HK Base - The Hong Kong base has the 4 square openings in the base where the torsion bar suspension was internally mounted. The LRW blue tinted USA windshield is attributed to be those intended for the Boss Hoss casting scheduled fr release in 1970. 'LRW' - louvered rear window and 'RRW' - ribbed rear window. There are two commonly accepted terms noted for this variation. A very late production run from the USA factory though featured a blue tinted window piece with a louvered rear window design element added. Windows - As was standard for Hot WHeels in 1968 HK windows are tinted blue and USA windows were clear. A rounded dash board design was also used. USA Interiors - Initially USA interiors were either white or brown (dark) and where of a one piece design with a matching color steering wheel. When new body colors were added to production runs white and dark interiors were introduced into final assembly. The Gold painted castings came with brown interiors with flat dashboards where the seperately cast black plastic steering wheels were inserted. HK Interiors - The Red painted castings from Hong Kong had a coordinated red interior with a separately cast black steering wheel inserted into the flat dashboard. Later this area was shortened and the fire wall detail eliminated. The earliest body castings featured the long engine bay design with a depicted fire wall detail visisble. USA Body - The USA first production paint colors were Red and Blue. The rear tail lights were also painted on by hand. The rear panels were initially painted to match the body color on early runs and later the gas cap (?) was painted black. HK Body - The first two painted Spectraflame runs in Hong Kong were Red and Gold. This design dubbed the 'OHS' (Open Hood Scoope) was changed to a closed air intake area in later runs. Adding time and expense to the production costs. This created overspray into the engine compartment that was then painted over by hand in silver. HOOD - The earliest Hong Kong hood design featured a hood cut out for the intake openings. The Custom Mustang also featured larger sized wheel sets at the rear to obtain the desired Custom Calfifornia look adverstised on the card front -above the bubble - in 1968. Like most of the Custom castings, the 4 exhaust tips are visible just behind the front wheel openings on each side of the casting. Production is believed to have actually started in Hong Kong with with both designs undergoing many changes during the first year of subsequent production runs. And like other Hot Wheels custom castings, the Mustang featured an opening hood design with cast in place engine details, plastic interiors and glass, metal bodies and chassis with red stripped black walled tires with 5 spoke mag wheels. Individual production runs were done at both the HK and USA factory sites from 1968 to 1970. The type of Mustang featured in the movie Bullitt - driven by Steve McQueen as Detective Frank Bullitt. His design is based on the 1:1 1967 Mustang Fastback. The Custom Mustang was designed in house by Harry Bradly in 1966/67. Today the Mustang is now Known as one of the "Original Sixteen" or "Sweet Sixteen" releases from Mattels 1968 Hot Wheels diecast car series.
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