El Rey Special

El Rey Special
Debut series	Flying Colors
Produced	1974 - 1985 (original) 2011 - 2013 (retool)
Designer	Larry Wood
Number	8273

Description

Will the Real Flying Color paint please stand up?!? The El Rey Special runs a close race for castings with the most alternative colors.

The El Rey Special was originally released in 1974, with enamel paint and the new Flying Colors tampo. Early versions can be found with capped rear wheels and were released in the '74 style blister-pack. It is unsure which was issued first in 1974, the Light enamel Green or Dark enamel Blue; this was such a short run before the casting change to the Formula P.A.C.K. It is hard to trace the history of the name. The fact that the Formula Pack showed up mid- to late-1975 in the 6-pack, means the El Rey Special was only made for about a year and half.

The Formula P.A.C.K. was released in 1976 or so it has been thought. In 1975 Mattel started releasing the 6-Pack again, the set Streak Machines was released with the El Rey Special in 1975, but it also is found with the Formula P.A.C.K in 1975 6-Pack. It would seem that this casting had some retooling due to some nose issue and was released early in the 6-Pack. Then released in the line-up of 1976. It has also been released under the name of Malibu Grand Prix (1982) and Lightning Gold (1985). This cast was a Retool of the El Rey Special (1974), with only modifications to the nose of the body. The Formula P.A.C.K was more readily available with Redlines than Blackwalls in 1977. With a complete tampo change for 1978.

Original Tool Versions

The El Rey Special has come out in the following versions:

Col #	Year	Series	Color	Tampo	Base Color	Window Color	Interior Color	Wheel Type	Toy #	Country	Notes / Variations	Photo
	1974	Flying Colors	Dark Enamel Blue	Yellow and Orange "Dunlop"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	RL	8273	Hong Kong	Capped Rear/Alt. Color
	1974	Flying Colors	Dark Enamel Blue	Yellow and Orange "Dunlop"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	RL	8273	Hong Kong	Alt. Color
	1974	Flying Colors	Light  Enamel Green	Yellow and Orange "Dunlop"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	RL	8273	Hong Kong	Capped Rear/Alt. Color
	1974	Flying Colors	Light Enamel Green	Yellow and Orange "Dunlop"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	RL	8273	Hong Kong	Alt. Color
	1974	Flying Colors	Light  Enamel Blue	Yellow and Orange "Dunlop"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	RL	8273	Hong Kong	Alt. Color
	1975	Flying Colors	Dark Enamel Green	Yellow and Orange "Dunlop"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	RL	8273	Hong Kong
	1976	Flying Colors	Black	Yellow, Orange, "P.A.C.K."	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted	RL	9037	Hong Kong	Named Formula P.A.C.K
	1977	Flying Colors	Black	Yellow, Orange, "P.A.C.K."	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted	BW	9037	Hong Kong	Named Formula P.A.C.K
	1978	Flying Colors	Black	White pinstripes, "8"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted	BW	9037	Hong Kong	Named Formula P.A.C.K
	1978	Flying Colors	Black	Yellow pinstripes, "8"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted	BW	9037	Hong Kong	Named Formula P.A.C.K
	1978	Speedway Specials	Black	Yellow pinstripes, "8"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted	BW	9037	Hong Kong	Named Formula P.A.C.K
	1982	Mainline	Black	Red, Yellow, Blue, "Malibu GRAND PRIX", "GOOD YEAR", "1"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	BW	9037	Hong Kong	Named Malibu Grand Prix
	1982	Mainline	Black	Red, Yellow, Blue, "Malibu GRAND PRIX", "GOOD YEAR", "1"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	BW	9037	Malaysia	Named Malibu Grand Prix
	1983	Real Riders	Black	Red, Yellow, Blue, "Malibu GRAND PRIX", "GOOD YEAR", "1"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	TRR	9037	Malaysia	Named Malibu Grand Prix
	1984	Real Riders	Yellow	Black, White and Red, "2"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	RR Grey	4372	Malaysia	Named Lightning Gold
	1984	Real Riders	Yellow	Black, White and Red, "2"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	RR White	4372	Malaysia	Named Lightning Gold
	1985	Mainline	Yellow	Black, White and Red, "2"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	BW	4372	Malaysia	Named Lightning Gold
	1985	Mainline	Met. Blue	Red and White "2" and "Hot Wheels" logo	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	BW		Malaysia	Named Malibu Grand Prix Kellogg's Cereal Promotional & Mattel Toy Club

Retooled Versions

The El Rey Special has come out in the following versions:

Col #	Year	Series	Color	Tampo	Base Color	Window Color	Interior Color	Wheel Type	Toy #	Country	Notes / Variations	Photo
	2011	The Hot Ones	Green	Red, Yellow & Black tampos, "2"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	BW	W1550	Thailand	Base code(s):
	2011	The Hot Ones	Green	Red, Yellow & Black tampos, "2"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	RLBW	W1550	Thailand	Chase Base code(s):
	2012	The Hot Ones	Black	Yellow & Gold stripes, "8", "El Rey Special"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	Gold BW	W3785	Thailand	Base code(s):
	2013	Flying Customs	Metallic Brown	Blue, Orange and White stripes '13'	Unpainted / Metal	N/A	Unpainted / Metal	BW	X8216	Thailand	Base code(s): F09, F11

Gallery

Larry Wood Collection Resin Prototype

Proof of Authenticity

Raised Numbers Prototype casting (Randy Leffingwell)

Notice the Open Axle on the rear. Most have capped rear wheels in the Dark Blue.

Very scarce Light Green with Capped Rear wheels

Speedway Specials Formula P.A.C.K. 9037

Malibu Grand Prix from 1984