Hot Wheels fans were introduced to Don Prudhomme, the Snake, and Tom McEwen, the Mongoose, through funny cars. But these two also drove dragsters.
The Snake rail dragster.
The Mongoose rail dragster.
For 1971 Mattel put their rail dragsters on the Mongoose & Snake Wild Wheelie Set.
Box art – front. Courtesy eBay.
Box art – back. Courtesy eBay.
The novelty feature of this set is the cars ability to wheelie out of the start gate and down the track. The cars have a metal weight in the back that can be locked to the cockpit causing the dragster to wheelie.
Metal in the back. Light weight in the front. Courtesy eBay.
Dragster Pak instructions – back of card. Courtesy eBay.
A pair of trailing wheels on the back give the dragsters stability as they maintain the wheelie down the track at high speed.
To tip the front ends back down before crossing the finish line, the cars cross a balancer track piece.
This unlocks the weights and drops the cars out of wheelie position.
The finish gate is automated.
The winning car pushes a checkered flag up into the air. The flag then resets to the resting position a few seconds later.
Lane 1 swing arm extended with resulting flag deployment.
Finally, the cars cross the ‘chute traps and deploy two drag ‘chutes bringing the race to an end.
It’s a lot of action in one race.
Here are the instructions:
Front page.
Front page close-up.
Safe drive rules.
Track components laid out.
Contents close-up.
Steps 1, 2 & 3.
Steps 4, 5 & 6.
Steps 7 & 8.
Step 7 close-up (top).
Step 7 close-up (middle).
Step 7 close-up (bottom).
Last page.
Last page close-up (cars).
Last page close-up (RRRumblers).
Last page close-up (display).
So there you have it. The 1971 Hot Wheels Mongoose & Snake Wild Wheelie Set.
It’s still fast. Still fun.
1971 Collector’s catalogue. Copyright Mattel, Inc.
1972 Collector’s catalogue. Copyright Mattel, Inc.
Box art – side. Color. Courtesy eBay.
Box art – side. Black, red and white. Courtesy eBay.
Box art – end. Courtesy eBay.
Box art – back. Caption. Courtesy eBay.
Wild Wheelie Drag Set contents. Courtesy eBay.
You can also buy the Mongoose & Snake rail dragsters in a blister pak.
Dragster Pak – front. Courtesy eBay.
1971 Collector’s catalogue. Copyright Mattel, Inc.
Close-up of Mongoose & Snake dragsters and funny cars in the 1971 Collector’s catalogue. Copyright Mattel, Inc.
Mongoose & Snake dragsters poster – 40th anniversary. Courtesy eBay.
Tom McEwen dragster poster.
Contents courtesy of Hot Wheel Race Tracks