Not every great Hot Wheels casting is a screaming supercar. Some of the best ones are slow, low and dripping in chrome, and the Super Smooth is exactly that kind of truck. This metalflake dark blue one has been a favorite of mine for years, and a photo never quite does the paint justice.
The design
The Super Smooth looks like a real custom that drove off a show floor and shrank itself down to pocket size. There is no maker’s badge on it, and that is on purpose. It is an unlicensed design, drawn by Hot Wheels designer Alec Tam, who took his cue from a 1939 GMC pickup built by Tucci Engineering. So it is not a faithful scale model of any one truck. What it captures instead is the whole lead-sled kustom idea: a smooth body, headlights frenched into the fenders, a chopped top, and a stance that sits about an inch off the ground.
When it came out
It debuted in the 2002 First Editions, the run Hot Wheels uses each year to launch brand-new castings. The metalflake dark blue version, the one in these photos, was that original First Editions release. It was made in Malaysia, rolling on five-spoke wheels with a detailed cover over the bed. The casting stuck around through roughly 2006 and wore a long list of colors along the way. It even got a Treasure Hunt release in 2004, which is handy to know if you ever spot one priced like a plain mainline, or, more likely, priced like it is made of gold. If those terms are new to you, our guide on Treasure Hunts vs Super Treasure Hunts sorts them out.
This one up close
The paint is the star here. That metalflake catches the light and throws little blue sparks, the kind of finish that looks flat in a bad photo and comes alive in your hand. The blue flame artwork laid into the bed cover is a nice touch that keeps the truck from looking too plain from above. The frenched headlights and the long, smooth body lines are what make it read as a genuine kustom rather than a toy. For a casting that is past twenty years old, it has aged better than plenty of trucks half its age.
In hand
Pick it up and the proportions are spot on, with that low roof giving it real attitude. It is a mainline casting, so you get plastic wheels and a simple base, but the body does all the heavy lifting and does it well. The Super Smooth is also a longtime favorite among customizers, because that clean, slab-sided shape is a perfect canvas for a repaint or a wheel swap. If you have been thinking about trying your first custom, this is a friendly one to learn on, and a cheap one to risk.
Worth collecting?
For a casting that usually runs a couple of dollars loose, the Super Smooth gives you a lot of character. The metalflake blue First Editions is the version most collectors picture when they hear the name, and it is still easy to find without spending much. If you collect trucks, kustoms, or just appreciate a casting with a bit of story behind it, it earns its place on the shelf without much argument.
New to all this? Our beginner’s guide covers how to start a collection the smart way, and you can browse more Hot Wheels coverage for other castings worth chasing.
