There was an interesting auction on Bring a Trailer this week. It was for a Ford Model T was built by Don Tognotti and Gene Winfield between 1962 and 1964 which most notably served as the inspiration behind one of the #Original 16 Hot Wheels in 1968: the #Hot Heap.

Perhaps even more interesting than the car itself was the car’s buyer & seller. Gas Monkey Garage (GMG) listed the car they had acquired in 2016 from a Barrett-Jackson auction for $36,000, and subsequently sold it to none other than Mr. Pink Beach Bomb himself, Bruce Pascal. Bruce is known as one of the premiere Hot Wheels collectors due to his world-renown employee Hot Wheels & art collection. He even owns & operates the East Coast Hot Wheels Museum in Maryland.

As the winning bidder, Bruce was invited by Gas Monkey Garage to their shop in Dallas to pickup the vehicle. GMG is no stranger to the Hot Wheels brand either as we’ve seen Hot Wheels produce their “Midas Monkey” ’68 Corvette, #Hi-Po Hauler, and even the GMG Monster Truck. Hot Wheels designer, Brendon Vetuskey even appeared on the episode of GMG’s Fast & Loud where they built the Hi-Po Hauler.

The obvious assumption is that Bruce bought this car to have on display in his museum. At $75,500 it is apparently Bruce’s most expensive Hot Wheels car yet barely surpassing the $72,000 he reportedly paid for the original Pink Beach Bomb twenty-some odd years ago.

The best example of this Hot Wheels actually came in 2012 when Hot Wheels retooled the old casting — and slightly improved upon it — for the #HWC Original 16 series sold via the Red Line Club. Its spectraflame violet paint, beige interior and gold front most closely represent the original “King T” built by Don Tognotti and Gene Winfield.

Quick Link! Find the Hot Heap on eBay now

The one thing that has Hot Wheels redline collectors salivating now: if Bruce Pascal has the rights to the car, it could be more likely that Hot Wheels will produce a future version of the #Hot Heap casting. Time will tell, but one thing is for sure… Bruce is only further building his Hot Wheels collecting legacy. Congrats Bruce on the score! I hope to take it for a ride one day.