Diecast 1963 Ford Thunderbird and King Kong

Sometimes I'll find interesting die-cast cars in a local thrift store.  Most of them are beat up and have been played with by lots of kids.  I generally leave them so that someone can enjoy a toy.  However, sometimes, you just have to take a photograph of an interesting combination of what I believe is a 1:18 scale 1963 Ford Thunderbird and King Kong.

King Kong and a die-cast 1963 Ford Thunderbird

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.