El Rey Special

==Description==
Will the Real Flying Color paint please stand up?!? The El Rey Special runs a close race for castings with the most alternative colors.
The El Rey Special was originally released in 1974, with enamel paint and the new Flying Colors tampo. Early versions can be found with capped rear wheels and were released in the '74 style blister-pack. It is unsure which was issued first in 1974, the Light enamel Green or Dark enamel Blue; this was such a short run before the casting change to the Formula P.A.C.K. It is hard to trace the history of the name. The fact that the Formula Pack showed up mid- to late-1975 in the 6-pack, means the El Rey Special was only made for about a year and half.
The Formula P.A.C.K. was released in 1976 or so it has been thought. In 1975 Mattel started releasing the 6-Pack again, the set Streak Machines was released with the El Rey Special in 1975, but it also is found with the Formula P.A.C.K in 1975 6-Pack. It would seem that this casting had some retooling due to some nose issue and was released early in the 6-Pack. Then released in the line-up of 1976. It has also been released under the name of Malibu Grand Prix (1982) and Lightning Gold (1985). This cast was a Retool of the El Rey Special (1974), with only modifications to the nose of the body. The Formula P.A.C.K was more readily available with Redlines than Blackwalls in 1977. With a complete tampo change for 1978.
==Original Tool Versions==
The El Rey Special has come out in the following versions:
Col #	Year	Series 	Color 	Tampo 	Base Color 	Window Color	Interior Color 	Wheel Type	Toy #	Country 	Notes / Variations 	Photo
 	1974	Flying Colors 	Dark Enamel Blue 	Yellow and Orange "Dunlop" 	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	RL 	8273 	Hong Kong	Capped Rear/Alt. Color 	
 	1974	Flying Colors 	Dark Enamel Blue 	Yellow and Orange "Dunlop" 	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	RL 	8273 	Hong Kong	Alt. Color 	75px
 	1974	Flying Colors 	Light  Enamel Green	Yellow and Orange "Dunlop" 	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	RL 	8273 	Hong Kong	Capped Rear/Alt. Color 	
 	1974	Flying Colors 	Light Enamel Green 	Yellow and Orange "Dunlop" 	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	RL 	8273 	Hong Kong	Alt. Color 	
 	1974	Flying Colors 	Light  Enamel Blue 	Yellow and Orange "Dunlop" 	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	RL 	8273 	Hong Kong	Alt. Color 	
 	1975	Flying Colors 	Dark Enamel Green 	Yellow and Orange "Dunlop" 	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	RL 	8273 	Hong Kong	 	
 	1976	Flying Colors 	Black 	Yellow, Orange, "P.A.C.K." 	Unpainted/Metal 	N/A 	Unpainted 	RL 	9037 	Hong Kong	Named Formula P.A.C.K 	
 	1977	Flying Colors 	Black 	Yellow, Orange, "P.A.C.K." 	Unpainted/Metal 	N/A 	Unpainted  	BW 	9037 	Hong Kong	Named Formula P.A.C.K 	75px
 	1978	Flying Colors 	Black 	White pinstripes, "8" 	Unpainted/Metal 	N/A 	Unpainted 	BW 	9037 	Hong Kong	Named Formula P.A.C.K 	75px
 	1978	Flying Colors 	Black 	Yellow pinstripes, "8" 	Unpainted/Metal 	N/A 	Unpainted 	BW 	9037 	Hong Kong	Named Formula P.A.C.K 	75px
 	1978	Speedway Specials	Black 	Yellow pinstripes, "8" 	Unpainted/Metal 	N/A 	Unpainted 	BW 	9037 	Hong Kong	Named Formula P.A.C.K 	
 	1982	Mainline 	Black 	Red, Yellow, Blue, "Malibu GRAND PRIX", "GOOD YEAR", "1"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	BW 	9037 	Hong Kong	Named Malibu Grand Prix 	75px
 	1982	Mainline 	Black 	Red, Yellow, Blue, "Malibu GRAND PRIX", "GOOD YEAR", "1"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	BW 	9037 	Malaysia 	Named Malibu Grand Prix 	75px
 	1983	Real Riders 	Black 	Red, Yellow, Blue, "Malibu GRAND PRIX", "GOOD YEAR", "1"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	TRR 	9037 	Malaysia 	Named Malibu Grand Prix 	75px
 	1984	Real Riders 	Yellow 	Black, White and Red, "2" 	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	RR Grey 	4372 	Malaysia 	Named Lightning Gold 	75px
 	1984	Real Riders 	Yellow 	Black, White and Red, "2" 	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	RR White 	4372 	Malaysia 	Named Lightning Gold 	75px
 	1985	Mainline 	Yellow 	Black, White and Red, "2" 	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	BW 	4372 	Malaysia 	Named Lightning Gold 	75px
 	1985	Mainline 	Met. Blue 	Red and White "2" and "Hot Wheels" logo 	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	BW 	 	Malaysia 	Named Malibu Grand PrixKellogg's Cereal Promotional & Mattel Toy Club	75px
==Retooled Versions==
The El Rey Special has come out in the following versions:
Col #	Year	Series 	Color 	Tampo 	Base Color 	Window Color	Interior Color 	Wheel Type	Toy #	Country 	Notes / Variations 	Photo
 	2011	The Hot Ones 	Green 	Red, Yellow & Black tampos, "2" 	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	BW 	W1550	Thailand	Base code(s): 	
 	2011	The Hot Ones 	Green 	Red, Yellow & Black tampos, "2" 	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	RLBW 	W1550	Thailand	ChaseBase code(s): 	
 	2012	The Hot Ones 	Black 	Yellow & Gold stripes, "8", "El Rey Special"	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	Gold BW 	W3785	Thailand	Base code(s): 	
 	2013	Flying Customs	Metallic Brown	Blue, Orange and White stripes '13' 	Unpainted / Metal	N/A 	Unpainted / Metal	BW 	X8216	Thailand	Base code(s): F09, F11	
==Gallery==
El Rey Special Proto.jpg|Larry Wood Collection Resin Prototype
El Rey Special Proto 1.jpg
El Rey Special Proto 1 (2).jpg
El Rey Special Proto 1 (3).jpg
El Rey Special Proto 1 (4).jpg
El Rey Special Proto 1 (5).jpg|Proof of Authenticity
35 Years of Speed Randy Leffingwell Rey Spec (1).JPG|Raised Numbers Prototype casting (Randy Leffingwell)
1975_Blister_Pack_example.jpg
Formula P.A.C.K. BluRL.JPG|Notice the Open Axle on the rear. Most have capped rear wheels in the Dark Blue.
1974 lt green el rey special.jpg|Very scarce Light Green with Capped Rear wheels
2012 Hot Ones - El Rey Special.jpg
File:Patch Card Speedway Specials Formula P.A.C.K. Black Hong Kong 9037.jpg|Speedway Specials Formula P.A.C.K. 9037
File:Malibu Grand Prix 1984 - 5111cf.jpg|Malibu Grand Prix from 1984
Malubu gran prix top view.JPG
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