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Mongoose Legends 1-24 scale

History of Tom "Mongoo$e" McEwen[]

Description[]

The Mongoo$e has come out it several versions, which seems to confuse people about either the name or the car driven by Tom McEwen. First off, the only funny car Tom drove while being sponsored by Hot Wheels was a Duster. Mattel, in cost saving measures, started only issuing one cast (the 'Cuda) years later with both "Mongoo$e" & "Snake" on the side. Mattel official names for the Tom "Mongoo$e" McEwen cars are easy;

Mongoose

Mongoo$e BP

Mongoose II

There are also Dragsters:

Mongoose Rail Dragster (front engine)

Mongoose Rear Engine Dragster (wedge)

Tom never even drove a wedge style dragster aka Rear engine. The "Mongoo$e" was issued in enamel Red with a lifting body to show the chassis, a prop to hold it up and a black roll cage. Modeled after a Plymouth Duster, it was released from both the USA and Hong Kong.

This car is playable in Hot Wheels: Turbo Racing.

The Model Cars were packaged with a metal 'Collector's Button'.

The Mongoose II is a Hot Wheels casting from the 1971 Hot Wheels range of vehicles. It uses the same casting as the Mongoose from 1970 except this time it has Spectraflame Blue paint and 'Mongoose II' stickers. 

It is based on the Plymouth Duster Funny Car driven by Tom 'The Mongoose' McEwen in 1970, a car sponsored by Hot Wheels in conjunction with his rival Don 'The Snake' Prudhomme.

The Hot Wheels Mongoose II was produced at both the USA and Hong Kong factories and was only made in Spectraflame Blue. The paint is prone to fading and can be found in various shades of blue. USA built cars had clear windows while Hong Kong produced cars have blue tinted windows. It came with a black roll-cage and body prop underneath its opening body. The base came in two pieces, with the engine being riveted to the bottom part.

It came on a special 'Mongoose vs Snake' card which had artwork of each car. It had its side stickers applied from the factory and a sticker sheet with flames was included in the package. It was also packaged with a plastic 'Collectors Button'.

This would be the last time the Plymouth Duster Funny Car would be used until 1994 when it was re-tooled for the Vintage Series.

The CIPSA version of the Mongoose Funny Car is a Wave 2 release using the US version of the Mongoose casting. The paint colors are not found in normal production,

either HK or US and the glass on the CIPSA version is different having a slight tint. The interior and prop assembly are black like the domestic versions.

The wheels are Type 1 capped redlines like all domestic cars. The stickers on the CIPSA Mongoose are similar to the Mongoose II version from 1971. However, they

have Spanish wording and the CIPSA logo where the Mattel logo is normally located.

Ya ya ya it is a cuda, I know  Tom never drove a 'Cuda.

Mattel became a associate sponsor by 1973, For the old rivalry " Snake vs Mongoo$e" and times were tight for Mattel. They made a lot of cost saving changes for 1972 and 1973. The Goo$e never drove the 'cuda style funny car, but Mattel issued just one casting for the 1973 Mongoo$e and Snake and it was the 'cuda. All cars for '73 got the new enamel paint,  the "Mongoo$e" 'and "Snake" were no different. There were many cost cutting features one piece base, Missing windshield, enamel paint, wrong body for the Gooo$e, missing hood prop, one sticker sheet for both of "Mongoo$e" cars. These changes also affected the "Snake" too.

The '73 "Mongoo$e II" was issued in enamel Red & enamel Blue

Flaming stickers for both cars.

No Special art work for "Mongoo$e vs Snake"

Capped Rear Redlines - Open Axle Style in front

There have been found 1970 "Mongoo$e" cars in 1973 blisterpack. It would seem that were some left over cars that got tossed in the lot.

Versions[]

The Mongoose has come out in the following 1/64 scale versions:

Year Series Color Stickers Base Color Window Color Interior Color Wheel Type Toy # Country Notes / Variations Photo
1970 Mainline Red White w/ the "Goo$e" Metal blue tint black roll cage Redline 6410 Mongoosefunnycar
1971 Mongoose vs Snake Dark Blue Hot Wheels Logo and 'Mongoose II' on side, Red Flames on top Unpainted / Metal Tinted (Blue) Black RL 5954 Hong Kong Named Mongoose II Mongoose2
1971 Mongoose vs Snake Light Blue Hot Wheels Logo and 'Mongoose II' on side, Red Flames on top Unpainted / Metal Clear Black RL 5954 USA Named Mongoose II 1971SM-MonII (Large)
1973 List of 1973 Hot Wheels Enamel Red Tom McEwen stickers Unpainted / Metal N/A Black Roll cage Wheel type 6969 Hong Kong Mongoose 1973 Red
1973 List of 1973 Hot Wheels Enamel Blue Tom McEwen stickers Unpainted / Metal N/A Black Roll cage Wheel type 6969 Hong Kong Mongoose

Re-cast Versions[]

The Mongoose has come out in the following 1/64 scale versions:

Year Series Color / Tampo Base Color Window Color Interior Color Wheel Type Toy # Country Notes / Variations Photo
1994 Vintage Series Metalflake Copper / Orange Unpainted
/
Metal
Clear Black RL 12496 China Vintage Series 8 Pack Mongoose.Vintage Set

1994

Vintage Series Metalflake Red Unpainted
/
Metal
Clear Black RL 14072 China Funnycar with lifting body


Limited Edition

Jeremy Mongoose Limited
1994 Vintage Series Metalflake Blue Unpainted
/
Metal
Clear Black RL 15320 China Funnycar with lifting body Vintage Blue Mongoose
1994 Vintage Series II Metalflake Red Unpainted
/
Metal
Clear Black RL 10783 China Funnycar with lifting body Mongoose 93 vintage series red metallic
1994 Vintage Series II Metalflake Dk Red Unpainted
/
Metal
Clear Black RL 10783 China Funnycar with lifting body 1993 Vintage Series II Button Blister Card Mongoose
1994 Vintage Series II Metalflake Pink Unpainted
/
Metal
Clear Black RL 10783 China Funnycar with lifting body Jeremy Mongoose Pink
1994 Vintage Series II Metalflake Blue Unpainted
/
Metal
Clear Black RL 10783 China Funnycar with lifting body Image Not Available
1997 JCPenny 24K Performance Collection Series 2 Gold plated ZAMAC Smoke tint Black Gold RL3 15930 China 6,000 produced JCPenny 24K Performance Collection II 1997 Malaysia 15930 Mongoose Loose
2005 Mongoose & Snake Drag Race Set Red / Mongoose Paint Scheme Unpainted Metal Clear Red RL5SP H9604 Malaysia Kmart Exclusive Plymouth Duster Funny Car - 05 MSDragRaceSet 600pxOTD
2012 NHRA Championship Drag Racing Red / Mongoose race deco on sides, White & Blue stripes with White stars across top Unpainted Metal Clear Black RRMag W8308 Thailand Base Code(s): D48 MongooseDuster

Similar Castings or Names[]

Left

Mongoose Rail Dragster

Rivalry the "Mongoo$e" vs the "Snake"[]

Left

Snake (1970)

Gallery[]


External Links[]

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