Like we have said before, not all hard-to-find rare models belong in the Hot Wheels line. Matchbox has its share as well, whether they be hard-to-find variations, or models produced in very small numbers. We at the Lamley Group have a good number of them, but definitely not all of them. We will continue to attempt to profile all that we know.
This week's model comes from 2005:
Matchbox 2005 Burger Zone 5-pack '69 Chevrolet Camaro with hidden headlights:
The variation we are discussing is on the viewer's left.
This is still one of the better Matchbox 5-packs. It had the 69 Camaro, a 70 Cuda, a T-Bird, and two VW's. It made a lot of people happy, including the vari collectors.
I don't know why Matchbox produced two versions of the '69 Camaro. The model was originally created for the premium "Collectors" line, but that line was eventually scrapped for the new Superfast. Since then the hidden headlight version has only shown up twice. Once in the 2004 Superfast line, and the other in the Burger Zone pack. We haven't seen it since, which is a shame. In fact, we haven't seen the '69 Camaro enough in general. It was slated for the 2011 Lesney line, but fell victim when the line was reduced.
Anyway, for some reason both castings made it into the 5-pack, but the exposed lights version was in MUCH higher numbers. I came across the hidden lights vari once, at a Rite Aid in Arcadia, California. I didn't like the $7.99 price tag, so I regretfully passed. I finally found mine on the secondary market, and I promised I paid well more that $7.99 for it.
Because it is on such a popular car, this is considered, at least by the Lamley Group, another of the great Mattel-era rarities...
Part 4 next week...
