The model is the early 90's Toyota MR2 by Hot Wheels - a nice model in its own right - with cool aftermarket rally lights across the front bumper... I re-sprayed this favorite model in charcoal, with additional detail for lights.
But the coolest part of this project was the wheel swap - to the nicest-looking Matchbox wheels that Matchbox ever issued. Actually the wheel swap was not easy... while the overall axle length matched up well, the original wheels were wider than the Matchbox wheels, so the narrow chassis allowed the replacement wheels to float in and out of the wheel-wells. I had to add some plastic to widen the chassis to get the wheels spaced at the end of the axle. My frankenstonian fix works well and the wheels roll perfectly - just don't turn the car over to see the rather ugly bottom! 