Mail Call from Patrick in Pennsylvania!

We have something very special today from Patrick in PA…

This is the elusive and legendary Redline “Cheetah”, one of the rarest castings in Hot Wheels history. Released in 1968 as part of the original Sweet Sixteen, the Cheetah was inspired by Bill Cushenberry’s custom show car, the Dream Rod. But shortly after production began, Mattel ran into a legal issue with the name “Cheetah,” which was already associated with a real race car built by Bill Thomas. To avoid conflict, they quickly renamed the casting to “Python.”

Because of the sudden name change, only a very limited number of Cheetahs made it out with the original name on the base, fewer than 10 are known to exist today. Most were produced at the U.S. plant and typically found in early blister packs.

This is a legendary find, thrilled to feature such a rare and historic car from the early days of Hot Wheels. Thank you Patrick!

If you or anyone you know owns any of these vintage treasures, feel free to send a message!