Model: ’76 Chevy Monza F/C – Tiki Warrior
Release: Hot Wheels 2010 Dragstrip Demons
Ebay Link: Hot Wheels Dragstrip Demons
Why I am featuring it: The Dragstrip Demons Series that came out in 2009/2010 is, in my opinion, one of the best series ever put out by Hot Wheels. Most of the cars in the series are representative of real-life drag cars. Also, this series was the debut for most of the castings used. Some of the toolings have not been released since and this is one of those. It had three different releases: this one in green and two others in red, white, and blue. The series is cool for many reasons. One is because a lot of the cars exist in real life. Another is the overall quality of the deco on the cars. Whatever the printing process was for the graphics on these cars, they turned out beautifully crisp. Some are easier to find than others and I pick them up any time that I see them for a good deal. Sadly I was not collecting when they came out so I do not have many in my collection and I want them all.
Check out the other pics of this and also the #freethepiecefriday episode:
Now we’re talking!!! Big Nostalgia drag fan here! This this beauty in person too! Gorgeous car… even for a Monza! 😉 The Legit First line of Dragstrip Demons and “Vintage Racing” line has always been my favorite sets they have put out. Nothing for me has come close. Great Feature!
Yes, this is certainly one of the best series ever to come from Hot Wheels. Awesome detail and pure realism.
I was collecting when this series came out, but I was about 14 years old and short on cash so I only managed to acquire 17 of them between the two years they were produced. It’s a shame as I would have liked to have gotten all of them as well. Many of mine are still carded, and I noticed a price sticker on one of them as I was looking at them the other week: $3.99. What a bargain!
While the deco printing process was very crisp as you pointed out, they seemed to have a bit of trouble with placement at times. The taillights on your Tiki Warrior are a bit off, and my edition has the same problem. They’re slightly misaligned and crooked, as though they were stickers on the old Redlines. A small complaint over an overall awesome line.