Unique Hot Wheels Pro Stock Camaro Is a Tiny Work of Art

Strangely enough, I saw a patrol car earlier today, just moments after being passed by a Range Rover Sport. Or maybe I'm thinking about it too much. Anyway, I spent too much time window-shopping for diecast cars today. A short visit to Ignition Models reminded me how much I need to have one of those collectibles.

But seeing how much a single item costs, I'd be better off trying to start my custom projects instead. Although "Fear is the mind-killer" is one of my favorite mottos, I don't always put it into practice. I'm afraid I'm not skilled enough to build custom Hot Wheels cars like the guys from Jakarta Diecast Project or Tolle Garage.

However, I should realize that their first projects weren't amazing from the get-go either. If you're doing something for almost 15 years, you will become good at it. And these diecast artists have taken the hobby to a whole new level. Recently, JDP built some crazy cars, such as a Pikes Peak-ready Honda City Turbo II. If anyone built on a 1/1 scale, it might break the Internet.

Then, the Truck Rod '56 Ford Truck looked like another tiny SEMA show car, and what came next was completely unexpected. JDP built the lowest Honda Civic EK9, a custom machine that's an instant jaw-dropper (albeit not my favorite modifying style). The artist has returned to North America with a vehicle that would easily blow Dominic Toretto's mind.

This isn't his first drag-racing diecast, as he built several similar machines in the past (a Toyota Supra, an R32 GT-R, and a 1970 Toyota Celica). The base for the new project is the '10 Pro Stock Camaro, a casting that Jun Imai designed many years ago. You'll find only two special variations: the 2013 Looney Tunes Premium release and the 2016 Super Treasure Hunt model.

Mattel hasn't used this vehicle since 2021, and the precise iteration in the video dates back to 2020. I've seen so many of these videos that I already know the steps. And it starts rather simply, as the artist takes the Camaro apart. The Hot Wheels livery also needs to go, as it often takes away from the realism of these tiny cars.

Mattel used to have a very special Dragstrip Demons series, where the castings had opening bodies. You won't see that with Mainline cars today, and I'd say that's the coolest upgrade for this Camaro. But the attention to detail is breathtaking, and there are so many exciting things about this project that paying $500 or more for it might make sense if you can afford it. After all, it's a one-of-a-kind vehicle!