Hot Wheels of the Day

’65 Ford Galaxie

Cool Classics Series 2

RELEASE YEAR: 2014 • CASTING DESIGNER: Jun Imai

The Hot Wheels #’65 Ford Galaxie is one of those castings that had a great run before the casting even became popular with collectors. From the casting’s inception in 2011 to this #Cool Classics release in 2014, this vintage #Ford #Stock Car had three spectacular releases in #Vintage Racing (2011), followed by a bonus vintage racing release in 2012’s Hot Wheels Racing / Stockcar series, a Neo-Classics release for HotWheelsCollectors.com Series 12 (2013), and this, another vintage-style racing release, in Cool Classics.

By the time the Hot Wheels #’65 Ford Galaxie was released next in 2018, the casting had a decent following. Collectors had gone back and tried completing the previous six releases mentioned above (from 2011 to 2014), but many found it wasn’t easy to do so as values had already started to rise.

This #Cool Classics release was the last to do so mainly because it had been the most current release of the casting at that time, and Cool Classics had a bad stigma at the time due to the fact some collectors were appalled the premium line didn’t have #Real Riders. That wasn’t Cool Classics though. Cool Classics were the successor to the #Hot Wheels Classics. Instead of #Spectraflame Paint, Cool Classics had #Spectrafrost Paint — a very bright coat of (what I can only assume is some sort of) anodized paint, giving the cars a dull look that accentuates the lines of the casting. The line was also the introduction of the #Retro Slot Wheels which were exclusive to the line until they found their way into various basics releases in 2020. Unlike the Classics, the Cool Classics were only released in one colorway each.

Color (material): Spectrafrost Light Blue (metal)
Chassis (material): Unpainted (metal)
Windows: Clear
Interior: Black
Deco: “Far-Out Galaxie”, “Carolina Tested”, “MATTHES”, and Sponsor Logos
Wheels: Chrome Retro Slot (RS) Wheels
Country of Manufacture: Thailand
Toy# (SKU): BDR37

ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE (In Original Packaging, March 2023)

$18.88 ▲

#Spectrafrost Paint has a way of bringing out casting lines when direct light hits it, and is by far easier to photograph than #Spectraflame Paint which has a reflection. Since 2014, as more collectors have seemingly went the loose collector route, the #Cool Classics #’65 Ford Galaxie has seen a rise in value as online inventories of it have diminished. Sure, the release would have benefited from some chrome #Real Riders Steelie Wheels, but its that spectrafrost light blue paint with super rad “Far-Out Galaxie” deco that carries it. In addition to that, this release of the casting has interior roll bars which always furthers the look of any Hot Wheels race car.

I may be in the minority here, but of the 6 releases of the #’65 Ford Galaxie from 2011 to 2014, this one was my one must-have as I still have yet to go back and get the other 5. The others are all great releases, but this one screams Hot Wheels to me and has been an excellent addition to my collection since I obtained it a number of years ago.