The Art of Hot Wheels Building: A Conversation with Dylan Brinkworth

As I sit down to talk to Dylan Brinkworth, my mind immediately jumps to the world of Hot Wheels racing and building. For those who may not be familiar, the world of Hot Wheels is all about creativity and passion when it comes to building and customizing miniature cars. When asked what comes to mind when he thinks of Hot Wheels, Dylan's response was immediate: "racing them and smashing them." His enthusiasm for the hobby is contagious, and it's clear that he embodies the spirit of Hot Wheels.

For those who may not be aware, Dylan's car, a 1973 Datsun 240Z, is not just any ordinary Hot Wheels model. What sets it apart is that it was built by Dylan himself, with his hands on deck. He spent countless hours getting grease under his fingernails and pouring his heart into the project. This level of dedication and commitment to the craft is what makes a true Hot Wheels builder. When asked about the process of building his car, Dylan shared that he acquired the model from a friend from high school who had owned it since he was 16 years old. The car had been parked for years, and Dylan managed to get his hands on it after multiple attempts.

The moment Dylan's name was announced as the winner of the Hot Wheels competition, he was completely shocked. He couldn't even begin to react, let alone express his emotions. This moment was all the more special because it wasn't just about winning; it was about the culmination of his passion and dedication to the craft. For Dylan, this win is a dream come true, not just for himself but also for every kid who looks up to him as an inspiration.

As we talk about his car, Dylan's excitement grows. He tells us that his dad owns another Hot Wheels model, a '73 240Z, which he proudly showcases. The two cars are a testament to the fact that passion and creativity can be passed down through generations. When asked what inspired him to build his car, Dylan shared that he and his dad are both Hot Wheels fans. They thought it would be exciting to participate in this kind of competition and were blown away by the level of talent on display.

Dylan's story is a reminder that with dedication and hard work, anything is possible. His passion for building Hot Wheels models has taken him to places he never thought he'd go, and his win is a testament to the power of creativity and imagination. As I wrap up my conversation with Dylan, it's clear that this young man embodies the spirit of Hot Wheels in every way.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- When I think of HotWheels I think of like--racing them and smashing them.(upbeat techno music)- We're only looking for a carthat someone built themselves.A car that someone actuallygot hands-on, down and dirty,got some grease under their fingernails,so that's really important to us.After a lot of deliberation,and so many carsthat we wanted to pick, wefinally land on a winner,and I just want tocongratulate Dylan Brinkworth.(people applauding)Come on up buddy, hey!Congratulations, man.Why doesn't your dad come on up as well?They're a '73 240Z.So awesome, such a cool build, I mean,that car really stood out to us,it captured everythingthat we're looking for,congratulations!(upbeat techno music)- Him and I are bothHot Wheels fans, right?Thought it'd be pretty excitingto be part of that kind of thing?Didn't have really any inclinationthat we'd actually win it,cause we thought there's a lotof crazy cool cars out there.By close to the end whenthey announced our name,I was completely shocked,I didn't even know how toeven react, what about you?- Same as you, pretty much,but I almost cried, I don't know why.Like, at every other showthat we go to and win,is not as like, exciting.This is cool 'cause it'slike, every kid's dream.- It's a 1973 Datsun 240Z,I acquired it from afriend from high school.He had it when he was 16,and then it got parked,and it pretty much just died there.I tried to get it fromhim as many times I could,but he would just-- refused to sorta,let it go and theneventually one day he says,"You know what? If youwant it, come pick it up."So I came down, it had a tree growingright through the middle of it,so we had to cut the tree down in orderto get the car out ofthere, trailered it upand then I said to my son,"Is this something thatyou wanna have a projecttogether with," right?So he looked at me, he's like"Dad, that looks pretty bad."- I thought it would belike, a really long project.- Slowly but surely,it started becoming a car,we got it running, we gotmost of the holes fixed.- It was really fun becauseit's like, half the stuffthat I like, and half the stuffthat Dad likes into one car.- We did bodyworkand then the paint,and then the fender-flares,and it just grew from there.- I like everything, butmy favorite parts arethe fender-flares and then,all the different thingsthat me and Dad did.- So he did somesketches first and I was like,"Wow that actually looks kinda cool."So I put boards into it with some foamand body filler and Plexiglas,all first to make the originals,and then we made molds,and then we laid up ourfiberglass castings from there,and that's how they become now.And now we actuallymanufacture 'em ourselvesand supply them to otherpeople all over the world.It's an L28 bore and stroke,cammed, custom intakeby a good friend of mine, Mack in MDA,and the exhaust are incredibly loud,so, it attracts a lot of attention tothe law enforcement most of the time, too.From building the carfrom nothing to this,and getting the recognition for it,it means a whole lot.Like, we're not into the whole trophiesand that kind of stuff,but when we get in the carand we start the car, andwe drive down the road,It's just a great feeling,a great accomplishmentto know that we've donethat all ourselves.So, I mean, to me,that's-- it's him and I.It's what we've done together,to make what we have today.- And also, not justabout all the trophies,but about having a good time.- A lot of people do builds becausethey like what someone elsehas done, they're like,"Oh wow, love those wheels,and I love that color and whatever."And my standpoint is, I'm only gonna buildthe way I want it to be built.That's why I built it-- this,the way it is because it's--that's the way I want it,it's wild, it's crazy,and it's very much like Hot Wheels.The way I've always remembered themis being really colorfuland just kinda fun, right?If this was small, I'dplay with it for sure,and I'm sure you would, right?- When I think of Hot Wheels,I think of cool little cars.Little toys that kids could play with,and also if they like cars and that'swhat they could start with.They could see a real coolcar and they could be like,"Dad, I wanna build that when I'm older."And they could be like that.- Hot Wheels to me, it'sbeen something since,obviously when I was a littlekid, just the same as him,was collecting them, andsmashing them up most ofthe time when I was younger,and now is different,we buy one each, one I have in the packet,I put it on the wall andone he has that he opens upand pretty much doeswhat he wants with it.We got a pretty bigcollection, we could definitelyfill a room wall to wall in packages.- My pile is sorta like,it's smaller 'causeit doesn't have all theboxes, his are boring,they're still stuck in the box.Mine I can play with, Ican wheel them off the bed,and then his are just stuck on the wall.(upbeat techno music)- To me, it would be an honorto have it as a Hot Wheels, for sure.- I think it'd be reallycool to have our caras a little Hot Wheels,and I think that'd bethe one car that Iwouldn't roll off the bed.- With all the work that we put into it,and to see it in a model form, amazing.(lighthearted, upbeat music)