Hot Wheels Legends Tour Selects A Volvo P1800 Gasser As UK Finalist

The UK finalist for the Hot Wheels Legends tour has been selected, a custom built Volvo P1800 Gasser. The tour is seeking out the best classic, modified and race cars from around the world to be made into a 1:64 scale die cast replica and put on sale for the 2022 model range.

The drag car nicknamed ‘Ain’t No Saint’ is based on a Volvo P180, which when bought as a stripped shell, was deemed too far gone to be restored as a road car. The car had a drag frame built underneath the pretty Volvo body with a 60 bhp big block supercharged Chevy 454 V8 engine. The car will do the standing quarter in 10.01 seconds at 133 mph.

The Volvo was unanimously selected to be the UK finalist as part of a live streamed event. The UK judges comprised designer Ian Callum CBE, Car Throttle’s Alex Kersten, photographer Amy Shore and YouTuber Sam Fane. The Volvo was thought to represent the Hot Wheels standard of performance, authenticity and ‘garage spirit’.

The P1800 is owned and built by Somerset-based Lee Johnstone and raced by him and his three daughters – Ellie, Tori and Sarah, with wife Sue also part of the JD Racing (Johnstone & Daughters) team.

“As a team, we were ecstatic to hear our car was chosen. We never thought it would be chosen against some of the other entries,” said Lee Johnstone, owner of the P1800. “Everyone always says it looks just like a Hot Wheels and maybe it will now become one!”

“This is a beautiful example of a gasser – a drag racer with street car form,” said judge Ian Callum, design director of design and engineering business, CALLUM. “Often with dragsters, the chassis is so important that the body gets overlooked, but this example is fabulous with great attention to detail. It’s a super quality, beautifully built car. And it completely hits the Hot Wheels brief.”