Looks like I need a new Holy Grail…
If you remember, a few weeks ago I showcased the Matchbox that got away. The 2012 Matchbox Dodge Challenger SRT8 in green was exclusive to one 9-pack, and while I bought one for my Lamley partner and showcased it on the blog before mailing to him in the UK, I totally forgot to get one for myself. When I realized that, they were all gone from the store shelves, and nowhere to be found on eBay.
I have looked and looked ever since, in obscure stores and online, to no avail. That is until I posted my article about Holy Grails, explaining what they were, and why the Challenger was mine. Soon after I heard from a good friend on Instagram, @diecastme, who told me he had one. We worked out a deal (he has something very cool headed his way), and the Challenger left Canada on its journey to Utah.
It is here, and it was worth the wait. I have always liked the Matchbox Challenger SRT8. No frills, realistic proportions, and great detail. It looks especially good next to the Hot Wheels version, which has suffered from one of the worst cases of largerearwheelitis we have seen. Its monstrous rear wheels distort the model so bad it doesn’t look at all like the real thing. Thankfully that is not the case with the Matchbox version.
The only problem I have had with the Matchbox Challenger is the wheels. The first few sported the double 10-spoke wheels, which I have always loved, but not on the Challenger. The casting was meant to sit on the MB 5-spoke wheels.
It finally happened with the lime green version. The satin lime was a perfect color, and the 5-spoke wheels looked fantastic. It was just hard to find. The model was supposed to be the basic line, but a few snags with the Dodge license meant the models that were already made would head to 10-packs. Some of us hoped we would see it on the basic card later, but that day never came. Matchbox later released the purple version as a make-up for the gap created by the green Challenger, but no more greens were released.
And it is too bad, because it looks so good, especially now that I can take better photos compared to the last time I had it.
Welcome home…
So what is my next grail? No idea. If nothing comes to mind right away, than I surely don’t have one. That could change very quickly…
Awesome pictures as always! Congratulations on getting your grail enjoy!
Is there going to be a Dodge Durango police SUV 2012
superb!! my sister gifted me a silver one made by Maisto.. looks very beautiful and a good amount of exterior detailing too!
Frankly, Matchbox ruined this Challenger by making its headlights and grille as tampo, unlike Hot Wheels which made it better IMO.
I saw your previous article and thought I actually got that Challenger in a Matchbox 10-pack but I was probably conflating the purple Matchbox Challenger and the green Hot Wheels Challenger.
I did buy one Matchbox 10-pack around the same era for a Dodge Monaco police car, so it's possible I may have it too, but I didn't see anything like that searching my various Hot Wheels cases.
My current grail (that I am not likely to get anytime in the near future) is the 1998 Italy-exclusive Coca Cola promotional Hot Wheels Ferrari 360 Modena, but, if we're limiting to stuff that got released on cards in the United States this century, maybe the Hot Wheels 2005 First Editions Realistix Ferrari 575 GTC in ZAMAC, (I have the red one, carded and uncarded, but the ZAMAC edition cars generally don't get distributed in Canada.)
This is the first time I actually wanted one of these. Sweet Challenger. Congrats!