2023 Hot Wheels McDonald’s Layin’ Lowrider

I was snooping around online a few months ago when I came across an image of the Hot Wheels Layin’ Lowrider that I hadn’t seen before. Layin’ Lowrider, first released in the 2022 Experimotors series, is a tilted-stance, unlicensed model (with strong hints of Chevy Impala) that has a vintage Matchbox Rolamatics-like ability to make its motor rattle as it rolls. How could I not be an instant fan?

So, I dug around a little for information on my mystery image and discovered that there was a McDonald’s Happy Meal version of Layin’ Lowrider that had only been released in parts of Asia and the Middle East.

Well, I wanted one. So, I got on eBay and was a little surprised to be able to score one out of Malaysia for a reasonable price. I was even more surprised when it showed up in my mailbox less than a week later.

This China-cast version has an all-plastic construction that is just a hair larger than the Malaysia-made original. As much as I like to keep my newer models in the packages, this one had to be freed so that I could apply the groovy stickers.

My only dissappointment is that the motor is cast in place so this Happy Meal model doesn’t bump and rumble like it was meant to.

Hot Wheels | 2023 McDonald’s | Layin’ Lowrider | green plastic body, HW music-themed stickers, opaque windows, gray plastic motor and base | China | 5-spoke wheels

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.

2021 Maisto Elite Transport 1959 Chevrolet Impala SS and 1957 Chevrolet Flatbed

A few years ago, to make room for more vintage cars, I thinned out some of my collection by selling off certain brands of my more recent Impalas and Novas. Most of my Maisto models went away. But I’m a big fan of car haulers and two-packs, so I held on to a few that I had from the Elite Transport series. And I recently added this Maisto Elite Transport 1959 Chevrolet Impala SS and 1957 Chevrolet Flatbed when I found it in a Toronto-area Walmart while visiting there back in April.

Maisto | 2021 Elite Transport | 1959 Chevrolet Impala SS / 1957 Chevrolet Flatbed | pink with black and white tampo, gold wheels

2004 Hot Wheels First Editions ‘Tooned 1964 Chevy Impala

The Hot Wheels ‘Tooned 1964 Chevy Impala was first released in 2004. It went on a long hiatus and, when it was brought back in 2020, it had been retooled; on this original release, the rear and front grille are part of the upper body and the blown engine is larger than it is on the later release. The two different tools of this casting have now been produced in 4 different variations. I already have a loose version of the first release in my collection, but I found this carded example on a March visit to J & J’s Treasures.

Click here to see my light blue 2020 version of the ‘Tooned 1964 Chevy Impala as well as my loose first release and a few other ‘Tooned Hot Wheels.

Hot Wheels | C2706 | 2004 First Editions | ‘Tooned Chevy Impala 1964 | flat brown with gray and black tampo, black tint windows, chrome plastic interior, engine, exhaust and base | Malaysia | 5SP wheels

2003 Hot Wheels Concrete Cruisers 5-Pack

I always like a good 5-pack. When it comes to newer Hot Wheels, I try to keep my collection focused on just a few castings – mostly Impalas and Novas. But every once in awhile, one of the castings that I collect gets released in a 5-pack, which gives me an excuse to bring home some other models that I don’t normally get to enjoy. I found this 2003 Hot Wheels Concrete Cruisers 5-pack back in March at J&J’s Treasures. Not only does it include a nice ’65 Chevy Impala, but it has 4 other knockout models – and all of these are exclusive to this set.

Hot Wheels | 57060 | 2003 Concrete Cruisers 5-Pack

The Hot Wheels Montezooma is based on a custom 1980 Chevy Monte Carlo and was first released in 2001. It has been issued in about 10 different variations up to 2011 on the original base, with another 3 variations in 2006 and 2007 that were mounted on a Hi-Rakers base.

Montezooma | orange with orange, purple and black tampo, clear windows, black interior, gold plastic base | China | gold lace wheels

The Hot Wheels ’65 Chevy Impala made its debut in the 1998 First Editions series and has been produced in about 34 different as recently as 2017.

’65 Chevy Impala | metalflake orange with gold, black and white tampo, purple tinted windows, white interior, gold plastic base | China | gold lace wheels

The Hot Wheels La Troca is based on a 1950 Chevrolet 3100 lowrider. First released in the 2001 First Editions, it has since been produced in about 31 different variations and counting.

La Troca | metalflake blue with silver and blue Baby Blue Suede tampo, solid black windows, chrome plastic base | China | lace wheels

The Hot Wheels ’64 Riviera is another popular casting that was first released in 2002 and has been issued in about 38 different variations, most recently in the 2019 Art Cars series.

’64 Riviera | white with green and silver tampo, blue tint windows, gray interior, chrome plastic base | China | lace wheels

The Hot Wheels So Fine was first released in the 2000 First Editions. Based on a chopped and lowered 1951 Buick Roadmaster, this awesome casting has been produced in about 27 different variations. It most recently represented The Joker in the 2015 Batman 5-Pack.

So Fine | light purple with white, silver and black tampo, tinted windows, black interior, chrome plastic base | China | lace wheels

I have quite a few Hot Wheels ’65 Chevy Impalas in my collection, including the 1998 Jiffy Lube Special Edition, a festive example from the 2009 Holiday Rods, a sweet summer ride from the 2013 Sunburnerz Series, a hot model from the 2014 Heat Fleet, a pair of fun variations from the 2016 Art Cars series, and a nice gold model from the 2017 HW Flames 5-Pack.

2022 Hot Wheels Art Cars ’58 Impala Treasure Hunt

I’m not a Treasure Hunter. I don’t have the time or the patience, and I generally don’t collect most of the castings that are used. That said, I won’t turn down a casting I collect if it comes out as a Treasure Hunt … that is, if I can find one.

The Hot Wheels ’58 Impala was first released in the 2007 Hot Wheels Classics series. So far, it’s only been produced in about a dozen different variations, the last one being the 2013 Retro Entertainment American Graffiti release. When I saw photos online last year of this Hot Wheel Art Cars ’58 Impala, I knew I had to have one. And since I knew I’d never get up early enough to find one on the pegs, I found mine on eBay.

The matte black paint with white and black Day of the Dead style tampo designs, the silver painted details and those spot-on skull wheels make this a must-have.

By the way, this isn’t the first time the ’58 Impala has been a Treasure Hunt. In fact, in 2011, it was both a Treasure Hunt and a Super Treasure Hunt. But I never found either one of those.

Hot Wheels | 2022 HW Art Cars 8/10 | ’58 Impala | matte black with white and black A on roof and Day of the Dead style tampo designs, silver painted details, clear windows, gray interior, chrome plastic base | Malaysia | white and black skull wheels | Treasure Hunt

2022 Hot Wheels Experimotors Layin’ Lowrider Variations

Layin’ Lowrider was one of the Hot Wheels new castings for 2022. It is an unlicensed casting, but the design hints at the lines of the classic full-sized Chevys. It sits in an aggressive stance, with the rear end slammed to the ground and the front end in a high bounce. It was included in the Experimotors series, which has been around since 2017 and features vehicles with moving parts. With rods attached to the front wheels causing the motor to wobble as the car rolls, Layin’ Lowrider borrows a device from the Matchbox Rolamatics of the 1970s (click here to see the Matchbox Mustang Piston Popper from my childhood).

This variation of Layin’ Lowrider is coated in a rich metalflake red with pink pinstriping.

The below photo shows the rods attached to the front wheels which cause the motor to wobble as the car rolls.

Hot Wheels | HCT39 | 2022 Experimotors 7/10 | Layin’ Lowrider | metalflake red with pink pinstriping, smoke tint windows, chrome interior, gray plastic moving motor, chrome plastic base | Malaysia | 5-spoke wheels rear, modified 5-spoke wheels front

The second variation of the Hot Wheels Layin’ Lowrider is a striking metalflake pale blue with black, gold and magenta pinstripes set off with gold 5-spoke wheels.

Hot Wheels | HCX29 | 2022 Experimotors 7/10 | Layin’ Lowrider | metalflake pale blue with black, gold and magenta pinstriping, blue tint windows, chrome interior, gray plastic moving motor, chrome plastic base | Malaysia | gold 5-spoke wheels rear, gold modified 5-spoke wheels front

Racing Champions Late 1990s Stock Rods

On my recent visit to the Paramount Antique Mall, 2.50 was the number of the day. I found the Peterbilt Tanker, the Site Dumper and each of these Racing Champions Stock Rods for $2.50 each. With the 10% sale discount, my haul cost me under $12.

The question posed by the Stock Rods series of the late 1990s, as it explains on the back of the package, is “What if your favorite drivers traded in their stock cars to race in a classic hot rod from the past?” It’s a fun idea, and in addition to opening hoods and nice detailing, each car comes packaged with a display stand and collector card.

There was an entire display of these, but I resisted all but the Impalas in the bunch. The first one that caught my eye was this Ken Schrader ’60 Impala. I love the giant tires on the back, but I think I would install a roll cage before I got behind the wheel of this beast.

Racing Champions | 1998 Stock Rods #67 | ’60 Chevy Impala | green with black top and hood, Schrader APR 33 trim, opening hood | display base and collector’s card

My son really liked this Terry Labonte gold-chrome ’58 Impala Custom convertible trimmed with Fruit Loops and Starburst graphics.

Racing Champions | 1998 Stock Rods #143 | ’58 Impala Custom convertible | gold with Terry Labonte Fruit Loops 5 trim, opening hood | display base and collector’s card

If gold-chrome isn’t your thing, maybe you prefer the somewhat more understated Ricky Craven red ’58 Impala with extra-wide white wall tires.

Racing Champions | 1997 Stock Rods #8 | 1958 Chevy Impala | red with Ricky 25 trim, opening hood | display base and collector’s card

Favorite Series: Homie Rollerz

Back when I was still single, I discovered Homies figures in a vending machine at the grocery store. Every time I went out for a grocery run, I would reward myself with a new figure or two. Years later, after he was old enough to not try to eat them, my son inherited my collection of figures. The characters were created by California cartoonist David Gonzalez, whose comic strip “Hollywood” appeared in Lowrider Magazine. According to the official website, “the Homies are a group of tightly knit Chicano buddies who have grown up in the Mexican American barrio (neighborhood) of “Quien Sabe”, (who knows) located in East Los Angeles.”

These Homie Rollerz were released by Jada Toys in 2004. I thought I had all of the 1/64th cars, but the JadaClub website shows other color variations and castings that might have been part of the same or a later release.

2004 Homie Rollerz | 1987 Buick Regal | black | with Eightball & Laughing Boy

2004 Homie Rollerz | ’59 Chevy Impala | copper | with Cruzer & Gordo

2004 Homie Rollerz | ’58 Chevy Impala | white | with Chuco & Angel

2004 Homie Rollerz | ’65 Chevy Impala | red | with Buddha & Droopy

2004 Homie Rollerz | ’64 Chevy Impala | blue | with Ice Block & Gato

2004 Homie Rollerz | ’63 Chevy Impala | orange | with Melon & Nightowl

I try to stay away from 1/24th scale cars (for lack of space), but I couldn’t resist this ’47 Chevy Fleetline which came with four Homie figures. It’s got an opening hood and doors and I like that it has the old-style car cooler in the passenger side window.

2004 Homie Rollers | ’47 Chevy Crestline | metallic green and black | with Hollywood & Gata, Silk and Mija

When my wife and I got married, these two Homies were our cake topper.

And finally, here’s a variation on the theme. Homie Hoppers are 1/25th scale remote control (plastic, not die cast – made by Lindberg) models with “hopping’ action.” Prior to today, this ’64 Impala had never been taken out of the box, but my son is right now practicing his hops.

2002 Hot Wheels Pavement Pounder with ’59 Impala

Since 1998, Hot Wheels has offered car-hauler/vehicle combinations under various names such as Long Haulers, Truckin’ Transporters, Racing Rigs and Trackin’ Trucks. From 2000 to 2003, the series was called Pavement Pounders. Described as “Power Transporter for Hiway Haulin’!”, these two-packs include a car-hauler paired with an exclusive Hot Wheels vehicle. The haulers feature a cab that separates from the trailer and a tailgate ramp for easy loading and unloading.

I found this 2002 Hot Wheels Pavement Pounder on eBay. This is the second of the Pavement Pounder series that features a ’59 Chevy Impala; click here to see the 2001 release.

This hauler is referred to as the Short Nose Sleeper Cab Truck.

For 2002, the back of the package shows eight different combinations utilizing six different cabs, five styles of trailers and 8 Hot Wheels castings.

Hot Wheels | 89048 | 2002 Pavement Pounder
’59 Impala | black with yellow, gold and red tampo, tinted windows, gray interior, chrome plastic base | Malaysia | gold lace wheels
Short Nose Sleeper Cab Truck | dark blue cab with white Hot Wheels logo, black windows, chrome plastic engine, grille, exhaust and base, black trailer with Midnight Run label graphics | China | gear wheels

Click here to see the many other variations of the Hot Wheels ’59 Chevy Impala in my collection.