| There have been some interesting licensed pick-up trucks from Hot Wheels, but none of them had a unique look like the 1978 Dodge Li’l Red Express Truck. It is still being produced with a brand new deco/livery since its retool in 2019. The new look may not be noticeable, but the changes are there if you are into intricate details and do not leave the toy in its blister carded packaging.
The most recent release in 2024 was part of the HW Celebration Racers, representing Valentine’s Day as that year’s vehicle, and as part of the MOPAR 5-pack in yellow with stripes. It’s probably the most decent colour to be released in the last 2-3 years, but in a multipack. For the 2025, the latest one this not disappoint either. |
It was released in the premium range selectively, but most time it was produced in 2017, before the changes to the smoke stack and reducing the metal bed using the interior plastic, where the casting was absent for a year, returning in 2019 with those changes, while the premium release would retain the bed fully metal.
The 2025 release is not just another release under the “HW Hot Trucks” mini collection as part of the Hot Wheels mainline. The new card back artwork still keeps the old look of the 1978 Dodge Li’l Red Express Truck before it was retooled in 2018, as noticeable, unsmoothed smoke stacks can be seen nearly hidden in the packaging art. The new card back depicts the vehicle in motion with all the lines in one direction, with the new deco/livery for this year.
The Continuous Livery Lines
The most constant thing you’ll notice about the past iterations of this model is the art lines that they put on this vehicle. The one in the 5-pack had an almost similar look, but it is still considered different.
The deco for this one is straight with no bend in the doors compared to the 5-pack version, despite not having that sample to compare it in-hand. This one is refreshing after quite a while since the past has been in dark colours.
There’s always a paint rule in mainline Hot Wheels that they’re trying to keep under the budget. When a car has paint hits on the side and on the hood, there won’t be any tampograph on the taillights or even the front grill with the little emblem. It’s not part of that unspoken rule if you’re not familiar with that concept.
Truckin’ the Rural Land
This 1978 Dodge Li’l Red Express Truck really works in the countryside or on the farm as its utilitarian vehicle. The colours do match better in the regional environment compared to the Valentine’s Day livery, which doesn’t make sense if you put in the real world. The same goes for the rest of the HW Celebration Racers for this year.
The white base colour is a welcome change next to the yellow version from the 2024 5-pack. The simple chromed out rims and the combination of the striping deco just add to the look of the truck as being your service vehicle in the province. It just looks right for Hot Wheels to even make it this good despite being around since 2012.
Overall, it was a simple casting of the 1978 Dodge Li’l Red Express Truck, even though it is not entirely red. But it comes in this white with minimal striping, and not even having graphic tampo on the front and rear head or tail lights is not noticeable either. It would have been great if the smoke stack were not smoothed out.
But you have to understand that the cost now has to be reduced the details to make it to the budget. There hasn’t been any other variant of this casting other than the premium version that retains the metal bed and the unsmoothed smoke stacks.
This 1978 Dodge Li’ Red Express Truck is part of the 20225 mainline release under the HW Hot Trucks mini collection, which was acquired late in September at the Mr. D.I.Y. in Baganga, Davao Oriental, for only ₱ 125.00 Pesos ($ 3.31 AUD | $ 2.14 USD**), and it is distributed in the Philippines by Richwell/Richprime.
** - Currency Converter via Google.com
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