Hot Wheels Set of Six Cars Is a Tribute to Universal Monsters

I recently explored several older Hot Wheels collections, and with each one, I keep adding castings to my must-have list. The Milky Way iteration of the Bread Box was fantastic, and most of the '67 Ford Bronco variations were even better. And then there's the classic Hiway Hauler (particularly considering the Tom & Jerry release).

The further back in time I go, the more enthusiastic I become about the hobby. Then again, I guess I've always had a thing for antiques, given my dad wanted to be an archaeologist. While I am quite knowledgeable about pop culture, I'm more experienced with what happened over the past 40 years.

I guess it's time to dig deeper and go as far back as the '30s. The collectibles below were part of the 2013 Pop Culture series, paying tribute to the Universal Monsters. It was an interesting period in cinema history before the Marvel movies or Star Wars.

Neet Streeter

Dracula was the first of Universal Studios' Monster films and perhaps the most iconic one. Despite being a work of fiction, I'm a big fan of Bram Stoker's story. Coppola's 1992 Dracula is still my favorite movie on the topic, but I'll surely give the old one a chance. I find it rather amusing that they used Hungarian actor Bela Lugosi for the role, given that the legend is based on Romanian ruler Vlad Tepes.

Mattel used the Neet Streeter for the job, a casting it had in its portfolio since 1976. Larry Wood designed it, and it ran up until 2015. After several variations throughout the '70s and early '80s, the company put the project on hold until the re-tooled version surfaced in 1995. It served as a Super Treasure Hunt model in 2009, and we only had three more variations after the Universal Monsters release.

A mix of red and black feels like the perfect color combo for this Dracula-themed collectible, and it's even better with matching Red Line Real Riders wheels. The card art is so good on every model in the set that you'll be tempted to forget about opening them up. A budget of $11 to $30 will get you the Dracula Neet Streeter, similar to three other models (the '34 Chrysler Airflow, the Low Flow, and the '59 Cadillac Funny Car).

'34 Chrysler Airflow

To me, "The Mummy" is all about Brendan Fraser and his adventures in Egypt. I didn't want to watch the new one with Tom Cruise. But I'd be interested in giving the 1932 flick a chance.

The '34 Chrysler Airflow is a period-correct choice for the theme. It's another relatively rare castings, as it was only available between 2012 and 2016. Dave Sheltman's design saw five iterations, starting with the Boulevard series and ending with the Pop Culture line.

The Mummy's Chrisler came second, finished in beige with metal flake gold fenders. I just wish I could read the hieroglyphics on the hood. The Airflow is one of the mid-level collectibles in the Universal Monsters set, and the best two ones are up last.

Double Demon Delivery

I only recently read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It wasn't as scary as Stoker's story, but still quite haunting and thought-provoking. I don't think I've ever seen a Frankenstein movie from start to finish, but I remember glimpses of the 1931 release from various sources.

Using the Double Demon Delivery for the role seems highly appropriate. Howard Rees designed The Demon casting for its 1970 debut, but the Delivery model only showed up later in 2010. Mattel only developed seven variations until its demise in 2015. I'd rank the 2010 Slick Rides model in black and gold as the best, as I tend to do that whenever I see Moon Disc wheels.

The Universal Monsters release used a Green Line 8-spoke design with a roof-matching black finish. The Monster portrait on top is the best part of this collectible, but some of you may enjoy the exposed engine, too. I spotted it on sale for just $5, which is cheaper than any other item in the set.

Low Flow

I only have vague memories of The Creature from the Black Lagoon, even though it premiered in the '50s. That's still over 30 years before I was born. After seeing the trailer, I'm not sure I'd enjoy this movie, but I may be wrong in thinking so.

The Low Flow is a rather odd casting, and it almost looks like it has a tail. That may be why Mattel chose it for the part, which would ultimately be its last release.

It was also the first time it featured a metal base, and Real Riders wheels, and the green and yellow paint job was on point. Having not seen the movie, the Low Flow would be the last item on the list I'd be interested in. But who knows how I'll feel afterward.

'59 Cadillac Funny Car

"Bride of Frankenstein" appeared almost four years after the first movie. I read this one review that mentioned it's a better sequel than "Empire Strikes Back" was. And that sounds rather promising. The '59 Cadillac Funny Car makes for an interesting choice here, and I'd say it's the number two casting on the list in terms of how desirable it is.

Larry Wood's design ran between 2009 and 2020, with 18 variations available. It features that magic trick you'd expect from a Funny Car, which makes it twice as appealing as it was on its own.

The design is simple yet effective and presents a good combination between purple and burgundy. It uses the same 5-Spoke Mag-Style Real Riders wheels as all the other Premium variations. Prices can climb to about $35 in certain cases without any valid explanation.

Volkswagen T1 Panel Bus

Finally, we reached the star of the show. I'm not implying that the Wolfman is more popular than Dracula or Frankenstein. The 1941 movie has a slightly smaller rating than any of the two, but it has still garnered an impressive following. The Volkswagen T1 Panel Bus is always a crowd favorite, and some will tell you it's one of the best Hot Wheels castings ever.

Last year's Castrol variation was formidable, but it doesn't stop there. It was part of the 2018 Pop Culture: Disney set, too. But there's something almost mystic about the 2013 Universal Monster Release. Metalflake Dark Blue is a good starting point, and the Blue Line Real Riders Steelies take it up a notch.

But the Wolfman decos turn the heat up to 11, making it one of the most exciting T1 Panel Buses I've seen. That's one way to justify the price range, as it can start at $37 and then go up to $126 these days. Of course, any experienced Hot Wheels collector will figure out that buying in bulk is better. And the whole set can cost anywhere between $75 to $250. Does that sound like a good enough deal to you?