Mattel Hot Wheels 1974 Yellow Carabo

Description

Mattel Hot Wheels 1974 Yellow Carabo
Mattel's version of the Carabo, designed by Ira Gilford and originally released as part of the 1970 Hot Wheels line-up during the Spectraflame era and was inspired by the design of  Bertone for Alfa Romeo which made it's debut at the
1968 Paris
Mondial de L' Automobile. This was the first Hot Wheels model which had opening doors.
The Carabo was reintroduced in 1974 with it's new added tampo design for the '74 Hot Wheels Flying Colors Series which consisted primarily of a complicated but rather appealing design.
The tampo is made up of blue dots starting from the center at the front of the hood, quickly changing to dashes that continually get wider as they move up the hood, continuing onto the roof and extending to the back of the car. An orange block-style pattern wraps around the nose of the car, continues down the back center, extending the full length until it eventually comes to a 'T'. It has the blue-tinted windshield common with the Hong Kong cars.
The doors do open and will hold in the open position. This cool old car does have a few small paint chips, toning on the base and one spot of what appears to be some sort of corrosion near the front driver's side wheel. There about three or four larger paint chips on the doors and several minor chips along the sharp edges, which I'm pretty was due to playing with it. It is one of the harder to find cars in the Hot Wheels line-up.
( I apologize for the photos. They look clear when the picture is viewed in my camera, but when they are magnified they go blurry.)
It is part of my late husband's extensive collection. I'm finding new homes for his little beauties.