Hot Wheels 1967 Pontiac Firebird

One of my favorite models from 2010 was this 1967 Pontiac Firebird that helped capture the Firebird’s details with a slight sporty edge of typical Hot Wheels fashion and the right stance. Well for 2017 they did it again, but this time on a custom one-off done from the same car and same designer that inspired the 2010 release with modern conveniences.

With the Ford Mustang hot in sales General Motors released their version of the pony car in 1967 with Chevrolet called Camaro and at Pontiac the Firebird. For the Firebird not only was it tough to be better than its sibling but also to try and not interfere with the brand’s halo muscle car, the GTO. Still, the Firebird stood out and went on to become successful, even sharing the brand’s muscle image during the dark times when the GTO was long gone. Unfortunately the car and the Pontiac brand would not make a comeback going into the 2000’s. The first release of the Hot Wheels casting was in 1967 in this gorgeous vintage green color and it has the proper Coke bottle side profile with the long hood and short deck proportions and larger rear wheels that still fail to detract from this nice casting. The front has the wide grille with quad headlights detailed inside and a deep well that leads to the grille with detailed horizontal bars, while below is the lower bumper with signal lights inside of the twin grilles. The hood has the famed Pontiac Ram Air hood scoops and external tachometer, while the sides have a long white stripe with integrated Hot Wheels logo, fender vents ahead of the rear wheels, and the Firebird badges on the front fenders (in 1969 the bird in the logo would also become the front side marker lights). At the rear is the taillights behind slit covers, detailed gas cap door, and rear bumper. It is one beautiful casting!

The base underneath shows off the front lower A-arm and rear live axle suspensions with the engine and transmission detailed up front and the complex exhaust piping at the rear. The interior has seating for four with detailed ribbing in the seats, detailed seat belt buckles, console with shifter, and the angled back dashboard also shared with the Camaro. Clean continues for 2010 with a red (not shown) and a dark blue to complete the year, followed by a 2011 release where it wears redline tires for a Wal-mart exclusive release in yellow. It’s been a premium model, a pink model (for Breast Cancer Awareness in 2012), and even a Target exclusive in 2017 wearing the new steel wheel design. However, that’s not all as in 2017 another Firebird emerges: this time a custom one with no hood and zamac body. Before I get into that a little info on the designer, Brendon Vetuskey. Working at Mattel for 11 years creating several new models and playsets and in 2009 acquired a 1967 Pontiac Firebird in dark green for a project car. The first thing he did was measure and replicate the car for a model to be released in 2010, then once that was done it was time to tear the car apart and do a full-on restoration with some modifications to boot. During the restoration the rear fenders were widened to now accept a 1969 Trans Am rear spoiler, rear quarter panel vents to cool the rear brakes, closed up any visible body gaps, modified interior with racing bucket seats up front, and a rebuilt 400 CID V8 from Superior Performance that now looks like a modern LS V8 engine. The car is now complete, but was still in the building stage when this car was again called to be replicated, and as in the final model design in its first release it has the bare metal body in zamac with no hood to show off the engine details, yet the overall scale and layout remains close to the stock 1967 Firebird casting.

The front has the same grille and headlight details, but now adds a lower chin spoiler, flared fender lips, revised rear fender vents, and the new rear fenders with the Trans Am rear spoiler. Adding a racing touch is the blank round circles on the front doors. The base has less room for details thanks to the added information required on all Mattel models, though the lower engine and added track bars to the rear axle are new, while inside the interior has racing buckets up front and a rollbar behind them that somewhat hides the rear seat area. The real eye candy of this casting is the lack of a hood to show off the new 400 V8 motor with modern fuel injection, LS –V8 like intake manifold and valve covers with coil –less ignition, custom air cleaner, master cylinder for the brakes, and even the front diagonal brace supports. While it might not be necessary the addition of an after-project car to coincide with the stock version is a nice touch, especially when it is from the same designer and from the same car beautifully done in 1:64.

Specifications: (stock/Custom)