Volvo P1800 Gasser Hot Wheels Legends Tour Winner Immortalised In 1:64 Scale

Hot Wheels has unveiled a 1:64 die-cast version of the custom 1969 Volvo P1800 Gasser that won its 2021 Hot Wheels Legends Tour. The stunning machine was built by Lee Johnstone from Somerset, UK, and is now available as part of the Hot Wheels Garage of Legends line of diecast toys, alongside other famous tour winners from previous years.

The Hot Wheels Legends Tour is an annual series of events to celebrate custom car builds of all kinds. Of course, it also pays homage to the Hot Wheels die-cast cars themselves, which help form many car-lovers’ first experiences of the automotive world.

Lee Johnstone, creator of the P1800 Gasser, is a 71-year-old mechanic who built his car after buying it as a rusty 1969 Volvo P1800 shell some years back. He put in a Chevrolet 454 big block engine and added a 671 GMC supercharger and dual four-barrel carburettors.

Johnstone’ P1800 has a lifted ride height with a menacing drag racing stance on wide rubber, helping put its power to the tarmac. The car has oodles of presence, finished in Volvo Green with ‘ain’t no saint’ emblazoned on the sides.

Together with his wife and daughters, Johnstone took his P1800 on the Hot Wheels Legends Tour in 2021 and the car impressed judges with its undeniable charisma. It managed to beat off the competition and become the first winner of the tour from outside the US.

Now fans have the chance to get a piece of the action and the P1800 Gasser looks pretty cool in miniature 1:64 scale, from the ‘ain’t no saint’ motif, to the massive blower sticking out of the bonnet. Hot Wheels says the accurate representation is possible thanks to modern Computer Aided Design techniques which allow them to scan the real car before creating the 3D model.

While the Hot Wheels brand has stayed true to its roots, making 1:64 scale toy cars for around 54 years, it’s also evolved to play an important role in strengthening car culture around the world. Many car enthusiasts will have discovered their love of cars thanks to Hot Wheels models, and having your own car immortalised in 1:64 scale is something special.