The dazzling metallic paint that made the early Hot Wheels cars shine—Spectraflame paint—graces the bodies of some of the most sought-after Hot Wheels cars in today's collectibles marketplace.

Hot Wheels Spectraflame The Essential Guide, officially licensed by Mattel, is the must-have book for differentiating castings made between 1968 and 1972, and all their variations, color choices, wheel styles, markings, packaging and accessories.

Other "essential" information includes:

• A tutorial on grading cars which helps when determining values
• Collector values according to condition
• Tips for spotting fakes and reproduction parts
• A comparison of differences in castings manufactured in U.S. and Hong Kong
• Bonus listings for Play Sets, Tracks and Accessories

From the Beatnik Bandit and Hot Heap to the Python and Custom Camaro, the whole gang is featured in this one-of-a-kind book of Mattel's mightiest cars.