Snake

==Description==
The Snake  was issued in the 1970 Hot Wheels line-up. Race car driver Don "Snake" Prudhomme's car was a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Funny Car. He is most famous for racing Tom McEwen in his red 1970 Plymouth Duster, named Mongoose.
The Snake had its own style of blister for this release. The Blister has a picture of both "Mongoose & Snake" cars. "Mongoose vs Snake" written just above the car on the cardboard. The Cars were packaged with a metal or plastic 'Collector's Button'. and was released both as a Hong Kong version and an USA version. It had standard capped Redlines on the front and the back. 1970 was the only year of release for this casting with this name.
This car is playable in Hot Wheels: Turbo Racing.
==Snake II==
The Snake II is a Hot Wheels casting from the 1971 Hot Wheels range of vehicles. It uses the same casting as the Snake from 1970 except this time it has Enamel White paint and 'Snake II' stickers. 
It is based on the Plymouth Barracuda Funny Car driven by Don 'The Snake' Prudhomme in 1970, a car sponsored by Hot Wheels in conjunction with his rival Tom 'The Mongoose' McEwen.
The Hot Wheels Snake II was produced at both the USA and Hong Kong factories and was only made in Enamel White. USA built cars had clear windows while Hong Kong produced cars have blue tinted windows. It came with a black roll-cage and body prop underneath its opening body. The base came in two pieces, with the engine being riveted to the bottom part.
It came on a special 'Mongoose vs Snake' card which had artwork of each car. It had its side stickers applied from the factory and a sticker sheet with flames was included in the package. It was also packaged with a plastic 'Collectors Button'.
The Plymouth Barracuda Funny Car casting would go on to be used in 1973 as both the Snake and Mongoose, and in 1974 under the name Top Eliminator. It was re-tooled in 1994 as part of the Vintage Series and has been released several times since.
=='73 Snake II==
In 1973 Mattel were hit with some hard times, and as a result, they decided to use one casting for both the Snake and Mongoo$e models. The casting they chose to represent both the Snake and Mongoo$e was the 'Cuda.
The Snake was released in both enamel white and yellow, with pre applied blue 'Snake II' stickers (even on the yellow release which should have had white 'Snake' stickers). Due to cost cutting, the 1973 Snake II did not come with windows or a body prop and also did not come on a unique 'Snake and Mongoo$e' card, but instead came on the ordinary 1973 card. The 1973 Snake II came with capped wheels on the rear and a straight axle on the front. It also came with '6969' cast on the underside of the roof. The 1973 castings of the Snake and Mongoo$e are hard to find and highly sought-after, personal judgement should be taken when purchasing one to determine its legitimacy.
==Top Eliminator==
Top Eliminator was released in 1974. It debuted the new Flying Colors theme tampo on its side. This casting is a reissue of the Snake casting, based on a Plymouth Barracuda Funny Car. Early versions have capped redline wheels, along with a base that has less detail and is unreinforced. The base was later retooled with more reinforcement and more details. The black plastic roll cage and the body prop are still gone.
The blister pack for 1974 was changed to a white background with cars (Baja Breaker, Heavy Chevy & P-917) flying off the card. The Card itself was 7" x 4.5" and featured the Red Flying Colors Logo.
==Versions==
The Snake has come out in the following 1/64 scale versions:
Year	Series 	Color 	Sticker 	Base Color/Type	Interior Color	Wheel Type	Toy #	Country 	Notes/Variations 	Photo
1970	1970 Hot Wheels 	Yellow 	White sticker w/ 'Snake' on sides 	ZAMAC 	Black 	RL 	6409 	Hong Kong	 	
1970	1970 Hot Wheels 	Yellow 	White sticker w/ 'Snake' on sides 	ZAMAC 	Black 	RL 	6409 	USA 	 	
1971	Mongoose vs Snake	Enamel White 	Hot Wheels Logo and 'Snake II' on side, Red Flames on top	ZAMAC 	Black 	RL 	5953 	Hong Kong	Blue Tinted Window 	
1971	Mongoose vs Snake	Enamel White 	Hot Wheels Logo and 'Snake II' on side, Red Flames on top	ZAMAC 	Black 	RL 	5953 	USA 	 	
1973	1973 Hot Wheels 	Enamel Yellow 	 	ZAMAC 	Black 	RL 	6969 	HK 	 	
1973	1973 Hot Wheels 	Enamel White 	 	ZAMAC 	Black 	RL 	6969 	HK 	 	
1974	Flying Colors 	Dk. Enamel Blue	Light Green, Orange, Yellow "FLYING COLORS" 	ZAMAC 	Black 	RL 	7630 	Hong Kong	Named Top EliminatorCapped Rear wheels 	75px
1974	Flying Colors 	Dk. Enamel Blue	Light Green, Orange, Yellow "FLYING COLORS" 	ZAMAC 	Black 	RL 	7630 	Hong Kong	Named Top Eliminator 	
1976	Flying Colors 	Dk. Enamel Blue	Light Green, Orange, Yellow "FLYING COLORS" 	ZAMAC 	Black 	RL 	7630 	Hong Kong	Named Top Eliminator 	
1977	Flying Colors 	Gold Chrome 	Red, Purple, Blue "HEMI HAULER" 	ZAMAC 	Black 	RL 	7630 	Hong Kong	Named Top Eliminator 	
1977	Flying Colors 	Gold Chrome 	Red, Purple, Blue "HEMI HAULER" 	ZAMAC 	Black 	BW 	7630 	Hong Kong	Named Top Eliminator 	
1978	Drag Strippers 	Gold Chrome 	Red, Purple, Blue "HEMI HAULER" "AC" Logo rear fender 	ZAMAC 	Black 	BW 	7630 	Hong Kong	Named Top Eliminator 	75px
1979	Mainline 	Gold Chrome 	Red, Purple, Blue "HEMI HAULER" "AC" Logo rear fender 	ZAMAC 	Black 	BW 	7630 	Hong Kong	Named Top Eliminator 	
1982	Mainline 	Enamel Red 	Yellow, Black, White "Radical Racer& 301" 	ZAMAC 	Tan 	BW 	7630 	Malaysia 	Named Top Eliminator on card & base 	
1983	International 	Enamel Green 	 	ZAMAC 	Black 	BW 	 	Malaysia 	Named Top EliminatorOnly available in Italy	
1983	International 	Enamel Yellow 	 	ZAMAC 	Black 	BW 	 	Malaysia 	Named Top EliminatorOnly available in Italy	
1983	International 	Enamel White 	 	ZAMAC 	Black 	BW 	 	France 	Named Top Eliminator 	
1983	Speed Machines 	Enamel Plum 	None 	ZAMAC 	Black 	BW 	None 	Malaysia 	Named Top Eliminator 	
 	French Mainline 	Dk. Enamel Blue	Light Green, Orange, Yellow "FLYING COLORS" 	ZAMAC 	Black 	BW 	 	 	Named Top Eliminator 	75px
==See also==
*Plymouth Barracuda Funny Car (1994)
*Plymouth Barracuda (Fatbax)
*Snake Rail Dragster
*Rear Engine Snake
*Plymouth Barracuda Funny Car (100%)
*Plymouth 'Cuda Funny Car
==Gallery==
35 Years of Speed Randy Leffingwell Snake (1).JPG|Epoxy mold prototype (Randy Leffingwell)
35 Years of Speed Randy Leffingwell Snake (2).JPG|Purple Prototype (Randy Leffingwell)
Wheels Wings 71 catalog Proto (2).jpg|Prototype (never used stickers) from a '71 Catalog
Snake_Legends_1-24_scale.JPG|1:24 Scale Legends version
Snake_legends_1-24_scale_body_up.jpg
Snake-1970 open.jpg|Vintage Series
BeatUpSnake1970.png|Seen better days...
Snake_II_white_1971_BP_.jpg|Snake II in packaging
Topeliminator.jpg
Base Version Top Elem 1974-1975.JPG|Base Change from 1974 to ?? 74' or 75'
Drag Race.JPG|Race?
Top Elem early 1974.JPG|Early 1974 , notice capped rear wheels
Top Elem Gold lt v Dk 1977.JPG|Light and Dark Gold
1970 Club magazine sNaKe mong00$e p-0 Cover.jpg|cover 1970 Fan Club Hot Wheels
Flying Colors Top Eliminator Dark Blue RL Hong Kong 7630.jpg|Flying Colors 1976
Patch Card Drag Strippers Top Eliminator Gold Chrome Hong Kong 7630.jpg|Drag Strippers 1978
Mainline Greased Gremlin Top Eliminator Red BW Malaysia 7630.jpg|Mainline 1982
Speed Machines Original Top Eliminator Plum.jpg|Speed Machines 1983
Category:1970 Hot Wheels
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Category:Barracudas
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Category:Flying Colors
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