Johnny LIghtning 1976 Chevy Camaro

This is my Johnny Lightning 1976 Chevrolet Camaro.  It's a nicely done die-cast car.  But, this version of the Camaro and these colors make for a very understated by Muscle Car.

Johnny Lightning 1976 Camaro (front)

Of course, in 1976 there was a fuel crisis and all the cars of the day were just being strangled by emission controls.

Johnny Lightning 1976 Chevrolet Camaro (side)

In 1976 the Chevy Camaro had a great sales year.  There were V-6 and V-8 options available. 

Johnny Lightning 1976 Chevrolet Camaro (side)

Horsepower was down from the late 1960s and early 1970s.  But, they were cool cars!

Johnny Lightning 1976 Chevrolet Camaro (back)

Hot Wheels Car - Time Attaxi

Here is a peek at one of my latest Hot Wheels:  Time Attaxi.  It's an aggressively-style taxi from the Hot Wheels City Works collection.  It's car 4 out of 10 in the City Works series and 92 out of 365 for the year.  Here it is the time I took the Attaxi to an Italian restaurant.

Hot Wheels Attaxi

Hot Wheels Tooned Dodge Charger Daytona

This Dodge Charge is really something special.  It is a highly Tooned car.  What does that mean?  According to Hot Wheels, Tooned cars promise "extreme proportions, over-the-top styling and car-tooned to the max!"  You can see that this car has a shortened Superbird chassis, oversized engine, dramatically big side pipes, and the tell-tale Superbird fin!  It's an awesome little vehicle!

This car is  number 5 out of 10 Tooned series cars.   It's model 103 out of 365 models for the Hot Wheels production run of 2017.  It definitely catches the eye, has a substantial feel in the hand, and has personality in spades!

Tooned Charger Daytona

 If you are looking for a car that brings something special to the table top, the Tooned series of Hot Wheels might be just the thing to liven up a collection!

Tooned Dodge Charger Daytona

Hot Wheels Dodge Charger Daytona ready for take off!

Johnny LIghtning 1963 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport

This blue beast is my 1963 Corvette Grand Sport.  It was made by Johnny Lightning and is a 1:64 scale die-cast replica.

This Johnny Lightning Corvette model has a great color scheme and a nice level of detail.  It really springs to life even rolling across a table top. Here is a 1963 Corvette Grand Sport in real life.

1963 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport - photo by Writegeist (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

According to GrandSportVettes.com, the Grand Sport was conceived as a way for Chevy to fight back against the Shelby Cobras that were beginning to dominate racing circuits of the era.  The Corvette proved faster and more nimble.  But, GM was persuaded to scrap the program and drop out of direct racing sponsorships.  Only 5 of these great cars were ever built.

My Matchbox 1954 Jaguar XK120 SE

When it comes to classic British cars, Matchbox does a pretty good job.  This is their die-cast rendition of the 1954 Jaguar XK120 SE.  In real life, this classic car would probably cost around $100,000 and--in show condition--it might cost more.  However, I found this version at Dollar Tree for the fantastic price of only $1.

Matchbox 1954 Jaguar XK120SE (front)

This car gives me the chance to enjoy the look of the long sleek bonnet and the curvaceous body.  Unlike many of today's 1:64 scale cars, it has a presence and a quiet dignity that eschews gaudy decals and decoration.  This may well be the classiest Matchbox car remaining in my collection.

Matchbox Jaguar XK120SE

Peering through the windows, I was delighted to find that this model featured the right-hand drive configuration favored in the U.K.  It's a little detail and it's a pleasant surprise. 

Matchbox Jaguar XK120

I've had this car for a long time, check out this Jaguar XK120 photo from five years ago.

Hot Wheels 1971 Ford Maverick Grabber

One particularly well-sorted car in my Hot Wheels collection is this 1971 Ford Maverick Grabber. I've seen lots of boring brown Ford Mavericks in my time, but this one is different. It's a brilliant red with alloy wheels, black stripes, and a real sense of purpose.

The Maverick Grabber sported a 5.0 liter V-8 (302 cubic inches in those days) and a great graphic package in a lightweight body.  It's a car that has been transformed into a dragster many times.

In my collection, it won't be laying a patch of rubber and a sub-13-second quarter mile, but it does look good.

Hot Wheels Twin Mill III Photos

On a dreary, overcast, day, there is nothing brighter than this Hot Wheels Twin Mill III in bright yellow!  This car is definitely a bright spot in my die-cast car collection.

Hot Wheels Twin Mill III

Hot Wheels Twin Mill III (Profile)

Here are more Hot Wheels Twin Mill III photos.  However, if this car is a little too small for you, there might be a life-sized Twin Mill out there just waiting for you.

Johnny Lightning 1970 Chevrolet Corvette

It can be a real challenge to maintain a 50-year old classic car like this 1970 Chevrolet Corvette.  However, the folks at Johnny Lightning have made it much easier by dramatically reducing the size and mechanical complexity of their Corvette.

Johnny Lightning 1970 Corvette Stingray

 This die-cast model fits in a pocket and always looks good.  It also packs an amazing amount of detail.  On this model, the hood flips forward just slightly to reveal a powerful V-8 engine.

Johnny Lightning 1970 Corvette Stingray

This style of Corvette is called the C3 for third generation.  It has a low-slung curvaceous look and almost shark-like streamlining.  In my view, this is the best looking generation of Chevy Corvette. 

Johnny Lightning 1970 Corvette Stingray

For a larger golden alternative, check out this Maisto 1970 Corvette Stingray.

Maisto 1:25 Scale 1970 Plymouth GTX Review

I recently spotted this 1:25 scale die-cast 1970 Plymouth GTX.  For a $10 model, it was surprising detailed with a painted engine compartment and opening hood and doors.

The painted air cleaner, valve covers and battery terminals make this little model car a winner in its price category.

In my opinion, the look of this car is right on. It is a great rendition of the real car.

You can see the real thing right here in this photo from Wikimedia Commons.  However, in the model, I don't recall really seeing the pronounced hood scoop.  It may have had a square outline on the hood.

1970 Plymouth GTX Photo by User Sirboxxer on en.wikipedia (photo by author) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

Ah-ha!  In truth, the Plymouth GTX had an opening ram scoop on the hood.  Here is a photo of a 1970 Plymouth with the scoop closed.  Sneaky!

Moving on, the interior looks authentic.  Is that simulated wood-grain in the center console? 

Overall, this Maisto is pretty cool model and was a great deal at my local drugstore.  If you can't find it, there is no need to waste gas, Amazon has them on hand right here: 

Maisto 1:24 Scale Porsche Boxster

The Porsche Boxster is an amazing sports car.  It's powered by a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that in its basic configuration puts out 300 horsepower and can propel the little landspeeder from 0 to 60 miles per hour in only 4 seconds.  That kind of performance is good for a 12.5 second quarter mile in a package that handles twisty roads with aplomb.

Maisto 1:24 scale Porsche Boxster

This particular Porsche Boxster is a 1:24 scale rendition from Maisto.  It's a great little model from an affordable maker.

Kinsmart 1971 Lamborghini Muira P400 SV Die-cast Pullback Car

I recently saw this Kinsmart 1/32 scale die-cast Lamborghini Muira P400 SV at a Walgreens drug store. It's nice little rendition of an iconic Lambo. On sale at 2 for $10, you also can't beat the price.  A real Lamborghini Miura costs around $1.7 million.  But, this model has opening doors and pullback action to zoom across your floor.

Kinsmart Lamborghini Muira

My Hot Wheels RocketFire

This is or was my Hot Wheels RocketFire.  I donated some of my collection to charity due to an upcoming move.  If you are looking for a wild silver Hot Wheels car with orange wheels, some sort of red powerplant, and huge yellow rocket motor hanging off the back, this is your car!

This is a crazy looking Hot Wheels car with personality in spades, but I figured that this is just the sort of car that should really be in a kids toy box somewhere.

Apparently, this #8 car races on the volcano circuit.  It figures because it looks hot!  The silver body looks molten!

Hot Wheels Blue Saber Toothed Cat Car

This is one of the weirdest cars in my collection.  For some reason, a person at Hot Wheels thought it would be cool to mix a car design with a saber-tooted tiger.  Of course, there is no label on the bottom of the car to identify the model, the year, or even the name.

It's a strange concoction with gold wheels and a single seat.  Is it a crazy Shriner parade car?  Is it a cartoon or TV show tie in?  Or is this strange Hot Wheels car something more serious?

Ultimately, I decided that this Hot Wheels car should leave my collection.  It's just not one that I aspire to drive.  But, it was certainly an interesting design.

Tin Race Car

Every once in awhile, a tin race car will capture my attention at a Ross, Marshall's or TJ Maxx store.  They often feature someone whimsical sculptures of  early race cars.  I never know what actual car these are based on, but they look pretty cool.

For comparison, here is a real Stutz Bearcat Speedster from 1912.  So, that puts us into the right general era of motoring.

By Katherine Tompkins (1912 Stutz Bearcat Speedster front quarter) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licensesI

I have only found a few tin cars on Amazon, but they do look very cool!