With its acquisition
of the Hills Stores Company in 1999, Ames Department Stores Inc. has decided to continue
the Hills tradition of offering an annual limited-run Hot Wheels car for the adult collectors.
Ames has maintained the Hills theme of the Special Edition "Classic" series, yet has identified
this first release under the Ames banner as the "first in a series." However the car is
marketed, most collectors will see it as a continuation of the Hills series, and therefore the
sixth car in the line. No matter how it is viewed, it's great to see Ames continuing the series.
This year's car is the 1970 Road Runner, and utilizes the 1998 First Editions casting.
The body is painted in bright lime green enamel with a flat black simulated vinyl roof, which is
appropriate for that era. I believe Plymouth named the prototype color "Grabber Green,"
but I am not totally certain. A wide centered gloss black stripe, paralleled by a narrow
black stripe on either side, runs from nose to tail. The chromed plastic chassis is mostly
painted flat black, with the exception of the bumpers. The grill is masked in black while
the headlights, fog lights and reverse lights are painted silver. Underneath, the oil pan is
highlighted in orange enamel while the drive train and gas tank are painted silver. On the
body, various details are highlighted in silver including window trim, windshield wipers, door
handles, hood screws and the truck lock. Side running lights are tamped in orange and red,
and the taillights are tamped in red. Small "road runner" logos are tamped in black and
silver behind the side intakes on the rear quarter panels. A horizontal black stripe with
knocked out "road runner" lettering is tamped on the rear, and "PLYMOUTH" is tamped in silver under
the trunk lock.
The standard black interior and clear glass are utilized, and the car rides on chrome Pro Circuit
six-spoke wheels with the Good Year logo tamped on the tires in white. The wheels are nicely
done, but when will a limited-run with this casting use Real Rider wheels? It would have been
nice to see chrome hub Real Riders with Good Year tires on this offering, especially since four of
the previous five cars in this series sport Real Riders. This is a minor peeve however, as
this Malaysian-made model is very well done, and fits in nicely with the other cars in the series.
As with the Hills cars, the Road Runner is packaged in a black cardboard window box with a large
silver foil "CLASSIC" banner and white lettering. The Ames logo is in the lower left hand corner
of the box.
With its acquisition
of the Hills Stores Company in 1999, Ames Department Stores Inc. has decided to continue
the Hills tradition of offering an annual limited-run Hot Wheels car for the adult collectors.
Ames has maintained the Hills theme of the Special Edition "Classic" series, yet has identified
this first release under the Ames banner as the "first in a series." However the car is
marketed, most collectors will see it as a continuation of the Hills series, and therefore the
sixth car in the line. No matter how it is viewed, it's great to see Ames continuing the series.
This year's car is the 1970 Road Runner, and utilizes the 1998 First Editions casting.
The body is painted in bright lime green enamel with a flat black simulated vinyl roof, which is
appropriate for that era. I believe Plymouth named the prototype color "Grabber Green,"
but I am not totally certain. A wide centered gloss black stripe, paralleled by a narrow
black stripe on either side, runs from nose to tail. The chromed plastic chassis is mostly
painted flat black, with the exception of the bumpers. The grill is masked in black while
the headlights, fog lights and reverse lights are painted silver. Underneath, the oil pan is
highlighted in orange enamel while the drive train and gas tank are painted silver. On the
body, various details are highlighted in silver including window trim, windshield wipers, door
handles, hood screws and the truck lock. Side running lights are tamped in orange and red,
and the taillights are tamped in red. Small "road runner" logos are tamped in black and
silver behind the side intakes on the rear quarter panels. A horizontal black stripe with
knocked out "road runner" lettering is tamped on the rear, and "PLYMOUTH" is tamped in silver under
the trunk lock.
The standard black interior and clear glass are utilized, and the car rides on chrome Pro Circuit
six-spoke wheels with the Good Year logo tamped on the tires in white. The wheels are nicely
done, but when will a limited-run with this casting use Real Rider wheels? It would have been
nice to see chrome hub Real Riders with Good Year tires on this offering, especially since four of
the previous five cars in this series sport Real Riders. This is a minor peeve however, as
this Malaysian-made model is very well done, and fits in nicely with the other cars in the series.
As with the Hills cars, the Road Runner is packaged in a black cardboard window box with a large
silver foil "CLASSIC" banner and white lettering. The Ames logo is in the lower left hand corner
of the box.
