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The Legendary Hot Wheels 1969 Pink “Beach Bomb” VW Bus and those that Followed After

In the colorful universe of Hot Wheels, few models evoke as much intrigue and fascination as the 1969 Pink “Beach Bomb” VW Bus. With its vibrant pink hue and iconic surfboard accessories, this miniature marvel has become a cherished symbol of nostalgia for collectors and enthusiasts worldwide. Yet, within the realm of Hot Wheels lore, the “Beach Bomb” holds an additional layer of fascination: its diverse array of variations.

Originally introduced in 1969, the “Beach Bomb” underwent several design iterations, each contributing to its unique charm and desirability among collectors. The most notable of these variations revolve around the placement of the surfboard accessories and the wheel configuration.

The earliest version of the “Beach Bomb” featured surfboards mounted on the sides of the vehicle, evoking the image of a classic surf wagon ready to hit the waves. However, due to stability issues, Hot Wheels designers made a pivotal revision, relocating the surfboards to the rear of the VW Bus. This modification not only enhanced the vehicle’s balance but also transformed its aesthetic, giving it a more streamlined and iconic look.

Alongside the surfboard relocation, Hot Wheels also experimented with different wheel configurations for the “Beach Bomb.” The earliest releases featured Redline wheels, characterized by their distinctive red sidewalls, which added a touch of vintage flair to the model. Subsequent variations saw the introduction of alternative wheel types, including black-wall wheels and even ultra-rare prototypes with translucent wheels, each contributing to the “Beach Bomb’s” allure and collectibility.

Among the most coveted variations of the “Beach Bomb” are the prototypes and pre-productions, which offer tantalizing glimpses into Hot Wheels’ design process and creative evolution. These early models, often featuring hand-painted details or unique color schemes, represent the essence of rarity and exclusivity sought after by collectors.

In addition to design variations, the “Beach Bomb” also saw regional releases tailored to specific markets, further enriching its diverse tapestry. Variants such as the “Hong Kong” and “India” releases exhibit distinct characteristics, such as different baseplate markings or casting variations, adding an extra layer of complexity to the pursuit of completing a comprehensive “Beach Bomb” collection.

Despite its humble origins as a toy car, the Hot Wheels 1969 Pink “Beach Bomb” VW Bus has transcended its status to become a cultural icon cherished by enthusiasts of all ages. Its enduring popularity and the myriad variations it encompasses serve as a testament to Hot Wheels’ legacy of innovation, creativity, and timeless appeal.

As collectors continue to scour flea markets, swap meets, and online forums in search of the elusive “Beach Bomb” variations, the legend of this iconic miniature marvel continues to grow, perpetuating the sense of wonder and excitement that has defined the Hot Wheels experience for over five decades.

 

Featured Image from Hot Wheels Wiki Page


2024 Hot Wheels F Case Review

The 2024 Hot Wheels F case is here and we have a review for you! This case is not as good as some of the others we have seen this year, but there are still a few gems to be found here.

The first car we will be taking a look at is the new Porsche 911 Carerra. This time the car is done in the same style of a coupe clip with an attachment on the rear so you can put it on a key ring. It’s awesome to see Mattel using real cars as a basis for these and we hope to see more! The Porsche includes Porsche branding on the side and a Porsche emblem on the front. Overall a basic but great casting that will be very hard to find. Next up is the regular Treasure Hunt for the case, the Ford Mustang Mach-E 1400. This car features a ton of Ford branding throughout. The Treasure Hunt logo can be seen on the rear quarter panel. The car also features mismatched rims which look ok but not great. Our next car is the potential Super for the case, the ’71 El Camino. The regular version of the car features a purple paint job and 5 spoke wheels. The super comes in a much nicer spectraflame purple paint with real riders on better 5 spoke rims. Currently, the Super is going for around $80 but we could see prices dip considerably as more become available. The final car we will look at for the first half of F case is a recolor of the Ford GT40. The car features a fark blue paint with black hood. A white racing strip also makes it ways down the top side of the vehicle. Ford, Hot Wheels, Autolite, and Goodyear graphics grace the side of the car as well. Overall a clean new livery for the GT40.

The second half of the case is lacking on new vehicles but does feature some decent recolors. First up is the Audi RS-E Tron-GT. Originally done in white, the new olive colorway is refreshing. The car also features full headlight and taillight detailing. Both front and rear license plates also read “AMPED UP”. This car is packed with small details that help it punch above its weight class. Next up is the ’94 Audi Avant RS2. This car comes in a red colorway with 5 spoke rims. Like the Audi before, this car also features full front and rear lightning details which we think should be standard on all castings. This car is simple and great for any Audi or wagon lovers! The next car we have is a recolor of the Mighty k. This time the car comes in an off yellow paint scheme with pink and white graphics. The car still features the signature skateboard in the bed. Rear lightning details help make this car just a bit better. Next up, the recolor of the Nissan Patrol Custom. The car now comes in a green and yellow colorway and features white snow detailing and blue windows. The car is done well and the cutouts on the hood are a great detail. The last car on our highlight list is a recolor of the “Texas Toot” Mazda Autozam. The new blue/grey colorway gives it a nice look. The truck retains all of its previous details including front light detailing. The first time around this truck was popular and we expect the same this time.

Overall the F Case is not the greatest case but there are a few things to be found. From an investment standpoint the Super Treasure Hunt is a great find as usual. The Porsche keychain will also be a great hold if you can find any. Cars such as the GT40 and Shelby Daytona from the E Case will also do well.


2024 Hot Wheels E Case Review

The Hot Wheels 2024 E case has arrived and we have a review of it for you!

The first car we have to look at is a beautiful Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe in Gulf Livery. The car has some great details and sponsorships but it would’ve been amazing to see this get the Super Treasure Hunt treatment like the Glory Chaser from last year. The next car is your regular Treasure Hunt, the Batman Forever Batmobile! This car looks like Mr. Freeze got to it with icy blue rims and windows. The TH logo is actually featured on the far side of the car on the window. We used a flashlight to check it out as the blue reflects well. Overall, a great treasure hunt. Next up is our potential Super Treasure Hunt in the 60’s Fiat 5000 Modification. This car is packed full of Italian inspired racing livery and the exposed engine on the rear of the car is a great touch. The car looks much better in Spectraflame Gold, but even in yellow the car has a good vibe. The fourth car in our lineup is a new casting, the Cadillac Project GTP Hypercar. This car features a nice matte black paint and gold rims. It is exciting to see Hot Wheels branching off into these kinds of race vehicles. The final car in our first half of the review is the 91 Mazda MX-5 Miata. The chrome 5 spokes and red interior give this car a nice touch. The additional taillight details also make it better than the seafoam green Miata from earlier this year.

The first car in the 2nd half of our case review is the Pontiac Aztek. An odd choice of casting and we think this livery would look better on a myriad of other castings. However, amongst the icy blue paint and various parts sponsorships is an easter egg. If you take a peek at the back window of the SUV you will notice a hat and pair of glasses reminiscent of Heisenberg himself. Next up we have a ’57 chevy in a black and white lettering livery that we’ve seen on other castings in the past. This car looks great with white rims and white interior and is sure to be a hit with a variety of collectors. Sticking with the black and white theme we have a Mustang Funny Car from the Hot Wheels Art Car Series. The Dragon and flame on the side of the car look great and are reminiscent of tattoo art. The 4th car we have is another Art Car in the ’70 Dodge Charger R/T. This Charger also comes in a semi-familiar comic book style livery. The 2 colored tires work well with this car and the comic book livery isn’t completely over the top. The last car we will be looking at is the Custom ’72 Chevy Luv. This truck features lots of chrome on the rims, bumper, bed, and interior. The cutout in the hood and full Chevrolet lettering on the tailgate are great touches.

Overall the E case is decent for new cars. From an investment standpoint the best cars to look for will be the Fiat super and the Gulf Daytona. Also included are the civics and the Godzilla Skyline from the D case. Picking up these will be a good investment or possible trade bait.


Hot Wheels 2024 D Case Review

The 2024 Hot Wheels D Case is here and we have a review of some of the highlights you should be looking for!

The Hot Wheels D case has a ton to offer! The first car on our list is the Nissan GT-R R33 featuring the Godzilla graphic! The car comes in a white paint scheme and while it would’ve been nice to see more detailing on the headlights, the Godzilla graphic and GT-R badge on the rear make up for it. Overall a great car and definitely going to be a hard car to pass on.

The next car on our list is the regular treasure hunt for the series, the Custom ’53 Chevy. This car features a nice lavender paint job with purple pinstripe detailing throughout. A treasure hunt flam can be seen toward the front of the vehicle. The purple windows and translucent purple hood are also great touches. A white top is the final detail that gives this car an awesome aesthetic. Don’t expect to see this car lying around as a peg warmer.

The third vehicle we have is the potential super for the case in the ’89 Mercedes 560. This car is complete with Headlight and taillight detailing. Mercedes, AMG, and 560 badging grace the rear as well. For a mainline this car checks a ton of boxes and looks great, but not quite as good as the Spectraflame Red Super variant. The spectra flame paint pops but the car maintains all the other details from its non super version. A treasure hunt logo is placed on the rear and the wheels are swapped for red 5 spokes. This car has all the makings of potential Super of the Year.

The final car for the first half of the D case is the ’92 Honda Civic EG. While the car is empty on the back, the headlight details, Honda graphics, and Kanji help push this car ahead of some others. Wheel choice is not the best here in our opinion, but with a wheels swap this car is going to be a great custom!

Continuing with some JDM cars, the second half of the case features another civic. The ’73 Honda Civic custom features a yellow paint job and some decent racing graphics from Motul and Bridgestone. This car is lacking a little on light details but the car has a good look to it and will be a good find.

Next, the Mazda RX-7 makes a return but this time features the Police and Kanji combo we’ve seen grace other JDM models. The gold rims on this car really help it stand out but other than that the car is pretty bland. Still a great car and casting.

Moving on to some American muscle we have the ’67 Camaro in a blueprint livery we have seen before. Personally, I think this car has been done really well. It wasn’t until I took a closer look that I noticed the 67 Camaro silhouette on the side of the car. The car also features a top down view of the front and rear of the car placed on the top of the hood. The car is done well and Camaro collectors will surely be looking for this car.

Another American vehicle comes in the D case. This time it’s the ’67 Chevy  C10. This truck is part of the Hot Wheels Art Cars series and features some interesting Hot Wheels graphics. The chrome grill looks good but the best feature has to be the wider rear tires that give this truck such an aggressive look.

The Final highlight of the D case is the Pagani Zonda R. The red paint looks nice partnered with some subtle gold pinstriping and gold rims. A Pagani logo is place on top of the spoiler. This car is simple and clean and will be a good pick up.

Overall the D Case has some nice cars worth picking up. From an investment perspective, the best cars to look out for are the Godzilla Skyline, Super and regular versions of the Mercedes 560, RX-7, C10, and Red EG Civic. These cars will offer your best return on investment. Expect to see the Super go for around $75 once they hit the market and prices settle. The Godzilla R33 has seen sales of nearly $30 but if you’re patient you can expect to pay around $5-10 for this car.


2024 Hot Wheels B Case Review

 

The 2024 B case is here and we have a review on this awesome case! The first car on our radar is the Mazda Autozam. This Legends Tour vehicle features a Texas Toot graphic that our locals are dying to get their hands on! The car also features some teeth on the front grill that get this truck ready to devour the competition! Our next car is the potential super for the B case which we did happen to get. The 2018 Camaro SS comes in an a black paint on black paint scheme with red striping in its regular version. The Super Version swaps the black paint for a Spectraflame Black that looks almost navy. Both cars feature a Hot Wheels flame logo on the front quarter panel. The Super version sports grey 5 spoke wheels as opposed to the black wheels on the regular version. As a Camaro fan I love this car but it won’t be the most expensive or nicely done Super we see this year. Next up we have an awesome highlight in the Nissan Skyline RS [KDR30]. This car features a purple paint scheme with gold and black accents throughout. Gold 10 spoke rims make this car look great! If this was the Super for the B Case, Super of the year would be done already. Just imagining what could have been if this car would’ve been done in Spectraflame but sadly that is not the case. Even still, the R30 is sure to be high on most collectors lists. Our final highlight for the first half of the case is the Honda Civic Si. Gold paint, red interior, and a Carbon Fiber hood makes this car the best thing in B case outside of getting a Super. The civic features some small detailing including a Honda H on the front and rear as well as some headlight detailing. Expect this car to be an expensive buy until C case comes around and more are being circulated.

For the second part of the B case we have a few cars that are sure to add to the appeal of the B case! The Volkswagen T2 Pickup is an awesome casting in this case. It features some VW branding throughout and a metal interior that’s visible on the rear of the vehicle. This car will surely be a hit for those who like the VW brand. Next up we have a recolor of the Corvette featured in the Barbie movie. This time it comes in a matte grey paint job with flame graphics on the side. It’s also good to note that this time the car features a “KEN” license plate. Our next model is the Ain’t Fare bus which also happens to be the treasure hunt for the case. Normally we find 1 Treasure Hunt per case, but for this case we have only found 3 out of the 8 cases we have opened. Not sure if it’s because of the awkward size of the bus or not but this treasure hunt could be a difficult one to find in the wild. The bus features a Hot Wheels World Tour Flame graphic on the side and has an overall rock music aesthetic. This is definitely a unique treasure hunt for the year! Next up,  we have a recolor of the F-150 lightning custom that is pretty nice. The truck features red paint this time around and a grey interior that is more appealing than the chrome interior of its predecessor. F-150 decals are present throughout but the slammed look of this vehicle really sells it. Our final highlight car is another Ford. The 2019 Ford Raptor is a good casting, but the HKS livery is putting this truck on everyone’s radar. The car also features black rims with blue trim that tie together well, but the livery is the real reason everyone will be after this casting.

From an investment perspective, the B case definitely has a lot of bang for your buck. Cars like the R30 and Honda Civic were selling early for over $20 each. While these prices will likely come down, holding onto these castings could be a good idea. As usual, your best ROI will be finding a Super in the wild, but I expect to see the Camaro at around the $40 mark once they are in circulation and prices have settled. Keep an eye on the Ain’t Fare TH. If the scarcity of this casting holds then I could see this casting going up in value to those looking to complete their collections for 2024.