Beatnik Bandit
Production run: 1968 – 1971
Casting Comparison:
The U.S. version of the Beatnik Bandit has a clear dome over the interior, a chrome plastic dual carburetor motor that is removable from the body, flat vertical headlights that are part of the base and the interior was available in assorted colors in which the steering rod is molded.
The Hong Kong version has a blue tinted dome, a super charged chrome plastic motor that is not removable, rounded headlights and grille that are part of the base and the interior was available in assorted colors in which a black steering wheel is inserted.
Casting Details:
The early run Hong Kong castings can be found with as many as four “deep dish” wheels.
U.S. H.K.
Blue Blue
Aqua Aqua
Green Red
Red Green
Lime Olive
Orange Purple
Purple Orange
Gold Copper
Olive Creamy Pink
Rose
Antifreeze
Copper
Brown
Light Blue
Magenta
Creamy Pink
Yellow
Hot Pink
U.S. in aqua
Custom Barracuda
Production run: 1968 ~ 1969
Casting Comparison:
The U.S. version of the Custom Barracuda has clear windows, a thinner cowl, short “power bulges” on the hood and the interior was available in assorted colors in which the dash board and steering wheel are molded.
The Hong Kong version has blue tinted windows, a thicker cowl, long “power bulges” on the hood and the interior was available in assorted colors in which there was no dash board and a black steering wheel is inserted through the interior.
Casting Details:
The early run Hong Kong castings can be found with as many as four “deep dish” wheels. Also, the purple interior which most probably was specific to the purple Hong Kong casting has been found in copper and aqua Hong Kong castings as well. Furthermore, this casting has been found assembled with a combination of U.S. and Hong Kong parts, referred to as a hybrid. These hybrids have always been found where the base is Hong Kong and the body and interior are U.S. The wheels, hood and windows can be either Hong Kong or U.S. and in any combination. Neither the U.S. nor Hong Kong produced the Custom Barracuda with a black roof. Some very early Hong Kong examples can be found where the hood scoops are embossed on the underside of the hood - referred to as "deep hood scoops."
U.S. H.K. Hybrid
Green Aqua Antifreeze
Blue Copper Purple
Aqua Purple Gold
Gold Purple/Purple Int. Rose
Red Green Aqua
Purple Blue Blue
Antifreeze Red Green
Copper Copper/Purple Int.
Light Blue Light Blue
Creamy Pink Creamy Pink
Rose Orange
Olive Olive
Aqua/Purple Int.
U.S. in purple
Custom Camaro
Production run: 1968 ~ 1969
Casting Comparison:
The U.S. version of the Custom Camaro has clear windows, “power bulges” on the hood and the interior was available in assorted colors in which the dash board and steering wheel are molded.
The Hong Kong version has blue tinted windows, outlined doors and trunk, “power bulges” on the hood and the interior was available in assorted colors in which there was no dash board and a black steering wheel is inserted through the interior.
Casting Details:
The early run Hong Kong castings can be found with as many as four “deep dish” wheels. In addition, the very early U.S. castings, referred to as “kidney bean” base, which are found only in antifreeze with a smooth black roof and a painted to match tail panel, also have early run U.S. chrome wheels with deep dish in the front. They are called this because of four small kidney shaped cut outs in similar placement to the square Hong Kong cut outs that expose a portion of the suspension. There are very few examples known but they do turn up once in a while in varying conditions. Then, the U.S. base was altered to a “tabbed” base and has been found in blue, red and antifreeze with smooth black roofs and painted to match tail panels. There are even early run hybrid U.S. castings in antifreeze only that have a U.S. body with a tabbed U.S. base but have Hong Kong olive green colored interior and blue tinted windows. The U.S. base changed yet again to the more common base without kidney bean shaped cut outs or tabs which make up the majority of U.S. Custom Camaros found. A later run prototype variation of the base has been discovered only on white enamel castings which has leaf springs cast onto the rear. These are extremely rare and just a few exist thus far. Late run transition variations have been found but are limited to an all U.S. body and base but the interior and windows, or one or the other, are Hong Kong parts that match those same parts used with the Heavy Chevy casting. This is believed to be contributed to later run production of the Custom Camaro as the U.S. tooling was altered to the Heavy Chevy tooling produced only in Hong Kong. There is a premium added to value for these later run transition examples.
Without Painted Black Roof, Common Base
U.S. H.K.
Blue Orange "Kidney Bean" Base
Green Green U.S. Only
Red Red Antifreeze
Antifreeze Aqua
Lime Copper "Tabbed" Base
Purple Olive U.S. Only
Aqua Gold Blue
Olive Purple Red
Rose Creamy Pink Antifreeze
Creamy Pink
Brown "Leaf Spring" Base
Orange U.S. Only
Light Blue White Enamel
White Enamel
Copper
Gold
With Painted Black Roof, Common Base
U.S. H.K.
Blue Blue
Antifreeze Blue/Blue Int.
Red Antifreeze
Lime Lime
Aqua
Orange
Purple
U.S. in orange
Custom Corvette
Production run: 1968 ~ 1969
Casting Comparison:
The U.S. version of the Custom Corvette has clear windows, tail lights that are cast onto the rear of the base, a larger engine and the interior was available in assorted colors in which the dash board and steering wheel are molded.
The Hong Kong version has blue tinted windows, tail lights that are cast onto the rear of the body, a smaller engine and the interior was available in assorted colors in which there was no dash board and a black steering wheel is inserted through the interior.
Casting Details:
Neither the U.S. nor Hong Kong produced the Custom Corvette with a black roof. A later run version of the Hong Kong Custom Corvette can be found with a long steering wheel molded in the same color as the interior.
U.S. H.K.
Blue Blue
Red Red
Green Aqua
Gold Olive
Lime Green
Aqua Gold
Olive Purple
Antifreeze Orange
Purple Copper
Orange Creamy Pink
Rose
Magenta
Copper
Light Blue
Yellow
Brown
U.S. in red
Custom Cougar
Production run: 1968 ~ 1969
Casting Comparison:
The U.S. version of the Custom Cougar has clear windows, thinner tail lights, “power bulges” on the hood and the interior was available in assorted colors in which the dash board and steering wheel are molded.
The Hong Kong version has blue tinted windows, thicker tail lights, “power bulges” on the hood and the interior was available in assorted colors in which there was no dash board and a black steering wheel is inserted through the interior.
Casting Details:
The early run Hong Kong castings can be found with as many as four “deep dish” wheels. Also, early run U.S. and Hong Kong castings can be found with a painted “tooth” located in the center of the front grill, that matches the casting color and are listed below. Early U.S. bases have a smaller gas tank compared to the more common later run castings. Both U.S. and Hong Kong castings have been found where the front grille is completely painted matte black, or the portion where the logo is cast is not painted or the grille is completely unpainted. U.S. castings were never produced with a black roof, however, most Hong Kong castings were. There are also early run U.S. variations of the Custom Cougar with a convex firewall as opposed to the more common flat firewall. This convex firewall is usually found with the painted tooth but not always.
Without Painted Black Roof Painted Tooth
U.S. H.K. U.S. H.K.
Antifreeze Blue Antifreeze Blue
Green Orange Lime Orange
Blue Blue/Blue Int. Blue
Lime Orange/Orange Int. Orange
Gold Olive
Orange
Olive
Purple
Aqua
Light Blue
Red
Brown
With Painted Black Roof
H.K. Only
Olive
Gold
Green
Aqua
Red
Purple
U.S. in brown
Custom Eldorado
Production run: 1968 ~ 1969
Casting Comparison:
The U.S. version of the Custom Eldorado has clear windows, “power bulges” on the hood and the interior was available in assorted colors in which the dash board and steering wheel are molded.
The Hong Kong version has blue tinted windows, “power bulges” on the hood and the interior was available in assorted colors in which there was no dash board and a black steering wheel is inserted through the interior.
Casting Details:
Both the U.S. and Hong Kong only produced the Custom Eldorado with a painted black roof. There have been some castings found without the front grille painted matte black but this is attributed to a factory oversight.
U.S. H.K.
Red Green
Blue Blue
Gold Red
Green Olive
Aqua Aqua
Lime Orange
Orange Purple
Olive Copper
Rose Creamy Pink
Brown
Antifreeze
Purple
Copper
Yellow
Creamy Pink
Light Green
Magenta
Light Blue
Hot Pink
U.S. in magenta
Custom Firebird
Production run: 1968 ~ 1969
Casting Comparison:
The U.S. version of the Custom Firebird has a clear windshield, “power bulges” on the hood and the interior was available in assorted colors in which the dash board and steering wheel are molded.
The Hong Kong version has a blue tinted windshield, “power bulges” on the hood and the interior was available in assorted colors in which there was no dash board and a black steering wheel is inserted through the interior.
Casting Details:
The early run Hong Kong castings can be found with as many as four “deep dish” wheels. The front seats on U.S. produced castings are straight while the Hong Kong castings are slanted. In addition, the side rocker panels on the U.S. casting are part of the body while on the Hong Kong casting they are part of the base. For some later run U.S. castings, door lines are cast onto the body and are listed below as there is a premium versus the more common non-door line equivalent. Hong Kong castings never had door lines. There are two Hong Kong variations that are fairly desirable, one is a red exterior with red interior and the second is a blue exterior with blue interior. Both variations can be found with either a blue tinted windshield or a clear windshield. Early run U.S. Custom Firebirds can be found with a "full firewall". This early run version has the engine firewall not cut or shortened and the air filter is not merged with it like the middle and later run castings.
Without Door Lines With Door Lines
U.S. H.K. U.S. Only
Blue Blue Aqua
Red Red Green
Green Blue/Blue Int. Blue
Purple Red/Red Int. Olive
Gold Olive Antifreeze
Olive Gold Light Blue
Orange Aqua Red
Aqua Green
Brown Orange
Lime Copper
Antifreeze Purple
Light Blue Creamy Pink
Rose
U.S. in light blue with doorlines
Custom Fleetside
Production run: 1968 ~ 1969
Casting Comparison:
The U.S. version of the Custom Fleetside has clear windows, and the interior was available only in black in which the dash board and steering wheel are molded. The lift-up bed cover has a small casting mark located in the middle and is attached to the interior.
The Hong Kong version has blue tinted windows, and the interior was available only in black in which there was no dash board and a black steering wheel is inserted through the interior. The lift-up bed cover does not have any casting marks and is attached to the interior.
Casting Details:
The early run Hong Kong castings can be found with as many as four “deep dish” wheels. Also, the early run Hong Kong castings in purple and orange can be found where the front and rear or just the rear of the base is painted to match the body color and the injector tips located on the hood are painted silver. Early U.S. castings have thin vertical tail lights cast into the base where the later castings have thicker horizontal painted tail lights. Both the U.S. and Hong Kong only produced the Custom Fleetside with a smooth black roof. The Custom Fleetside was modified slightly for the Skyshow and Flyin’ Circus track sets in 1970. This version of the Custom Fleetside included an orange ramp attached to the rear bed and the roof was no longer painted black on U.S. castings, however, the Hong Kong casting in aqua did have a smooth painted black roof. (Please see the Skyshow Fleetside for more casting details regarding this version.)
U.S. H.K.
Aqua Aqua
Orange Orange
Purple Purple
Gold Orange Painted Base
Green Purple Painted Base
Blue Green
Red Blue
Antifreeze Red
Lime Copper
Copper
Light Blue
Brown
U.S. in red