5 Best Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt Cars of 2000

It turns out that those who predicted the Apocalypse were wrong again. And I got to play some more Starcraft, fighting my way through the Protoss campaign. At the time, I was already using up all of my allowance to buy model cars. But I later discovered none were Hot Wheels, just cheap replicas. But I was still happy to race them across the living room floor, where I would organize "drag races" to see which was faster.

Sony released the PlayStation 2 that year, but having a computer meant my family couldn't afford to buy a console. Many iconic gaming titles emerged that year, including Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed, Shogun: Total War, Diablo II, and Counter-Strike. We all know how big those last two titles are, with millions and millions of players worldwide.

Movies like The Gladiator, Cast Away, and Gone in 60 Seconds were highly successful in 2000, and millions more saw them in years to follow. But how did the motorsports scene look like 24 years ago? Michael Schumacher won his third F1 World Championship, 19 points ahead of Mika Hakkinen. It was Valentino Rossi's rookie season in the Premier class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, and he finished P2 at the end of the year.

The title went to Kenny Roberts JR. - it was his first and last one in the championship. Over in the World Rally Championship, Marcus Gronholm battled against Richard Burns until the very last minute. The Finnish driver won the title by a five-point margin several years before Sebastien Loeb started dominating the sport.

Now that I've brought you back to 2000 let's switch to that year's Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt series. In an attempt to choose the five best collectibles here, I quickly eliminated castings like the Double Vision, the Sweet 16 II, and the Lakester, as they're all unlicensed models. I also ousted the '67 Pontiac GTO, part of the 2005 TH series. Meanwhile, the 1936 Cord, the '57 T-Bird, and the 1970 Chevelle SS left me wanting more, so I've narrowed the selection to five cars.

Tow Jam

The Tow Jam is an unexpected choice, as I usually avoid fantasy Hot Wheels. But there's something about a car that has six wheels that makes me want one badly. I can think of a few other Hot Wheels models with six wheels, including the GMC Motorhome I reported on a while back.

During his tenure at Mattel, Nathan Proch designed over a dozen unlicensed castings, including the Deora II. But it all started with the Tow Jam for him, as he envisioned a futuristic tow truck with six wheels. It debuted in the 1998 First Editions series with a red paint job and 3-spoke wheels. The Treasure Hunt variation was the fifth one in the series, and it was now yellow with Deep Dish Real Riders wheels.

I've seen it listed for as much as $45, but that's an exaggeration. You'll find at least a few people willing to sell you one for less than $10. Mattel released 22 variations of the Tow Jam until the project's demise in 2012. The only one you'll have to pay more for is a First Edition model that Nathan Proch allegedly signed. That's rated for about $125, but you must double-check the authenticity first.

Go Kart

I'm equally as surprised about choosing the Go Kart. I've discovered my passion for this sport only a few years ago. I've spent more time in an electric kart than an ICE-powered one, but it's still fun. Anyway, I had forgotten that Mattel used to make a Hot Wheels kart.

Mark Jones designed this casting for its 1998 debut, which looked spot on! There were only a few decals on the fluorescent green fairings, and I liked the mismatched wheels and the cockpit details. The Treasure Hunt Go Kart arrived as the fourth variation in 2000, with an exciting mix of colors. Bringing gold into the equation made it feel more valuable than it was, but it's a shame it only had Real Riders wheels on the rear axle.

There are fewer of these collectibles on the market than you'd expect, and prices usually vary between $20 and $50. You can kickstart a Go Kart display by buying a lot of 10 of them for just under $150. But you'll still have to search for the remaining 28 variations to own the complete collection.

Chaparral 2

Hardcore motorsport enthusiasts know what Chaparrals could achieve almost sixty years ago. Although these cars didn't withstand the test of time for various reasons, they're still part of automotive history. And it's only fitting that Mattel created a tiny replica of the Chaparral 2.

Mark Jones designed it for its 1998 debut, and the world saw only seven variations until its demise in 2009. The first two iterations used Wire Spoke wheels, while the final four were all on 5-spoke rims. That means the 2000 Treasure Hunt release in Dark Blue was the only one to equip Deep Dish Real Riders wheels.

With Chaparral 2 decals on the sides, it also featured a tinted windscreen. I don't find the color combo entirely satisfying, but this is still the best iteration of the casting. Please do yourself a favor, go for the sub-$10 items, and thank me later. Or you can opt for the complete 1/3500 Treasure Hunt set, which can set you back as much as $300.

Pikes Peak Celica

I've extensively covered all Hot Wheels Toyotas in October of 2023. So you might remember the Pikes Peak Celica. This Mark Jones-designed casting only survived between 1998 and 2012. And I wish Mattel would consider returning it with a new look for 2024. Until then, there are 21 variations to look for.

The 2012 HW Racing: Off Road iteration is the best, as it features a metal base and Real Riders Exotic wheels. But today, we're going further back in time. Compare the 2000 Treasure Hunt model to the Final Edition Celica, and it's disappointing at best. The team in El Segundo opted for a Metalflake Blue finish and Gold Deep Dish Real Riders wheels.

Some may opt for the alternative TH model with 3-spoke wheels. As always, if you care about having a designer-signed car, you can pay as much as $150 for the Pikes Peak Celica. I've spotted someone asking $110 for the 3-spoke variation, but other than that, your wallet is safe.

Ford GT-40

My favorite Treasure Hunt of the 2000 series is the last item on today's list. Phil Riehlman designed the casting, and it has been around since 1999! Mattel knew how successful an iconic vehicle like this could be, so it quickly promoted it to Treasure Hunt status the following year. It featured a simple Metalflake Gold finish and Deep Dish Real Riders wheels, as most TH cars in that era did.

I spotted a set of four going for $115 on eBay, but you can score one on a budget of less than $20, too. That's infinitely less than what you'd have to pay for some Gulf models that arrived years later. With over 50 variations to look for, this will be a challenging battle, and the TH GT-40 might be the least of your concerns.

Either way, it's intriguing how Mattel organized the Treasure Hunt line-up many years ago. As we go down memory lane, we only have a few more series to review. At this point, I have little hope that I will ever own all the Hot Wheels TH and STH models. But I would like to see them up close and observe every tiny detail on the models I'm a big fan of.