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

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.

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

Johnny Lightning Gold Series Impalas

The Johnny Lightning Gold Series, which featured highly accurate models with rubber tires and painted detail on the chassis, was first released with 12 castings in 2003. The series was revived in 2006, with the cars now packaged in a mirrored display case, and it continued through 9 releases up until 2008.

This nice ’69 Impala SS Convertible is from the 2006 Gold Series Release 3. Even though the clamshell is reclosable, mine is still sealed up in the original Johnny Lightning branded tape.

Reflected in the mirrored base of the included display case, you can just see some of the nice details on the underside of the model.

The back of the package shows the other castings available in Release 3.

Johnny Lightning | 2006 | Gold Series R3 Muscle Cars #15 | 1969 Chevy Impala SS Convertible | green with black top

My only other Gold Series model is this ’65 Impala SS from 2008 Release 9. It is also still sealed shut.

Curiously, the back of this package does not list the other castings in Release 9, but it does have a window to view the other side of the model.

Johnny Lightning | 2008 | 53905 | Gold Series Muscle Cars R9 LE (1 of 5000) | 1965 Chevy Impala SS #39 | black

2006 Johnny Lightning Classic Plastic and Model Kit Companion 1958 Chevy Impalas

When I was a kid, in addition to die-cast cars, I was also into plastic model kits. The Johnny Lightning Classic Plastic series combined these two great things by presenting “metal replicas of vintage model kits.” The series was introduced in 2001, during JL’s Playing Mantis era. That first release featured die-cast cars replicating early-1970s drag and funny car model kits by Jo-Han. By the time the series was revived in 2005, it highlighted model kits by AMT, which was by then owned by JL’s parent company, RC2. The series continued up to 2008.

My 1958 Chevy Impala from the 2006 Classic Plastic series is a replica of a “3 in 1” AMT kit that could be assembled as stock, competition or customized by none other than George Barris.

The miniature box is a pretty faithful reproduction of the original plastic model and makes me feel like I’m a kid in the hobby store, trying to decide which kit I want to build next.

Johnny Lightning | 2006 | Classic Plastic | 1958 Chevy Impala #13 | gold with miniature model box

Another related Johnny Lightning line was the Model Kit Companion series, which was an actual AMT plastic model kit that included a matching die-cast car. There were only nine different castings in the series (2006-2007), among them another 1958 Chevy Impala as you see here.

This one is unopened, in fact I’ve never even removed the original shrink-wrap from the package.

Johnny Lightning | 2006 | Model Kit Companion R3 | 1958 Chevy Impala | dark blue with white top, with 1/25 scale AMT 1958 Chevy Impala plastic model kit

Johnny Lightning Coca-Cola Impalas

Johnny Lightning has done a variety of series co-branded with Coca-Cola, in range of themes and featuring lots of different extras. The four models that I have in my collection represent a very small sample of the Coca-Cola vehicles that can be found.

This sharp 1959 Chevy Impala is from the 2006 Coca-Cola Trays series, which includes a miniature vintage serving tray.

The back of the card lists the other castings found in the series.

Johnny Lightning | 2006 | Coca-Cola Trays | 1959 Chevy Impala | black with red convertible top, Coca-Cola graphics, miniature Coke serving tray

From 2006, I have the ’68 Chevy Impala from the Family Fun series, which includes a bonus Coke six-pack sticker.

The back of the package lists the other cars in the series and has a window to view the opposite side of the model.

Johnny Lightning | 2007 | 53904H | Coca-Cola Family Fun R4 #6 | 1968 Chevy Impala | pale yellow with black top, sticker

Also from 2006, a ’68 Chevy Impala Convertible from the Sports Cars series. This one is packaged with a sticker as well.

The back of the package lists the other cars in the series and has a window to view the back of the sticker as well as the opposite side of the model.

Johnny Lightning | 2007 | 53904G | Coca-Cola Sports Cars R2 #6 | 1968 Chevy Impala Convertible | green with sports trim, sticker

And finally, from 2008, I have the ’61 Chevy Impala SS from the Coke Winter series. The model includes an ornament clip so the snowflake-covered car can be hung on your Christmas tree.

The back of the package lists the other cars in the series and has a window to view the opposite side of the model.

Johnny Lightning | 2008 | 53958B | Coca-Cola Winter 2008 R2 | 1961 Chevy Impala SS #3 | red with white top, white Coca-Cola graphics, ornament clip