2023 Hot Wheels Car Culture: Team Transport ‘61 Impala and ‘72 Chevy Ramp Truck

For me, the most anticipated Hot Wheels release of 2023 was this Car Culture: Team Transport pairing of the ’61 Impala with the ’72 Chevy Ramp Truck. I searched high and low for one locally and never had any luck. Fortunately, my friend Brad, who seems to score me all of the coolest Chevys, found one for me and put it in the mail.

Hot Wheels | HKF40 | 2023 Car Culture: Team Transport #54 | ’61 Impala and ’72 Chevy Ramp Truck

The Hot Wheels ’61 Impala has been around since 2012 and has been issued in about 13 different variations, 4 of which have been under the various Fast & Furious segments. Previous favorite releases of mine are the 2013 Cool Classics model and the 2020 American Steel version, but this light blue and red beauty with El Segundo Chevrolet racing livery has taken the crown.

‘61 Impala | light blue with red, white and black El Segundo Chevrolet 61 tampo, painted details, clear windows, gray interior, unpainted metal base | Thailand | Real Rider white hub steelies

This is the first issue of the Hot Wheels ’72 Chevy Ramp Truck and I’d say they did it up right. From the two-tone paint to the pinstripe on the sides of the ramp – and, of course, the chrome mag wheels – this thing is just about perfect. Word is that it will make a second appearance this year (paired with the ’66 Chevelle) in the Team Transport Mix 1.

’72 Chevy Ramp Truck | red with cream and black tampo, painted details, smoke tint windows, chrome interior and grille, cream plastic ramp with red pinstripes, unpainted metal base | Thailand | Real Rider mag wheels

Other Hot Wheels Car Culture: Team Transport items in my collection include: the 2022 Custom ’70 Chevy Nova and Horizon Hauler; the 2020 Collector Set with the ’66 Super Nova, Retro Rig, ’55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser and ’65 Mercury Cyclone; and the 2019 ’66 Super Nova and Retro Rig.

2022 Hot Wheels Car Culture Dragstrip Demons ’64 Chevy Nova Wagon Gasser

The Hot Wheels Dragstrip Demons series was a premium line that first ran in 2009 and 2010. Of the 18 castings used in the series, 13 of them were new, including the ’63 Nova AWB. In 2018, the Dragstrip Demons became one of the rotating segments in the Car Culture series, and it included another appearance from the ’63 Nova AWB as well as the ’66 Super Nova. For 2022, the Dragstrip Demons returned to the Car Culture line and this time included this sweet metalflake powder blue ’64 Chevy Nova Wagon Gasser. I found mine at a Toronto-area Walmart when we visited there back in April.

The Hot Wheels ’64 Chevy Nova Wagon Gasser was first released in 2019 and has been produced in about 11 different variations so far. In my collection, I have the two variations of the 2019 first release, a red variation from the 2020 Muscle Mania series, a light green variation from the 2020 Muscle Mania series, a blue version from the 2021 HW Race Team series, and the magenta model from the 2022 HW Exposed Engine 5-Pack.

Hot Wheels | HCK21 | 2022 Car Culture Dragstrip Demons | ’64 Chevy Nova Wagon Gasser | metalflake powder blue with Mother’s Little Helper tampo, clear windows, chrome interior and engine, unpainted metal base | Thailand | Real Rider mags front/Real Rider drag slicks rear

The back of the card shows the other castings available in the 2022 Hot Wheels Car Culture Dragstrip Demons series.

2022 Hot Wheels Car Culture: Team Transport (Legends Tour) Custom ’70 Chevy Nova and Horizon Hauler

The Hot Wheels Custom ’70 Chevy Nova made its debut in the 2021 Boulevard series and so far all of the variations produced have been premium releases. In 2022 it was again included in the Boulevard series, it was a 36th Annual Hot Wheels Collector’s Convention car, and it was included in the Car Culture: Team Transport series in the Walmart exclusive Legends Tour segment. I didn’t bother trying to find one of these in stores, and instead ordered my example of the Car Culture release from Walmart.com.

The Hot Wheels Car Culture Custom ’70 Chevy Nova has bulging body kit fenders, a black plastic rear wing and hood vents, and it features a two-tone interior with black seats and a yellow roll cage. The tampo-printed graphics include the number 22, Hot Wheels Legends Tour and Mattel logos on the doors and “Novazilla” on the front fenders. All this sits atop a black metal base and rolls on 6-spoke modern Real Riders.

The Hot Wheels Horizon Hauler was first released in the 2020 Car Culture: Team Transport series and there are currently 5 different variations. In this set it has yellow paint, black stripes, painted details and the Hot Wheels Legends Tour logo on the doors. It features a metal base with deep-dish chrome-ring Real Riders.

Other Hot Wheels Car Culture: Team Transport sets in my collection include the 2019 ’66 Super Nova and Retro Rig and the 2020 Collector Set that includes the Super Nova and Retro Rig with the ’55 Bel Air Gasser and the ’65 Mercury Comet Cyclone.

Hot Wheels | HHL50 | 2022 Car Culture: Team Transport (Legends Tour) | Custom ’70 Chevy Nova and Horizon Hauler
Nova: yellow with black Hot Wheels Legends Tour 22 Novazilla tampo and painted details, smoke tint windows, black plastic interior with yellow roll cage, black plastic wing and hood vents, black metal base, Thailand cast, Real Rider 6-spoke modern wheels
Horizon Hauler: yellow with black Hot Wheels Legends Tour tampo and painted details, clear windows, gray plastic interior, black and gray plastic bed, chrome plastic grille and accessories, unpainted metal base, Thailand cast, deep dish black Real Rider wheels with chrome rings

2021 Hot Wheels Car Culture Fast Wagons ’64 Chevy Nova Panel

The Hot Wheels ’64 Chevy Nova Delivery – a variation of the ’64 Chevy Nova Station Wagon without the rear side windows – has been around since 2015. Up to this point, all 5 variations have been in the Pop Culture series (see below for links to those models) so it’s nice to see the Nova Delivery breaking out and making an appearance in the 2021 Car Culture Fast Wagons release. This nice wagon was included in a recent shipment I got from my friend, Brad.

Each model in the series features a metal body and metal base with Real Riders wheels.

Hot Wheels | GRJ66 | 2021 Car Culture Fast Wagons 2/5 | ’64 Chevy Nova Delivery | metalflake steel blue with white and silver trim | Thailand | RRS

The Fast Wagons segment includes a fun assortment of castings, as you can see below in the image of the back of the card.

Other examples in my collection of the ’64 Nova Delivery include: 2019 Pop Culture X-Men; 2018 Pop Culture Nestle Sno Caps; 2017 Pop Culture MAD; 2016 Pop Culture Nestle 100 Grand; 2015 Pop Culture Marvel Spider Man.

2020 Hot Wheels Car Culture Team Transport Collector Set

The Hot Wheels ’66 Super Nova was first released in 2012 in limited numbers exclusively on HotWheelsCollectors.com. It was offered again through the Red Line Club in 2014 and 2017, then was a Nationals Convention Car in 2018 – all of these in fairly limited production. In 2018 it became more widely available when it was included in the Drag Strip Demons series, and in 2019 it was part of the Car Culture: Team Transport series, included with the Retro Rig. In 2020, another Red Line Club offering – in Tootsie Roll livery – was released.

The 2020 Car Culture: Team Transport Collector Set again features the ’66 Super Nova and Retro Rig, but this time it also includes the ’55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser and the ’65 Mercury Comet Cyclone. Each model is decked out in matte black paint with silver Black Hole racing trim and they are packaged together in a nice racing diorama box. This example was generously included in the recent shipment from my friend Brad.

As far as I can tell, the ’66 Super Nova and Retro Rig in this Collector Set are identical (paint, tampo, wheels, etc.) to those in the 2019 Team Transport release. But the inclusion of the other two models and the diorama box make with a must-have combo.

Hot Wheels | GMH42 | 2020 Car Culture Team Transport Collector Set

• ’66 Super Nova | matte black with silver Black Hole Racing trim | Goodyear black rrdrags / rrprf

• Retro Rig | matte black with silver Black Hole Racing trim | rrprf

• ’55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser | matte black with silver Black Hole Racing trim | black rr5sp / rr5sp

• ’65 Mercury Comet Cyclone | matte black with silver Black Hole Racing trim | black rrdragd / rrwsp

2019 Hot Wheels Team Transport ’66 Super Nova and Retro Rig

A few weeks ago at Target, I managed to find my Team Transport ’66 Super Nova. After the 2018 Drag Strip Demons Super Nova, this is only the second version of this casting that I’ve been able to add to my collection.

The Car Culture Team Transport series, which debuted in 2018 and includes castings like the Porsche 356 Speedster, the ’69 Nissan Skyline Van and the ’71 Datsun 510 – each paired with a car hauler in matching racing livery – has been full of releases that have been hard for me to resist.

The ’66 Super Nova and Retro Rig Combo is from the third mix of this very popular series.

Hot Wheels | FYT09 | 2019 Car Culture Team Transport #7 | ’66 Super Nova and Retro Rig | matte black with silver Black Hole Racing trim | Goodyear black rrdrags / rrprf

2018 Hot Wheels Dragstrip Demons Novas

When the Hot Wheels Dragstrip Demons were introduced in 2009, they were a big hit. The series, which continued through 2010, featured 18 different castings – 13 of them brand new. They had Real Riders and metal bases, and many were carefully decorated to represent real-life drag cars. So, many of us were excited in 2018 when Hot Wheels brought back the Dragstrip Demons in the Car Culture lineup.

The 2018 edition had five different castings, including the ’55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser, ’65 Dodge Coronet, ’65 Mercury Cyclone Comet, and the two Novas featured here – the ’66 Super Nova and the ’63 Chevy Nova AWB. The amazingly detailed cars are enhanced by beautifully illustrated card art. I wasn’t able to find these locally, but my hunting friend, Brad, sent me these from New Mexico.

The Hot Wheels ’66 Super Nova was first released in 2012 in limited numbers exclusively on HotWheelsCollectors.com. It was offered again through the Red Line Club in 2014 and 2017, then was a Nationals Convention Car in 2018 – all of these in fairly limited production. This is the first variation that is more widely available and the first of this casting that I’ve added to my collection. It is also available in the 2019 Car Culture: Team Transport series, so I will be on the lookout for that one as well.

I’m not sure if this ’66 Nova is based on a real drag car, rather I suspect it is a nod to the legendary Hot Wheels designer whose name appears on the doors.

Hot Wheels | FVN70 | 2018 Car Culture Dragstrip Demons 5/5 | ’66 Super Nova | blue with light blue, gray and white trim | Goodyear rrdrags / rrprf

The Hot Wheels ’63 Nova AWB was first cast for the 2009 Dragstrip Demons series and a second variation was included in the same series the following year. This 2018 release is only the third variation of the car to be produced, though a similar casting, the ’63 Chevy II, has made regular appearances in the mainlines since 2016.

Again, I’m not sure if the livery is based on a real-life drag car, but I see some similarities to the Chevy 2 Much – and the later Chevy 2 Much II – built by Doug Thorley in Southern California.

Hot Wheels | FVN73 | 2018 Car Culture Dragstrip Demons 2/5 | ’63 Chevy Nova AWB | red with light blue, black and white trim | Goodyear rrmag