Hot Wheels Zowees by Paul Adams

Following the recent post on Mattel Hot Wheels Zowees (a line which I do not remember at all), I did a little digging.

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2025/02/junking-in-emporia-2-zowies.html#comment-form

 There were 14 models, the first eight of which were originally made for a Shell petrol station promotion - these came in small plastic bags.

The 14:

Baby Buggy – Pram

Beddy Bye – Four Poster Bed

Bumble Seat – Vintage Delivery Truck

Covered Draggin' – Covered Wagon

Desperado – Mexican Sombrero Hat

Diablo – Devil's Head

Good Knight – Knight's Helmet

Red Lighter – Red Emergency Light

Fire Hydrant – Fire Hydrant and Hose

Goin' Fishing – Shark With Open Mouth

Home Sweet Home – Small Brick House

Light My Fire – Coupe With Plastic Flames

Numb Skull – Human Skull

Shifty – Hand on a Gear Stick

According to the Hot Wheels Wiki, the Shell models were available in Germany under the name Fun Buggies, and they were all re-named. It also says there were similar vehicles unique to the UK market, but that it is unknown if these were by Mattel.

The cars were then issued as normal, retail models, being joined by a further six retail-only models. This looks to have been a short-lived range, and carded Hot Wheels models seem to be fairly rare.

All the examples I have seen have Hong Kong on the underside. Copyright dates are 1972 and 1973.

Zowees were only half the size of a regular Hot Wheels model, being to 1/125th scale, rather than 1/64th scale. The bases were metal, with coloured plastic bodies.

All were way-out custom vehicles, and all had at least one V-8 engine – some had two. Like regular Hot Wheels, they had low-friction wheels.

Hot Wheels Wiki entry for the line. According to this, the retail models were not available individually, but only in packs of two, three, four, or six cars; 

there also being some Zowees Plus Hot Wheels twin packs.

https://hotwheels.fandom.com/wiki/Zowees#:~:text=Zowees%20were%20a%20series%20of,Wheels%20vehicles%20produced%20in%201972.

An Ebay set of 14 – for an insane $930 US !

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/275173895348?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-154756-20017-0&ssspo=2iQDQftuQja&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=lNRmmDjOT0-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Eight photographs from Worthpoint

Did you have Zowees?

Paul Adams

 New Zealand