On Saturday, November 11, 2023, the Hot Wheels Legends Tour, the world's largest traveling car show, will conclude when a finalist is crowned and their car immortalized as a 1:64 scale Hot Wheels model vehicle.
For the sixth year running, the Hot Wheels Legends Tour has spared no effort in selecting the top ten finalists. Among them this year is Philip Jäger from Hanover with his 1974 BMW 2002 tii Touring.
The finalists' projects are judged on authenticity, creativity and "garage spirit". The jury includes Mercedes designer Dalal Elsheikh, TV presenter and car enthusiast Jay Leno, renowned automotive photographer Larry Chen, actor Noel Gugliemi, NASCAR driver and model Toni Breifinger and members of the Hot Wheels design team.
The grand finale of the Hot Wheels Legends Tour will be streamed on the Hot Wheels Facebook and Instagram channels on Saturday, November 11 at 5:00 pm.
Ten candidates in the final round
Atlanta, Georgia: Michael Scire purchased the 1981 Camaro at the age of 15 and, with the help of a close friend and his father, built the customized green roadster over 18 years.
The second-generation Camaro features a completely custom body that required the underbody to be shortened by a full 18 inches. In addition, a hand-built 350-cubic-inch LT engine with a custom exhaust system provides the power and sound to match the aggressive styling.
Le Mans, France: Thibault Lagardиre and his Bellytank, nicknamed Golgoth I, have been crowned this year's French winner. Golgoth I was designed in the tradition of the post-war Lakester and Bellytanks historically used for beach racing. The outstanding vehicle was built from an airplane tank and spare parts from French vehicles from the 1930s. The engine is based on a flathead V8 with a flow-optimized exhaust system.
Houston, Texas: David Almanzan, an instructor in the college's automotive technology program, noticed a neglected 1985 Mercedes-Benz 300 D on a neighbor's lawn and decided it could be a great project to teach students not only technical skills, but also how to have fun and learn through hands-on experience in a lesson about life. The Mercedes-Benz was built with the hard work and cooperation of 260 students over several years. The 300 D features bolt-on fender flares to accommodate the off-road tires and a lifted suspension inspired by classic rally cars. Powered by an OM-617 turbodiesel engine with an exhaust that exits through the hood, "Tootsie" is anything but inconspicuous.
Hanover, Germany: Philip Jäger transformed a crashed 1974 BMW 2002 tii Touring into the winner of the German Hot Wheels Legends Tour. He spent many years transforming the little BMW into the drift machine par excellence. The modifications include the installation of a modern BMW M5 engine.
Indonesia: David Sebastian's 2015 Nissan Juke was inspired by the official Juke race cars developed for the Japan Grand Touring Championship and the German Touring Car Masters. With 450 hp and a customized manual transmission conversion, this Nissan is a real eye-catcher.
Launton, Great Britain: Michael Wallhead's MGB GT features a three-liter Jaguar AJV6 engine to achieve 0-60 mph acceleration in 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 148 mph. Over eight years, Wallhead wanted to recycle as many parts as possible and used a driveshaft from a Range Rover, an axle from a Reliant Scimitar, throttle bodies from a Triumph motorcycle, brakes from a Nissan Silvia S14 and jeans for the seat upholstery.
Phoenix, Arizona: Michael Brown from Deputy, Indiana, won the stop in Phoenix with his BMW Isetta builds "Big Dill" and "The Pickle Jar". "Big Dill" is a BMW Isetta-based dragster powered by a 1200cc Harley-Davidson Shovelhead engine. Brown also transformed a matching Isetta into a van called "The Pickle Jar" to transport the tiny BMW. The Isetta transporter is powered by a 230-cuі-Chevrolet straight-six.
Poland: Samuel Lechowicz's 1985 Daihatsu Hijet has an extremely unique drivetrain. The original engine was removed and a motorcycle was installed in the rear of the small van. To make this setup work, almost every part of the vehicle was modified, including a custom floor, roll cage and suspension setup.
Mexico: Juan Carlos converted his 1980 Porsche 928 S into a pickup truck to use with his family at their lakeside vacation home. Thanks to its custom-made roof rack, the Porsche can now transport two bicycles, two surfboards, a foil board and a slalom ski. In addition, a custom 10,000-pound winch, full-length underride guard, custom roll cage and all-terrain tires allow this Porsche to tackle even the roughest roads.
Australia/New Zealand: Chris Watson's 1990 Mazda MX-5 Roadster, known as "The Cyberpunk," features a custom carbon fiber shark fin spoiler, futuristic rear light bar and 15x10-inch turbine wheels that fit under massive fender flares. Built in a workshop in northern New Zealand, Watson airbrushed the entire car to give it a dystopian, weathered look and continues to develop custom parts using 3D printing technology.
For more information, visit the Hot Wheels website.
