56 VIC
Senior Member

Hi Tom:

Yes, Brendon is the correct spelling, and, thank you for the kind words. Incidentally, I designed that '55 gasser in the Hot Wheels line (as well as the '65 Comet gasser ,and new for this year the '64 Nova wagon gasser and the '41 Willys gasser in our RLC line) I have been designing toys my entire career, more than 20 years now, and have been with Mattel/ Hot Wheels since 2007. I started on the track and play sets line, and have slowly been helping the core diecast team with cars over the years until they had a spot for me and the time was right to transition over. I'm currently the lead diecast designer on the RLC (Red Line Club- our premium line of adult collector diecast) as well as the Hot wheels Monster Trucks line. I do help out with some of the mainline cars as my schedule allows.

The '56 VIC is more unique, so you shouldn't have to worry about many others also arriving to the car show/ race/ cruise night in the same car as you, ha ha.

-Brendon

Hi Tom,
I never got back to you about the camaro. Sorry. It started when a friend in Florida told me he was selling that car and I had seen it about 15 years prior in person. Bought it sight unseen just some pics sent which looked solid to me. So I told my son to go ahead and buy it. After we started getting into freshening the motor I saw some really bad body rot in some really dangerous places. My son couldn't be involved in a major project so i had to take the bull by the horns and fly with it. I had to take on the project for him. The car is not special in any way at all. Its just a 307 powerglide car with no power anything. But my driving force was to do it for my kid and make him proud. And that's the whole story. My friend never offered to make it good my way with money after hearing about it, but I couldn't expect him to do anything and it wasn't worth loosing a friendship over.
Mario

Hey Tom,
Well thanks very much. I have a passion for cars and sometimes unforeseen occurrence can take it away in an instant. Don't have a financial situation to just go buy another car. A good friend with good advice, and a loving wife, and my determination made it happen. Was a dream come true for me.
I will tell ya about the camaro story later on.
Mario