Johnny Lightning Pro Collector Series

The Johnny Lightning Pro Collector Series was produced from 2001 to 2003 and featured six different segments; Muscle Cars, Camaro, Mustang or Shelby, Chevy, Mopar, and Corvette. The models were spread out over 4 releases and each one included a nice collectible storage tin. There are 2 models per segment in each release, for a grand total of 48 different cars.

This 1963 Chevy Impala Z11 is from the Chevy R1.

One fun, unexpected detail of these is that a picture of the top of the vehicle is printed on the bottom of the inside of the tin.

Johnny Lightning | 2001 | Pro Collector Series R1 #4 | 1963 Impala Z11 | dark blue, opening hood | collectable storage tin

Also from the Chevy segment, I have the 1970 Nova from R4.

Johnny Lightning | 2003 | Pro Collector Series R4 Chevy #41 | 1970 Chevy Nova SS | red, opening hood | collectable storage tin

2001 Johnny Lightning JL Collection 1963 Chevy Impala

The Johnny Lightning JL Collection series was billed as “authentic replicas of classic favorites” and over four releases included castings as varied as the 1967 Toyota 2000 GT, the 1987 Aston Martin and the 1929 Ford Model A. This loose 1963 Chevy Impala is from the 2001 Release 2.

Johnny Lightning | 2001 | JL Collection R2 |1963 Impala | silver, opening hood

2001 Johnny Lightning 1958 Chevy Impala Variations

The Johnny Lightning Car Culture Art Cars series featured “replicas of cars from the gallery of famous car culture photographer Cindy Lewis.” Included in each package was a bonus art card – a reproduction of one of Lewis’ original photographs. This red and white 1958 Chevy Impala is from the 2001 Release 3.

Johnny Lightning | 2001 | Car Culture Art Cars R3 | 1958 Chevy Impala | red with white top, bonus art card

Also from 2001, I have this 1958 Chevy Impala from the American Chrome series, Release 4. The series, which featured “Classic American Beauties” mostly from the 1950s, included 7 different color variations of the ’58 Impala.

Johnny Lightning | 2001 | American Chrome R4 | 1958 Impala | matador red, opening hood

Johnny Lightning Cover Cars

The Johnny Lightning Cover Cars series included 14 releases from 1999 until 2003. The series featured cars taken from the covers of automotive magazines such as Vette Magazine, Mustang Illustrated and High Performance Mopar. The examples I have – which were long ago removed from their packages – are accurate replicas of the cars pictured on the magazine covers. Fortunately, I still have the collector cards (miniature reproductions of the magazine covers) that were included with each model.

The first two, both from 1999 and featuring covers from Super Chevy, are different stock car versions of the venerable ’63 Chevy Z11. The Z11 was a special-package Impala Sport Coupe with a 427 engine and aluminum body parts created for drag racing and NASCAR. Only about 50 Z11s were produced and as few as 7 remain today.

Johnny Lightning | 1999 | Cover Cars R4 Super Chevy | 1963 Impala Z11 | white with Old Reliable stock car trim, white wheels, opening hood

Johnny Lightning | 1999 | Cover Cars R5 Super Chevy | 1963 Impala Z11 | white with Alan Green Chevrolet stock car trim, opening hood, Cragar wheels

Also from Super Chevy, this next Cover Car is a beautiful metallic blue 1963 Chevy Nova SS from 2001 Release 8.

Johnny Lightning | 2001 | Cover Cars R8 Super Chevy | 1963 Chevy Nova SS | metallic blue, opening hood, with collector card

And from 2001 Release 9, this bright yellow 1964 Chevy Nova from the cover of Popular Hot Rodding.

Johnny Lightning | 2001 | Cover Cars R9 Popular Hot Rodding | 1964 Chevy Nova | yellow, opening hood

 

2001 Johnny Lightning American Graffiti 1958 Chevy Impala

I never saw the movie American Graffiti when it came out in theaters in 1973, but I did watch it on television a few years later. While I don’t remember a lot of details from the movie, I do remember being impressed by the cars and the rock n’ roll spirit of the Southern California cruising culture depicted in the movie. I also remember listening to the soundtrack quite a bit on an 8-track player in a good friend’s basement.

The Johnny Lightning American Graffiti ’58 Impala was produced in 2001. It appears to have an opening hood (I’m not willing to violate the blister to find out for sure), but the wheels don’t quite match those on the original movie car.

2001 Johnny Lightning | American Graffiti R1 | 1958 Chevy Impala | white