As regular readers around here might know, we have an appreciation for Buicks, and Rivieras in particular. So when Hot Wheels added a new 1966 Riviera casting for the 2025 mainline, it was time to hit the pegs. As it turns out, the car harbors an interesting secret.
The turquoise interior/exterior combo is kind of perfect, but if you decide you want to repaint this car or modify it with different wheels or something, you will find an interesting Easter egg. Inside the trunk, there is a shovel and a toolbox.
Hot Wheels has occasionally put extra goodies inside their cars. The most famous might be the stethoscope inside the Porsche 944 casting. In this case, it was put there by designer Ryu Asada, to honor his oncologist who drove a 944. “I’m not crying, you’re crying!” But that one is visible under the vast rear window.
Despite the big fastback-shaped glass on the Riv, these items are in the trunk. A trunk that doesn’t open! So why are they there? Was this car destined to have an opening boot at some point? Just some random fun? Was there something sinister in there at one point?
Also, there is… something in the back seat. Looks like it could be dry cleaning? Maybe groceries? Does anyone have any idea what it is supposed to be?
If you have any answers, let us know in the comments. Also, if you know of any other super-secret hidden treasure like this, give us a holler!
A shovel, sure, but more specifically that appears to be a drain spade. And a fairly short one. Really only good for cleaning out narrow trenches (I presume where “drain” comes from) or for transplanting medium sized yard plants or small seedlings.
Is the thing in the back seat a cooler for live bait? Then the “toolbox” might be a tackle box. So the Riviera owner is off to the shore to do some clamming/fishing?
It makes sense if you don’t think about it.
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Yeah, been thinking about what could be in the back seat, but haven’t a clear idea. I like KVH’s suggestion, but I wound up thinking about it too much and how I wouldn’t put a clam-cooler on my back seat, so maybe it’s just a bag or purse?
I was recalling a car from when I was a kid that had a dog in it, pretty sure it was the red Mercedes in the attached photo. Looks like other HW cars also have dogs in them, which might make for a good post in the future.
I also added a dog in the 380 sel about 1980, soldiers in the drop down door of the assault crawler, bags in the back window of the 80’s corvette, suff under the clear hood of the odd rod. those are just a few that I remember off hand.
Bob Rosas