1981 Hot Wheels ’37 Bugatti

Last June, I made another drive out to St. Louis to see some great live music with my friend, Chris. I always like to make a stop along the way at the Brass Armadillo Antique Mall, just the other side of Kansas City in Grain Valley, MO, to stretch my legs for an hour or so hunting for treasures. I’ve added several variations of the Hot Wheels ’37 Bugatti to my collection over the years, but for some reason the 1981 first-release has always eluded me. Well, at the Brass Armadillo, I finally found one.

The Hot Wheels ’37 Bugatti, based on the rare and sleek Type 50, was first released in 1981 and has been produced in about 23 different variations up to 2006. Most of the Hot Wheels models replicate the Bugatti’s signature two-tone paint with tampo-printing, but the Hong Kong-cast first-release has no tampo on the hood, as you see here. This one has a few paint chips, but it does have both headlamps intact – which is not always the case with loose examples of this casting.

In my collection, I have three other exampls of the black and red Hot Wheels ’37 Bugatti – all with tampo on the hood and all from 1982: a nice Malaysia-cast blackwall version; a Hong Kong-cast blackwall model and; a Malaysia-cast, whitewall-wearing variation. I also have a yellow and red model with whitewalls from 1986.

Hot Wheels | 1981 | 1696 | ’37 Bugatti | black with red tampo, no red on hood, blue tinted windows, chrome plastic interior, unpainted metal base | Hong Kong | blackwalls

Click here to see photos and links to all of the 1981 Hot Wheels in my collection.

1981 Hot Wheels Chevy Citation

The Chevrolet Citation is a compact car developed by General Motors to replace the Chevy Nova and manufactured from 1980 until 1985. The first front-wheel-drive car sold by Chevrolet, the Citation was available as a 2-door notchback, a 3-door hatchback, and a 5-door hatchback. Engine options ranged from the 2.5 L inline 4-cylinder to a 2.8 L V6. The Citation X-11 is a variant that offered sporty trim and performance upgrades from the standard model.

The Hot Wheels Chevy Citation was first released in 1981 and can be found in about a dozen variations up until 1985. This white model with the dark red and black X-11 stripes is one of two variations released in 1981 and another of my Wichita eBay scores. In my collection I also have the metalflake brown model with gold Hot Ones from 1983.

Hot Wheels | 1981 | 1693 | Chevy Citation | white with dark red and black stripe, clear windows, red interior, unpainted metal base | Honk Kong | blackwalls

Click here to see photos and links to all of the 1981 Hot Wheels in my collection.

1981 Hot Wheels ’31 Doozie

Designed by Larry Wood and modeled after the 1931 Duesenberg dual-cowl phaeton, the Hot Wheels ’31 Doozie first came out in 1977. The casting was produced in about 18 different variations up until the Final Run series from 2003. This multi-tone green example from 1981 is another of my keepers from Lamont’s Childhood Collection. In pretty good shape otherwise, it is unfortunately missing its tan plastic top.

Other Hot Wheels ’31 Doozies in my collection include a 1978 model that I’ve had since my childhood, a maroon variation from 1986, and a whitewall-wearing estate sale find from the 1983 Extras Series.

Hot Wheels | 1981 Flying Colors | 9649 | ’31 Doozie | green and light green with green plastic fenders and interior, blue tint window, missing tan plastic top | Hong Kong | blackwalls

Click here to see photos and links to all of the 1981 Hot Wheels in my collection.

1981 Hot Wheels Street Rodder

The iconic Hot Wheels Street Rodder, based on a customized ’32 Ford roadster, was designed by Larry Wood. It was first released in the 1976 Flying Colors series and was produced in about 8 different variations up to 1984. Loose examples are hard to find in good shape: The plastic windshield frame easily snaps off (as you can see in this one) and the chrome plastic motor is often missing its side pipes. This white model with flames is the 1981 release and is another of my finds from Lamont’s Childhood Collection.

Click here to see the 1977 black-with-flames variation of the Hot Wheels Street Rodder.

Hot Wheels | 1981 | 9242 | Street Rodder | white with red & orange flames, gray interior, missing windshield, chrome plastic engine, unpainted metal base | Hong Kong | blackwalls

Click here to see photos and links to all of the 1981 Hot Wheels in my collection.

1981 Hot Wheels Auburn 852

The Auburn Speedster was produced by the Auburn Automobile Company of Auburn, Indiana, from 1925 to 1937. The 1925 Auburn Speedster 115 was so named because it featured a 4.8L inline 8 Lycoming engine which produced 115 base horsepower. The 1930 model received an upgrade with 10 more horsepower and was renamed the Speedster 125. The Speedster 851, introduced in 1934, had beautiful sweeping bodywork designed by Gordon Buehrig (whose credits also include the Duesenberg Model J and the Cord 810) as well as an innovative Columbia dual-ratio rear axle which combined with a three-speed sychromesh gearbox to give the speedster 6 gears. In 1936 the Auburn Speedster was renamed the 852, the only difference to earlier models being the large number 852 displayed on the front grille.

The Hot Wheels Auburn 852 was first released in 1979. Around 30 variations were produced up to 2003, when it was included in the Final Run series. This mostly very clean, Hong Kong-cast, yellow and brown model from 1981 – another of my Wichita eBay scores – will replace a much rougher version already in my collection.

Other examples of the Auburn 852 in my collection include the 1979 first release, another well-worn yellow and brown Hong Kong casting from 1981, a metalfalke gold and brown version from 1983, and a red variation from 1991. I also have a nice example of the Malaysia-cast 1981 yellow and brown version, a red and black model from 1993, and the 852 from 1998 30th Anniversary replica series.

Hot Wheels | 1981 | 2505 | Auburn 852 | yellow with dark brown interior and fenders, unpainted metal base | Hong Kong | blackwalls

Click here to see links and photos of all of the 1981 Hot Wheels in my collection.

1981 Hot Wheels Steering Rigs Kenworth Van

Hot Wheels Steering Rigs were truck and trailer combinations that could be pushed along and steered using a wheel that protruded from the back of the trailer. Cast in both Hong Kong and France, Steering Rigs were introduced in 1981 with a Kenworth Van, a GMC Hauler, a Kenworth Tanker, a Peterbilt Hauler, a GMC Van, and a Peterbilt Tanker. Steering Rigs returned in 1982 with a Ford LTL Cattle Trailer, a Mack Moving Van, a White Grain Trailer, a Ford LTL Moving Van, a Mack Grain Trailer and a White Cattle Trailer.

Steering Rigs are quite collectible, and nice examples can set you back a few bucks. I’ve had a lone Steering Rig cab that I picked up many years ago and have long been on the lookout for a trailer to pair with it. When I recently came across a $4 lot of toys on the Facebook Marketplace that included a Steering Rig trailer, I snatched it up quickly. This white box trailer with Hot Wheels Racing decoration is the back half of the Hong Kong cast 1981 Kenworth Van.

After using a Q-tip and water to clean off a little grime, I got the trailer looking pretty good. It is missing the steering knob, which is supposed to protrude from the large hole that you see near the back of the plastic box.

This trailer has a nice little opening red door on one side.

Hot Wheels | 1981 Steering Rigs | 1915 | Kenworth Van | missing white cab, white trailer with yellow and red Hot Wheels Racing Team trim, red trailer door, missing steering knob | HK | bw

In addition to the hitch peg on a Steering Rig trailer, there is a second pin protruding from a semi-circular groove. This steering pin, which is mechanically linked to the steering wheel on top of the rear of the trailer, mates with the hole cast next to the hitch on the Steering Rig cab. The forward set of rear wheels on the cab are grooved and the outer edges are wrapped with rubber bands (missing from mine) to help the model grip and turn.

The rear set of trailer wheels also have the grooves and rubber bands; in this photo of my trailer, you can see the wheel on the left is missing the rubber band while the wheel on the right still has an intact band.

This Steering Rigs trailer was originally paired with a white Kenworth COE cab, and my Peterbilt cab was originally paired with a white tanker trailer with Shell logos on the sides. So they’re not a matching pair, but I still think they look pretty good together.

There are replacement steering knobs available to buy on eBay. I purchased one, which is described as a resin copy of the original. Original knobs appear to be clearer and shinier (based on online photos) than this reproduction, but it does fit and perfectly and operates the steering mechanism.

A $4 Bag of Assorted Toys

I think most collectors really enjoy a chance to rescue treasures from among somebody else’s cast-offs. This was the case back in November, when I saw a lot of assorted toys for sale on the Facebook Marketplace. While most of the toys looked to be well played-with, I spotted what appeared to be some blackwall-era Hot Wheels among the bunch. Since the photo was lacking clarity, it was difficult to determine the condition of the items or even if they were what I thought they were. But since the entire lot was only $4, I took a chance.

In the bag of toys, I found 8 items that I will call keepers. The items I’m showing here are duplicates of models I already have in my collection and/or they are missing parts. The others I will show in separate posts.

The Hot Wheels Airport Rescue was first released in 1981 and was only produced in four different variations over the next few years. It’s a very heavy casting and I suspect this is the reason it was phased-out fairly quickly. This example is in comparable condition to the one I already have (the tampo is actually a little better) but it is unfortunately missing the forward plastic hose cannon.

Hot Wheels | 1981 Workhorses | 1699 | Airport Rescue | yellow with dark orange and black trim, missing front hose cannon | HK | bw

The Hot Wheels Peterbilt Dump Truck was first cast in 1983 and has been produced in about 21 different variations, most recently included in the 2003 Work Crewsers series. This red paint/red dumper version from 1989 is identical to the only example of this casting I already have in my collection, but this one is missing the plastic tailgate.

Hot Wheels | 1989 Workhorses | 1560 | Peterbilt Dump Truck | red with red dumper, missing tailgate | MY | bw

In 1978, Hot Wheels released the Army Funny Car, based on the Plymouth Arrow, which featured a hinged body that opened to reveal the engine and cockpit cast into the metal base. The same casting was used in 1979 for the Human Torch and in 1982 for the Pepsi Challenger. In 1985 and 1986 the casting was called Screamin’. In 1982, the Firebird Funny Car was released and it was produced in over two dozen variations up to the 2002 Final Run series. Though the Firebird Funny Car had a different body, it used the same base as the Army funny car.

This Hot Wheels funny car base could be from any one of several releases of either casting that featured blackwalls. But since the model was cast only in Hong Kong up until 1982, we can narrow down this Malaysia-cast base to that year or later. I’ll keep it handy in case I ever come across a funny car body that’s missing its lower half.

Hot Wheels | 1982 or later | Funny Car base only | MY | bw

1981 Hot Wheels Hi-Rakers ’40s Woodie

Though there are about 75 variations of the Hot Wheels ’40s Woodie, I only have three different examples in my collection. The casting, which is based on the 1940 Ford Deluxe Woody Wagon, was first released in the 1980 Hi-Rakers series, so early versions have the adjustable rear wheels. This orange model with textured wood panels from the 1981 Hi-Rakers series is one of the cars I picked up in my recent eBay splurge.

The other Hot Wheels ’40s Woodies in my collection are the yellow version from 1987 with a regular base and the 1998 30th Anniversary reproduction of the first-casting.

Other Hi-Rakers in my collection include the 1980 3-Window ’34, the 1980 Dodge D-50, the 1980 Split Window ’63, the 1980 Turbo Wedge, the 1982 Vette Van, and the metalflake red 3-Window ’34 from 1983.

Hot Wheels | 1981 Hi-Rakers | 1131 | ‘40s Woodie | orange with woodgrain panels | HK | bw

1981 Hot Wheels Turismo

I already have examples of three different variations of the Hot Wheels Turismo, but considering their condition, I was happy to acquire this one from the JG Collection. This 1981 first-release has some wear and one fairly large chunk taken out of the roof, but a large majority of the colorful tampo is still intact – which is much more than I can say for my other example.

This casting, which was based on the DeLorean, was also released in 1982 with a black interior and rear deck, and in 1983 in yellow paint with orange, purple and black graphics. Click here to see my other Turismo models.

Hot Wheels | 1981 | 1694 | Turismo | red with yellow, black and white trim, tan interior | HK | bw

A Bunch of Rough Hot Wheels

The rest of the Hot Wheels from the FBQT collection are in such rough shape, I decided rather than feature each one individually, I would just show them all on one long page.

This Jaguar XJS is the 1978 first release, but it’s missing most of its windshield, paint and tampo. Fortunately, I already have a much nicer example.

Hot Wheels | 1978 | 2012 | Jaguar XJS | gray with yellow, red & black trim, | HK | bw

This ’57 T-Bird is another 1978 first-release that’s missing most of its paint and tampo, and again, I already have another much better example.

Hot Wheels | 1978 | 2013 | ’57 T-Bird | yellow with red, blue and black trim, porthole | HK | bw

I believe this Hiway Hauler with the missing box would be the 1980 North American Van Lines first-release, because it’s the only white cab version that was made in Hong Kong. Click here to see the example I have with its box intact.

Hot Wheels | 1980 | 1174 | Hiway Hauler | white cab only | HK | bw

I also already have the 1981 Dixie Challenger, and I would say this one’s in better shape if it weren’t for the unsightly scrape across the top.

Hot Wheels | 1981 | 3364 | Dixie Challenger | orange with blue and white trim, stars on roof | HK | bw

The Hot Wheels Corvette Stingray, first released in 1976, was a childhood favorite and I’ve been wanting this variation from 1983 for awhile now. But this one is pretty rough, so I’ll keep looking for a cleaner example.

Hot Wheels | 1983 | 9241 | Corvette Stingray | metalflake red with white, orange and yellow trim | MY | gho

This Hi-Rakers 3-Window ’34 is actually pretty nice, except for the missing driver’s side headlight. I already have one of these 1983 variations, as well as the 1980 first-release and a silver model from 1995.

Hot Wheels | 1983 Hi-Rakers | 1132 | 3-Window ’34 | metalflake red with yellow and black trim | HK | bw

The Hot Wheels Ferrari Testarossa was first released in 1987. This red version with Ultra Hots and black and red interior is from 1988. I also have a Color Racer version of the Testarossa that I have not yet photographed.

Hot Wheels | 1988 | 1897 | Ferrari Testarossa | red with yellow and black trim, black and red interior | MY | uh

The Mercedes 540K was first released in 1982. I now have two different whitewall-wearing variations from 1988 that are missing the chrome grille and beige plastic top: One is this black model, and the other is the chrome version from the 20th Anniversary 3-pack.

Hot Wheels | 1988 | 5142 | Mercedes 540K | black with missing beige plastic top, missing chrome grille and windshield | MY | ww

I have quite a few variation of this next model – originally released as Highway Patrol in 1978. In 1978, it became Fire Chaser and Sheriff Patrol after that. This tan version from 1988 is a color changer from the Automagic series and is, rather strangely, both a police car and a taxi cab.

Hot Wheels | 1988 | 7285 | Sheriff Patrol (Automagic) | light purple (light tan) with Police Taxi trim | MY | bw

Next, we have a later variation of the ’57 T-Bird – after the porthole window was filled in on the sides – from the 1990 Park ‘n Plates series.

Hot Wheels | 1990 Park ‘n Plates | 2013 | ’57 T-Bird | turquoise with purple and yellow trim | MY | ww

The Hot Wheels Hot Bird is a classic casting which first appeared in 1978. I don’t really understand the layers of color on this version, but it appears that at one time it was the 1990 All American Fire Bird, which had white paint with a red and blue stars and stripes tampo. I also have the 1982 Hot Ones version, the shiny model from the Golden Machines 6-Pack, and the 1979 variation released as Captain America.

Hot Wheels | 1990 | #37 | Hot Bird | missing most white with red and blue trim, red interior | MY | uh

The Camaro Z-28 was first cast in 1982. This McDonald’s promo from 1991 is the second of this casting I’ve added to my collection. The other is a color-changer from 1988.

Hot Wheels | 1991 McDonald’s promo | 5182 | Camaro Z-28 | orange with purple and yellow trim | MY | bw

The GT Racer made its first appearance in the 1989 Speed Fleet series. My black model is from 1993 and is in passable condition except for the missing chrome engine and wing.

Hot Wheels | 1993 | 1789 | GT Racer | black with purple, yellow and red trim, missing chrome wing | MY | bw

Finally, another variation of the Corvette Stingray. This one with the caved-in top would have been found in the 1995 Chevrolet 5-Pack.

Hot Wheels | 1995 Chevrolet 5-Pack | 9241 | Corvette Stingray | light blue | MY | uh