First Look: Hot Wheels Zamac '69 Camaro Walmart Mail-In Exclusive...

I had a good day at the mailbox yesterday.

Four packages.  Three containing '83 Silverados I have been after (more on that next week), and one containing two Zamac '69 Camaros, courtesy of Walmart.

The Hot Wheels Rewards site is, in theory, a fabulous idea.  And for the most part, it has worked like a charm.  If you haven't joined, and you live in the US, you should.  All you do is photograph your Walmart receipt, upload the photo to the website, and it calculates the points you earned and adds them to your account.  Once you have enough points, you can order special items, including last year's Zamac School Busted and this year's Zamac '69 Camaro.  No mailing in cardbacks, receipts, or a check for shipping and handling.  You select what you want, and it is sent to you.

Of course, there are some issues.  First, this should be a smartphone app.  Why it isn't yet is strange, but it is bound to happen, I think.  Second, the reader sometimes has trouble with large receipts.  If you buy, for example, 50 models at a time, you surely want those points.  Expect the reader to reject your photo, but you can at least contact customer service and they are good about awarding the points you deserve.

So with all that, join, and go get one of these Camaros.  If you want, of course.  We can show you the pics, and you decide.  And in case you are wondering, it has a plastic base (not a surprise after the Kmart mail-in Chevelle), and it doesn't roll.  The rolling thing is a bummer, but not a surprise.  The Boulevard version of the 69 had the same problem.  So, because of that, the all-black multipack version remains my favorite.

But, if you want to display one, it is worth it.  So check out the pics and let us know what you decide...


Hot Wheels '69 Camaro (2014 Walmart Mail-in Exclusive):

Some of the other 69's in the Lamley collection:

The two mail-ins for 2014 so far:

Just Announced: Hot Wheels Toys R Us Mail-In Exclusive '88 Jeep Wagoneer...

This may not have the stop-in-your-tracks impact that the RLC Toyota 2000GT announcement had, but this is another announcement we are pretty happy about.

Mattel has given RLC members a little sneak peak of a model to come, and this time it is the Toys R Us Mail-In promotional model, and it is the fantastic '88 Jeep Wagoneer that was released last year in the Boulevard line.  Once again, we will adhere to Mattel's request that we not show their images (they are for RLC members only), but just imagine this model:

...with this deco (and a #4 instead of a #1):

The model looks fantastic.  The rims are the same on the Wagoneer pictured above, only red, like the Chevelle.  We are loving that Hot Wheels is branching out in the models they use for promotions.  We really liked the Chevelle, are ok with the '69 Camaro, but LOVE the Wagoneer.  There are still two models to be unveiled, and we are excited to see what they are.

We don't know the details of the promotion, but we assume it involves buying 20 models and sending in receipts and card backs.  We haven't participated in the TRU promotion before, but we surely will now.

Who's in?

First Look: Hot Wheels Kmart Mail-in '69 Chevy Chevelle SS 396...

Something is wrong with this model.

It is not the choice of casting.  The '69 Chevelle SS is a great choice.  It seems there is a small contingent of models that are used for premium mail-in models.  Chevy Panels, Blown Deliveries, etc etc.  Those are great models, but it is nice to see a mainline type model get the treatment.  We hope this means we will see more.  Maybe even some Euro or Japanese cars.

It is not the choice of wheels.  These are great wheels.  GREAT wheels.  The watanabe-looking rims don't just look good on JDM models.  They look good on pretty much any classic model.  Plus we would not be surprised if a few folks just got this model to use the wheels on a custom.

It is not the deco.  The burnt orange and flames really works, especially with the black trim.  We have seen the Walmart 69 Camaro with the deco over Zamac, which works, and we assume the other three mail-ins will as well.  We are in on this year's set.

So what is wrong?

The base.  It's plastic, and that presents a problem.

Look, we normally don't care one way or the other if a base is plastic or metal.  Metal bases are great, but we don't get too caught up in that.  How the model looks is far more important.  And that goes for premium models as well.

BUT, we have a problem if what is promised about the model is not what happens.  While whether a base is metal or not would not convince us to buy a model, it does convince a lot of collectors.  So if Mattel said the base would be metal, and it shows up plastic, that is a problem.

So will Mattel do something about it?  Probably not, and we don't know what they could do.  Surely something has been mentioned in the El Sug office, and things will probably be a bit tighter the next time around.

So, does this bother you?  Do you want Mattel to do something about it?  Mistakes happen, but we are sure many would like Mattel to at least acknowledge it.  Maybe they will, maybe they can't.

(Want it?  There are plenty on ebay...)


Hot Wheels '69 Chevy Chevelle SS 396 (2014 Kmart Mail-in):