Howard Rees: Mattel’s Marvelous Redline Designer!
Howard Rees was born in 1941, and went to the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, where he earned his Bachelor in Fine Arts Degree in 1964.
Later he accepted a position with Ford Motor Company in England. After leaving England he continued to work with Ford in Detroit, designing the ever popular Mustang line.
Cold, long, Michigan winters drove him back to California.
In 1967, Howard was driving past the Mattel Headquarters in the city of Hawthorne, and decided to stop to visit a friend who was working there.
While visiting his friend, it was noted that Ira Gilford, the Hot Wheels designer at that time, had quit earlier that day.
Rees was offered the position due to his background in auto design.
He designed Hot Wheels cars for the next two years, first finishing some of the models that were started by Ira Gilford.
