Phantasy Feature: Hot Wheels 2002 Thomassima III

First released in 2000 by Hot Wheels, the Thomassima III is a model with a short lifespan. It was designed by Tom Meade and released in a gorgeous metallic red color with the 2000 mainline series. There were three variations that year, but they all essentially looked the same. From there, it saw another release in 2001 and 2002, of which the photos above represent the latter. Sadly, the Thomassima III was included in the 2005 Final Run series, never to be seen again. It truly is quite unfortunate, considering how sleek and sexy the Thomassima III is. Drawing obvious inspiration from European luxury cars and meshing it with American muscle (it almost has the shape of the Corvette Stingray), this casting certainly deserved more releases than it received. I don't see it too often in my hunting... and I'd wager that you probably don't either. If you happen to find the Thomassima III, snatch it up for your collection and enjoy this monstrous unlicensed beauty!

Phantasy Feature: Hot Wheels 2013 Mystery Models Fangula

Presented here is the ghastly Fangula! It is part of the second series of 2013 Mystery Models sold exclusively at Wal-Mart. As such, it came in a blind bag package and not as a standard carded release. The Fangula simply oozes intimidation. It's obviously a hearse that's been converted into a hot rod. How cool is that?! Felix Holst designed this beauty for the 2010 mainline Hot Wheels series and it's seen many releases since. I'm looking for two personally -- the original 2010 version in purple and the 2012 Halloween version. Both look phenomenal, just like this angular vehicle of velocity! If you haven't already done so, add a Fangula to your collection...

You vown't regreeet eeeet. Mwahahahahahaha.

Ok... that's the end of my terrible Dracula impression. Happy hunting!

On The Horizon: 2014 Hot Wheels 'N' Case

The 2014 Hot Wheels Mainline set is almost complete. As we come closer to the end of this year's series, the gems just keep on coming! 'N' Case has some mighty fine fantasy and unlicensed models in it. Be on the lookout for the following.

• Bread Box
• Rig Storm (Blue Recolor)
• Poison Arrow (Regular Treasure Hunt)
• Let's GO (Green Recolor)
• Bone Shaker (Black Recolor)
• Skate Punk
• Eevil Weevil
• Audacious
• Fly-By (Red Recolor)
• Knight Draggin'
• F1 Racer
• Sting Rod II
• Carbonic

I'm very eager to finally see the Knight Draggin', with its wavy body shape and cool mounted knight. Also, I'm extremely glad to see the Sting Rod II in a color scheme I actually enjoy. The Eevil Weevil is also highly anticipated by me - anything from 1980's Speed Demons series is something I will always drool over. Happy hunting!

On The Horizon: 2014 Hot Wheels 'L' and 'M' Case

I decided to feature the 'L' and 'M' case assortments together since they'll both be hitting store shelves really close to each other. It's a high likelihood that you'll see both hanging on the pegs at the same time. That being said, here are the unlicensed and fantasy castings you can expect from these two upcoming cases.

• Imparable (also was in 'K' case, missed that last time!)
• Screamliner (purple recolor - very nice)
• Fast Fish
• HW Poppa Wheelie (very odd... and cool)
• Yur So Fast
• Scoopa Di Fuego
• Howlin' Heat
• Arachnorod
• Tomb Up (chrome recolor)
• Twin Mill III
• Land Crusher
• Fast-Bed Hauler (red recolor)
• RRRoadster
• MR11
• Arrow Dynamic
• Ice Cream Truck
• Twin Mill (red recolor)
• Two Timer
• Buzzerk
• Rapid Response
• Rev Rod
• Hammerhead
• Ryura LX (black recolor - very classy)
• Double Demon
• Baja Truck
• Surfin' School Bus
• Fig Rig
• Off Track (regular Treasure Hunt)
• Mountain Mauler (blue recolor - much nicer looking)
• So Plowed (blue recolor)
• Off-Duty

I'm most excited for the Double Demon, Screamliner (my pick for best fantasy/unlicensed car of 2014) and Two Timer.  These two cases are chock full of great castings, especially for those of us whom like to customize cars with our own paint jobs. Be on the lookout my friends!

Phantasy Feature: Hot Wheels 1998 Rail Rodder

Here we have another classic casting from Larry Wood. This is the 1998 edition of the Rail Rodder. Initially released two years prior in the 1996 assortment, the Rail Rodder was most recently seen in 2007 as a Holiday Hot Rod. I'd say we're due for another release, wouldn't you? As an obvious mash-up between a locomotive and a hot rod, the Rail Rodder has a very distinctive look not seen often in the Hot Wheels Mainline series. For that matter, how often do we see a train-styled casting? Almost never. The aggressive stance of the sloping front end almost gives the Rail Rodder a sense of forward momentum! This is an epic release that stands out amongst all other fantasy castings. If you like trains, or simply appreciate odd fantasy vehicles, then you must own at least one Rail Rodder in your collection!

On The Horizon: 2014 Hot Wheels 'K' Case

Indeed, Hot Wheels' 2014 'K' Case has arrived. Check your local retailer for the following fantasy and unlicensed vehicles!

• HW Pursuit
• Let's Go (LEGO Minifigure Compatible!)
• 24/Seven
• Hi-Tech Missile
• Torque Twister
• Monster Dairy Delivery
• Project Speeder
• Max Steel Motorcycle
• Audacious

'K' Case is light on fantasy and unlicensed vehicles, but that doesn't mean there's not some great pieces to be had. The prize in this case is probably the Monster Dairy Delivery. It's just so much fun and is easily customizable. I plan on pulling a few apart myself and painting it in multiple custom colors. Also of note is the newest LEGO compatible vehicle, the Let's Go. Be on the lookout my friends!

Phantasy Feature: Hot Wheels 1985 First Edition XT-3

 

 

 

 

 

What a wonderful find this First Edition XT-3 was! I found this beauty stashed in the bottom of a box of old toys I purchased for my business (I'm a vintage toy dealer). The XT-3 was still sealed in its original bubble and had never been removed! Of course the original backing card was long gone, but that's no big deal. Like a time capsule of awesomeness, I finally released this First Edition Larry Wood original for all the world to enjoy. The XT-3 is a well designed fantasy car, of which I have multiple versions. The XT-3 was released between 1985 and 2001; it was a member of the Final Run club in the latter year. Definitely ahead of its time and channeling a very futuristic vibe, the XT-3 is the epitome of what fantasy cars are all about. If you haven't already done so, do yourself a favor and find one to add to your collection!

Phantasy Feature: Hot Wheels Easter 2014 Nash Metropolitan Metrorail

Pictured above is the latest Nash Metropolitan 'Metrorail'. We are lucky enough to have it released as part of the Hot Wheels Easter 2014 series! In my opinion, this year's Easter series is one of the best released in recent years, with eight fantastic cars that are all worthy of spotlight. I had a hard choice in selecting which casting I wanted to cover, but finally settled on this stylish Metrorail. Originally released in 2000, the Metrorail (or Nash Metropolitan, the names are used almost interchangeably) has seen many releases in multiple lines since then. It's a great little casting with a lot of character, to which you can thank designer Mike Nuttall for! Of note on this latest release is the highly detailed tampo on the car itself. Check out that bunny face that stretches from the front, all the way over the hood. How neat-o is that?! The Metrorail is one of those odd castings that blurs the boundary between fantasy and licensed castings. In all honesty, it is a little bit of both. Either way, it's right at home here at the Phantasy Fleet blog. Be on the lookout for this Metrorail at your local Wal-Mart during the Easter holiday season.

Phantasy Feature: Hot Wheels 2014 First Edition Screamliner

We've been waiting anxiously for the Screamliner to hit the pegs. And now... we finally have it. All I can say is WOW. What a magnificent casting the Screamliner is. Incorporating sleak, sexy curves and stance so low that you can barely see the wheels, the Screamliner is my favorite new release of the 2014 series (so far). Designed by the legendary Larry Wood, the Screamliner is a die-cast collector's dream. The top is metal, while the base and chrome trim are plastic. There's a million different custom paint schemes I can't wait to apply to the Screamliner -- I've bought a dozen of them in anticipation of my customization plans. The Screamliner is an obvious ode the 1925 Rolls Royce Phantom I Jonckheere Aerodynamic Coupe (seen below). If you haven't already added the Screamliner to your collection, what are you waiting for?! Hopefully, we'll see this released in a few variant colorways before the end of the 2014 series (and perhaps as an HWC premium if we're lucky).

1925 Rolls Royce Phantom I Jonckheere Aerodynamic Coupe

Phantasy Feature: Hot Wheels 2014 First Edition Ryura LX

The brand new Ryura LX is a marvelous vehicle. This is a completely original design by Ryu Asada (hence the name) made to mirror the modern luxury sedans of our time. With a metalflake red paint job and a sleek, curvy body, the Ryura LX looks almost like a real car! I'm quite impressed with this design. The low squattiness of the body gives the impression of speed and masterful handling. On both sides is a white pinstripe with the word LIMO in tiny letters - you'll almost miss it if you don't look close enough. This might imply that the Ryura LX is a high-end town car for the regal jet-setter elite. Either way, this is a fantastic new edition that deserves a home in your fantasy / unlicensed collection!

On The Horizon: 2014 Hot Wheels 'J' Case

We've just seen the release of the 2014 Hot Wheels 'H' Case. Now, here comes the 'J' Case! This case is chock full of some superb fantasy and unlicensed castings. Be sure to look for the following.

• Repo Duty
• Back Slider
• Ice Cream Truck
• Avant Garde
• Super Van
• So Plowed
• Turbo Turret
• Snoopy (this one will be HARD to find for sure)
• Fast 4WD
• Twinduction (regular Treasure Hunt)
• Nitro Doorslammer
• Rig Storm
• Nerve Hammer
• Bone Shaker

As stated above, the Snoopy casting is sure to be very popular and will likely be gobbled up entirely (just like the Homer from a few cases back). I'm personally excited for the new Back Slider (it's purple) and the ingenious So Plowed. The Rig Storm is also a potential gem, but I won't know until I can find it. Good luck!

Phantasy Feature: Hot Wheels 2006 First Edition Unobtanium I

From the 2006 Hot Wheels series, we have here the Unobtanium I. This is the First Edition of this casting, of which there were two colors (purple or black). The Unobtanium I is a very modern-looking sedan designed by Sei Cho. Combining styling elements of the then current Chrysler 300 and Cadillac CTS models, the Unobtanium I oozes that luxurious cool factor. To highlight the modern flair of the casting, it comes on large silver BLING wheels. The top is plastic and the bottom is metal. Surprisingly, the Unobtanium I has only seen two other releases -  2007 and 2010. This is a fantastic unlicensed casting that would do well to receive another release.

On The Horizon: 2014 Hot Wheels 'H' Case

It's time for another batch of fresh Hot Wheels to roll off the assembly line and into your local department store. Be on the lookout for the following fantasy/unlicensed vehicles in the 2014 'H' Case.

• Star Trek USS Vengeance
• Twin Mill (both standard and Super Treasure Hunt)
• Stockar (regular Treasure Hunt)
• Screamliner
• Sharkruiser
• Quick N' Sik
• Formul8r
• Fly-By
• Fig Rig
• Carbonator
• Bone Shaker
• Baja Truck

Personally, I'm excited for the Carbonator in the new purple and neon green deco, as well as the Twin Mill Super Treasure Hunt. It's also nice to see the Fig Rig (one of my favorite new 2013 castings) make an appearance in the Hot Wheels Race Team subset. Though, the real gem in this case assortment is certainly the Screamliner. This is a new design from the masterful Larry Wood and will definitely be featured here in an upcoming article.

Phantasy Feature: Hot Wheels 2014 Fangster Treasure Hunt

As a fantasy die-cast collector, it's always an overjoyous feeling when the fine folks at Hot Wheels decide to employ a classic unlicensed casting as a modern Treasure Hunt. In 2014, we were lucky enough to receive the superbly menacing Fangster! As part of the 2014 Treasure Hunt series, it has the special 'flame circle' logo stamped right on the rear. If you're like me, then you've heard more times than you care to recall how horrible this casting supposedly is from the strictly muscle car collector segment. Boy... those collectors couldn't be more wrong. Dripping from the metal teeth of the Fangster is a rich past, filled with fond memories from '80s collectors (both young and old). The Fangster made its debut in the superstar-filled 1986 Speed Demons series. It's only seen a handful of releases since then, making the Fangster a rare appearance in a mainline series... much less as a Treasure Hunt. For this release, I'm quite fond of the blazing orange eyes on the dark silvery-blue body. It makes the reptilian face really pop! As a child, the original Fangster was one of the first Hot Wheels I can recall purchasing with my own money. I'm glad the casting is still alive and well. If you happen to know whom designed the Fangster, leave a comment below. Thanks!