Hot Wheels Sweet 16 Tribute Collection Builds - Which one should be built next?

[RestoModGuy]

Like many of you, Hot Wheels cars were a big part of my childhood. I believe those little redline mag wheels got me hooked on cars when I was 6 years old.

The past few months I've decided to build tributes to the original "Sweet 16" Hot Wheels introduced in 1968. I have acquired, at a huge cost, one of all 16 cars and have started the build collection with first the Custom Cougar, Deora and Hot Heap. Finished the Custom T-Bird 7/17

I will be adding to this thread as I build them. I'm not building high detailed models, in fact I'm trying to replicate what these would be as bigger 1/25 scale versions, even with silver painted chassis and engine compartments with chrome engines if I can as I did with the Hot Heap, so be fair in judgement these are not built to be Best of Show models.

The "Redline" wheels are Pegasus "T's". I used black and red sharpies to create the illusion of the Redline wheels.

Hope you enjoy looking at these, as much as I'm having fun building them.

1967 Custom Cougar - 

 

Deora - Handmade surf-boards were fun to make from plastifoam board

 

Hot Heap - Built this for a stock 1913 Model T kit from Russia I found on ebay, hard to find full-fendered T models. I heavily modified this to look like the Hot Wheel. I know, there is an MPC kit to build this from but hard to find and crazy money.

1967 T-Bird- Added the "custom hood bump"

 

Edited August 19, 2016 by RestoModGuy
Added a picture

[Hubert Rollins]

Whoa!!!! What a cool project!! Always nice to see folks building what they're passionate about! And those really are some super- nice builds!! I'm a child of the 70s and 80s and I always had an ample supply of Hot Wheels on hand. And I didn't drag mine through the mud like most kids did. I liked to keep mine all new and shiny looking. Sure wish I still had em all.

[Dragline]

Outstanding project and the execution is excellent.

[Davewilly]

They looks great!

[slusher]

Man those are some great builds...

[GTJUNIOR]

Look just right. Well done. 

[Mercelo]

Is this ever an awesome idea! Great stuff, l love the over sized wheels and red lines you put on them.  The Cougar is my favorite....looks like a very well assembled model....congrats on all, and the idea! 

[lilcraigford]

Very cool idea! You've done an excellent job capturing the the character of the Hot Wheels miniatures. I look forward to seeing the "Custom Volkswagen".

[Helix]

Impressive stuff Jim, the Chrome Ts look the part mate!

[Drake69]

Nice work, and great use of Pegasus wheels!

Now I wanna see that Custom Fleetside next.

[Jmaracing]

Great looking builds. You did a awesome job?

[Daddyfink]

This is awesome! Nice builds of some really cool Hot Wheels!! 

[afx]

Great project idea. I'll be following.

[tmathew1us]

Such a cool idea! Looking forward to seeing the next set.

I still remember the excitement as a kid of opening a Hot Wheels blister pack, and I still get some of that same excitement as an adult of ripping the cellophane off a plastic model kit. 

[RestoModGuy]

Nice work, and great use of Pegasus wheels!

Now I wanna see that Custom Fleetside next.

Thanks.

That one is going to be a full custom build using the 72 Chevy Fleetside kit, which is basically the same as the 68 Fleetside the Hot Wheel is built from.  I'm looking for that one to be a Fall-Winter build. 

 

Edited May 20, 2016 by RestoModGuy

[Grumpa]

WOW...what a great idea Jim! You've done a great job on replicating the look of the Hot Wheels! Really nice work!

[Impalow]

great idea.. and awesome execution they look spot on.... thanks for sharing..

[unclescott58]

Wow! Is this cool. What a great idea. And first three vehicles look great, I like the wheels much better than I expected.

A little history before you start the Custom Fleetside. It was not based on a Chevy Fleetside pickup like one would think. It was based on Hot Wheels designer, I beleive Larry Woods, personal truck. Which was really an El Camino. There plenty of info on line. Including pictures of the real customized El Camino. I was never all that convinced it was based on an El Camino until I saw pictures of the rear truck. When you see it, you'll see the Hot Wheels version in a whole different light.

Looking forward to the rest of builds. I love the idea.

Edited May 20, 2016 by unclescott58

[Dave Van]

LOVE IT!!!!!

I got to test HW before they went to market so they are fav's pf mine!!!

[Drake69]

Wow! Is this cool. What a great idea. And first three vehicles look great, I like the wheels much better than I expected.

A little history before you start the Custom Fleetside. It was not based on a Chevy Fleetside pickup like one would think. It was based on Hot Wheels designer, I beleive Larry Woods, personal truck. Which was really an El Camino. There plenty of info on line. Including pictures of the real customized El Camino. I was never all that convinced it was based on an El Camino until I saw pictures of the rear truck. When you see it, you'll see the Hot Wheels version in a whole different light.

Looking forward to the rest of builds. I love the idea.

Harry Bradley, actually....

 

This was his original custom Camino.

Edited May 21, 2016 by Drake69

[unclescott58]

Harry Bradley, actually....

 

This was his original custom Camino.

Your right, it was Bradley. 

[crazyrichard]

whow !!! awsome idea and execution !! , love it ! will be looking out for more versions

did they release the first hotwheels in several colors or in the colors like on the pic you posted ? wondered about that because your color are different from the pic ..

oh and you have the real hotwheels ? would be cool t shoot pic with the small car beside the 1/25 that would really be cool

[Modelbuilder Mark]

Very cool undertaking. I think they look great.

[RestoModGuy]

A little history before you start the Custom Fleetside. It was not based on a Chevy Fleetside pickup like one would think. It was based on Hot Wheels designer, I beleive Larry Woods, personal truck. Which was really an El Camino. There plenty of info on line. Including pictures of the real customized El Camino. I was never all that convinced it was based on an El Camino until I saw pictures of the rear truck. When you see it, you'll see the Hot Wheels version in a whole different light.

 

Yes, I've done my research and correct the primary idea for all Hot Wheels was inspired by Harry's real Camino, even his red-line tires made the cut to Hot Wheels.

However, the Fleetside HW is a highly modified Fleetside pick-up truck when you look at the hood and sides. The Camino has different lines completely and when you study the HW lines it's more Fleetside than Camino, reason it's called the Custom Fleetside.

The HW Fleetside is a blend between both the pick-up and an Camino. The base for the HW build has to start with the pick-up and I'll modify the cab roof and mold the bed to the cab with modification to the tailgate.  

[RestoModGuy]

did they release the first hotwheels in several colors or in the colors like on the pic you posted ? wondered about that because your color are different from the pic ..

Yes, many different colors in the first year al all years after. Some colors are rare and some more common. The colors I'm choosing for my builds are based from my memory of what colors I had of each one. I wish I still had all of them. I plan to make final pics of all my 1/25 builds with pics from the Hot Wheels sites.