2002 Johnny Lightning Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Machine

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? made its debut in 1969. We had a lot of great Saturday morning cartoons to watch in those days, but Scooby-Doo was one of my favorites. I found this Johnny Lightning Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Machine on one of my visits to J & J’s Treasures last March. There appear to be at least 8 different variations of the JL Mystery Machine, including some with characters printed on the top, a Diecast Model Kit version, and a Raw Set release that is unpainted. I believe this example is the first issue from the Hollywood on Wheels Series, Release 3.

Click here to compare to the Hot Wheels version of The Mystery Machine. And click here to compare to the Jada Toys Hollywood Rides The Mystery Machine.

Similar to the Hot Wheels The Mystery Machine premium release, the Johnny Lightning model features a metal base and has tampo printing on both the front and the back of the vehicle. I’m not sure, though, if I would call these wheels Real Riders.

Johnny Lightning | 2002 Hollywood on Wheels, R3 | Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Machine | turquoise with The Mystery Machine tampo, unpainted metal base | China

2011 Johnny Lightning Jim Reed’s 1959 Chevy Impala

Jim Reed was a five-time NASCAR champion who dominated the short track division in the 1950s, winning the championship consecutively from 1953 until 1957. Reed began racing at the age of 21, driving everything from midgets and sprints to modifieds before moving to NASCAR in 1949. His career stats include 59 wins in 206 Grand National starts, with a 1956 win in the prestigious Southern 500. After suffering a broken vertebrae in a 1963 wreck, Reed retired from racing and opened a GMC dealership in Peekskill, NY.

This 2011 Johnny Lightning 1959 Chevy Impala pays tribute to Jim Reed’s racing career. Reed drove his share of Ford’s during his career, but in 1959 Reed was provided a brand new 348-cubic-inch Impala Coupe by then Chevy president Ed Cole. He did race the #7 car, but it’s likely his own dealership (which he did not open until 1965, after his retirement from racing) was added to the livery at a later date.

Johnny Lightning | 2011 | 53727WP | Forever 64 R14 | Jim Reed’s 1959 Chevy Impala | metallic blue with white top, white and red graphics

2010 Johnny Lightning The Spoilers 1969 Chevy Nova SS

The Spoilers have been a part of the Johnny Lightning brand for many years, going back at least as far as 2001, when models with blown engines, racing stripes and a large number on each door were included in exclusive 5-car value packs. (Perhaps this year of origin explains the “01” that was eventually tagged onto The Spoilers logo on later packages?) For many years, The Spoilers were a sub-segment of the Street Freaks series. But during the Forever 64 period, they were simply sprinkled throughout the line-up.

This fun green metallic 1969 Chevy Nova SS is from the Walmart exclusive Forever 64 Release 01.

Johnny Lightning | 2010 | 52895RP | The Spoilers 01 Walmart Forever 64 R1 | 1969 Chevy Nova SS | green metallic with #23, yellow and white stripes

Johnny Lightning 1969 Chevy Impala SS

Over the years, the Johnny Lightning brand has been through many changes. The Forever 64 years, just prior to when the brand ceased production in 2013, were a time of cost-cutting measures that brought us simplified packaging and less-detailed models with plastic bases. Despite this, however, new castings continued to be introduced during this time. The JL 1969 Chevy Impala SS first appeared as a new casting in silver with a black top in the 2010 Forever 64 Release 10.

Johnny Lightning | 2010 | 53717JP | Forever 64 R10 | 1969 Chevy Impala SS | silver with black top

It appeared again that same year in the Black with Flames segment, Release 11.

Johnny Lightning | 2010 | 53717KP | Black with Flames Forever 64 R11 | 1969 Chevy Impala SS | black with flames

Another variation came out in the 2011 Forever 64 Release 17.

Johnny Lightning | 2011 | 53717JOP | Forever 64 R17 | 1969 Chevy Impala SS | gold with black top

Other examples of the JL 1969 Chevy Impala SS in my collection include the red chrome Holiday Classic Ornament from 2011, the gold version from the 2011 Classic Gold Release 19, and the only White Lightning in my collection from 2011 Editions Release 13.

2009 Johnny Lightning 40 Years Series

2009 was a milestone year for the Johnny Lightning brand, and they celebrated by offering the 40 Years series. One of the things I liked about this series was the packaging. After a few years of JL releasing models encased in indestructible plastic, I really appreciated the return to a simple blister card. As a collector, I probably shouldn’t feel that way, as these are much more susceptible to wear and tear. But I find them a lot warmer and friendlier – and I’m sure this is because this is the way cars were packaged when I bought them as a kid.

From the 40 Years Release 2 I have this nice dark red metallic 1970 Chevy Nova SS.

2009 | 40 Years R2 | 1970 Chevy Nova SS | dark red metallic

40 Years Release 4 featured this sharp flamed-out 1965 Chevy Impala SS.

2009 | 53905MP | 40 Years R4 | 1965 Chevy Impala SS | black with yellow flames

40 Years Release 6 included two Impalas; a custom ’59 convertible and a metallic purple ’65 SS.

2009 | 53727RP | 40 Years R6 | 1959 Chevy Impala | black, no hood

2009 | 53905NP | 40 Years R6 | 1965 Chevy Impala SS | metallic purple

And finally, from 40 Years Release 8, I have this maroon 1965 Chevy Impala SS convertible.

2009 | 53905PP | 40 Years R8 | 1965 Chevy Impala SS convertible | maroon with Cragar SS rims

2008 Johnny Lightning Those ’70s Cars ’73 Chevy Caprice Estate

The Chevrolet Caprice began as a luxury trim package for the 1965 Impala, but became a standalone model the following year. It was offered in the Chevy line-up until 1996, but the years from 1971 to 1976 – when the model was the largest Chevrolet ever built – are the ones we most often associate with the Caprice. Fittingly, the ’73 Chevy Caprice Estate was included in the Johnny Lightning Those ’70s Cars series. The series was produced in only two releases in 2008 (although JL also had two releases of a Super ’70s series in 2001 and 2002).

Like my 1965 Chevelle Wagon from the Road Trip U.S.A. series, this Caprice Estate is one of the few JLs in my collection that is not a Nova or Impala.

Johnny Lightning | 2008 | Those 70s Cars | 1973 Chevy Caprice Estate #3 | metallic gold with collector card

Rather than list the other castings in the Those ’70s Cars series, the back of the package advertises some of the other themes available in 2008. The package has a window which reveals the other side of the model, and allows you to read interesting information about the ’73 Caprice Wagon on the back side of the included collector card.

2008 Johnny Lightning Johnny Retro 1970 Chevy Nova

The Johnny Lightning Johnny Retro series ran for 5 releases from 2007 to 2008. Other than the “Johnny Retro, Since 1969” collector card included with each model, I’m not exactly sure what makes this series retro. This ’70 Chevy Nova from 2008 Release 4 is a striking orange-chrome with a white top.

The back of the package has a window to view the other side of the model and the reverse side of the collector card. Interestingly, in place of the usual list of castings in the series, there is an ad for American Collectors Insurance.

2008 | 52895N | Johnny Retro R4 | 1970 Chevy Nova #1 | orange chrome with white top, collector card

2007 and 2008 Johnny Lightning Calendar Cars

Building on the popularity of the Lightning Girls, who made their debut in the 2006 American Beauties series, the Johnny Lightning Calendar Cars series “replicated our Lightning Girls’ actual car or dream car.” Each car in the series prominently featured one of the Lightning Girls on each card and was packaged with a miniature stand-up calendar picturing the girl and her car, with a short description of the car on the back. “So get to know our Lightning Girls and why they love the cars they do.”

From the 2007 Calendar Cars series, I have this sharp 1969 Chevy Nova.

Johnny Lightning | 2007 | Calendar Cars | 1969 Chevy Nova #11 | dark blue metallic with calendar card

The 2008 Calendar Cars series included this nice ’65 Chevy Impala.

If you read the back of the stand-up calendar, you will find that Missy was fortunate enough to receive this sweet Impala on her 16th birthday! Well, I should mention that I have a birthday coming up …

Johnny Lightning | 2008 | 53905J | Calendar Cars | 1965 Chevy Impala #5 | gray with black top with Missy card

2007 Johnny Lightning ’60s Sizzle ’68 Chevy Impala

The Johnny Lightning ’60s Sizzle series ran from about 2005 to 2007 in six releases. The series featured “cars and trucks from a time when vehicle buyers demanded style, luxury and performance … and Detroit responded.” Each of these came packaged with a cardboard storage box printed with images of the car.

My ’68 Chevy Impala is from the 2007 Release 4.

Johnny Lightning | 2007 | 53904F | 60s Sizzle R4 #2 LE(1 of 5000) | 1968 Chevy Impala | green with black top, regular wheels, box

The back of the package lists the other castings available in Release 4, and has a window to view the other side of the model and storage box.

2007 Johnny Lightning Head to Head 1965 Chevy Impala SS vs 1965 Pontiac Catalina 2+2

The Johnny Lightning Head to Head series was released in 2006, featuring two well-matched cars in a toolbox-shaped display box. Release 1 included a metal coin printed with images of both cars. My example, from 2007 Release 3, pits a 1965 Impala SS against a 1965 Pontiac Catalina 2+2, and includes a Christmas tree starting light.

While the real-life 2+2 was only a special trim option for the 1964 Pontiac Catalina, in 1965 it became a true performance package, with a 421 V8, heavy-duty springs and shocks, a 3-speed manual transmission and dual exhaust. Along with special badging, the 2+2 had distinctive exterior features such as faux louvers on the fenders, pin-striping, and metal trim running the length of the lower body. All of these details are faithfully reproduced on this Johnny Lightning model.

Johnny Lightning | 2007 | Head to Head 2-Pack R3 | 1965 Chevy Impala SS (vs. 1965 Pontiac Catalina 2+2, gold) | blue with black top