The first line of Hot Wheels die-cast cars introduced were called “The Sweet 16,” and made their debut at the International Toy Fair in 1968. “The Sweet 16” designs were inspired by California muscle cars and hot rods. The first Hot Wheels car was the Custom Camaro®, sold on May 18, 1968, which is now Hot Wheels official birthday.
The 15 other cars in the line were the Beatnik Bandit, Custom Barracuda, Custom Corvette®, Custom Cougar, Custom Eldorado™, Custom Firebird®, Custom Fleetside, Custom Mustang, Custom T-Bird, Custom Volkswagen, Deora®, Ford J-Car, Hot Heap™, Python and the Silhouette®.
When Mattel shipped out its first wave of Hot Wheels cars, it provided stores with a special display. This display allowed stores to display all 16 available cars to potential customers. The display featured all 16 cars from the 1968 release. There was the Silhouette, Deora, Hot Heap, Custom Barracuda, Custom Cougar, Custom Eldorado, Custom Volkswagen, Custom Fleetside, Beatnik Bandit, Python, Custom Corvette, Custom Firebird, Custom Camaro, Custom T-Bird, Custom Mustang, and Ford J-Car. Each of these vehicles was specially designed to race on the Hot Wheels tracks.
It is rare to see all of the Sweet Sixteen cars, this set was already valuable. However, the addition of the store display elevated the set even further. When this set went up on eBay, it wound up selling for $39,850.00 in November 2021.
Hot Wheels went on to influence car culture and real-world car design by creating toy cars that looked radically different from anything else on the road in 1968. To this day “The Sweet 16” remain among the most valuable and collectable toy vehicles ever made.
Here we have our very own “Sweet Sixteen” Custom T-Bird, which was part of the Redline Range that ran from 1968 to the early 1970’s.
We have a small selection of loose Hotwheels cars for sale in our shop
- Mario Standard Kart – GBG26 c 2018 £6.50
- Luigi Mach 8 – GBG27 c 2018 £6.50
- Bowser Badwagon – GBG31 c 2018 £8.50
- Yoshi P-Wing – GJH58 c 2019 £8.50
- Orange Street Creeper (Spiderman) c 2012 £8.00
- Mustang Mach 1 c 1997 £5.00
- Bedlam – Race Track Rescue c 2003 £5.00
- Gas Monkey ’68 Corvette DHN90 c 2016 £3.50
- TM GM Corvette Stingray – 3128 – Blue c 2012 £6.00
- Prototype (White) c 2007 £3.00
- 67 Camaro TM GM – DTY99 c 2016 £4.50
- Gazella R – FJV99 c 2017 £4.50
- Nissan 370Z Green – R0957 c 2009 £3.50
- Cyber Speeder – FJV64 (Glow Wheels version) c 2017 £5.00
- CCM Country Club Muscle – W9047 c 2006 £5.00
- 2013 Viper c 2012 £3.00
- RD-10 c 2004 £5.00
- Hypertruck c 2012 £5.00
- Exotique FJV81 (Orange) c 2017 £6.00
- BJF58 – Yellow Racing Tractor c 2013 £10.00
- Hot Wheels High Rock’n’Roll Tour Bus c 2013 £10.00
- 71 Datsun 510 Wagon (Red) c 2012 £5.00
- Monteracer c 2015 £3.00
- Mach Speeder c 2017 £3.00
- Morris Mini c 2014 £5.00
- 2018 Ford Mustang GT – FJV78 c 2017 £3.00
- V5304 – Pontiac Firebird – Metalflake Burnt Orange c 2011 £20.00
- Porsche 911 GT2 c 2010 £3.00
- 08 Dodge Challenger c 2010 £3.00
- 70 Challenger – FJX79 c 2006 £3.00
- Invader HW68 c 2014 £6.00
- HW Rapid Responder c 2014 £3.00
- 2009 Ford F-150 c 2008 £3.00
- Terrain Storm c 2015 £3.00
- Wingstorm c 2014 £3.00
- Retroactive c 2010 £3.00
- 69 Camaro Z28 c 2016 £3.00
- Batman Boom Box (Gotham City Police) c 2015 £5.00
- Star Wars Po Dameron c 2015 £5.00
- Mad Manga – Batman V Superman 3/7 c 2011 £5.00
- Circle Trucker c 2010 £3.00 Golden Arrow c 2013 £3.00
- El Viento DTX09 c 2016 £3.00
- 72 Ford Ranchero c 2008 £3.00
- Dragtor c 2008 £5.00
- Rip Rod (Flick Car) c 2017 £5.00
Here is a selection of some of our carded Hotwheels
- Rockin’ Santa Sled c 2021 £5.00
- Batman Arkham Knight Batmobile c 2021 £5.00
- Barbie Dream Camper c 2021 £5.00
- Justice League 5 pack set c 2017 £15.00
If you are interested in purchasing any of these and are unable to visit our shop then please contact us
