There have been several high-profile cars built over the years that have been turned into 1:64 scale HotWheels toys. There have also been car builders that have built their favorite toys in full-scale. This 1968 VW is a tribute to one of the most valuable HotWheels cars ever made. According to AntiqueTrader.com, the HotWheels version is worth about $1,500! The full-size version can be found here on Craigslist with an asking price of $17,500. Located in San Diego, California, it is built on a 1977 Vega chassis with a 1978 Monza 2+2 suspension. Under the hood is a built Chevy V8 with some drag racing goodies. Check out this car and thanks to Rocco B. for the tip on this redline racer.
Here is the 1968 HotWheels that this car was built as a tribute to. As you can see, the builder did a pretty good job of replicating the car.
The engine is a crate 350 LT1 V8. It is topped by a 4bbl Holley carburetor with a Weiand tunnel ram. The transmission is a 4-speed Saginaw with a Hurst line-loc roll control.
The interior has a custom/race vibe with the leather dash and door panels contrasted with the racing seat and Hurst shifter.
The Cragar wheels wrapped in red line tires were the perfect way to finish the build. Overall, this is a pretty fun-looking car that is probably more fun to drive. What do you think about tribute cars like this one? Do you have a favorite tribute car?
✔✔
Indeed.
I love it. If only I was closer, richer, and younger.
Bravo! All it needs is a big blister pack. As I understand, the HW bugs without the sunroof are quite rare btw.
The Vega was uni-body, they must have taken a Sawsall to some unsuspecting donor and welded a VW to it.
I would lose the high-rise manifold and make the hood look as stock as possible. Having fun with unsuspecting kids at stop lights would be a daily occurrence.
There is a guy who did just that , put a Porche (I think) motor in a plain looking VW,kept mods to a minimum, but had to do some mods to handle the high power You tube has the video of race car driver girl being scared of the power!
Daniel it’s a hot wheels tribute car the hi-rise stays.
ok, I hope you buy it, price looks good!
The non sunroof Hot Wheels VW Bug is rare, and supposedly sold only in Europe . Most Hot Wheel bugs had a sliding sunroof
The non sunroof Hot Wheels VW Bug is rare, and supposedly sold only in Europe . Most Hot Wheel bugs had a sliding sunroof and are fairly common
Nicely done. No hack job here.
Not for a low performance driver
(plenty out there) that’s for sure.
Would this be street legal without bumpers tail lights tires ticking out and whatever else?
That would depend upon the laws where you live. Here in PA it would not pass our state inspection.
I love this car, You original guys do not get it. Nobody cares if your numbers match or what. Love it or hate it this is the perfect build for cruise night. That is why I built my ElCamino as a model way back in 1980. Going to shows etc is far more fun with something like this, passing Mr Numbers matching on the freeway and I know I am having far more fun . What did we use to say “Trailers are for Horses.
Ditto Morley ditto,I have a 70 Elco four wheel drive,454 with blower roll bar,wide tires, can’t drive this car without getting looks,thumbs up or horns blowing
cant drive it here w/o being dot worthy. 1st off is tail lights. I like it anyway but need it to drive (legally).
1st look was “Finally gota motor up frnt!” I’d use a ve dub like the 2L TDI. There’s 36,000 of them available…
8^0
I wonder if most Hot Wheels had sunroofs.
(Just kidding.)
Love this little bug, would make one change ,it needs a wider rear tire, but other wise it’s perfect.
I see even his tires have the red stripe. Mighty cool.
I actually had a v8 bug years ago. I didn’t build it, but bought from one of the engineers at Kennedy Engineering. They were one of those companies that manufactured adapters to swap engines and transmissions into various cars including a Chevy to Jaguar engine and transmission adapter and a rotary to vw bug adapter plate. My bug had a 1969 Pontiac 400, turbo 400 transmission with a Ford 9 inch rear with adjustable tracking. The car also had power steering, brakes, A/C and a button tucked velour interior. The builder moved the firewall back 6 inches to accommodate the engine and transmission. It rode on a full tube steel chassis and used Mustang II front suspension. It ran in the high 10’s back in the 1990’s…..scary drive with that short wheel base. It easily lifted the front wheels off the ground on slicks and on street tires it would spin the tires endlessly. I ended up spinning a rod bearing and selling it as-is when a 69 442 Convertible 455 4 speed caught my eye. The good old days…….
Years ago.. my cousin and i built a sq tube frame for his 66 Bug and dropped a DZ 302 with a ZF trans in the car. the engine sat behind the front seats making it a mid engine car. The car produced close to 400 hp and we had a hard time keeping the front wheels on the road. i built a 6″ dia pipe bumper.. filled it with concrete and mounted it in the front. it kept the wheels down but affected the steering so much that ol cuz ran it into a tree at 60 mph. he survived but the Bug didnt. since this was in the 70’s .. sorry no pics available.
The hot wheels car looks like a blown hemi.
The girlfriend of a college friend…..ha ha….had a Chrysler V8 in her VW Bus. As she was driving through Texas, truckers on CB radios were awed at how she was able to zoom up freeway grades at 80 mph. (Do they have hills in TX?) Alas, she rolled it on ice somewhere. Jill, you keep doing the unexpected!