COLLECTORS: Hot Wheels RLC 1952 Dodge Power Wagon Diecast:
First-Ever Hot Wheels With Swivel Suspension...
A lot of our readers are avid collectors of various diecast models. Once in a while, we will receive an e-mail about an upcoming Mopar-related special edition diecast or something of that nature that will spark our interest. However, recently, there was one special edition released diecast car from the Hot Wheels Red Line Club (RLC) that we didn’t hear about until it was already sold out.
Now, if you aren’t familiar with the Hot Wheels RLC, it allows collectors to get early and/or exclusive access to certain Hot Wheels products, voting rights to help pick future Hot Wheels builds special members-only forums, and insight on behind the scenes content. The membership costs $9.99 USD a year and during that time, Hot Wheels will usually release a unique limited production run of a certain diecast which members can purchase.
The RLC’s most recent exclusive vehicle was the legendary 1952 Dodge Power Wagon. The RLC Power Wagon features the first-ever swivel frame for a Hot Wheels collectible, which allows the front and rear halves of the truck to work independently.
In the 1950s, a Canadian company named Willock Truck Equipment Company of Vancouver, British Columbia came up with a novel conversion for this purpose. They cut the frame rails right between the cab and the bed of the truck, welded crossmembers to seal off the ends, and connected the now-split sections of the chassis with a swivel joint. This would allow the front and back of the truck to respond independently to any rugged terrain. Thus adding even more rock-crawling capability to the iconic powerhouse.
Depending on who you talk to, the number of Power Wagon built by Willock is somewhere between 40 to 100 units.
One of those trucks is currently on display at the famed Petersen Automotive Museum. The designers at Hot Wheels couldn’t resist and built a die-cast version of the truck. Hot Wheels designed added their own unique flair to the die-cast with a bold Oxblood-colored Spectraflame paint job and “Red Riders” 6-spoke Black-painted wheels with off-road tires.
Despite being sold out, we have already seen a number of the pre-orders being sold on auction sites like eBay! ranging between $55 and $100 USD.
Hot Wheels RLC Exclusive 1952 Dodge Power Wagon Image Gallery:
