasure Hunt!

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/3219/53hwth.jpg

Third TH release is out now - meaning this one could take another 9 months to hit stores (1 per month). For those that do not know, there will be 2 versions. The Super Trea$ure Hunt$ will have special paint and rubber tires (not pictured).

And the model number is 15, not 45.

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

Fresh info: K case mix, beginning in June. Blah blah blah watermarked image restriction...pics/details here. (http://www.hotwheelscollectors.com/Library/ImageViewer/?source=sneaks&nid=null&cid=null&smid=null&ContentType=SneakPeek-HWC&sid=2922) The Super looks really sharp!

[Attila Bethlenfalvy]

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/4295/dsc01330i.jpg

Texas was slow receiving new cases. Found a couple TH '53s (both on pegs and at checkout lane) within the last 3 days - finally! Now to procure a $TH or two...

These have been out at least 3 weeks now. Keep your eyes open. Also, there is 1 Ecto in each of the same cases. I'm finding them on pegs as well so perhaps the initial demand has subsided.

[Dana Bennett]

Very nice conversions to the flower cars and the extended wheelbase flower cars!! now, will anyone attempt to raise the roof a little to make it closer to a commercial roofline??!!!