Tag / 1966 Chevy Nova SS

by marcboz

Johnny Lightning Chevy Thunder

The Johnny Lightning Chevy Thunder series was produced from 2004 until 2007 featuring “all of your favorite Bow-Tie rides,” including many Novas and Impalas. Sometimes the cars in this series were packaged with extras, and sometimes not. The 2005 Release 2 – from which I have the 1970 Nova SS and the 1959 Impala – included a Chevy ignition key.

2005 | Chevy Thunder R2 #13 | 1970 Chevy Nova SS | black with stripes & ignition key

2005 | Chevy Thunder R2 #18 | 1959 Chevy Impala | tan with ignition key

The back of the card lists the different castings available in Release 2.

2006 Chevy Thunder Release 5 was a simple blister card with nothing extra. From this release I have the 1969 Impala SS Convertible and the 1966 Nova SS.

2006 | Chevy Thunder R5 #26 | 1969 Chevy Impala SS Convertible | black with white top

2006 | Chevy Thunder R5 #27 | 1966 Chevy Nova SS | gray metallic

The back of the card lists the different castings available in Release 5.

2006 Release 6 brought back the ignition key. This lovely dark green metallic 1965 Impala includes a key stamped with the famous Chevy 409 emblem.

2006 | Chevy Thunder R6 #29 | 1965 Chevy Impala | dark green metallic with black top, regular wheels, ignition key

The back of the card lists the different castings available in Release 6.

For 2007 Release 7, the packaging became much more complicated and the extra was a collector card. Here’s a fun ’65 Impala convertible from R7.

2007 | 53905E | Chevy Thunder R7 #1 | 1965 Chevy Impala convertible | brown, Cragar wheels

The back of the package lists the different castings available in Release 7. It also has a window to view the back of the collector card and the other side of the vehicle.

And finally – probably my favorite of my Chevy Thunder collection – this nice yellow 1970 Chevy Nova SS from the 2007 Release 8.

2007 | Chevy Thunder R8 | 1970 Chevy Nova SS #4 | yellow with white top, collector card

The back of the package lists the different castings available in Release 8. It also has a window to view the back of the collector card and the other side of the vehicle.

by marcboz

2018 Johnny Lightning Hot Rod Power Tour R5 1966 Chevy Nova SS

In 1995, the Hot Rod Magazine staff decided to drive their own cars from Los Angeles to Norwalk, Ohio, for the first Power Fest. As they went, they promoted the trip in the pages of their magazine, and they invited readers to join in along the way. Though only a few dozen joined that first year, the event has become an annual trek that attracts more than 6,000 participants and over 100,000 spectators.

This nice Green Mist Poly 1966 Chevy Nova SS from the 2018 Johnny Lightning Musclecars U.S.A. Hot Rod Power Tour, Release 5, came to me in a recent shipment from my friend, Brad. I think it’s interesting that the series claims to feature replicas of actual Power Tour vehicles, yet they still insist on offering more than one color variation of each casting. As you can see here, the car pictured on the card is not the same color as the car in the blister.

Johnny Lightning | Muscle Cars USA | Hot Rod Power Tour 2018 R5 | 1966 Chevy Nova SS | green mist poly | 1:64

I have other JL 1966 Novas in my collection, including a nice Street Freaks Zingers! model from 2005. JL also uses the same casting for a 1967 Nova, and I also have a few of those, including a version from the Musclecars U.S.A. 2016 release and one from the 2006 Project in Progress series.