Model: Hot Wheels 1965 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe
Release: 35th Anniversary of the Shelby Cobra
eBay link: Hot Wheels 1965 Daytona Coupe
Why I’m featuring it: I’m a big fan of the Daytona Coupe. Its conception and racing success in the mid-60s makes for a cool story, which I’m fortunate to have heard first hand from Peter Brock. He applied 1930s German aerodynamic research in a body designed to solve the Cobra roadster’s top-speed limitation at Le Mans. The result was defeat for Ferrari and the first World Championship for an American car and team, in 1965.
I already have the Circuit Legends example of the more cartoonish Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe casting but was surprised to find this loose 1965 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe (marked just ‘Shelby Cobra Daytona’ on the base) for a bargain C$5 at last weekend’s Calgary Toy Show & Sale, which I help to organize. A little digging reveals that the model comes from a 1998 two-car set celebrating the 35th Anniversary of the Shelby Cobra. The Viper GTS from that set also looks pretty cool!
I think I lucked into one of the best of the six releases of this particular model (1998-2004), although the 2002 100% Hot Wheels edition looks great too. Anything other than blue with racing stripes seems a little spurious.
I’m not sure who penned this casting but putting it alongside the Larry Wood-designed Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe, first released in 2007 and still going strong, makes the latter look even more ridiculous! The lines are pretty good and I like the detail under the hood and in the back. I’m happy to have it.
Just before we go, here’s a quick three-car comparison with the excellent Shelby Collectibles model (front) that I covered in 2020. I believe that one is closer to 1:64 than the larger Hot Wheels releases. Thanks for reading!
(find Hot Wheels 1965 Daytona Coupe on eBay)
(follow me on Instagram @diecast215)
That Larry Wood casting does look quite daft, but I’ll always remember the Super Treasure Hunt being one of the first I ever found.
If that older casting with the opening hood isn’t around anymore it would be nice to see a new Cobra Daytona casting sometime soon.
Why do Mattel spoil so many good castings with ridiculously sized back wheels ?
It’s ‘Ri-DONK-ulous’!.. But seriously, it’s not a joke about those stupid sized wheels on the rear of the Shelby Daytona!
That model is BEGGING for a re-casting, NOW!!!