Johnny Lightning Open Wheel Speed Racer Racer X

Fans of the Speed Racer cartoon series are probably familiar with "Racer X."  Apparently, he was the long lost brother of Speed Racer and a mysterious secret agent.  This Speed Rally game page explains the background of Racer X.

Since Racer X was an important character in the cartoon series, there are many different Racer X cars.  This Johnny Lightning Open Wheel version of the Racer X car is a great looking die-cast car.  It has an aggressive stance and the svelte looks of a late 1960s/early 1970s race car.

Johnny Lightning Open Wheel Racer X

The car also makes a great model to show off during what is quickly becoming yellow die-cast car week on this blog.

Racer X Die-cast Car (Top View)

Returning to the Speed Rally game. The idea of a dice-based "war game" based on 1/64-scale diecast cars sounds pretty inspired. It would give adult collectors of Matchbox, Hot Wheels, and Johnny Lightning cars a chance to show off their collections. If you are interested, poke around on the Speed Rally homepage.

Racer X rear engine view

From the rear, this Racer X engine looks like something from a Volkswagen.  Could it be Formula V for Racer X?

Racer X side view

Johnny Lightning 1969 Pontiac GTO Custom with Tiger Stripes

If you've ever wanted a car to blend in with the rest of the parking lot, this Johnny Lightning 1969 Pontiac GTO with Tiger Stripes is not it.  Here I've pictured it in the parking lot of my local Ross store.

Check out my similar Johnny Lightning 1965 Pontiac GTO in tiger stripes.  These are definitely 1/64 scale die-cast cars with strong personalities!

Johnny Lightning Ford Mustang II Cobra

The mid-1970s was a rather uninspiring time for the auto industry.  Gas crises in the Middle East forced a shift towards more economical cars and ended the race to build furiously powerful muscle cars.  One of the resulting cars was the Ford Mustang II.  Introduced in 1974, it didn't even offer a V-8 engine as an option.  However, it was a car for the times and the Ford Mustang II was a great seller for Ford.

By 1975, a 5.0-liter V-8 was introduced as an optional powerplant.  In 1976, an option package called the Cobra II brought a high performance look to the V-8 powered Mustang IIs.  According to Wikipedia, the Ford Mustang Cobra II could managed 0-to-60 in 10.5 seconds with a top speed of 106 miles per hour.

While the Ford Mustang II doesn't get much respect today, it did keep the Mustang alive so that it could return to glory.

 

Johnny Lightning Monopoly Water Works Truck in the Garden

It looks like this spring has sprung and this 1:64 scale Johnny Lightning Monopoly Water Works truck has sprouted up in this flower bed.

Johnny Lightning Monopoly Water Works Truck

Pool Side with a Johnny Lightning 1969 Chevy Camaro

Johnny Lightning brand die-cast cars were some of the best.  I collected mine when they were owned by Playing Mantis.  They had plenty of traditional muscle cars in their mix.  This is their take on the 1969 Chevy Camaro.

Johnny Lightning 1969 Chevy Camaro

I like this car because of its all-metal construction and nice wheels.  The hood also opens to reveal the V-8 engine.

Johnny Lightning 1969 Chevy Camaro

Here's a real 1969 Chevy Camaro, but this one has a vented hood due to a massive 396-cubic inch V-8 powerplant!

1969 Chevy Camaro with 396-cubic inch V-8 photo by emilydickinsonridesabmx from Fort Hamilton Brooklyn, New York, USA (1967 Chevy Camaro 396 SS) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The Gardener's Johnny Lightning 1959 Chevrolet El Camino

This Johnny Lightning rendition of the 1959 Chevrolet El Camino.  It's a great looking model and it has a real rustic feel.  It looks like an old gardening implement.

Johnny Lightning 1959 Chevrolet El Camino (profile)

The Chevy El Camino was introduced in 1959.  It was made from 1959 to 1960 and then from 1964 through 1987.  President Bill Clinton even confessed to owning one and lining the pickup bed with astroturf for ...um... sowing oats, gardening, and that sort of thing.



This 1959 El Camino comes from a more innocent time and was introduced as GM's answer to the Ford Ranchero.

Johnny Lightning 1959 Chevrolet El Camino (rear quarter)

Here's a real 1959 Chevrolet El Camino in a Chevrolet publicity photo.  Guess what they have it being used for?  Gardening!

A Real 1959 Chevy El Camino

Willy's Coupe from Johnny Lightning

Johnny Lightning has lots of historic Willy's coupes.  I like the patriotic paint job on this one.