Possibly one of the coolest Hot Wheels cars ever made is not a car at all — its a semi-truck known as the Convoy Custom. Originally introduced in 2009 as part of the Hot Wheels Classics Series 5, this rig was an instant hit with collectors from the moment it was unveiled. It comes by no surprise that legendary Hot Wheels designer Larry Wood designed this one. The truck emanates with style, character and speed. …This casting just looks fast!

The Convoy Custom you see below was released as a 2011 Collector Edition. It was obtained by mailing in 20 mainline cards plus a receipt showing the purchase of 20 cars. The other 3 vehicles in this series all featured this same paint scheme, but were numbered #2 through #4 (as this was #1).

Personally, I don’t collect the Hot Wheels Convoy Custom because many releases cost a premium — with some going for over $100 on the secondary market. However, when I saw this release, I decided it was one of the best releases of this casting and that I had to have it. I don’t buy mainline cars too often so I usually don’t participate in the mail-in promotions. Even with that, having to buy 20 cars, plus pay to ship those cards (which is about $3), plus having to pay $3.50 shipping for Hot Wheels to ship the car to you, adds up to over $26 per release. That can get costly if you add up all the time and money spent. Fortunately, I was able to find this one loose, on eBay, for $18-shipped — far less than what it would have cost me to send in for one.

With so many great releases of this casting, it may be hard to agree with me that this is the best release of it so far. However, the two-tone metalflake gold & black paint job, just looks great…there’s no denying that! Combine that with the flames (which look great on any semi), my favorite number (#1), and those redline #Real Riders, and this rig looks like it could pull any race team’s hauler…and do it with style, character and speed!

RELEASE DETAILS: Metalflake Gold & Black Body (metal). Chrome Interior. Chrome Real Riders 5-Spoke (RR5SP) Wheels w/ Redlines. Unpainted Metal Base. Made in Thailand. Toy# V7305. Released in 2011 as #1 of 4 in the 2011 Collector Edition line (Mail-in Promotion).