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  #81  
Old 03-26-2021, 03:58 PM
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This week's addition to the Koowlheelz Original 16 series is the 1968 Hot Wheels "Custom Firebird".

Another Harry Bradley design (for Mattel) based on a reallife production car: the 1967 Pontiac Firebird 400 Convertible...a two-door "pony car" of the era.
The Pontiac Firebird was the twin sister to the Chevrolet Camaro, being assembled on the same General Motors F-Body chassis.



The original Hot Wheels Custom Firebird was produced from 1968 to 1970, manufactured in both Hong Kong and the US factories,
and it was available in all Spectraflame paint finishes with a number of variants that included alternate interior colors.
Of note, red and blue interiors being the rarest (in Hong Kong models).
The Hong Kong versions also featured a different Steering Wheel, slightly larger Engine Hood bulges, and a lack of side door panel lines.

A retooled version of the Custom Firebird appeared in 2018.

As before, I have added a reproduction of the original Collectors Badge (for this model) to the model sheet.
And because this model is a bit more complicated to build...it features an open interior...an Assembly Sheet is also available (at papermodelforum.com).

Find the model download in the Showrodz-Toys-Original 16 section of Koolwheelz.

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  #82  
Old 03-30-2021, 03:37 PM
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  #83  
Old 04-02-2021, 03:19 PM
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The latest addition to the Koowlheelz Original 16 set is the Hot Wheels Custom T-Bird.



Retooled in 2018, the original Redline T-Bird was produced and released from 1968 to 1970.

Another model designed by Harry Bradley, the toy was based on a reallife production car, the 1967 Ford Thunderbird 2 door Landau(roof).
This design of the Ford Thunderbird bridged the gap between the original small sportscar Thunderbird, and the later larger luxury cruiser.
It never really caught on with the buying public who were divided over the Thunderbird's place in the market.

The Hot Wheels Custom T-Bird appeared in most Spectraflame paints but with a larger number of harder to find colours.
There was also a variety of eight different single or mixed colour interiors across the Hong Kong and US production versions.
Regardless of paint and interior colour, most models appeared with a black painted (landau) roof.

The toy also featured an opening hood with performance bulge, and a bare metal detailed engine bay (part of the base casting).

As before, I have added a reproduction of the original Collectors Badge for this model and a basic assembly diagram (to the model sheet).

Find the model download in the Showrodz-Toys-Original 16 section of Koolwheelz.

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  #84  
Old 04-02-2021, 05:50 PM
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I always thought it strange that the GM Cutlass/Chevelle/etc. cars were so popular, but the T-bird and Cougar sales lagged expectations. They were so clean-lined
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  #85  
Old 04-05-2021, 02:57 PM
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  #86  
Old 04-09-2021, 04:57 PM
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Next up is one of my favorite customs...and one of my favorite Hot Wheels!
The 1968 Hot Wheels Deora ... inspired by the real custom show-truck Deora which debuted in 1967.

I've already published a Koolwheelz version of the original 1965 Alexander Brothers' Deora...look for it in the Showcarz section.
This Original 16 model is based on the Hot Wheels version which is quite a bit different...

Back in the 1960s, Mattel praised the original concept and paid the Alexander Brothers the paltry sum of $300 for the rights to copy the Deora design.
Little did the Alexander Bros know that Mattel would churn out dozens of different toy cars based on the Deora design and sell tens of thousands of toy Deoras over the next 50 years!

There are quite a few physical differences between the Hot Wheels version and the real Deora, most obvious being oversize Redline Wheels and the addition of twin Surfboards.
The toy Deora also came in a lot more colours than the original...the full line up of Hot Wheels Spectraflame finishes to be exact.

Most of the body styling was very accurate to the real vehicle, and there were no major differences between the US and Hong Kong production toys.
The unpainted metal base casting blended well with the body and simulated the front and rear bumpers and grill area.
The toy also featured a detailed cabin interior, seen through clear or blue tinted "glass".
There were six different interior colours used across both US and Hong Kong production.



As mentioned earlier, the Hot Wheels Deora featured two plastic Surfboards laying on the rear Tonneau Deck.
These were inserted into small cutouts in the rear cabin glass to hold them in place.
Surfboards may have helped connect the toy Deora with the California custom culture and surf scene, but these extras were weren't permanently affixed to the toy, and often lost!

As always, the 1968 Hot Wheels were packaged with a metal "Collectors Button" created for each specific car... and the Koolwheelz Deora model sheet has one too!
Theres also a basic assembly diagram included.

Find the model in the Koolwheelz Showcarz-Toys-Original 16 collection.

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  #87  
Old 04-10-2021, 06:47 AM
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Your rendering on the Deora is particularly good, I think. The side panels are incredibly 3D in appearance. The windshield "glass" really looks like a separate piece of tinted plastic mimicking the original Hot Wheels car. Beautiful work, as always.
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  #88  
Old 04-10-2021, 07:30 AM
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Thanks Don.
I enjoyed doing this one, because it needed an update.

The Deora was one of my earliest Koolwheelz models, but my early design was a blend of the real Deora and the Hot Wheels toy.
It wasn't accurate to either, and that always bugged me.

So, last year I decided to do a more accurate looking model of the real 1965 Deora show truck
(knowing that I would be creating the Hot Wheels model later in the year).
Then I created a second Deora for the Original 16 set,
but (as I've tried to do with all the Original 16 models) a model more accurate to the Mattel diecast toy version.
Thats why its also much smaller in scale.

Mattel paid for the rights to copy the Deora design, but not to create an accurate scale model.
And so, real-life cars are redesigned to better suit the production methods and playability of their diecast toy.
I found it fascinating to examine the differences of any car (that Hot Wheel produced) compared to its real life counterpart (if there is one).
And it has been fun trying to simulate those differences and characteristics.

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  #89  
Old 04-12-2021, 11:04 AM
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Only one to go!

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  #90  
Old 04-16-2021, 04:08 PM
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This is the final model of my Koolwheelz Original 16 Tribute series!
I hope you enjoyed this special series and will download and build them all.
If you haven't already, please consider making a donation to help me keep all these free models online!
You can also go to Paper Model Shop Home and buy one of my retail paper models.
Don't forget to download the free Original 16 Display Stand available at www.papermodelforum.com - Index.

The Hot Wheels Custom Barracuda was based on the actual factory production Chrysler-Plymouth Barracuda of 1967, a two door fast back "muscle" car of the 1960s.
It featured fat "redline" wheels and "zoomie" exhaust tips on either side of the car.

The model came in the full line of Spectraflame finishes.
US production models featured two different interior colours, whereas Hong Kong production offered four different interior colours including purple!
There were a number of other physical differences between US and Hong Kong versions, most obvious being shorter Hood "power" bulges on the US castings.
American models also featured clear "glass", while Hong Kong versions had blue tinted windows.

Like many of the factory "customs" in the Hot Wheels lineup, the model featured an opening hood and visible engine bay.
This feature of Hot Wheels toys was discontinued in later years because of the danger of dislocated hoods and choking hazards from small parts.
My Koolwheelz model, for simplicity sake, does not feature an opening hood.



In 1970 the Custom Barracuda was significantly modified, renamed and rereleased as the King Kuda, part of the Spoilers series.
Its engine hood was completely removed and a larger "blown" engine installed.
In 2011, the original Custom Barracuda model was retooled and rereleased.

As always, the 1968 Hot Wheels were packaged with a metal "Collectors Button" created for each specific car...
and the Koolwheelz Custom Barracuda model sheet has one too!

You can find this model and all the Original 16 cars in the Showrodz-Toys-Original 16 section of Koolwheelz.

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