Matchbox Superfast 36-d Hot Rod Draguar

The Hot Rod Draguar which was an original Lesney design based upon a well proportioned Jaguar E type convertable fitted with a Corvette Mako Shark inspired glass bubble roof joined the Superfast range late in 1970. It was packaged in ´G´ boxes and all blisterpack designs with copyright dates between 1970 and 1974.

Initially it was painted with metallic red candy coat over a gold primer and fitted with clear glazing, orange seats and a plated baseplate running on the same 11 x 4mm 5 slots already fitted to the new #45, #52 and #68. It was fitted with a large chrome plated engine of the same design fitted to the Super Kings Hot Rod Chargers & Cougars as well as a black on silver sticker featuring the legend ´Draguar´.
This first issue is relatively uncommon compared to the later UK made variations because the seats were very soon recoloured to standard ivory and then the Draguar stickers were not re-ordered once initial supplies had been used up.

The next change was the switch from ivory to vanilla coloured seats that also happened with many but not all other castings previously fitted with ivory seats in 1972. In 1973 the Draguar was recoloured to the same metallic pink clearcoat over silver primer as was already used on the #5 Lotus Europa and the #75 Alfa Carabou.
The final change to this model was to fit amber tinted glazing which can vary in degrees of tint and was fitted to a large proportion of the pink Draguar production.
Error cars have been found fitted with other sizes of 4mm wide wheels but only on 1 axle.

Components for Draguars were exported to Brazil for painting in various colours and assembly by Roly toys during this model´s London production life however no subsequent use of the tooling was made once it was withdrawn in 1974.