Variation Alert: Hot Wheels Cadillac Elmiraj with grey interior...

We don't report all variations, but we do like to report significant finds, especially those that are hard to explain.

The last couple of weeks we started hearing about Cadillac Elmiraj models found with grey interior, instead of the standard tan interior.  The first inclination was that maybe folks were finding models with the brown slightly off-color, but after seeing pics, there was no doubt the interior was totally different.

Of course that meant the hunt was on.  And alas, a dump bin dive in a small town yielded not one, but four:

The interesting thing?  Of the four cases in the bin, each had one tan interior and one grey interior.  How that happens I have no idea, and whether or not the grey will be in small numbers I have no idea as well.

So why the grey interior?  No idea as well.  The two most likely answers are that either the factory created the grey erroneously and corrected the mistake, or grey was the planned interior and either the designer or licensor asked for it to be changed.

Either way, it is definitely different, and it is cool to have.  Keep your eyes open...

Variation Alert: Hot Wheels '65 Mustang 2+2 Fastback Basic with TH tampo...

A few days ago, we got another report of a very cool error/variation that is being found with the latest Hot Wheels L Case.

After seeing reports on Instagram and Facebook, reader Jason Thien from Malaysia sent us pics of his in-store find:

All is normal.  The basic and Super TH Mustang share the same tampo, save the TH logo on the rear. The Super also has spectraflame blue paint.  This one?  Basic paint, basic wheels, Super TH deco and logo.  Cool, eh?

This has happened before.  Recently, the Toyota Tundra basic was found with real riders, and the Camaro Special Edition Super was found with basic wheels.  So there is precedent.

So those of you who happen across an L case, even one that has been picked over, start looking.  You might find something even better than that Super that was already snagged.

Let us know if others are found.  Good luck...

(Follow up: There are already a couple on eBay...)

Break those piggy banks: A huge collection of super-rare Hot Wheels variations appears on eBay...

This is something I just had to pass on...

Rare Hot Wheels variations have always been an interest of mine, and I know I share that with quite a few of you.  I have had personal conversations with quite a few people about their favorites, those they were lucky to find, how much they paid for a specific vari, and what variations still elude them.

Well, if you are a variation collector, and still have quite a few variations on your want list, we HIGHLY suggest you check out the listings from this seller:

Hot Wheels rare variations from hotwheelchuck59

This is a goldmine of variations, from an era (2004-2012) when variation-collecting was serious business.  Looking through these listings, my jaw would continue to drop.  As soon as I would gather said chin back, the next listing would make it happen all over again.  It is an event just to see ONE of these variations on eBay, let alone all of these together.

There are 210 hard-to-find variation listings, and among them you will find (click on the title of each to go directly to the listing):

2009 Datsun Bluebird 510 with 5-spoke wheels:

The 5sp Datsun is becoming the grandaddy of JDM variations, and is easily one of the hardest variations to find for any vari collector.


2006 Toyota AE-86 Corolla in matte grey (5-spokes & FTE) and white with 3-spokes:

Another group of variations that every variation collector was after, and all still garner a lot of attention today.  The grey with 5-spokes is especially difficult to find.


2006 Datsun 240Z in white with FTE wheels and 10-spokes:

The white with 10sp is probably the rarer of the two, but the FTE is probably the more desired.  It was an official Mattel release that was for some reason released in very small numbers, and only on a short card.


2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution in grey with 10-spokes:

This one was hard to find, but not as difficult as others.  As the Evo has gained popularity over the years, this one has become highly desired.


2010 Cadillac CTS-V with PR5:

Not as rare as the black CTS with lace wheels, but still very hard to find.  And it looks really good too.


2006 Nissan 350Z with chrome-lipped co-mold wheels:

Standard was comold wheels without the chrome lip.  I got lucky and found one at TRU back in the day.  But as rare as that one was...


2006 Nissan 370Z with lace wheels:

Whoa.  I remember hearing about this one.  I had NEVER seen one until today.  Sigh...


2006 Aston Martin V6 Vantage in white with 10-spokes:

Only of 3 others.  This is on a lot of want lists.


COPO Corvette with white interior:

No one know how it happened, but some COPO's appeared with white interior.  I have always wanted one, but never found it.


2005 '69 Pontiac GTO in orange with yellow windows:

Transitional from the black version.  The orange was supposed to have clear windows.


2006 Nissan Titan in silver with PR5 wheels:

Another in very small numbers.  I got lucky and found one at Kdays packaged with a license plate holder.


2006 Dieselboy with red wheels:

You might see me bid on this one.  A model I once had, and have regretted selling it ever since.  The very first models off the line had red wheels, but it was quickly changed to chrome.  Very few made it to the pegs.  I have not seen it on eBay for years.

There are some of the models that caught our interest, but there are quite a few more, including Snap-On Skylines, no tampo R32's, and on and on.  We highly suggest to check them out.  These don't pop up often...

Variation Alert: Matchbox Alfa Romeo 4C with unpainted intakes...

This was mentioned in the latest Matchbox Ambassador Report, but it was buried a bit at the end, so we thought we would do a separate post.  Especially since we are lucky enough to have the variation.

Some of the best variations in both the Hot Wheels and Matchbox worlds are the "mid-run" changes. It usually happens when something wasn't communicated correctly, and a model starts its production run doing something wrong.  Someone will eventually catch the mistake and make an immediate correction.  Or, in some cases, someone, be it a designer or someone else, changes their mind after seeing the product, and asks for a change.

Depending on when the change is made, one version could end up being more rare than the other.  If it is early in the run, the error will be the rare one.  If it is late, the corrected version would be.

One famous running change among the Matchbox collectors was the 2007 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint in white.  After approving the license, Alfa decided that the only colors they would accept would be red or white, since the real car was only offered in those two colors.  Matchbox tried to mix things up a bit by producing a white version with a pearl white paint, and Alfa quickly caught wind and asked that it be changed to straight white.  Some early run pearl white models did end up packaged and shipped, and a few were found, but not a lot.

We mention that particular example because Alfa has struck again, this time on the just-released Matchbox 4C.

Let's start with this image:

Notice the grill in the front?  Here it is again:

Now look closely at this next pic:

You will see the front intakes are part plastic and part paint.  If you don't see it, just take a look at this pic:

Now you see it.  This version has no outer grill.  Just red paint.

That is because on the first models in the batch, Matchbox forgot to paint it.  Alfa noticed the mistake right away, and asked for the change.  Matchbox obliged, and now almost all the 4C's released will feature the full intakes.

According to Mattel, by way of the Ambassador, this error was detected very early, meaning unpainted intake Alfa Romeo 4C's will in very small numbers, and probably in very high demand.  So get out there and look.  Maybe you will get lucky...

(Try eBay too.)

Variation Alert: The 2015 HW Datsun 510 Wagon appearing with the same grill variations as the 2014 version...

You figured this might happen, and now it has been confirmed.

Lamley reader Attila Szekely, who resides in Hungary, emailed us this morning to let us know he has discovered the same grill variations on his 2015 Datsun 510 Wagons that were found on the 2014 version.

If you remember, the 2014 510 Wagon was found with either large mesh, small mesh, or smooth grills.  Here are couple we found on the Super Treasure Hunt.  Smooth above and small mesh below:

You figure the same molds are being used, so the same variations were bound to appear in 2015, and sure enough they have.  Here are Attila's three finds:

Smooth

Large mesh

Small mesh

Alright now that it is confirmed, and Batch G should hit fairly soon, keep your eyes open.  That is if variations are your thing...