Matchbox Lamborghini LM002 Photos

This is my Lamborghini LM002.  Produced between 1986 and 1993, it's my idea of the perfect vehicle.  In it's most fire-breathing form, this 4-wheel drive off-terrain vehicle sports an exotic Lamborghini 7.2 liter V-12 Marine engine.  It's seriously fast and seriously capable.  Unfortunately, there is one minor problem.  I wasn't born an Arab oil sheikh.  Thus, my Lamborghini LM002 is a tad smaller, the seats are just tiny, and the whole vehicle was made in Asia by Matchbox.

Matchbox Lamborghini LM002

While the tiny size of my Lamborghini LM002 makes it a terrible grocery hauler, parking is a breeze.  It can even fit in my pocket! 

Matchbox Lamborghini LM002 Rear Quarter

This Matchbox car does a good job evoking the real vehicle.  It would truly be exciting to own the real thing.  However, the insurance for this version is quite affordable. 

Matchbox Lamborghini LM002 Front Quarter

Hot Wheels Muscle Speedster

This is one of my latest Hot Wheels cars.  It's the Muscle Speedster and it has personality in spades.  First of all it's long and low with a chopped roof line and a jacked-up rear.  If the development of full-sized muscle cars would have continued, I hope a real car would have one day looked like this sleek little number.  It's the kind of muscle car that has the sleek look and low roof line needed to compete with the contemporary ricers that are so common today.  The Hot Wheels Muscle Speedster just captures the imagination.

Hot Wheels Muscle Speedster.

One of the coolest features of this car is the transparent hood riser that reveals the powerful V-8 lurking beneath the hood. It's a very cool touch that doesn't compromise the aerodynamic premise of the Speedster.

Hot Wheels Muscle Speedster Transparent Hood

One final aspect of this car that I love is the pointed nose. It evokes the old Trans Am of yore. But, it is even more aggressive as only a Hot Wheels design can be. Overall, this Hot Wheels was a fantastic find!

Hot Wheels Muscle Speedster Front View

Hot Wheels Olds 442

This is my Hot Wheels Olds 442.  It's pretty slick in red and gold.  The Olds 442 casting has been around for a long time, but I haven't been able to find another one with a similar paint scheme in online images.  I think this one must have been some sort of premium edition.  It's actually the Hot Wheels Olds 442, specifically the red version with yellow stripes, part of the Muscle Mania 11 series.

Hot Wheels Olds 442

Hot Wheels Details:  This particular car has lots of interesting details like a subtle Hot Wheels logo in the pinstriping just in front of the rear wheels. 442 in the pinstriping just behind the front wheels. It also has 455 C.I. printed on each hood scoop.

No matter what year or edition this car comes from it's a cool part of my Hot Wheels collection and definitely a keeper. This one is actually the Hot Wheels Olds 442 which was part of the Muscle Mania 11 series.

Here it is from the rear.  A dab of paint on the tail lights would really improve the look.

If you've been looking to add this car to your Hot Wheels collection, don't despair.  As of 2025, this 2011 Hot Wheel model Olds 442 diecast is available to collectors right here on Amazon.

Hot Wheels Olds 442 (Amazon Photo)

Hot Wheels 1970 Ford Escort RS1600

Ford Escort RS1600 (Rear Quarter)When it comes to vintage cars, the 1970 Ford Escort RS1600 has it going on.  It has an aggressive stance, excellent handling, and a rally pedigree.  It also comes in approximately 1/64 scale from Hot Wheels!

Here in America, we are used to the Ford Escort being an efficient little front wheel drive car that exhibits little soul.  But, in the UK, this Escort was a totally different beast.  It was a rear wheel drive car that could be hot rodded easily!

Ford Escort RS1600 (Rear Quarter)

The Ford Escort RS1600 made a movie appearance in The Fast and the Furious 6.

Ford Escort RS1600 (Front View)

Grocery Store Die-Cast Car: New York City Taxi

This little die-cast car was found in my local grocery store.  It has the traditional lines of a New York City Checker Cab.  I like the bright yellow car and thought it really popped so I took a quick photo of it perched on some magazines.

This was an inexpensive little car for kids, but it makes a good desk toy for older kids too.  It's hard not to smile when you see the bright yellow cab!

A Diecast Evans Coffee Truck to Mark the End of Daylight Savings Time

With the end of Daylight Saving Time in the United States, we all need to fall back an hour.  Ugh.... there has never been a better time for a coffee truck to show up!  This toy truck commemorates Evans Coffee the makers of Green Mountain Coffee

Diecast Toy Green Mountain Coffee Truck

Of course, I couldn't find this truck on Amazon.  But, I did find the beloved coffee!  Losing an hour of sleep, I just might need it!

Muscle Machines M2 Ground Pounders 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T

Happy Halloween!  This diecast 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T is just plain spooky!  It's from the Muscle Machines M2 Ground Pounders series (Release 11-04).  It comes in a beautiful shade of green that I've sharpened up a bit for a Halloween discussion with the Raven!

Muscle Machines 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T

In it's base R/T form, the 1970 R/T has a 440 cubic inch magnum engine.  That a displacement of 7.2 liters.

Muscle Machines 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T

Here's an unmolested look at this rendition of the 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T.  It's a pretty sweet looking die-cast model!  I've posted on this car on this post a couple of years ago.

You may still be able to get similar Ground Pounders versions of this bad ass challenger.  It's a very wicked car for a Halloween night!

Welly Die-cast Fiat 500 Taxi

When Fiat returned to the U.S. market at the owner of Chrysler corporation, they brought some cute European designs with them including the popular retro-styled Fiat 500.  While the modern Fiat 500 is cute, many people don't realize that the original Fiat 500 dates back to 1957.  The iconic little car was produced as a tiny, rear-engined, model until 1975.  The classic Fiat Nuovo 500 is the kind of miniature car that you expect to see zipping around the narrow streets of Europe.

Welly Fiat 500 Taxi

This 1/24-scale die-cast model was produced by Welly and features opening doors and an opening hood.  The bright yellow color and taxi livery make it a lively addition to any die-cast car collection.  The hood appears to contain a spare tire.  That makes sense since the original Fiat 500 was a rear-engine car  powered by a small engine of about 500cc.

Welly Fiat 500

If you are interested in adding a Fiat Nuovo 500, check out these models by Welly and by Bburago.  They'll brighten up any die-cast collection with a happy, fun, little car that will steal admiring looks from your more serious cars.

Welly 1/32 Scale Land Rover Defender

After 67 years of continuous production, the venerable Land Rover Defender was recently retired from the Land Rover line up of vehicles.  It was produced from 1948 through January 29, 2016.  That's an amazing run.

Welly Land Rover Defender

I first remember the Land Rover Defender from the mother of all wildlife television shows:  Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom.  While my memories of 1970s TV fades, the Land Rover was the truck that took Marlon Perkins through Africa.

Welly Land Rover Defender (rear quarter)

For most of it's time in production the Land Rover models were known by the lengths of their wheelbases.  There was the Land Rover 90 and Land Rover 110.  However, when the more modern SUV Land Rover Discovery was made, the old Land Rovers were also given a name.  Check out my Matchbox Land Rover.

Welly Land Rover Defender (front quarter)

I thought this little drug store die-cast model did a great job of capturing the Land Rover's spirit.  It's an iconic vehicle that deserves a spot in every die-cast collection.

Welly Lamborghini Diable at Rite Aid

I spotted this 1:24 scale Lamborghini Diable at my local drug store.  It was bright yellow and looked quite glamorous in the make up aisle.

Welly Lamborghini Diablo

Welly Lamborghini Diablo (Top)

This isn't the first time that I've spotted some cool looking Lamborghini die-cast cars from Welly in my local Rite Aid.  They do a good job with this famed Italian marque.

Welly Lamborghini Diablo

Another Look at my Johnny Lightning - 1971 Plymouth Roadrunner

Here's another look at my Johnny Lightning 1971 Plymouth Roadrunner.

Johnny Lightning 1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria

Did you ever wonder what the origins of the Ford Crown Vic were?  Did you think it was always synonymous with the police car?   Actually, the Crown Victoria name was first used by Ford in 1955 for a very nice edition of the Ford Fairlane.  It was revived in 1980 for the Ford LTD.

Johnny Lightning 1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria

This Johnny Lightning show the 1955 version in all its glory!  Once upon a time, it was a handsome sedan used to chauffeur someone other than tattooed guys in wife-beater T-shirts who drink to much and need to go to jail.

Johnny Lightning 1971 Pontiac Firebird Formula

Here is another sharp car from my collection. It's a Johnny Lightning 1971 Pontiac Firebird Formula.

Johnny Lightning 1971 Pontiac Firebird Formula

Johnny Lightning 1971 Pontiac Firebird Formula

Johnny Lightning 1971 Pontiac Firebird Formula

Johnny Lightning 1949 Mercury Coupe

This car is one of the sleepers in my collection.  It's a Johnny Lightning 1949 Mercury Coupe.  Usually you see these cars chopped, slammed, and otherwise turned into hot rods.  In it's stock state, the 1949 Mercury Coupe has a dignified stately look with just a hit of mafioso.

Johnny Lightning 1949 Mercury Coupe

Johnny Lightning 1949 Mercury Coupe

Matchbox M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank

Armor has evolved since the days of the Sherman tank.  This is the much more modern Matchbox M1A1 Abrams main battle tank.  In real life, it's an amazing vehicle.

Matchbox M1A1 (front)

Matchbox M1A1 (rear)

Matchbox M1A1 (rear quarter)

Matchbox M4A3 Sherman Tank

With Memorial Day prompting thoughts of our soldiers and veterans, I had to pull out my die-cast tanks.  They are just little reminders of our military and the role they play in keeping us free.  This tank earned its stripes in World War II.  It's the Matchbox rendition of the famed M4A3 Sherman Tank.

Matchbox M4A3 Sherman Tank (front)

This tank has fixed treads and little wheels hidden under the chassis.  I like rubber treads, but over time they do tend to disappear.  Using wheels is probably a very practical decision for Matchbox designers.

Matchbox M4A3 Sherman Tank (side)

 The specks are "pre-weathering" dirt painted on by Matchbox.  It does give the tank a well-used look.

Matchbox M4A3 Sherman Tank (rear)

Hot Wheels 1969 Volkswagen Squareback Art Car

I recently picked up this interesting addition to my Hot Wheels collection at my local Kroger grocery store.  It's the Hot Wheels "art car" version of a 1969 VW Squareback.

Hot Wheels VW Squareback Art Car

Volkswagens (particularly Beetles) have long been popular with artists who have used them as a canvas for creative expression.  For example, this VW Beetle (below) was decorated entirely with colored tape.

Photo By Ninad Katyare (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Hot Wheels has released a whole series of art cars, but I think this VW is the best example of what people typically identify as an art car.  It's also great to know that Mattel hires hippies in this day and age.

Hot Wheels 1969 Volkswagen Squareback Art Car

Other great looking art cars in the ten car series include two versions of the Morris Mini, a Chrysler 300C, the Combat Medic (delivery van), a Camaro, and a Mustang.

Hot Wheels VW Squareback Art Car

I always love a die-cast car with personality and these art cars have plenty.  I'll have to round some more up.  Art cars show that the automobile doesn't always have to be a hot rod in order to express one's personality and be creative.

Hot Wheels Art Car

Matchbox Desert Thunder V16

The full-sized trucks that race in the Paris-Dakar Rally are some of the most amazing vehicles in motor sports.  The Matchbox Desert Desert Thunder V16 is a great looking rendition of one of those trucks.  It's tall, imposing, and it has all-terrain tires.

Matchbox Desert Thunder V16

From the front, I think this truck looks like Russian Kamaz truck.  Based on Russian Army trucks, these trucks are designed for all kinds of extreme conditions.

The Desert Thunder V16 definitely has the toughness and strength down cold.
 

Matchbox Desert Thunder V16

 Of course, if the going gets rough, there are two spare tires aboard this monster.

 

Matchbox Desert Thunder V16

Johnny Lightning 1971 Plymouth Roadrunner

Today, we had to reach deep into the box of bad ass cars to find a photography subject.  Behold, it's the Johnny Lightning rendition of the 1971 Plymouth Roadrunner!

Johnny Lightning 1971 Plymouth Roadrunner

The Roadrunner was a lower cost alternative to some of the more bloated muscle cars.  1971 was perhaps the last great year for the car.  Buyers could get a 440-cubic inch V-8 with a 4-barrel carburetor that produced a whopping 370 horsepower.  A 426 Hemi was also an available option.  The aerodynamics of the car were greatly improved over previous years and it was a great car for highway handling.  In the real world, many Roadrunner buyers opted for detuned 383 cubic inch V-8 models that had lower insurance premiums and could run on regular gas. 

Johnny Lightning Plymouth Roadrunner Photo (front)

In a world where cars seem to get smaller and smaller, it would be a lot of fun to cruise in an old school muscle car like this Roadrunner.  It was truly a personal coupe and it could be had with an awesome stereo and 6-way power leather seats.

Johnny Lightning 1971 Plymouth Roadrunner

Johnny Lightning Roadrunner (rear)

Johnny Lightning Plymouth Roadrunner